Greening Cathays Planters

This placemaking project at a Cardiff University hall of residence creates a greened space for growing vegetables, supporting urban pollinators and contributing to positive placemaking.

The ambition for the project was particularly challenging given the urban location of the work.  There is a lack of available green spaces at the location which had to be addressed through the innovative design of the raised planters and vertical growing structures, which are a colourful addition to the car park space.

As well as providing a purely functional place to grow vegetables, this project uses dynamic vertical planting to make a place which is inviting and encourages social interaction and connection with nature.  Recycled pallets and oil drums, and crates made from locally-sourced timber are composed to provide a series of planters and informal seating spaces.  The installation is painted in a palette of bright colours to bring joy to this otherwise dull and unloved space.

There is an ongoing ambition to develop more of the outdoor spaces at this hall of residence, to extend the provision for pollinators and residents alike!

This is one of two placemaking projects Situated Studio and Analog Architecture were commissioned to do as part of Greening Cathays, an initiative by Creative Cardiff working in partnership with Cardiff University’s School of Pharmacy’s Pharmabees project.  The aims of the initiative are to bring together communities by creating urban environments which are rich in nature to support biodiversity, re-energise public spaces through creativity and allow the diverse community to connect with the natural world, and with each other.

This project was done through collaboration with Analog Architecture.