woodhouse: becoming an alive neighborhood

MA Landscape ArchitectureMA Urban Design

CITIES ALIVE 2015Marc Bori, Linn Svanh, Martina Maria Taroni

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ResearchIntroductionResearch objectivesAimsGardens’ benefits Introduction to urban agricultureUrban agriculture gardens’ typologyLand accessFood growing principlesGrowing food in schoolsChildren relation with foodNational curriculumSustainability networksCase studies

Site analysisLocationContextTopographyInfrastructureGreen spacesLocal activitiesBuilding useHouses’ typology

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This study is focused on the idea of creating an alternative green corridor to the existing idea of the String o’ Breads, connecting Woodhouse Moor (Leeds Edible Campus) to Woodhouse Ridge. This idea comes after the observation of the lack of green spaces in the Woodhouse neighbourhood. This project will be focusedin more then one area, trying to create a real green network. It will involve two public ground and the local primary school (Quarry Mount primary school) ground. The idea is to involve all the residents withoutdistinction of genre, age, background.

It will be use as a social connector, as health, environmental and economic benefit,but also as educational instrument to make the children aware about the food production and preparation and to give more skills in term of the nature.

String o’ Breads LEC green expansion

Project green expansion

Site’s green spaces connection

Connection with outside green

Leeds Edible Campus

Green spaces

Green spaces in the study area

INTR

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Examination of key principles of designing natural playground in school and green spaces for the community, both productive and for leisure.

Relating to the school, having a productive ground is important under different points of view. First of all it will increase the social benefits as it will help to create stronger friendship, to improve children behaviour inside and outside the school, it will help to promote outdoor activities (then exercise) and to revise the school curriculum including gardening and cooking programs.

Regards to health benefits it will help the children to have a healthier diet and to avoid the problem of oversize/obese children and to overtake the problem of deprivation which afflict many families. Indeed the idea is to expand the project also outside the school and to involve parents and other members of the community to start to grow their of vegetables and fruits giving them the proper collective spaces or promoting the Back to Front project which can be easily realized in every garden.

The whole community will benefit of this project because it will help to increase the quality of public realm, the social cohesion. Through the outdoor activities it will help to improve the lifestylestandards and the mental health, which is directly connected with happiness and satisfaction.

It will limit the deprivation as if the people will start to produce their own food they will become self-sufficiency, reducing life’s costs.At last it will give to the area environmental and ecological benefits as it will help to build a sustainable landscape and to increase the biodiversity.

happiness

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planet care

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social cohesion places

beautiness

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AIMS

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GARDENS’BENEFITS

SOCIAL BENEFITS ECONOMIC BENEFITS

ENVIRONMENTAL BENEFITS

HEALTH BENEFITS

A garden gives an higher value to propertiest

HOUSE VALUE

Gardens are an expense but the investiment is returned not just in enjoyment but in actual financial

benefits

Urban and street planted trees en-chance economic stability of locali-ties and community by attracting

business and tourists

IMPROVE ECONOMIC ACTIVITY

Around 20% of the value of a house is tied up in the landscape

Trees absorbe CO2

Trees filter the air and help remove harmful particulates from the atmosphere

Every garden plant is a bio-filtration system for the planet

Plants can prevent floods, drought and soil erosion

Plants help to preserve biodiversity and wildlife

There is a community amongst gardeners. Gardening has always served as a way to break down some of social

barriers

SHARE KNOWLEDGE AND BUILD RELATIONSHIPS

IMPROVE SOCIETY

Gardening is utilised to build teams and

educateThere are benefits to the individual via the com-munity gardening such as improved life quality,

personal satisfaction and enjoyment

BENEFITS FOR THE INDIVIDUAL

Promote a community atmosphere and allowing people an opportunity to meet others, share concerns, share skills and solve problems together

BUILD COMMUNITIES

EDUCATION

Yard care and gardening activ-ities have a direct impact on the neighborhood and com-

munity environment

Gardening is a preferred form of exercise across age, gender and ethnicity

The presence of vegetable gardens in innercity neighborhoods is positively correlated with decre-

as in crime, trash dumping, young delinquency, fires, violent deaths and mental illness

Garden links different sector of cities; diverse age, race, ethnic and socioeco-

nomic group

LOWER BLOOD PRESSURE

Green triggers a response in the sympathetic nervous system to

relive tension in the blood vessels and lowers the blood

pressure

GARDENING BENEFITS YOUR HEALTH

AIR FILTRATION

SOIL CARE

WILDLIFE

As an activity it is a means of aerobic, isometric and isotonic exercise, the combination of which benefits general health but specifically enhance

strenght, endurance, flexibility

RELIEVE STRESSThe physicality of gardening releases endorphins which helps to alelviate stress and

its side effects

EAT HEALTHIER

CONNECT WITH NATURE

Gardening offers a relationship with nature which provides a

sense of psychological wellbeing

Families with home veg-etable garden eat more fruit and vegetables for

improved nutrition

People who interact with plants recover more quickly from everyday stress and

mental fatigue

School based programs have significant health effect on young people, help to promote active

lifestyles that counteract the pas-sivity associated with the obesity

epidemic

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Urban agriculture plays an important role as part of an environmental sustainability program. Physically, it increases green space, which reduces the urban heat island, storm water runoff, and improves air quality. Because food is produced locally, urban agriculturealso reduces energy consumption and pollutionassociated with transportation. Urban agriculturealso provides social benefits by providing inexpensiveaccess to locally-grown produce.

