Nominee | Inclusive Design | 2017
Grünräume für die zweite Lebenshälfte

Gardening is on trend. Ideas like urban gardening and guerilla gardening are making it popular even with the younger generation. This has contributed to the rediscovery of the garden as a communal space for recreation and communal enjoyment, and finally has also helped stimulate a research project like “Green spaces for the second half of life”. This was first of all concerned with the practical conception and realisation of gardens and green spaces for elderly people in different life situations. And at the same time the experience and insights accumulated in this way went into a guideline described as a “Garden Box”, which offers all interested parties a wide variety of recommendations for action and decision-making aids in relation to age-friendly gardens and green spaces. Furthermore, the project also led to the establishment of AGR AlterGrünRaum – AgeGreenSpace –; an expert network consisting of architects, landscape architects, garden designers, urban eco-logists, sociologists and cultural scientists who are now on hand to offer practical advice and support for the design and creation of age-friendly green spaces.
Comments of the nominators
Communal gardening in old age is a healthy activity, which raises the quality of life, supports the variety of species and gives an aesthetic lift to residential complexes. These truths have been given scientific support by this project – not that the result is really surprising – and at the same time awarded the stamp of official recognition. Particularly convincing is the multi-layered analysis of the garden projects, and the practical recommendations for action derived from these, which hopefully will contribute to making green spaces for the second half of life a mass phenomenon.

More projects from edition 2017