The greenhouse shape stems from a parametric design process that started out from a conventional hypothesis: making the shape similar to that of a semi-sphere, because the sphere offers the largest volume for the smallest surface area and therefore favors energy efficiency. Through a series of repetitions, this initial shape was gradually deformed to optimize sun exposure, until it became a sort of semi-ellipsoid resting on an oval-shaped plinth.

This oval ring is the rigid base of the greenhouse’s structure, consisting of steel meridians and parallels that are cut out to trace a grid of rectangles of different sizes. These are clad with pneumatic ETFE cushion foils, with a triple-layer on the south-facing side. The two outer cushions are silkscreen printed with a dot pattern so that, through changes in pressure, the relative positions of these printed foils can be adjusted to reduce or increase the translucency of the cushions.