The first contours of The Green House greenhouse complex at Floriade in Almere are becoming visible. The groundwork has already been completed, and The Green House will be completed in March 2022. Bom Group from Hoek van Holland is building the greenhouse that will be the center of the Floriade Expo 2022 where Dutch horticulture will present itself to the world in the broadest sense of the word.
With a surface area of 1 hectare, The Green House will be the largest building at the Expo. From the 170-meter long elevated promenade, visitors have a good view of the complex and the exhibitions that will be on display here. The Green House has a considerable height difference of almost three meters over the length of the greenhouse, bridged by the construction of four large 'terraces'.
This makes it no ordinary greenhouse, and a challenging project for the greenhouse builder. John Meijer of Bom Group: "It is certainly a challenging project, but we are used to that. In the greenhouse horticulture industry, we face challenges on a daily basis, but by combining forces we can achieve a great deal."
Floriade is building The Green House. Photo: Fotolinie Almere
Special glass
V8 Architects from Rotterdam designed the greenhouse, taking inspiration from the imposing Crystal Palace built in London in 1851. By using different types of glass, such as transparent glass, textured glass, and whitewashed glass, a special play of light is created in the greenhouse complex. This is enhanced by a 'sea of mirrors', a series of mirrors that give a special effect to visitors as they reflect the sky and the green surroundings.
Three parts
The Green House will be the stage for Dutch horticulture with product entries of vegetables, fruit, flowers, and plants. The latest developments in such fields as circular agriculture, climate adaptation, biodiversity, and food supply will also be on display.
In the High Tech Greenhouse section, the four demo crops (strawberry, sweet pepper, gerbera, and pot anthurium) will be used to show what innovative and sustainable cultivation looks like. In the Technical Innovation Center section, visitors will get an insight into future cultivation methods with, among others, a robotized vertical farm, drones, and other types of robots.
Entries in horticulture can be submitted until 1 November
The Experience Greenhouse of 5,000 m2 is the place where visitors can, in the words of the organization, "marvel at the beauty and variety of countless flowers, plants, vegetables, and fruit". Arranger Heleen Valstar and the Floriade Horticulture Team are currently in talks with participants and exhibitors who will together form a presentation of the horticultural sector. They can still apply to participate in The Green House until 1 November.
The first contours of the greenhouse complex become visible. Photo: Fotolinie Almere
Floriade Expo 2022 will take place from 14 April to 9 October 2022. It is a world horticultural exhibition.