Growing food in cities is becoming more and more popular. Not only are older generations of allotment holders still gardening happily, but also a new wave of younger people are seeking land in and beyond allotments. Small, intensive urban farms, food production on housing estates, land sharing, rooftop gardens and beehives, schoolyard greenhouses, restaurant-supportedsalad gardens, public space food production, guerrilla gardening, allotments, balcony and window sill vegetable growing and other initiatives are just a few examples.This wide range of initiatives is more and moreoften referred to as ‘urban agriculture’.

Urban agriculture (UA) is defined as the growing, processing and distribution of food and other productsobtained through plant cultivation and animal husbandryin and around cities, generally with the aim of beingsold locally (rather than exported).

POSITIVEEducation about seasonality of food, which can lead to more sustainable consumption habitsSoil rehabilitation – bio and myco – remediation of polluted soils, increased soil fertility andbiodiversity

Recycling of organic waste to keep nutrients local

Increased community activity, physical exercise

Re-education of taste: possibility of eating vegetables not usually available in the supermarketsImproved mental health and relations with the local community

Affordably of fresh, organic food all year round

Reduced carbon footprints of food, when recycled materials are used, waste is minimised and organic agriculture is practiced

Reconstruction of food commons (when public land is managed collectively but not appropriated),renormalizing the possibility of foraging andgath-ering food, grow food collectively

Increased consumption of sustainable locally pro-duced food (increased self-reliance) and building alternative food regimes, food sovereignty

Snowball effect and greater reconnection of hu-mans with nature

Alternative, visionary urbanism, which reconciledsociety and nature, an embeds food productionin the urban realm

Misuse of commercially available chemicals as fer-tilisers, insecticides, herbicides, whose traces in the environment endanger human health

Increased groundwater pollution and loss of soil nutrients from poorly managed soilsCouncil encouragement to local food growing as justification for substantial cuts in welfare services (public health budgets)Increased energy inputs to grow vegetables unsuitable for the local climatePoor management of community gardens, con-flicting projects, unequal sharing of produce

Increased rent of allotments due to high demand

Increased carbon emissions for food production,when gardening involves the use of a numberof carbon impacting things such as commerciallyproduced compost, plastic netting bought annually, slug pellets, plastic pots and labelsfor seedlings that are not re-used, plasticsheets and other consumables

Enclosure (or privatisation) of public land for food growing, justified as saving council management costs, which reduced public access andownership of common resources

Strengthening unjust ecological security policies (self-sufficiency aimed at maintaining neoliberal regimes and unsuitable consumption patterns)Uselessly long waiting lists of allotments, and little beneficial/productive use of allotment land

Gentrification of neighbourhoods and the conse-quent displacement of the lesswealthy population

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Chiara Tornaghi (2014) - “How to set up your own urban agricultural project with a socio-environmental justice perspective.

A guide for citizens, community groups and third sector organisations” - Leeds, The University of Leeds

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URBA

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Guerrilla Gardens - These gardens are a quite wide family of projects, linked together by the fact that they are created by someone, on someone else’s land, without asking permission. These can be flower meadows on derelict land, vegetable patches on

Enclosed Community Gardens Many community gardens are not located on public land, but are rather located on private land. Most of the time this implies a restricted definitionof which community can potentiallybe involved. Examples could be hospital community gardens, projects

Vertical Gardens - They are usually growing projects that extend vertically along a wall, or a window, or occasionally the plants themselves constitute the wall, and grow in containers attached to vertical cables.

Healing Gardens - These are growing projects specifically dedicated to healing. They tend to grow medicinal/aromatic plants, are designed in ways that please the senses, and are run to support specific groups through gardeningor creative activities around and in between the plants. They are often

Display Gardens - Small edible beds, former flower planters or communitygardens set up in public, openly accessible space that are planted with edible plants to inspire people to grow. They lend to be man-aged by local authorities, and to be aesthetically pleasing, therefore the plants are not

Educational Gardens - Food growing projects that have as their main goal horticultural, envi-ronmental and/or food-related education (i.e. cooking, healthier lifestyle, etc.). Almost all the existing gardening projects have an educational element.

