International Student Workshop

International student workshop

Blue/green infrastructure in brownfields 26th April 2019

INTERNATIONAL STUDENT WORKSHOP Date: 26th April 2019 Organizer: NEXT Institute in cooperation with the Department of Landscape Planning at Faculty of Horticulture in Lednice at Mendel University, Participants: International students from the Nederlands, Czech students of Landscape architecture, Architecture and Municipal Engineering Theme: Experimental Urban Farming

INDEX 5

Structure of the workshop

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Phase 1_courtyard design

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Phase 2_experimental plantation

11 Conclusion

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Photo: Tomáš Řádek 4

STRUCTURE OF THE WORKSHOP

CONTEXT: The workshop was organized by NEXT Institute, which is an independent platform for applied research in architecture and urbanism. NEXT Institute consequently works on the problematics of the climate adaptation of urban areas. The platform co-operates with many key actors such as Czech academy of science, city planning institutes or universities.

The workshop was dedicated to theoretical and practical research of blue/green infrastructure in climate adaptation projects. The students were given a chance to cooperate with other colleagues from different fields in order to practice the multidisciplinary approach in solving the complex problematics.

Following themes were presented as the most influential for the workshop:

Climate change Even though the climate change is not widely recognized by general public as an important topic, it has significant impacts on the Czech Republic. Extreme weather events like long-lasting droughts, heat waves or downpours occur more frequently.

Blue/Green infrastructure One of the most important climate adaptation measures is the use of blue/green infrastructure. It helps to reduce the effect of urban heat island, lower air pollution and contributes to the production of oxygen.

However, it is difficult to create optimal conditions for greenery and water surfaces in heavily urbanized areas.

Due to the extensive use of technical solutions such as piping, hard surfaces, and similar, it is very challenging to provide suitable conditions for nature based solutions.

Greenery in urban environment The students were given an introduction to the planting technique based on structural soil, which can provide enough root space for trees in urban environment. The planting was practiced during the second part of the workshop.

WORKSHOP GOALS The aim of the workshop was to explore the possibilities of realizing green-blue infrastructure elements within existing brownďŹ eld area. The main goal was to join international and local students and practice the principles to our long-term revitalization project in the courtyard and come up with some fresh ideas for its future development. Concurrently students were given an opportunity to design and construct needed measures by usage both technical and nature elements WORKSHOP STRUCTURE: The workshop was divided into following phases: Introduction: Students were briefed into the work of NEXT Institute and goals of the workshop. The workshop was situated into the existing brownfield, formerly abandoned school building, which is transformed by a NGO social reactor into a design and craft center. Nikola Linhartova from Social reactor explained the concept of the building and the specifics of slow development as an alternative to classical development focused on maximum profit.

Phase 1_Courtyard design This phase was focused on multi-disciplinary teamwork and conceptual redesign of the school building courtyard.

Phase 2_Experimental plantation Second part was dedicated to the hand on experience. Students realized tree plantation using the structural substrate technique.

PARTICIPANTS: Students of Fruit forestry, Architecture, Municipality engineering and Landscape architecture

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Coffee break area

Production zone with raised beds

Workshop tree platation

Water barrel 200l Water irrigation system

Compost

Perennials Already planted tree

Chill on lawn

Downpipe outcome Water tank 10m3

Wooden deck for lectures

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0

1

2

3

4

5m

1:200 6

PHASE 1_COURTYARD DESIGN

First phase consisted form a theoretical exercise. Students were supposed to design the revitalization of unused courtyard and implement the concept of blue/green infrastructure in order to adapt the location to the impacts of ongoing climate change. The design team was given following input parameters: IMPUT PARAMATERS Area: 400 m2 Light conditions: shady area, sun only a few hours per day

451 mm

Annual rainfall for the region of Brno

200 m3

Annual amount of rainwater available from the courtyard.

440 m3

Annual amount of rainwater available from the roof facing the courtayrd

REQUIREMENTS Following function requirements were added to the design brief: The design should include areas for lectures, workshops, relaxing zone and experimental gardening.

DESIGN The courtyard was divided according to the amount of light and the most frequent operating routes have been defined.

The wooden deck with the possible coverage of rain water retention tank had been placed in one of the two smaller niches. The capacity of the rain water storage was 10 m3 and the covering wooden deck could serve as a lecture or event stage.

Retention tanks were supposed to be connected to drip irrigation system to supply the production zone, which was located in the second smaller niche.

The raised beds for vegetable and herbs production were designed as well as vertical growing wall.

Next to the raised beds was the compost area and additional barrels for the water collection.

In the two bigger niches was placed the lunch and exterior meetings zone with tables and seating.

Central space was meant to be function as a relax zone with lawn and perennials flower beds around.

DESIGN PRINCIPLES

Courtyard shadow study

Main movement directions

Functional division

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Planted tree

Paving

Structural soil Regular soil

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PHASE 2_EXPERIMENTAL PLANTATION

Afternoon part of the workshop was dedicated to planting the tree using rather new technology in the Czech context.

The aim was to introduce and get the hands on experience of plantation providing enough space and support to trees in heavily urbanized environment.

The planting pit was based on technology using structural soil: STRUCTUAL SOIL This method of tree plantation was introduced by Swedish experts at conference organized by NEXT Institute in the previous year. The main advantages of high soil porosity are the ability to withstand extreme conditions such as drought, pollution and vibration from traffic. The soil is composed of compacted coarse-grained gravel mixed with biochar and compost.

BIOCHAR Biochar is made from biomass through the process of pyrolysis. It improves nutrient binding, water retention, prevents from leaching of mineral fertilizers and other soil improvements. Important aspect of the biochar is the process of reducing CO2 emissions in its life cycle (1 kg of biochar equals to 3,5 kg CO2).

COMPOST The compos enriches the substrate with organic matter, humus and nutrients for a long time and provides a loose and aerated environment. With the addition of compost, the substrate has a better ability to retain water available for the trees.

PLANTATION The planting pit was located in the courtyard of the school building. The students had the opportunity to co-operate on the realization of the plantation. The plantation was based on layering and compacting mixture of coarse-grain gravel, biochar and compost. The finished planting pit consists of approx. 1t of gravel, 125 litres of biochar (equals 140kg of CO2 emissions) and 125l of compost.

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Photo: Tomáš Řádek 10

CONCLUSION

NEXT STEPS The plantation will be managed, taken care of and monitored by NEXT Institute in following months. The comparative plantation (using standard technique - without structural soil) had been realized within the same area few weeks before the workshop. Both plantations will be monitored as a subject for further research.

PARTNERS The organization of the workshop was possible due to the help of our long-term collaborating partners and their contributions. Biochar was donated for the experimental purposes by the company Agrouhel, which is one of a few producers of biochar on the Czech market. The compost was donated and delivered by the Public Greenery of the city of Brno (Veřejná zeleň města Brna). Both partners will be included into the monitoring phase of the plantation.

PARTICIPANTS Following students were participating during the workshop: Elin Thomassen Rick Kappen Luuk van Elk Lenka Svobodová Anna Bařinová Iveta Zelená, Veronika Ježková ORGANIZERS Vojtěch Lekeš Alena Mynarčíková Kateřina Slavíková Tomáš Řádek

Many thanks to all for their input and hard work!

More about our research outcomes: nextinstitute.eu

Main partners of the workshop:

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International student workshop Blue/green infrastructure in brownfields

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