WHAT: Consultancy, site study, evaluation
COLLABORATION: Growing Pathways
CLIENT: Grønttorvet, FB Gruppen
WHEN: 2019

PHOTO CREDITS: Elzelina Van Melle & Oleg Koefoed

About

Analysis and evaluation of the current functioning of the new established roof gardens in the new district of Grønttorvet (Copenhagen), which aims at developing 2300 housing with a high ambition of sustainability and a strong ecosystem of local activities like gardening taking place within the new urban quarter.

This work reviews a number of themes that we have found important when meeting with the roof gardens and their gardeners, with the object to complete an evaluation study of the current functioning of the new roof gardens in Grønttorvet. In each section, we highlight a handful suggestions for further action. Before we get there, we highlight the recommendations that stands out most clearly in relation to where each roof garden communities are today, in relation to both their interest and to the developers’ future plans for the district development.

The roof gardens’ physical facilities and opportunities are a gift to the residents of Grønttorvet. They offer a framework that is well received and used by many. Most inhabitants we have spoken to have chosen to live in Grønttorvet because of this particular possibility of cultivating vegetables and flowers on their rooftop.

Based on cultivation, plants, flowers, crops, learning and community sharing between adults and children across generations, the roof garden community can do something very special. But this report recommends further action, since despite of all the praise and the offers given to get started, all the houses are challenges by diverse community or gardening issues, which prevent them to fully benefit from the facility.

The roof garden communities are a flower that has not fully unfolded out – they need a little more nourishment and most of all help for self-help. There is a big difference in how much and how successfully the residents take the facilities and the possibilities in use. This report aim to help FB Gruppen to see more clearly the balance of challenges and potential met by these new urban-roof-gardeners and how those may embed the key to fully enfold the vision of their new district, and take an active part in it’s sustainable local development.