Public Accessible Community Gardens - this is probably the most known type of urban agricultural initiative. These gardens are located

Public orchards A number of local councils are investing in the future and planting fruit and nut trees on public land. The

usually harvested and people are not encouraged to pick the fruit and veg.

reclaimed land scattered around the city. Guerrilla gardens tend to be temporary but if the project gets permission, then thisbecomes a community garden.

managed by, or run in partnership with, health institutions.

for young single mothers or female victims of violence, asylum seekers and refugees, street drinker rehabilitation projects.

in parks, street verges, urban greens,city squares or other locations where they can be accessed by largerpublic all the time. Plants are grownin containers, dedicated raised beds, greenhouses, or straight into the soil.

act of planting itself is sometimes done in partnership with local community organisations or institutions, such as primary schools. Public orchards constitute the basis for a bountiful harvest in a few years time.

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Allotments - Probably the most widespread form of urban food growing. While most forms of commercial and household food growing have progressivelydisappeared from the urban fabric in the last century, allotments have been re-introducedor become regulated by public authorities. In the UK it is a statutory duty of local

Market Gardens and Commercial Farms

Private Gardens - Alongside all these types of urban agriculture we also have to consider the wide range of interstitial practises that grow food within the fabricof the city: balcony pots and window sill containers, front and back garden

authorities to provide allotments when there is demand. Allotments plots are usually of a standard size (originally 10x30), and can be rented by individuals (a smaller number of plots can be rented by community groups). Allotments sites are usually fenced and restrict access to members of the public. Produce cannot be sold commercially, but can be sold when it is excess produce, with the purpose of raising funds for their allotment association or can be exchanged/sold among members of the allotment association.

These are profit oriented versions of the above. They also tend to be middle-sized projects, but are less likely to receive ex-ternal funding. Some have adapted to the growing demand for leisure and educational services, and combine vegetable (and meat) production with recreational activities for family and children and offer some educational opportunities, in the form of short courses. Some of these, smaller in size, specialise in the propagation of specialist plants for edible landscaping.

plant growing and animal rearing, beekeeping and seed sprouting.

Community Forest Gardens Forest gardens are usually woody areas planted with edible (perennial) species following permaculture principles. This means that the gardens are designed to mimic the positive interaction between species that we spontaneously find in nature, but maximising the number of

Indoor Growing - Urban agriculture does not only occur outdoors. More and more projects are looking into how to convert empty buildings into food growing projects, using natural or artificial light, or for activities that do not need much light such as mushroom growing and fish farming.

Urban Farms - Urban farms are usually middle sized sites within the city, that combine vegetable growing, animal husbandry, leisure and educational activities. Sometimes they run a café or small restaurant with the local produce, they have play areas and offer growing spaces for local schools,

Landshare Gardens - Landshare gardens are privately owned (usually front or back gardens) that property owners decide to share, or to let people(landless) who are willing to grow use for free. Landshare provides a number of benefits: it encourages the exchange of skills, pro-duce sharing, community

edible species. While less common than vegetable gardens, edible forest gardens are increasingly becoming a preferential choice of local communities that have discovered the benefits of choosing perennial edible plants.

community groups or families. In the UK they are usually co-foundedby local councils and other charities for the educational services that they provide.

building and personal and emotional support to lone householders.

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ONGOING LEASE This type of lease is especially designed for farmers. The ongoing term is particularly suitable for new projects seeking start-up fund to buy the infrastructured needed.

TEMPORARY USES These are occupational leases, or growing licenses, signed on atemporary basis, which usually are renewed annually.

MEANWHILE USES These are temporary leases for a space that would normally be used for other activities. This can be idea for container growing, as the soil might be concreted over or not fit for agriculture and structures that can easily be moved elsewhere once the lease ends.

SQUATTING It means taking over someone else’s land (usually abandoned) to grow food, establishing some sort of infrastructure thataims to be permanent. Squatting is usually more long term than guerrilla gardening, but to make it sustainable needs an energy and financial investment in legal battles to claim your right to grow food on this land.

GUERILLA GARDENING It is the cultivation of a plot/portion of land without permission, but without appropriation/enclosure of the land. This is usually atemporary and unsecured way of accessing land. Guerilla approaches don’t secure you a harvest.

LAND SHARE It is an informal agreement between a landowner and one or more food growers. Several organisations promote forms of land share.The most know is the nationwide LandShare (www.landshare.net)

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PATHS - Paths provide space to work comfortably in the gardenand they allow the garden to breathe — without them, the rowscan get trampled and the tiny air pockets that are essential tosoil healthy can get choked off. Ideal to mark the paths are straw,wood chips, bluestone pavers, brick or stepping stones.

