Previous derelict area

With the decline in industrial use, the grey harbour landscape of Frankfurt am Main became a habitat for rare plants. In 1986, the city council ordered transformation of the former industrial area into a public green space between the Main and the new residential area in the Ostend. The bright, spacious park with 2.1 ha surface was finished in 2000 (1) now welcoming locals for recreation and exercise while it also hosts a cultural summer festival and gives a home for local wall and fence lizards (1).

The Mab Lane Community Woodland was planted on a former playing field at Mab lane and Croxdale Road West in Liverpool. It is a part of the larger Mersey Forest initiative which has been increasing the amount of woodland and green spaces across Cheshire and Merseyside since 1991.
The new woodland which has a network of native trees, wildflower meadows a community orchard as well as seasonal wetland areas and footpaths, was officially opened by the local community in 2010. It also includes new pathways for walkers and cyclists and areas for family picnics (Ref. 2, 10). Mab Lane Community Woodland is a partnership project involving the Forestry Commission, Northwest Development Agency, Mersey Forest, Big Lottery, Riverside Group, Liverpool City Council and the Local Community (Ref. 10).

In 1995 the city of Munich decided to implement a new green residential district in the derelict area of the former Munich-Riem airport which was closed in 1992. (Reference 9) The area was designed to have an intensively used residential area in the north and an extensively used green recreational area in the south. The project was completed in 2005. It is 210 hectares large, making it the third-largest public park in Munich. (Reference 1) The park includes a 10-hectare large artificial lake, a 15-hectare large forest and two 20 meter high artificial observation and toboggan hills made from the demolition material of the former airport. (Reference 9) The park is appreciated by people but concerns about the loss of biodiversity have been raised. Citizens use the park for walking, cycling, swimming in the lake or simply for relaxation. (Reference 4)

A formerly derelict area, part of a 19th-century estate, the Zurich Square is a park, whose whereabouts are relatively new, and whose main function is to serve as the only park for the 700 children of the neighbourhood. Its location makes it also valuable, meaning that this park is situated in an industrial area and it contains trees planted in the 19th century (1).

The OrtoCollettivo project focuses on the creation of common spaces to grow local sustainable food while raising awareness about environmental challenges in cities. The project is based on teamwork: if there is work planned for today and someone cannot come to do that job, someone else will do it, with the ultimate benefit of everyone. It, therefore, stimulates common values about well-being, sustainable food production, and sharing time and activities collectively as a group (2). The initiative is ongoing and expanding, however in 2020 there were voices from the people living in the area that the poor maintenance of the terraces caused landslides and disturbed traffic. Nevertheless the NGO that initiated the intervention defended the project and suggested that the issue is caused by the lack of canals for the rain water to flow in. (8)

O'pflanzt is! is a community garden in the inner part of Munich. It was founded in summer 2011 by Vanessa Blind. Her vision was to create an urban, socio-ecological community garden - a place of planting, sowing and harvesting, a place for meeting and learning, a piece of nature in the city, a creative wilderness. The garden is a real community garden, as there are no individual beds, and decisions are made collectively. Sustainable production is one of the main goals of the project, which is why planting is done organically without synthetic fertilizer and only wood and recycled materials are used. (Reference 2) In 2018, the area of the garden had to be returned to its owners. The leaders of the garden, however, managed to find a new plot within a year and a half. (Reference 13)

Craigmillar Town Centre Temporary Greening project transformed a vacant development site in Craigmillar which is reserved for a new high school, not scheduled to be built until late 2020, into a temporary green space. The site is at the centre of the wider Craigmillar regeneration area, adjacent to the newly-built Community Hub and neighbouring plots at varying stages of development. EDI's PARC Craigmillar Ltd is responsible for the regeneration in Craigmilar, working in partnership with Edinburgh & Lothians Greenspace Trust (ELGT) and the City of Edinburgh Council. The initiative will create a meanwhile space for community use, while works begin on the town centre development. The greening will allow the area to become an active space for the local community to enjoy and ease the construction process. Craigmillar Town Centre Temporary Greening forms part of a wider plan for the redevelopment of Craigmillar Town Centre. The masterplan, which was approved in December 2014, includes 330 homes, a retail centre, restaurant, community play area and high school – where the temporary greenspace will be situated until building commences. (ref 1, 3)

Love Square is a combination of nature and wildlife with a social space for residents and workers. The area has wildflower meadows, lawns and a mini wetland lined with bird-friendly trees (ref 2). Love Square is one of the examples of a new type of ‘smart’ -urban eco-park, combining nature and wildlife with artworks, social and activity spaces. It has a ‘Rain Garden’ and mini wetland that will soak up excess rainwater. It is a prime example of ‘water-sensitive Urban Design (ref1). The rain garden is designed to provide essential urban “greening”; increased soil and vegetation coverage will be able to soak up extra rainfall after a storm, will help to reduce the danger of flash flooding (ref 5).

"Pending the creation of housing and new walks by 2020, the association Carton Plein and the EPA (Public Building Institution) of Saint-Etienne have created a temporary public space on the site known as "la Cartonnerie". A place for exchange and conviviality, the site hosts artistic installations, ephemeral installations and events. It is a laboratory conducive to imagining new ways of doing the city" (Ref. 1). The citizens also created shared gardens in this area called "Le Jardin Experimental"(Experimental garden) (Ref. 4).

This intervention is about the restoration of the riverbanks of the Janon River along a street in the Terrenoire District of Saint Etienne. This area was abandoned for more than 10 years, without maintenance and cleaning. Therefore, this intervention was mandatory for clean up to avoid flood as well as bringing back vegetation and offering some quality walking areas for citizens (Ref. 1).