Green space and habitat

It is one of the most famous parks in the city. A re-design is offering the opportunity to make use of the full potential of the place and to put it back into the public’s focus – as a place for recreation, a park, a promenade and Zurich’s very own, most central urban park. An urban square was formed, representing generosity and offering space for multiple functions. A gateway from park to courtyard during the daytime, the mirroring water surfaces of the illuminated pools, and the annex’s reflecting façade create the atmosphere of a grotto at night (Ref 1).

The Generalunternehmung Losinger Marazzi AG is developing a sustainable city quarter with Greencity, incorporating alley trees, pocket parks, house gardens, and green areas attached to the buildings (Ref 2). The landscape concept contrasts the new concentration of urban housing, services, and businesses with the landscape’s natural geomorphological features. The place is very close to the Sihl river. The river landscape defines western and eastern Manegg which benefit from other characteristic natural features, forests and the grasslands of the Entlisberger embankment. The newly erected, densely built “GreenCity” dovetails with the natural landscape it’s nested in (Ref 1).

The public awareness campaign 'flowers for bees' was initiated by the French Apidology Observatory (OFA) and has taken place each year since 2017 (Ref. 7). In 2017, 100 000 bags of honey-seed - whose flowers produce pollen and nectar - were distributed throughout the national territory of France on Tuesday 20 June as "one of the biggest mobilizations undertaken in a day in favor of a species threatened with extinction" (Ref. 5). The city of Marseille wished to associate itself with the event by organizing a plantation and a distribution of seeds". A total of 5,000 bags were distributed in the city from 20 to 23 June 2017 (Ref. 1).

An ongoing extensive expansion of park Lauta in Plovdiv has been carried out. The primary nature-based means used in the project is tree planting. However, animals were also introduced to the habitat. The project aims at creating a suitable place for recreation, purifying the air of Plovdiv, and enriching the park's fauna (Ref. 2; Ref. 3; Ref. 7).

Renovations were conducted on Bayard Street, an artery in Toulouse, between 2016 and 2017 Rue Bayard, in anticipation of the arrival in 2024 of a new metro station and the complete overhaul of the Matabiau district (Ref. 10). Renovations included introducing vegetation to the commercial street leading to Matabiau station (Ref. 5) and its newly renovated city centre via planting 81 trees (44 pear trees and 37 hazel trees of Byzantium) (Ref. 2). Furniture was also added and sidewalks were widened for greater pedestrian comfort (Ref. 2).

Iasi is a city with a relatively high number of parks and this NBS is part of an initiative of the municipality of Iasi to restore green area affected by the passage of time. The green space in the Orăşel Park was inhomogeneous as vegetation with unpopulated areas of trees (the centre of the park) in contrast to agglomerated vegetation areas.
The growth of woody vegetation had in some respects changed the appearance of the landscape ensemble, creating agglomerations of shrubs and trees. As such the municipality took the decision to rehabilitate the area (1)

This NBS was developed in 2015 by the Romanian Association of Permaculture in order to bring nature and its benefits in the middle of the city. The approach was to implement a vegetable garden in a high school in Iasi located in a quarter dominated by building blocks. The implementers had in mind to reconnect children with nature, to present to them the organic process of how food is produced and to teach them basic occupational skills (1)

The former site of the Krupp cast steel factory was transformed into a 230 hectares green belt stretching from the city
center to the district of Altendorf, while the adjacent industrial wasteland was turned into an 11 hectares add-on to the Krupp Park (Ref. 1). The landscape vision "Freiraum creates urban space", in which the Krupp Park is a building block, is a comprehensive strategic approach that aims to gradually build up new urban landscape structures and to create diverse qualities of location for different urban uses" (Ref. 9).

The office building of the Nord/LB Bank that was built in 2002 became a landmark of Hannover. A huge proportion of the building is naturally ventilated. The interior is designed with progressive energy concept with superstructure exposed and windows that provide ventilation. The building is also protected from noise and vehicle emissions through the areas of double façade, which also serves as a duct transferring clean air from the central courtyard to the individual offices. The reflection of daylight is increased through the large areas of water in the courtyard which also contributes towards a beneficial microclimate. The building is also equipped with generous roof gardens which not only provides aesthetic benefits but also improves the general climate for the occupants, and collects rainwater for irrigation and use within the building.
The building is owned by Norddeutshce Landesbank and was designed by BEHNISCH, BEHNISCH & PARTNER (Reference 2).

The city of Leipzig initiated the project "Für eine Baumstarke Stadt" in 1996 to integrate community support into the greening of Leipzig through tree planting. Citizens can become tree sponsors with a donation of 250 Euros or more supporting the increase of the tree stock in parks, on the street and at squares since they are planted in addition to the tree stock determined by the city department for urban green. The sponsorship includes a sign with the indication of the tree species and a personal message. This programme contributes to a greener city landscape and strengthens the attachment of citizens to their urban environment (1, 2, 3).