The central grounds of Wageningen campus consist of a green oasis with plenty of pieces of visual art. The meadows, hedgerows and forested areas on campus are part of several ecological corridors to the Veluwezoom and Binnenveld.
The garden behind the Lumen building accommodates nutrient-poor vegetation from the region including rare plants. The "Dassenbos" (badgers forest) on the west side of the campus is a peaceful enclave where nature is virtually undisturbed.
The spatial structure of the campus is formed by a large green central area framed by buildings of 4-5 floors. The green central area provides space for meeting and recreation. It is composed of grass, water and trees with numerous vistas. Different internationally renowned architects were selected resulting in diverse designs of the buildings, among them the German architect Stefan Bhenisch (Lumen), the American architect Rafael Vinoly (Atlas), Quist – Wintermans (Forum) and Chris de Weijer (Radix).
The Green Vision of Wageningen Campus explains how the green appearance of the campus moves along with the development and growth of business activity on the campus.
There are several large bodies of water on campus which store collected surface water from the area allowing the water to flow back into the deeper ground water. The bodies of water are part of the ecological water structure of the city. The city canal in Wageningen is cleaned out with this water. The bodies of water have gentle, nature-friendly banks.
Natural garden
A special place on campus is the natural garden behind Lumen that was created in 1998 with soils typically found in the surroundings of Wageningen. Because of this, varied environments have emerged, such as those from the fluvial area and the sandy soils. Hundreds of plant species grow in the flowery meadow, including rare species such as orchids. The garden is visited by kingfishers and woodpeckers and there is a special shelter for bats.
There is a great deal of art on Wageningen Campus. Throughout the history of Wageningen University & Research many pieces of art have been purchased or donated, for instance, at the opening of a new building or at festivities or events. Due to the large concentration of activities of Wageningen University & Research on the campus, much art can be seen here. Those who are interested in the on-campus art can follow the art route that will take you to all the pieces of art.
Art route