SUN – It absolutely one of the main requirements of the plants, which need at least six hours of sun a day. When growing in the lower range of sun exposure, it’s better to choose carefullythe plants’ species, such as herbs, all of the leafy greens and somesmall fruiting as cherry tomatoes and cucumbers. Carrots, potatoes and other root vegetables need at least eight hours of sunshine, and plants such as tomatoes, peppers, melons and squash will not producelarge fruits that ripen to colour without full sun. Plants draw energyfrom sunlight, and producing a large, colourful fruit requires much more energy than producing a small fruit or leafy vegetable.

IRRIGATION – Key components of any irrigation system are well, pump and proper size main and lateral lines. Frequently these components are undersized for the area to be watered, and serious inefficiencies occur. Since proper engineering of a watering system is necessary, it is important to carefully determine the area to be irrigated with consideration towards increased capacity. Overheadsprinkling is one of the most commonly used methods of irrigatinggreenhouse. Other irrigation methods include drip or trickleand subirrigation. General information on each of these systemsfollows, with mention of some of the major advantagesand disadvantages associated with each method.

SOIL - Well-prepared soil acts as the immune system of the plants. It’s ideal to have 12-18 inches of nutrient-dense, deeply aerated soil to give plants what they need to thrive. If a plant is well nourishedby healthy soil, it’s less susceptible to disease and less appealing to insectsbecause pests attack sick or weak plants first. Compost supercharges the soil with beneficial bacteria, carbon and nutrients.

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The Feed Leeds co-managed project builds on existing food-growing and biodiversity projects in the city centre to Hyde park corridor (and beyond), linking schemes run by a number of organisations, and encouraging new plots, to help create an inspirational demonstration of how Leeds could be more healthy and more sustainable through the creative, ecological growing of edible plants. Leeds Edible campus sites include Edible Beds outside the Civic Hall, Leeds Uni’s Sustainable Garden, the Bardon Grande project, LCC Parks and Countryside’s edible beds on Woodhouse Moor and other food and biodiversity planting schemes. The aim was to create an ediblecorridor incorporating a variety of projects and to explore ideas and designs for incorporating edibleplants into the city landscape to create aesthetically pleasing, productive planting.

Back to Front is a community organisation set up to promote food growing in front gardens so that they “look good and taste better”. Growing food at home gives people a chance to exercise, eat fresher food, spend less money on groceries, feel better and help the environment. Front garden growing improves the look and feel of your street and is super-convenient for growers. But Back to Front gardening is much more than this; it is about how neighbours talk and share and grow together as communities.

It is an innovative, creative and dynamic environmental community organisation. It works with local communities to improve theirsurroundings, designing and creating attractive, exciting, safe and useful places for people to live, work and play. Improving the wellbeing of people and communities is at the heart of what they do. Through our work we facilitate the Five Ways to Wellbeing, encouraging people and communities to Connect, Be Active, Take Notice, Keep Learn-ing and Give.

Feed Leeds is a plot to plate’ project supporting food growers and would-be growers, shop and markets, schools, caterers and cooks, in fact anyone who feels that fresh, local, affordable, sustainable and healthy food should be widely available in Leeds. The combined aim of all the different projects and organisations is essentially to develop and support local food growing and consumption in Leeds, and to research and promote the significant economic, social, environmental and health benefits they potentially bring to the city.

Leeds Edible Schools Sustainability Network (LESSN) has been formed to help promote local food growing and consumption, healthy lifestyles and sustainability in Leeds schools and communities. We aim to recognise, enhance and share great ideas, to celebrate achievements large and small, to help connect schools with local support, volunteers, and national initiatives, and to provide interactive curriculum-based online learning resources, practical help and more.

The Healthy Living Network have delivered a number of projects across the city- including our incredibly successful Community Health Educator programme, which trains local people to support their communities in making small changes towardsimproving their health and wellbeing. It delivers health education sessions in deprived areas of the city.

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Rotherfield Primary school is situated in Islington, London where many of the pupils live in flats without any gardens. The government and head teacher decided to do something about it and came up with the idea of transforming the grey schoolyard into a green garden as a learning resource.

The edible playground has been a huge success among the children and has improved the school in many ways. Not only do they use it for gardening but for different subjects such as math, English and writing. They also got a woodland area with grown up trees for relaxing and assembling, an outdoor classroom where the children could gather for story times or reading a book in the woodhouse. The pupils got taught how to grow and harvest the vegetables in a practical way which encourages them to cook and eat healthy.

The garden is maintained by the pupils where every class is responsible for their own planting bed. They also got volunteers by the children, their par-ents and grandparents who look after the garden during the holidays.

West Jesmond is a suburb just north of the central of Newcastle upon Tyne. 14 years ago a parent of a pupil in the primary school, together with a member of the Highbury South Allotment Association organized an allotment for the school to take care of. This project have now grown and exist today of several plots, all maintained by the pupils. The plots are self-sufficient by selling the produced plants to the school and to private persons on different sales.

