Plans for a leaf-shaped building in the heart of Ninewells Hospital’s community garden have been put forward at a cost of around £50,000.
The proposal for a Scottish timber-made garden room was created by an Arbroath firm after it was selected as the best design in an NHS architecture competition.
Voigt Partnership designed the new disabled-friendly facility, which has an overhanging, sloping roof that looks like a leaf, with the main beam as the stem and supporting rafters as veins.
Inside, a wood-burning stove and extensive decking area will provide comfortable surroundings for use by garden volunteers, visitors, patients, staff and community groups. Taking its form from nature, the facility is designed to connect the building with the garden.
A Voigt Partnership spokesman said: “The leaf room is inspired from a natural form, helping to connect the building to the garden it serves.
“The proposed building replicates this form with a leaf-shaped roof overhanging a rectangular room underneath functioning as a living room, a garden retreat, a community room, an educational training facility etc.
“The building will be constructed primarily in natural Scottish timber and will sit comfortably in the garden space it occupies, creating a strong link between building and the excellent community garden.”
The firm won the contract after its proposal won an architecture competition to create a “safe, accessible and inclusive environment for gardening activities” for NHS Tayside, Ninewells Community Garden and Forestry Commission Scotland.
The leaf room will also be close to the Maggie’s Centre. It is proposed that the main building be made of Douglas fir and the majority of the build will be Scottish timber. The community garden is run by an independent charity and serves patients, staff and visitors.
The plans, which were submitted to Dundee City Council’s planning department, are available to the public for comment before a decision is taken.