The steel frame stands 17 meters high, mirroring the dimensions of the original factory hall that once occupied the site.
The park contains over 100 different plant species, specifically chosen to create a dense, vertical vegetative layer.
The interior walkway structure is designed to function like an indoor room, providing a sheltered, semi-private space within an urban environment.
The park's design won the 'Bund Deutscher Landschaftsarchitekten' award for its innovative approach to industrial brownfield conversion.
The massive steel trellis is engineered to support the weight of mature climbing vegetation through a sophisticated tension system.
MFO-Park is an urban green space housed within a massive steel scaffold structure that mimics the volume of a former factory building. Located in the Oerlikon district of Zürich, the park serves as a vertical garden, with climbing plants covering the metal grid. The structure features several interior levels, including an elevated walkway that offers views across the neighborhood. The design was created by architects Burckhardt + Partner and landscape architect Raderschall. It occupies the site of the former Maschinenfabrik Oerlikon factory. The park includes a large, open central lawn surrounded by the skeletal steel frame. The plant-covered walls function as a sound barrier for the surrounding residential area. It remains a notable example of industrial re-purposing in contemporary Swiss urban planning.
The upper observation deck, looking downward across the central lawn and through the overlapping layers of the green-clad steel grid.
Bring a jacket, as the metal structure can feel significantly cooler and windier than the surrounding streets.
Climb the stairs to the top platform for a clear vantage point of the Oerlikon district skyline.
Visit during the late spring to see the jasmine and other climbing plants in full bloom.
Do not attempt to climb the exterior steel beams, as the structure is strictly for designated paths and staircases only.
