Viewing and outlook points

The Natural Park of Collserola (about 8,000 ha) is a forested area in the hilly Northern fringes of Barcelona. Since 1987, Collserola has been managed under a special protection plan and forms part of the European FEDENATUR network that aims at protected fragile peri-urban ecosystem for both their social and ecological functions. The park is jointly managed by a consortium including the Catalan government (Generalitat de Catalunya), the Barcelona Provincial Council (Diputació de Barcelona), the Metropolitan Area of Barcelona (AMB) as well as all adjacent municipalities (Ref 1).

Joan Reventós Park is a public park of about two hectares in Barcelona. It was opened in May 2009. The park is located within the catchment area of “Riera de les Monges” watercourse. For this reason, a sustainable drainage and sewer system (SUDS) was created in case of heavy rainfall, also harboring a flood area that prevents overflows (Ref. 1). This 20,091 square meter forest area has been converted into a recreational space for the local neighborhood and a playground, as well as a connecting corridor between the school zones and the center of the neighborhood (Ref. 3)

The Tree Master Plan of Barcelona is a long-term (20-year) plan, running from 2017 to 2037. The ultimate goal of the Tree Master Plan is to ensure the presence of dynamic, healthy and diverse urban trees in Barcelona. According to the Plan, urban trees are essential for green infrastructure and for creating quality public space in the city. An innovative feature of this intervention is the use of biological approaches to the tree maintenance (no pesticides or chemicals) (Ref 1, 2 and 3).

The gardens of the Rambla de Sants is an elevated linear park (similar to the High line of New York) located in the Sants district of Barcelona (760 meters long and about 6 ha size). It is located over the structure of train and metro lines. It was opened to the public in August of 2016. The gardens include mainly native plantations, playground areas, and other facilities (Ref. 2).

The FUTURE - a project of 100,000 trees in the Porto Metropolitan Area - is a planned and coordinated effort of various organizations and citizens to create and maintain native urban forests in this region, which needs to enrich its biodiversity, sequester carbon, improve quality of air, protect their soil and contribute to a better quality of life for regional people. The 100,000 Trees Project for the Porto Metropolitan Area” intends to restore 100 hectares of urban forest with native trees. (1, 2)

Emscher Landschaftspark is a regional park system in the northern Ruhr area. It is a regional cooperation project between several post-industrial cities that want to create a coherent park system and regenerate natural environment in the area (Ref. 1). A crucial vision for the redevelopment is that the Emscher Landscape Park would act as a "green connector" between the settlements of the Rhur valley, following the path of the Emscher River and using the abandoned industrial areas along it as a unique form of green space (Ref. 6). "Created after the disappearance and decline of the industry in the area, it has been a key instrument for the territorial, social and economical transformation of what was once the largest industrial region in Europe" (Ref. 12).

In 2014, local residents of the St. Pauli neighbourhood of Hamburg supported by architects decided to reshape the Hilldegarden bunker built during WW II. They managed to convince the owner of the bunker, who currently leases the rooms of the bunker to a nightclub, a music school, an instrument store and a photography studio, to re-create the bunker in a way that pays special attention to ecological and social aspects. (Reference 1-3). ”The new project would see the space continue its mixed-use atmosphere, but topped with a massive public rooftop garden with walking trails.” The 800 sqm garden will use sustainable techniques for its operation, including renewable energies and greywater collection for irrigation and will offer a public garden where residents can engage in urban food production. (Reference 2) In September 2020, the reconstruction of the bunker is still in its early phases. (Ref. 8)

The Oriental Park of the City of Porto is an urban natural park designed by the landscape architect Sidónio Pardal. It will be one of the largest urban parks in the country and the second-largest in the city of Porto. This NBS focused on the transformation of a derelict, depressed urban area into a green space. The first part of the park was inaugurated in July 2010 and the municipality has plans to build it through several phases over the next decade until it reaches its project area. (1)

After 3 years of works, in 2020 the city of Gdynia revitalized one of its largest parks with a panoramic view on the rest of the city. Planned activities had included new greenery (suitable for the local climate conditions), rebuilding vegetation, creation of the educational paths, building water playground facilities and a sensory garden, open-air gyms and improved infrastructure for the disabled [1,2,3]. The final project focused on the renovation of the amphitheatre and the drainage system underground. Residents have been enjoying the park since June 2020 [7].

The abandoned fishing harbour in Tallinn is a derelict, privately owned but publicly used open space approximately 5 hectares in size and known as the former fishing harbour (Kalasadam). It is part of the old industrial waterfront belt waiting to be regenerated in the future. It is a piece of ‘urban wilderness’ (Ref. 1). The site is a green open space with high recreational values. Inserting a few pieces of equipment and taming the urban wilderness very slightly seems to lead to a significantly increased number of users than before these developments (Ref 2).
A research study has been done to determine whether an urban derelict site could be regarded as only empty and meaningless (ref 1 and 2)