Green spaces in city centres are precious and hard to find. Many remain invisible from the street, tucked away behind buildings in overlooked courtyards. Yet these private sanctuaries benefit far more than their immediate users—they actively improve the urban climate for everyone. This is precisely why such spaces deserve thoughtful design and vibrant use: thoughtfully planted areas for relaxation, cultivated with plants that nurture both people and wildlife. In the heart of an old town, this vision came to life within a restored historic apartment's garden. Where laundry once dried and vegetables once grew, the team at Richter Garten has crafted an outdoor space that transcends a simple extension of the home—it becomes an essential complement to it.

The 100 m² plot, longer than it is wide, is framed on three sides by roughly two-metre walls of handmade clay bricks. The home opens onto the fourth side, connected by a generous wooden terrace—the true genesis of this garden's transformation. The vision was clear: create another room, this one beneath the sky. Ten-centimetre Schellevis concrete slabs, finished to mimic basalt lava, define the terrace's edge and gracefully bridge the level change to the sunken garden beyond. This material choice proves elegant economy: one stone serves for paths, steps, and kerbs, eliminating the need for additional materials. Grey pathways and bed edging weave through a carefully composed green palette—Japanese ornamental grasses and Japanese maples punctuated by the striking purple orbs of ornamental alliums and pollinator-friendly perennials encircling the terrace.

Set slightly recessed, the steps appear to float, their mass belied by an almost weightless quality—a refined visual gesture that repeats itself at the second terrace nestled deeper in the garden. Here, the floor opens to reveal a pond that seems to drift beneath the terrace and its adjoining seating platform. Below the surface lies a filtration system supporting a regeneration basin planted with papyrus, ensuring year-round water clarity and wellness. On scorching summer days, this one-metre-deep basin transforms into the perfect outdoor bath. Few pleasures compare to such an indulgent refresh.

www.richter-garten.de

Photography Credits:

Annike Richter
Kai Stein

(Featured in CUBE Cologne Bonn 01|22)