The school is using these plots as an outdoor classroom for the older pupils, where they today got a lot of different biotopes. The allotment room raised beds, greenhouses, an orchard, a pond, a marsh garden, picnic tables and a willow tunnel. This gives the pupils new possibilities for practical learning and they use the plots on a weekly basis to dig, weed, plant out, harvest etc.

Rotherfield primary school - Edible playgrounds - London

West Jesmond Primary School Gardens - Newcastle

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The garden along Leaf Street in Manchester was an act from the local residents in 2000. The area existed of a wide pathway, full of weed, in between two rows of red brick buildings. They wanted to turn it into a community garden where the residents could interact with each other and grow food together. This is a good example of the phenomena Guerilla gardening were the locals decided to do it on their own and started to dig up the pathway. Fruit trees and shrubs were planted and they built a big herb spiral made of railroad ties. A pathway of wood chips meanders through the park and has replaced the former wide concrete pedestrian walk.

The garden is loved and has a strong identity by its locals and is now a good example of a resilient community. Here they produce their own vegeta-bles, fruits and herbs together in the community which makes a positive impact on the climate. It is an inspiration for other communities to grow food locally and stop importing vegetables from all over the world.

This Pop-Up Garden in Philadelphia, U.S. is funded by the non-profit organization Pennsylvania Horticultural Society (PHS) on a vacant lot that has been neglected for many years. It was in 2011 that they transformed this waste land near 15th and South Streets into a temporary urban resort. The land is situated just six blocks from the City Hall which makes the area perfect to attract city dwellers to step by and take part of all the activities that goes on here.

Among the activities, food growing is one of them. Here they produce vegetables for local restaurants and to families in need through the PHS City Harvest program. The food is grown organically in dozens of raised beds and is maintained by several community garden groups. Other activities going on are workshops, yoga-classes, movie nights, parties, gardening walks etc.

Philadelphia Pop-Up Garden - Philadelphia, United States

Leaf Street Community Garden - ManchesterCA

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In Nottingham a lush community garden has been raised on parts of a disused playing field by its local residents in 2001. It is situated in the meadows, a central place in Nottingham that is very underprivileged and got residences from all over the world. With partnership from local communities and volunteers the garden started to transform in 2003. From the beginning, a hedge, fruit trees and raised beds were planted, but now the community has grown a lot more.

The garden now holds 19 small plots that measure 1.5 square meters, where the locals could grow their own food. A tyre garden made of recycled tractor tyres are used for raising herbs and strawberries. The big growing circle in the garden provides crops for every season of the year and is maintained and harvested by the community. The garden today even got hens that lay eggs and keep slugs and snails away from the plants. The hens even help out with the compost area where they move around the weed and food scraps.

An eco- building where built in the garden after getting funding from the Big Lottery Found in 2012. This made it also possible to employ staff and go on with the work for four more years. In the new eco-building they got training rooms for meetings and lessons, a kitchen and office. It keeps the community active even during the winter and is even available for leasing to other groups and communities. The community holds activities apart from gardening such as dancing, yoga, and cooking. This is a good way to bring the different people in the community together and let them try new things from all parts of the world.

The Arkwright Meadows Community Garden holds a lot of events where they celebrate the cultural diversity of the community and sales when residents could come and buy vegetables. They aim to sell organic fruits, plants and vegetables with reasonable prices for the community to eat healthy and local. The community garden is a place for relaxing and recreation as well as work and education. They train their volunteers to get qualifications and therefore be able to get a job in the green sector.

Arkwright Meadows Community Gardens - NottinghamCA

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SITE

ANALYSIS

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Woodhouse is a largely residential area just north of the city centre of Leeds (West Yorkshire) and home of the University of Leeds, which is in the Hyde Park and Woodhouse ward of City of Leeds metropolitan district.The name Woodhouse is likely to derive from Old English “wudu” (wood) and “hus” (houses).

Woodhouse is now a largely working-class area, with a racially diverse population and a sizeable student community.

The area climbs a hill rising from Woodhouse Moor, adjacent to the University of Leeds, and backs onto woodland known as Woodhouse Ridge, a part of the Meanwood Valley Trail and the Forest of Leeds.

Older residences are largely redbrick back-to-back and “through” terraced housing. There are also concrete councilhouses (the Holborn Estate) and a mixtureof more modern buildings, particularlystudent accommodation.

Furthermore, there are other older buildings like the Anglican parish church of St Mark’s, currently disused but being renovated for use by Gateway Church Leeds, the Quarry Mount Primary School, and several public houses that provide historical character and architectural value to the area.

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SITE

ANALYSIS

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SITE

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- TOP

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The local topograhpy consists of ridges and spurs of land, but in general it slopesto the city centre. Travel into the city generate the general impression of descending to the city centre, beinginvolved into the urban building mass.

This fact, reflects how the green spaces around the area have been adapted to the tophography. Creating a diverse urban landscape and allowing the creation of a great green infrastructure around the city enabling to find from small private gardens to woodlands.

