Water Garden
Bas Smets, 2026
The Water Garden is part of a masterplan by landscape architect Bas Smets, who views the Vitra Campus as a “living organism” – a habitat for people, animals and plants that adapts to changing climatic conditions. One of the leading landscape designers of our time, Smets is known for his far-reaching, ecologically driven projects, such as the re-vegetation of the public space around Notre-Dame Cathedral in Paris. His concept for the Vitra Campus dates back to 2022 and the first phase was implemented in 2023 with the planting of 8000 young trees to form “micro-forests” based on the principles of Japanese botanist Akira Miyawaki.
Inaugurated in June 2026, the Water Garden in front of the Vitra Design Museum is the next stage in Smets’s vision – a generously scaled pond surrounded by trees and aquatic plants selected according to criteria of biodiversity and climate resilience. The body of water and its vegetation attract birds and support a population of fish, bringing new life to the campus. The Water Garden is supplied with rain collected from the roof of an adjacent factory building. In addition, a berm created from the excavated soil shields the area from the busy road nearby.
The organically shaped Water Garden fits within the original path leading to Tadao Ando’s Conference Pavilion and enters into dialogue with the striking architecture of Frank Gehry’s Vitra Design Museum, whose dynamic volumes are reflected on the pond’s surface.
Within the pond itself, three ceramic sculptures by Hella Jongerius form a fountain. The expressive shark heads originate from her “Angry Animals” series, which draws attention to endangered species. In her typically ironic and subversive manner, Jongerius refers to them as “The Three Graces” – an invitation to reconsider classical notions of beauty, joy and abundance.
Additional objects are situated along the circular path: a bench by architect Balkrishna Doshi, an original Maison Démontable 4x4 by Jean Prouvé, and the sculpture “Balancing Tools” by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. The Water Garden unites landscape, architecture and design, creating a space that encourages visitors to linger.
The Water Garden will be open to the public from 18 June; the official opening will take place on 4 July as part of the Vitra Campus Summer Festival.
Inaugurated in June 2026, the Water Garden in front of the Vitra Design Museum is the next stage in Smets’s vision – a generously scaled pond surrounded by trees and aquatic plants selected according to criteria of biodiversity and climate resilience. The body of water and its vegetation attract birds and support a population of fish, bringing new life to the campus. The Water Garden is supplied with rain collected from the roof of an adjacent factory building. In addition, a berm created from the excavated soil shields the area from the busy road nearby.
The organically shaped Water Garden fits within the original path leading to Tadao Ando’s Conference Pavilion and enters into dialogue with the striking architecture of Frank Gehry’s Vitra Design Museum, whose dynamic volumes are reflected on the pond’s surface.
Within the pond itself, three ceramic sculptures by Hella Jongerius form a fountain. The expressive shark heads originate from her “Angry Animals” series, which draws attention to endangered species. In her typically ironic and subversive manner, Jongerius refers to them as “The Three Graces” – an invitation to reconsider classical notions of beauty, joy and abundance.
Additional objects are situated along the circular path: a bench by architect Balkrishna Doshi, an original Maison Démontable 4x4 by Jean Prouvé, and the sculpture “Balancing Tools” by Claes Oldenburg and Coosje van Bruggen. The Water Garden unites landscape, architecture and design, creating a space that encourages visitors to linger.
The Water Garden will be open to the public from 18 June; the official opening will take place on 4 July as part of the Vitra Campus Summer Festival.
Publication date: 18.06.2026
Images: Vitra