Mary Lee

Nurturing with Nature [iii]

For over 150 years, the allotment garden or ‘schrebergärten’ has been deeply embedded in Germany’s urban development. Initially introduced as outdoor play areas in undesirable pockets of the city for children of working class families, the land was eventually taken over by their parents to cultivate fresh produce. Since then, the schrebergärten type has transformed into a modern-day community garden, where food and flowers can thrive and flourish throughout the city. The evolution of the allotment culture has altered the perception of the fringes of urban areas, where humans and non-humans alike can be active urban agents and contribute to Berlin’s ecologically diverse landscape. To this day, they have continued to play a vital role in the fabric of urban life in Berlin, enabling city dwellers to stay in touch with nature and supply additional nutrition to its inhabitants.

‘Nurturing with Nature’ aims to bridge the gap between generations and enhance the lives of the community by providing accessible opportunities for social interaction through the schrebergärten. Establishing a close connection to nature through its exposed, low carbon material language of hemp and timber, a Montessori nursery and senior housing are proposed on the decommissioned A104 motorway. A community allotment kitchen lies at the heart of the scheme. There, children and the elderly can coexist, taking positive steps away from social isolation and loneliness. It is a space where different communities are brought together, making visible the collective effort of growing, harvesting and cooking the produce. Internal and external boundaries are blurred, placing an emphasis on education through nature and play.

The scheme is a multigenerational exchange of knowledge, aiming to show the potential for urban nature within the site, where one can learn, experience, and engage in the process of growing, while providing a chance for Berlin’s city dwellers to nurture and give back to the land they inhabit.

A Circular Material Palette

A low-carbon and sustainable material culture is formed and threaded throughout the three proposals in Berlin’ s Urban Bio-Loop. Although these materials are explored and utilised in various ways, the scheme aims to highlight and make visible the potential for a more circular future, which integrates the use of hemp, timber and food waste as the core materials of the scheme.