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SITE

ANALYSIS

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Primary roads

KEY

Secondary roadsLocal roadsPedestrian paths

The area is well supplied by a great infrastructure network.There are few main road crossing it, which can guarantee an easy move-ment by car. There also few bus lines driving through them, which means that also the residents which don’t have a car have the possibility to move around.There is a good network of minor roads which are safer and better used also by the cyclist and pedestrian. This is really important in an area mostly populated by young people and students.

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SITE

ANALYSIS

- GRE

EN S

PACE

S

Semi green spaces

Playground/sport pitches

Buildings

Cemetery

Allotments

Farmland

General greenKEY

Woodland

It can be seen from this map that there is a great quantity of different green spaceswhich connect Woodhouse Moor to Meanwood Farmland through Woodhouse Ridge.

The main concerning about them is the quality as not always they are well maintain and the value of the green featues is sometimes really low. Our main aim is to take the existing green spaces, improving them and thenconnecting them with new potentialgreen spaces with different function:community allotments, neighboor parksand school projects.

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SITE

ANALYSIS

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Community centre garden

Friends and volunteers

CPULCommunity and public harvest

Strings o breads

Mill field primary school

Pennington street community garden

Council allotments

LEC

Bedford forest gardenKEY

Meanwood farm

This map shows the different activities which are already going on in the area. Most of the projects still involve a small part of the population or a restricted group of people, but they are trying to be more popular and spread out into the population. Anywayis really good that something is alreadyhappening, because it will be easierin the future to create a wider grid.

Three different big aims for the futureare represented by CPUL’s, LEC and String o breads route which try to connect every place in a green way.

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SITE

ANALYSIS

- BUIL

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Community services

Commercial

Meanwood Urban FarmGreen spaces

Industrial

Student accomodation

Church

ResidentialKEY

Schools

This map shows that the project area is mainly dominated by residential buildings. There is an industrial area on the north east, but it is not that relevant for the project.There is the Quarry Mount Primary School and Nursery, with who it could be interesting to work, as it is exactly in the centre of this neighborhood. There are also another nursery (The Tiny Tree) and a high school (The Leeds Academy).There are also few shops which help to make this district more vital but they can be involve in a bigger project of improvement.

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SITE

ANALYSIS

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Back to back houses

Terraced houses

KEYSemi detached houses

From this map we can see that almost most of the houses in the area are semi detached or terraced, so in most of the cases they have the availability of a garden.Some of them are bigger and well maintained, others are mainly just a back or a front garden without enough space to grow. But nowadays some projectslike “Back to Front” are becoming more popular and these little spaces have the potential to become greener. Con-cerning to the back to back houseswho don’t have a garden at all is importantto develop public green spaces where theycan enjoy outdoor activities.

Hartley

Developing the new heart of Woodhouse

Pos ParkCrescent

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Design

Location & contextSite AnalysisHow the park looks nowDesign ConceptMaster PlanMaterials & FeaturesPlanting ListThe Edible WedgeSite VisualisationConclusions

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LOCATION

CONTEXTKEY

Leeds Leeds Edible Campus

Residential

Green Spaces

Shops

Education

Community Places

Industrial

Hartley Crescent Pos Park

Woodhouse district is clearly dominatedby residential building’s use. This neighbourhood also has primary and secondary schools spread around its area, in addition to their own local shops and local community places. These urbanfacilities provide a great potential to involve its community by increasing outdoor activities and with it the socialcohesion of the area.

For that reason, those green spaces can be used as a nerve center wherepeople can meet and socialise, and at the same time to promote healthier lifestyles.

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1:500

Grass Existing treesHard standing Pedestrian accessGreen playground Traffic flowGrey playground Slope direction

site analysis

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Prevailing wind from the South-West

Ocasional wind coming from the North-West

Existing trees on the perimeter

Existing basketball court

Unique sitting area around the park

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Green Open SpacePoor maintained

walkpaths

Small hill with slope

Main pedestrian route

Closed playground with needs of improvement Existing green football pitch

Existing playgroundsPoor qualityfrontage

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HOW THE PARK LOOKS NOW

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1:500

Grass

Fruit trees

Hard standing (tarmac)

Pedestrian access

Green playground

Amphitheatre

Events platform

Vehicle access

Grey playground (Hoggin)

Bushes & Tall grasses

Edible bedsCompost bin

Flower beds

DESIGN CONCEPT

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Create an amphytheatre taking advantage of the slope of the terrain tobuild steps and change the dynamicsof the space.

AIMS: - Link two areas within the park. - Create a local meeting point able to host temporary events.

Multi Use Games Area generating sporting and recreational surfaces to suit a varietyof different leisure activities without compromising the other playful occupations within the park.

AIM: - Improve the quality of the playground areas. - Maintain the green open space surface upgrading its use.

