Cultural innovation

“The Hub, a new purpose-built student building (at the heart of the Coventry University campus) was designed to enhance the student experience, i.e. offers space to meet up with friends or study informally.” The building also includes a number of green credentials such as: ground source cooling from a borehole on-site; natural ventilation; grey water harvesting (rain water for the toilets); solar water heating and a green roof.” (Ref. 1)

Food for Good is a community garden in which citizens and disadvantaged groups work together to grow healthy crops in a sustainable way (ref. 1,5,6,7). Thereby, it promotes social cohesion in the neighbourhood and sustainable agriculture. It also contributes to social equity as crops are grown for the food bank which provides food for homeless and low-income citizens. Food is also sold to local people and a 'social' restaurant (ref, 5-7).

Take Heart charity contracted Landscape Projects and artist Susan Trangmar for the creation of a roof garden at Leeds General Infirmary. The garden situated on the 5th floor is close to the intensive care wards where patients are placed to recover from major operations. The rooftop’s garden ideas developed around the idea of a garden as an escape from the intensity of the hospital for patients, staff and visitors, and the requirements of a therapeutic environment which could begin the process of reconnecting patients to the world again. (Ref 5)

The Arcadia nursery is a new building located at the King’s Buildings Campus, Edinburgh and owned by the University of Edinburgh. The current intervention is about promoting ideas of free play and having elements of forest schools and natural play within the garden. As outdoor spaces associated with pre-schools is critical to the health and well being of children, this project is one of the very important initiatives in the city. It mixes indoor and outdoor play areas, and children can move between the eco-friendly building and a specially landscaped garden. The playrooms lead to a garden which enables 'nature' to be in close reach for the children. (ref 1, 4)

“The Living Environment Trust is an environmental charity based in Coventry, which aims to promote environmental and sustainability awareness within local communities. Accordingly, the Trust uses the restoration of neglected inner-city green spaces as a way to engage a range of community groups, whilst also serving to enhance and expand the existing biodiversity and develop important community and educational resources.” (Ref. 1) “The Living Environment Trust was formed in 2007 to transform the neglected land around the Alan Higgs Centre into a community ecological and leisure resource.” (Ref. 2)

The project “Un parco da vivere” (a park to live) within the regional natural park of Lama Balice underlines the social, economic and environmental potential of the place. The project aims at reactivate green spaces in the park and at the same time improving the accessibility for disabled people, through the creation of innovative practices such as sensorial and social gardening. This results in promoting the naturalistic value of the area, to improve the health of people and to enhance biodiversity preservation. (Ref.1.)

With an area of ​1.7 hectares, "Jardim da Cerca da Graça" (Graça garden) is the largest public green area in the historical area (Ref. 4). It's a green space located inside the fence (cerca) of the old convent of Graça, building previously occupied by the Republican National Guard. The garden was created from the requalification of part of the fence and its opening to the public, also has a function of passage, with new green spaces: a central lawn, a picnic area and an orchard. There is also a kiosk with a terrace and a children's playground (Ref. 2).

The Côtes site is a natural space of 1300 hectares surrounded by the urban area of the Clermont-Ferrand area, between the cities of Clermont-Ferrand, Durtol, Nohanent, Blanzat and Cébazat. (Ref. 1). Its fragile biodiversity has required special attention from the city with several actions being taken to protect it from growing urbanization. Part of the site is a Natura 2000 area and the Clermont part of the overall site is designated a sensitive natural environment (ENS). A management plan was developed for the ENS and put in place for the years 2019-2024 (Ref. 12).

The eco-pedagogical garden is an initiative of the University of Education in Karlsruhe on its own site. Its goal is to provide a space for hands-on learning for university students about sustainable development, biodiversity and ecosystems. Based on that, they develop ideas about how to implement such gardens in schools and how to best teach future schoolchildren about these issues. About 120 university students participate in this coursework which forms an integral part of their studies, learn about efficient gardening and how to organize and administer school gardening activities. Apart from the vegetable garden, the garden has a biotope, nature and wilderness area which serves as a sanctuary for birds & small mammals and wild bees. (Ref. 2 and 3).

The Friargate is a major regeneration project that covers 37 acres around Coventry train station. This includes enhancing the Greyfriars Green (the only green space in the city), the development of Station Square Boulevard (a new tree-lined public realm), and a number of green belt sites around the city. (Ref. 3) The Friargate is expected to vastly improve the area’s public spaces and create new jobs (Ref. 1).