The organization KAN (climate adaptive building) organized a photo contest last September for the theme 'abundant nature in new housing developments'. I submitted several photos of green infrastructure in my home town and was one of the three winners, and now owner of a splendid green architecture book.
The assignment was specifically focusing on "photos of biodiverse gardens, flower beds, and outdoor spaces in new construction projects. Examples include:
· a variety of native plant species;
· food, shelter, and nesting sites for insects, birds, and other animals;
· less paving or permeable paving, so that rainwater can infiltrate more easily;
· trees, shrubs, or climbing plants for shade and cooling;
· water collection: a pond, rain barrel, or rain garden;
· management practices that support biodiversity, such as mowing less frequently or leaving leaves on the ground."
While it was tough to find any insect hotels in common, public areas, there were plenty of places with new blue-green infrastructure. There are playgrounds with permeable tiles, retention areas, decoupled rain storage through entire streets, diverse vegetation and less frequent mowing. It is merely a pity the concepts aren't applied everywhere. Below is a selection of some of the photos.
The green architecture book is a fine example of how ecologists and designers can develop a natural environment in our often too concrete jungle. I am interested to test the climate resilience of the various buildings constructed in this plan.
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