Green densification model

With the relocation of the railways between the Hauptbahnhof and Pasing a large area became available for an infill development strategy. The redevelopment of central railway areas of Munich is in line with the city's guidelines for sustainable development (Perspective München) referred to as compact - urban - green. The initiative is aimed at implementing 7500 new flats and creating 15000 new workplaces in total, which are supported by green recreational areas. (Reference 1) The project consists of six separately planned parts, some are already partially finished. (Reference 2) This NBS discusses Birketweg, one of these parts, which is 60 hectares large.

The project aimed to test the potential to use existing surface water drainage charge mechanisms to incentivize increased implementation of Sustainable Urban Drainage Schemes (SuDS) to improve flood resilience and improve water quality in the city of Manchester (ref 1). Working with partners from The Water Taskforce, and funded by the DEFRA (Department for Environment, Food & Rural Affairs, UK Env agency), BITC (Business in the Community) and CLASP, these partners have been testing the concept that implementing SuDS on a school site could generate savings for a school, by reducing their hard-standing area and so their charges from their water supplier. Working with two schools in Manchester, the project team carried out detailed audits and SuDS interventions were identified that could divert or slow the flow of water into the sewer system, or reduce the amount of chargeable hard-standing area. Using this information, a trial version of a simple, user-friendly tool has been developed to help schools identify if there may be a cost-effective way to drop a chargeable surface water band (ref. 2).

Number One First Street is at the corner of Medlock Street and Whitworth Street behind the train arches near Oxford Road Station in the city center of Manchester (ref. 6). During the redevelopment of the former BT building now called Number One First Street a green roof was installed (ref 2). Whilst the vegetation slowly established, it provided a habitat for invertebrates and insects. A green wall, accommodating 37,000 plants was planned to be installed by 2020 which would replace glass, plastic and metal cladding with greenery (ref 1).

An environmental improvement programme has helped to clean up a previously derelict plot of land on one of Belfast’s main thoroughfares, by transforming it into a community garden. A vegetable garden was officially launched in July 2009 at Walkway Community Association, on Finvoy Street in east Belfast. The scheme is part of Belfast City Council’s ongoing £150 million Investment Programme of work across the city. (Ref 1, Ref 5)

Arcosur is a new residential neighbourhood project approved for construction in 2008 after the hosting of the Zaragoza Expo 2008. In its structure, it seeks to develop a space of 4 500 000 m2 into around 21 000 new homes, and out of which around 1 500 000 m2 will be squares, parks, and other green spaces. These green spaces would connect the neighbourhood and ensure all residents have access to green areas. (Ref. 1)

Coal mining in the Dearne Valley damaged the Dearne Valley landscape. To address these problems the Dearne Valley Green Heart partnership was formed in 2006, but the intervention discussed here is specifically related to the developments between 2012 and 2015, when it was founded as a Nature Improvement Area. It is part of the South Yorkshire Delivery Programme and part of the Doncaster Council as also being part of the Doncaster Green Infrastructure Strategy (Ref 1, 2).

The South Saint-Jacques district is a residential area. A public housing project in the district incorporates careful landscape planning to promote social interaction, increase biodiversity, and better manage rainwater. It includes green spaces, collective area for free initiative from the community, swales and planted basins for rainwater drainage (Ref. 1).

The Garden Factory ('Tuinfabriek') is an exceptional urban agriculture project on a roof of the central station that aims at becoming the largest food-producing roof of the Netherlands. The project is a self-sustaining vegetable garden located on the roof of a busy mall in the centre of Utrecht (ref. 5). On the roof, citizens, students, company employees and schools work together to grow vegetables and keep bees and chicken. The Garden Factory reflects an ecological 'self-sustaining factory' as the chickens, worms and bees 'work' in the garden as being part of the decomposing system and pollination and a system is built for rainwater retention that allows for irrigation (ref. 1). Eating, composting, sowing, growing, harvesting, cooking form the production process of this Garden Factory (ref. 4).
The main elements of the roof garden are in place, such as the crop bins, the chicken coop and the decomposing machine are completed. However, it is an ongoing developing project as some elements are still in development stage such as some elements of the Soup Kitchen and the aim is to integrate the Garden Factory more with the central station shopping mall in multiple ways (ref. 1).

As part of the restoration of park Denis Gardens, an innovative water element was built consisting of water flowing down the stairs, circulated and cleaned by a pump and filters. This helps regulate the local microclimate by reducing temperatures in hot days and creating humidity in the air (Ref. 1; Ref. 5). Also, the element allows people to walk bare-footed and cool off. In addition, the water reduces air pollution by extracting dust from the air, and the structure has an aesthetic and recreational function, with a restaurant underneath. (Ref. 1; Ref. 2; Ref. 6).

The city department for green space, environment and sustainability and the foundation citizens for Münster initiated a citizen-based intervention which aims at turning the park area at the "Spickmannplatz“ called "Grünschleife“ into a meeting point for residents and neighbours. The concept for its regeneration is based on workshops and ideation processes of citizens whose involvement goes beyond urban gardening activities but involves an active co-creation of the area by co-planning and development. Apart from several communal restorations works, vegetables, fruits and herbs plantations, a pavilion, a dog station and chessboards with benches were set up (ref. 1).