Amsterdam, Netherlands
City population: 1006832
Duration: 2016 – 2017
Implementation status: Completed and archived or cancelled
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: unknown
Type of area: Industrial, Building
Last updated: October 2021

PopinnPark claimed to be the first indoor park of Europe and was created in an abandoned store, aiming at improving the quality of the neighbourhood and bringing nature closer to people. It became a meeting spot for communities, artists, businesses and citizens for exchanging knowledge on social/sustainability issues or for recreation. Popinn Park contained plants that improved air quality, local businesses that provide fair foods and drinks and nature-based art. (1) After running for two years, Popinn Park closed and was transformed into an art gallery under the name of Popinn Art. Since 2018, Popinnart is an artist-run nomadic collective with over 25 contemporary artists. The art on offer is varied and qualitatively and conceptually challenging. There is a choice of spatial work, figurative and abstract, collages, photography, paintings, drawings, textiles and video. (5)

Popinn Park
Source: https://www.debeterewereld.nl/ondernemen-werken/stadsnatuur-europas-eerste-popinnpark-geopend/

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Nature in buildings (indoor)
  • Other

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Environmental quality
  • Air quality improvement
  • Regeneration, land-use and urban development
  • Conversion of former industrial areas
  • Promote natural styles of landscape design for urban development
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Environmental education
  • Social cohesion
  • Social interaction
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation
  • Sustainable consumption and production (SDG 12)
  • Sustainable production

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Knowledge creation and awareness raising

Project objectives

1. Improvement of the quality of life in the neighbourhood by bringing nature closer to citizens. (1,2) 2. Improvement of social cohesion by creating a meeting spot for citizens, communities, researchers, businesses, artists and initiatives to come together (1) 3. Creating a 'green community' in which social/sustainability knowledge and ideas are exchanged. (1,2,3) 4. Become the central platform where promising initiatives in the field of sustainability and green can present themselves to a wide audience (3) 5. Improving air quality by plants that absorb particulates (1) 6. Produce food for consumption such as herbs for tea and vegetables (1) 7. Create a recreation facility for citizens (1,3) 8.Supporting local (sustainable) businesses by promoting businesses and providing them space (1)

Implementation activities

- Installation of recreational facilities such as benches and pick nick tables - Organisation of events such as movie nights, lectures and workshops - Food production such as herbs for tea, growing vegetables for (commercial) soup (1) - Installation of grass turf (4)

Main beneficiaries

  • Private sector/Corporate/Company
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Other

Governance

Management set-up

  • Led by non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Private foundation/trust
  • Citizens or community group

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
  • Dissemination of information and education

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The park is initiated by two citizens, René Donkers and Esther Verhamme who created the 'Stichting Groen in Grijs' (Green in Grey Foundation). They appealed multiple green businesses, NGOs and foundations to help with the implementation of the park and to provide materials or financing and they also gained support from the municipality of Amsterdam. (1,2) The community of sponsors and volunteers included Van der Tol Hoveniers, J&E Sports, VU Hortus, Greennest Gallery, Fatboy, bamb.nl, allesvankurk.nl and Mr. Grasshopper (3)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? No
... a national policy or strategy? No
... a local policy or strategy? No

Financing

Total cost

Unknown

Source(s) of funding

  • Funds provided by non-governmental organization (NGO)
  • Private Foundation/Trust
  • Crowdfunding
  • Other

Type of funding

  • Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
  • Donations

Non-financial contribution

Type of non-financial contribution
  • Provision of goods
  • Provision of labour
  • Other
Who provided the non-financial contribution?
  • Citizens (e.g. volunteering)

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area

Economic impacts

  • Increased market share for green economies

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased access to healthy/affordable food
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Education
  • Increased knowledge of locals about local nature

Type of reported impacts

Achieved impacts

Presence of formal monitoring system

No

Presence of indicators used in reporting

No

Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports

No

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No

References

1. Popinn Park. (n.d.). Wat… een park? Binnen?!. Website not available
2. De Gezonde Stad. (2016). Ecopreneur: PopinnPark. Website not available
3. Polderman, E. (2016). Indoor stadsnatuur in Amsterdam PopinnPark Source link on October 28, 2020, Source link
4. What was Popinn Park? Facebook Page. (n.d). Facebook. Accessed on October 28, 2020, Source link
5. Popinnart. (n.d.). Over Popinnart. Accessed on October 28, 2020, Source link