An area of raised planting beds for vegetables, herbs and salad crops. Also, the proposal of experimenting with a compost bin in a public open space.

AIM: - Involve communities into urban food growing programmes.

Area 1 - “The Amphitheatre”

Area 2 - “MUGA”

Area 3 - “The Edible Wedge”

Design Intentions:- Develope an aesthetically beautiful edible garden for enjoyment. The displayed formats are planned for variety both visually and in harvest. Plants organised with taller plants towards the center of the design and lower growing plants towards the edges, creating visibility and access to harvest.- Produce an open space that allows the hosting of public events.- Improve the recreational facilities and promote outdoor activities.

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MASTER PLANkey legend

Football Pitch

Tarmacadam

Grass

Amphitheatre

Low Rise Covering

Rhubarb Edible Bed

Rubber Flooring Playground

Wooden Events Platform

Tall Bushes £ Grasses

Pumpkin Edible Bed

Beetroot Edible Bed

Flex Basketball Court

Existing Trees

Flower Beds

Spinach Edible Bed

Compost Bin

Wooden/Concrete Bench

Proposed Trees

(Oven’s wattle, Giant dogwood, Lilac)

(Cornflower, Viola, Fuchsia)

(Chamomile, Thyme, Dill)

(Sweet Cherry, Walnut, Plum)

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MATERIALS & FEATURES

Wooden raised beds The vegetable plants are spaced ingeometric patterns, much closer together than conventional row gardening. The spacing creates a microclimate in which weed growth is suppressed and moisture is conserved.

The wearing/surface course can be ‘coloured’ by using acoloured binder. Soft durable playground surface made with recycled rubber for toughness and shock absorption.It has been designed to provide impact attenuation while providing drainage during inclement weather.

Flex court pavementHigh impact polypropylene copolymer suspended modules with open support structures for drainage. It provides good shock absorption, suitable for all-weathersurface and easy maintenance and cleaning.

Wooden outdoor stairs Landscaping steps made of tree trunks or large timberor treated wood pieces naturally blend with the surrounding, offering beautiful green design,nostalgic flavor, charm and unique character foroutdoor spaces.

This method involved spreading tar on the subgrade, placing a typical macadam layer, and finally sealing the macadam with a mixture of tar and sand. Suitable for areas to be trafficked by vehicles and can be used as well for paths.

Concrete Benches They offer space defining, free draining and comfortable seating all year around.

Tarmacadam

Rubber flooring

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PLANTING LIST

ornamental edible trees ornamental edible large shrubs & grasses

Species: - Black cherry with large, rich, high quality fruits- Heavy regular crops- Self-fertileSoil: Deep, moist but well-drained soilFlowering period: April to MayCropping season: Late July

Species: - Evergreen shrub to 5m or more- Crowded, triangular leaves and small yellow flower-headsSoil: Moderately fertile, neural to acidic soilFlowering period: January to AprilOther features: beautiful conservatory tree.

Species: - Medium-sized, broadcrowned deciduous tree- Aromatic when bruisedSoil: Deep, fertile, well-drained soilFlowering period: May to JuneCropping season: Late July

Species: - Distinctive tiered branching pattern - Elliptic leaves turning purple in autumSoil: Deep, fertile, moisture-retentive soilFlowering period: JuneOther features: The fruits may cause a mild stomach ache if ingested.

Species: - Reliable, self-fertible plum- Rarely attacked by diseasesSoil: Tolerate most soils, except badly drainedFlowering period: April to MayCropping season: Late August

Species: - Spreading perennial with light purplish-pink flowers- Short racemes in summerSoil: Fertile, hummus-rich, well-drained, neutral to alkaline soilFlowering period: May to JuneOther features: Oval dark green leaves.

Sweet Cherry Prunus avium ‘Stella’

Oven’s wattle Acacia pravissima

Common WalnutJuglas regia

Giant dogwoodCornus controversa

Plum ‘Victoria’ Prunus domestica

Korean Lilac Syringa meyeri ‘Palibin’

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ornamental edible herbs ornamental edible flowers

Species: - Bushy dwarf shrub- Aromatic, dark grey-green leavesSoil: Fertile, well drained and lightFlowering period: May to JulyOther features: Antibacterial, aromatic,digestive, expectorant and tonic.

Species: - Perennial with simple or lobed leaves- Ruffled petals and violet-blue centresSoil: ell-drained soilSow: March – May or September - OctoberFlowering period: July – August – September or May – July

Species: - Evergreen perennial growing- Hermaphrodite flower pollinated by beesSoil: Moderately fertile, well-drained soil Flowering period: June to AugustPlanting location: Banks and slopes flower borders and beds cut flowers cottage.

Species: - Tufted evergreen perennial- Hermaphrodite flowers pollinated by insectsSoil: Fertile, hummus-rich, moist, well drained Flowering period: May - AugustEdible uses: Flowers and leaves suitable for tea.

