New European Bauhaus

EIT Community Initiative

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Container gardening project - Garden@SME (Turin, Italy)

10/01/2022 22:39

The container gardening project contributed to the aesthetic and functional redevelopment of a part of the University of Turin that has been unused and abandoned for years, including as a waste dump. The idea is to use the paradigm of the New European Bauhaus applied to urban regeneration and the redevelopment of a place through food. The material used to the build-up of the infrastructure are completely retrieved through circular economy processes. In particular, a co-design and co-creation of a space dedicated to the production of fruit and vegetables through container gardens were used.

Challenge addressed

Cross-KIC EIT Food citizen-centred engagement programs aligned with the NEB mission of environmental, social, and cultural initiative to combine the aesthetic experience, sustainability, and inclusivity complimenting the European Green Deal.

Solution proposed, focus area

The creation of the box gardens was done by implementing a process of co-creation and co-design of the area in question. A mapping of local actors was carried out, and collaborative and co-designing relationships were activated. Specifically, in addition to several visits by students, lecturers and administrative staff representing university citizenry, the project also involved citizens, elders, and a nursery school, and created a network with other urban garden initiatives in the city, as well as interacting with a social cooperative that manages urban gardens in a neighboring area and the citizen hub that deals with the social inclusion of disabled people grouping all the main relevant organisations. During the meetings, the spaces, management rules, stakeholder needs, inclusive design, crops, and types of plants were co-designed and co-selected. At a later stage, the area was also cleared of 860 kg of waste. The choice of plants was made by rediscovering the historical memory of the local elders.

Target Groups

University citizenry, elders, citizens, disabled people

Main activities / milestones

Enhancing urban stakeholder communication

Multi-stakeholder engagement actions

Clean-up action

Co-construction and renovation of a public space

Partnership

City of Turin (Fusilli and Progireg research projects)

VOV102 and Orti Generali

Consulta per le persone in Difficoltà

AIESEC and other students’ associations

Outcomes

The activities that led to the creation of the garden have the active involvement and collaboration of more than 60 people. Initially, the project was aimed at creating 50m2 of urban container gardens, while the area that has been identified and finally restored and converted into an urban garden has been of more than 200m2.

The history of the site was reconstructed, also from the point of view of the tree species that were present. The choice of plants was inspired by the stories we heard and the various testimonies of those who grew up in these spaces.

Salvaged and refurbished wood from unsold and discarded material (such as railway sleepers) was used to build community garden infrastructure. Approximately 52 to 60 quintals of virgin wood were saved. The main result is the creation of a community garden shared between citizenship and university citizenry.

Check out our video about the Opening day at the SME Garden, University of Turin, 17 Dec 2021

For more information please check the website of the project: https://crowdusg.net/lorto-della-sme-unito/

turin

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