(IN)VISIBLE GARDENS

A project on urban gardening and urban greens in public space

City gardens and urban gardening are high in trend. As recent initiatives for community gardens and other activities (like i.e. the so called "guerilla gardening") can show, this new (or renewed) interest in gardening is not only motivated by individual desires, but strongly informed by ecological and social engagement as well.
The quest is for a "Green City" and for urban green accessible to the public – and, in case, also open for public participatory engagement.
What if the whole city is a garden?

With "(IN)VISIBLE GARDENS", we are taking a look at greens in urban space that are in a wider sense – and if you want so: rather figuratively – associated with the image of a "garden": greens that can be imagined, perceived and thus experienced as "gardens".
As a matter of fact, one can find and explore (in)visible gardens almost everywhere.

While the traditional forms and concepts of urban gardens – i.e. public and private gardens, allotment gardens, botanical gardens, parcs,, together with their background in cultural history – are providing the background and framework, the focus of the project is on those urban greens that are literally (in)visble: greens that are rather overlooked or settled at the borders of public perception, yet of influence for the individual and collective imagination, for the image of the "Green City" as well as for the "Urban Biotope" in whole.

What kind of (in)visible gardens can be found in in urban space?
What about their accessibility?
What are the conditions of and possibilities for installments of (in)visible gardens and engangements in (in)visible gardening?

Within this framework, we are a.o. working on possible typologies/taxonomies, as well as on the mapping and localization of (in)visible gardens.
Among the types researched so far are a.o.:
Temporary Gardens – Mobile Gardens – Micro-Gardens – Mood Gardens – Involuntary Gardens
[…]

Together with practice-oriented field research and garden monitoring also practical installments are part of the project.
These are realized in the framework of project seminars at the University of Frankfurt as well as in cooperation with local institutions, organisations and individuals.
Included are also special Bee Gardens, part of them hosted by our COG Frankfurt Rhein Main partners and also monitored in the framework of the Connected OpenGreens Network.

From summer 2011 onwards, there will be also garden walks in Frankfurt.

Further information on activities and a documentation will follow (under construction).

(IN)VISIBLE GARDENS are connected to and within the Connected OpenGreens Network.

Related project site:
(IN)VISIBLE GARDENS | (UN)SICHTBARE GÄRTEN – Study and monitoring page at www.ArtSciEd.net (under construction / linked asap)

Context projects and background info:

Urban Biotopes – Main project info site at www.under-construction.cc

Biotope City Frankfurt – Project info site at www.visuelle-kultur.info
Biotope City Frankfurt – Project page at www.ArtSciEd.net (under construction / linked asap)

Bee Gardens – Basic info page at www.under-construction.cc
Bee Garden Network – Project page at www.under-construction.cc (under construction / linked asap)
Bee Gardens Frankfurt -Project page at www.ArtSciEd.net (under construction / linked asap)

Connected Open Greens Frankfurt Rhein Main – Basic info site at www.under-construction.cc
Connected Open Greens Frankfurt Rhein Main – Special project pages / Documentation (link will follow)

Connected OpenGreens Network (based at okno.be)

This entry contains links to external websites. You might like to consult the disclaimer in case.

project: (IN)VISIBLE GARDENS

main project: (IN)VISIBLE CITY

related projects on www.under-construction.cc: Bee Garden Network, DIY SCI, (IN)VISIBLE CITY, Urban Biotopes

related projects on www.visuelle-kultur.info: Beehive, Biotope City Frankfurt, Sustainability, WALK & WATCH : GO & SEE

tags: biology, biosciences, city, cultural history, everyday cultures, gardens & gardening, green, image & imagination, mobility, space, sustainability, urban cultures, urban landscapes, urban planning