Grüne Blase Community Garden

In 2014, Gewobag housing association commissioned gruppe F to develop and implement a concept for a green space in Blasewitzer Ring in the Spandau district of Berlin. We held several public participation events for local residents to explore ideas for new uses for this green space, which was inaccessible at the time. We then checked the feasibility of these ideas.

The idea of urban gardening won the day and the Grüne Blase (green bubble) Community Garden  was created. This almost 600 m² garden consists of a kitchen garden with a tool shed and a play area with a large lawn, sandpit and picnic table. Young and old grow tomatoes, strawberries and herbs in the kitchen garden. For the first four years, the gardening group received expert support on practical, organisational and minor construction tasks.

As a model project, the community garden resonated with the whole neighbourhood and was followed by the creation of five crate gardens in Staaken, for example at the Staaken Center and the refugee accommodation at the Schmidt-Knobelsdorf Barracks. We transformed transport crates into raised beds for growing ornamental and edible plants. The gardens have created new meeting places where neighbours come together.