“We began when vertical gardens in buildings felt like preaching to a desert. Today international institutions issue clear directives to ramp up environmental regeneration in cities. We’ve moved forward step by step, and now the moment has arrived to scale income generation significantly, while making it plain we are not a one‑trick outfit.” That is how Fernando Hidalgo, cofounder of Terapia Urbana, sums up the past, present, and future of a Sevillian small business. The company designs and licenses patented façade and interior greening and biophilic systems, present in 25 countries. The primary footprint is European, but installations also span other continents, including Australia and Canada.
It is a seven‑person team, strengthened by a newly appointed commercial representative for the United Kingdom — the market where its client base is strongest. Local production is handled by Sevillian firms that fabricate the company’s modules, which grace offices and stores of multinational brands such as Facebook, Salesforce, Asics, Radisson, Amazon, Porsche, and Jaguar Land Rover. Distinct sites host these solutions as well, like Zurich Airport, a stretch of Madrid’s M‑30, the Tabacalera Building in Santander, and the Quirón Sagrado Corazón Hospital in Seville, where the company first delivered a large‑format installation in 2012.
What plants are used and how they are grown
The designs rely on a ventilated façade construction approach. Hidalgo explains it as semi‑hydroponic: shrubs or groundcover species with compact root systems are chosen to avoid aggressive root growth. The basic model accommodates 36 or 49 plants sourced from nurseries. They grow in a slim layer of potting soil. Over time, in a closed irrigation loop, soil nutrients dwindle, so a small dose of fertilizers is added to sustain each plant’s health and vitality.
The plants
The plant palette is broad and adapted to project type, climate, sun exposure, and lighting. Examples include ferns, rosemary, Tulbaghia, Croton, Philodendron, Peace Lily, and Wandering Jew, among others that thrive in a confined root zone where plant size remains manageable and maintenance stays feasible.
The origins and evolution of Terapia Urbana
The venture began from the early efforts of Iván Gaviño and Fernando Hidalgo to establish an architectural studio. In 2008 they connected with Sevilla University researchers exploring crop comparisons and vertical garden systems. Patrick Blanc was the best‑known pioneer at the time, but the founders saw a path aligned with urban sustainability through architectural and engineering consultancy rather than decorative landscaping.
Lessons and trials
Turning that vision into a viable, recurring business required years of experimentation and learning. Initially, the team figured out how to structure the business, entered several start‑up competitions, and joined incubators. Training and support came from the University of Seville, EOI, Andalucía Emprende, the CREA resource center of the Seville City Council, and Fundación San Telmo’s business school. A major challenge arose when Invercaria, the regional venture capital fund, faced political and judicial scrutiny. Although the company was a beneficiary, the broader controversy meant delayed payments and heightened scrutiny for many entrepreneurs who had nothing to do with the cases.
The move to London and beyond
Initially the focus was on the nearby market. Revenue came in slowly, mostly through decorative shops. The compact vertical garden system soon found demand in the United Kingdom. Working with Extenda, the Andalusian agency, the founders launched their first international push in 2012. Meetings in London, Amsterdam, and Brussels followed, and a collaboration with Scotscape helped standardize production, professionalize installation, and win acceptance from architecture studios, builders, and developers alike.
Recent weeks saw Iván Gaviño and Fernando Hidalgo lead online seminars detailing technical aspects of green façades and their climate‑resilience benefits. One session, organized in Poland by the Polish Ecological Construction Association, and another with the Alicante software firm Cype, highlighted growth opportunities for sustainability in urban design.
People and the human need to inhabit nature
Beyond aesthetics, the project offers tangible habitat benefits. Hidalgo emphasizes oxygen production, biodiversity support, and the improved absorption of greenhouse gases through urban greenery. The hybrid construction they promote enables nature and city to coexist by housing living plants within built environments.
This connects with the human biophilia hypothesis: a deep physical and mental craving for nature. Experts in human resources note that integrating greenery into workspaces can boost performance, mood, and engagement.
The main Terapia Urbana clients include offices, hotels, shopping centers, and residential complexes. Green façades are increasingly in demand, but the team resists pure plastic solutions. They prefer a focused portfolio of high‑quality offerings and project consulting that prioritizes authentic integration of nature through innovation, rather than typical residential landscaping work.