idverde Denmark reveals magical roof gardens at children’s hospital

Groundbreaking partnership with hospital foundation Børneriget Fonden means biodiversity in urban spaces finds new forms, while idverde's project at the new children's hospital paves the way for future collaborations.

‘Life must be lived - even during serious illness.’ This is the premise for Denmark's new children’s hospital, Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital, named after HM Queen Mary. In a new partnership between the hospital's foundation, Børneriget Fonden, idverde, Malmos Landskaber, and Juul Frost Architects, this special test project that will lead to "Mary's Magical Roof Garden" on top of the new children's hospital towards Nørre Allé.

Mary Elizabeth’s Hospital is dedicated to the well-being of children, adolescents, and expectant mothers. Children with serious illnesses will be admitted for highly specialized treatment from 2026, when the hospital opens. Many of them have life-threatening illnesses and long, complex treatment courses, while their families are going through very difficult times. Armed with world-class research and expertise the hospital will provide care at the highest international standards and create a safe and nurturing environment, for the whole family, with space to step away from the hospital environment, areas where siblings can play, and parents can take a break.

For idverde, the focus on green infrastructure, biodiversity and nature’s impact on human health is a welcome and much needed benefit to this project

“Nature must play a much more prominent role in the way we develop society, because it is of great importance for, among other things, our mental health. But there has not been sufficient attention to this until now, because the climate agenda has created a tunnel vision with a focus primarily on the CO2 load.”, says idverde DK CEO Morten Dohrmann Hansen.

The partnership has brought a more joined up, holistic approach to the project, allowing different perspectives and expertise to create meaningful solutions that benefit both people's well-being and the well-being of nature, rather than the either/or approach previously employed.

Idverde will also bring data-driven knowledge and skills to the project, using sensors to collect data on the well-being of trees and plants. This data, particularly on climate impact, is increasingly important in light of the increasing demands for corporate sustainability reporting (CSRD) following the EU Commission’s legal requirements from 2023 which covers the largest companies.