Species: - Upright annual with aromatic blue-green leaves- Tiny yellow flowers in summerSoil: Fertile, moist but well rained Flowering period: June to SeptemberEdible uses: Used as a flavouring (raw or coocked).

Species: - Deciduous shrub or annuals pollinated by bees, birds- Hermaphrodite flowersSoil: Fertile, moist, well-drainedFlowering period: June to OctoberEdible parts: Fruit (raw or coocked)

Common Thyme Thymus vulgaris

CornflowerCentaurea cyanus

Dyer’s chamomileAnthemis tinctora

ViolaViola brevistipulata

Dill Anethum graveolens

Fuchsia Fuchsia

PLANTING LIST

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“the edible wedge”

ornamental edible vegetables

Species: - Slightly ribbed skin and deep yellow to orange coloration- Annual climberSoil: Fertile, hummus-rich, well-drained but moisture retentiveSow: April to JuneHarvest: September to October

Species: - Deep green crinkled leaves with rich flavour- Not self-fertileSoil: Fertile and moisture retentiveSow: March to JulyHarvest: May to September

Species: - Perennial growing- Need a year or two to become establishedSoil: Any, except waterlogged soilsSow: April to MayHarvest: September to November

Species: - Tolerant of weather extremes- Hermaphrodite ad pollinated by windSoil: Tolerates mostSow: March to JulyHarvest: Late May to September

Pumpkin Curcubita pepo

Spinach Spinacia oleracea

RhubarbRheum austral

BeetrootBeta vulgaris craca

The maintenance and care of the edible beds will be carry out between city council parks department and local community groups, delivering a suitable growingenvironment and ensuring the proper functioning of these facilities.

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visualisation: “the edible wedge”

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visualisation: “the playground” (muga)

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visualisation: “the amphitheatre”

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visualisation: “conceptual section”

FOOTPATH

FOOTPATH

FOOTPATH

sitting

area

amphitheatre

events space

open green spaceviewpointrural scape

recreational linkgrove

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green benefints health & wellbeing benefits

community benefits

The main purpose of this project has been based in the creation of a multipurpose space where the local community can develope a variety of activities in the same place. This mechanism has been used to ensure the wellbeing and security of an urban green and functionalarea, apart from creating a pleasant greening space.

The lack of public squares in the area offers a great opportunity for improving this area, redesigning it by using sustainable landscape that adapts the green infrastructure to the ecosystem of the city. This thoughtful planning helps to buffer and support the health of the citizen using urban growing programmesand generates a more climate change resilient environment. Also, it educates users about the role thatnature can play in the city and make people involvedin the maintenance of the area increasing the feelingthat it belongs to them.

Climate change mitigation

P e r m e a b l e Landscape

Resource Efficiency

Longevity and Health

E c o n o m i c Prosperity

Citizen Wellbeing

IncreaseLifespan

Community Vitality

Understanding and Education

SocialInteraction

Food Growing

CommunityBuilding

Adaptability

Biodiversity

Balanced and

Resilient Ecosystem

conclusions

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BOOKS & ARTICLESSustain org. (2014). Every school a food-growing school. Available: http://www.sustainweb.org/publications/?id=186. Last accessed 22th January 2015. Royal Horticultural Society. (2007). Gardening in Schools: A vital tool for children’s learn-ing. Available: http://apps.rhs.org.uk/schoolgar-dening/uploads/documents/rhs-gardening-in-schools-aug10_852.pdf. Last accessed 22th January 2015.

Oldroyd, E; Summers, R; Clavin, A; Andrews, J (2011). Back to front manual for growing food in garden. Leeds: Infrapress. 37. Department for Communities and Local Government (2012). Food growing: Case studies. Lon-don: Uk goverment. 39. Tornaghi, C (2014). HOW TO SET UP YOUR OWN URBAN AGRICULTURAL PROJECT WITH A SOCIO-ENVIRONMENTAL JUSTICE PERSPECTIVE – A guide for citizens, community groups and third sector organisations. Leeds: The University of Leeds. 57. Quayle, H (2007). THE TRUE VALUE OF COMMUNITY FARMS AND GARDEN: SOCIAL, ENVI-RONMENTAL, HEALTH AND ECONOMIC. Bristol: The Greenhouse. 91.

WORKSHOP: “how to set up a school garden” promoted by Leeds Edible Schools Sustainability NetworkWledig, A (2012). Community grown food in Wales. Cardiff: Welsh government. 145

Scotland, G (2014). Community growing in Scotland: towards a frame for action. Stirling: Sco-tish government. 75.

Websites:http://www.feedleeds.org/http://www.leedsediblecampus.co.uk/http://www.backtofront.org.uk/http://lessn.info/http://hlnleeds.org.uk/http://www.hydeparksource.org/http://www.urbal.tv

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