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New European Bauhaus
Project

Gardens in the air

Imagine a sensory rich neighbourhood that combines a new microclimate, a diverse and livable outside scenery & even a distinct aroma! 

Gardens in the air © European Union
Gardens in the air
© European Union, 2021

Imagine a sensory rich neighbourhood that combines a new microclimate, a diverse and livable outside scenery & even a distinct aroma! 
 
Gardens in the Air is a realised dream of a circular urban re-naturalisation programme in Seville's "Tres Barrios-Amate".
 
The project received this year's New European Bauhaus award in "Buildings renovated in a spirit of circularity."  
 
Gardens in the Air launched in December 2020, and comprises of artists, scientists, architects, designers, and local inhabitants, who are exploring the  neighbourhood's resources & species. ??
 
The project manifests in three interconnected synergies:  

  • Envisage new relationships that allow them to thrive in balance 
  • Create a more sustainable habitat 
  • Bring art & contemporary culture closer to people 

 
It is about a new way to imagine relationships of sustainable prosperity through a process that takes the form of:

  • a vertical garden reusing existing air conditioner units to regenerate life
  • a perfume that distils plants from the neighbourhood reflecting the residents' diverse origins
  • a polyphonic sound piece that celebrates new alliances

 
The vertical garden is supported by "masharabiyas," 19 wooden boxes with ventilation lattices inspired by Islamic architecture. They contain clay pots with plants inside them, enhancing the evapotranspiration capacity of this local material. An approach that also improves urban biodiversity through participatory citizen actions and interspecies co-existence in cities. ????
 
Celebrated perfumer B. Fillion created a limited edition of 333 bottles of the perfume with the assistance of T.Pradet. The fragrances are purchased to donate for local art & nature training programmes. 
 
Amate, one of Spain's poorest neighbourhoods, is the setting for the proposal. The bulk of its inhabitants is older adults and immigrants who live in housing blocks and rely on air conditioning to survive the intense summer heat.?
 
? © European Union 
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