Spighe Bianche School garden for Matera European Capital of Culture 2019

On the occasion of the event Matera European Capital of Culture in the 2019, the Matera 2019 Foundation decided to develop local projects focused on the theme of the common green areas and on the shared management of public spaces. What better chance to turn a school garden into a community garden?

The conext

As part of the Gardentopia project, the Matera 2019 Foundation has chosen to redevelop 5 green areas outside the historic-monumental city through a series of artistic residences with the contribution of national and international architects, landscape architects and artists. The Atelier delle Verdure was called to design and build the G.Pascoli School in the Spine Bianche district. The process, which lasted a year, has developed through:

• participatory planning design with local students and actors
• landscape design
• organization and coordination of a self-building workshop with 40 students from the Polytechnic of Milan and the University of Basilicata

The aim

The Matera 2019 Foundation and the school explicitly request to redevelop the garden in order to open it to the community and to the neighborhood during extracurricular hours.

The project

Starting from the suggestions expressed by inhabitants and children, the garden has been articulated in different areas: the outdoor classroom with the large table to host lessons and other activities, the area of cultivation with the horticulture raised beds close to the picnics area, where to eat the products of the the orchard, and the terraces where to cultivate and study the typical productive species of the Murge, a relax area with a rocking chair and the descent exit with the ropes between the cedars.

Today the garden offers its potential to different groups and activities: students studying outside, horticultural activities for children, adults and elderly people, birthday parties, community lunches, concerts and events open to the neighborhood and all the community.