Last updated: October 2021
As part of a larger project, this project aimed at creating a vertical garden in the Levante Square, in the Deustro neighborhood, the city of Bilbao. The intervention was initiated by the Bilbao's municipality in 2016 and aimed at creating a green area that was a bit unconventional and artistic at the same time. The landscape design incorporates local elements such as the trawlers, the cliffs of the Cantabrian coast and the local architecture, integrating nature and tradition (Ref 1).
Plaza de Levante's Vertical Garden
Fernando Hidalgo Romero (Terapia Urbana), retrieved 08/22/2018
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green walls or facades
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Climate change mitigation
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Noise reduction
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Real estate development
- Cultural heritage and cultural diversity
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape/infrastructure
Focus
Creation of new green areas
Project objectives
This intervention aimed to create a green space in the historical quarter of Duesto as a way to improve quality of life for the neighborhood's inhabitants and to preserve the historical character of the district (Ref 4).
Within these broader aims, the project aimed to (Ref 2):
1. Reduce heat island effect and smog
2. Clean outside air of pollutants and dust and offsets the carbon footprint of people and fuel emissions
3. Reduce street noise
4. Increase real estate value
5. Increase biodiversity
Implementation activities
This vertical garden was built in the historical quarter of Duesto as a friendly space for the pedestrian and completely respectful of the environment. The installation was made double-sided (Ref 3).
8 900 plants of 37 different species were planted (Ref 1).
Landscape design incorporated local elements such as the trawlers, the cliffs of the Cantabrian coast and the local architecture, integrating nature and tradition (Ref 1).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Increase or improve urban vegetation cover to help reduce outdoor temperature
Climate change mitigation:
- Increase green urban nature for carbon storage (wetlands, tree cover)
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Government-led
Type of initiating organisation
- Local government/municipality
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
The project was initiated by the Municipality of Bilbao in an attempt to improve quality of life for the neighborhood's inhabitants but also to preserve the historical character of the district. The municipality collaborated with a firm from Sevilla, which designed the project (Ref 4).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(It is mentioned that the project was developed in connection with a local plan called, Auzokide 2016-2019 Plan, one of the most important tools of citizen participation with which the Bilbao City Council has a key role in the activity of the Area of Works, Services, Urban Rehabilitation and Public Space. Its objective is to agree on the planning, development and execution of improvement projects in our neighborhoods prioritized from the District Councils. The City Council of Bilbao maintains its commitment to the continuous improvement of the neighborhoods, with the "Auzokide Plana 2016-2019", which involves an investment of 48 million euros over four years and the execution of works and improvement actions prioritized by The own citizenship, political and social agents of Bilbao through the Town Councils of the Town. (Ref 4)
The budget is distributed equally among the 8 districts of Bilbao, at a rate of 1.5 million euros per district and year. (Ref 4))
Financing
Total cost
Unknown
Source(s) of funding
- Public local authority budget
Type of funding
- Earmarked public budget
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
Economic impacts
- Unknown
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Improved access to urban green space
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Cultural heritage and sense of place
- Protection of historic and cultural landscape / infrastructure
- Education
- Increased awareness of NBS and their benefits
Type of reported impacts
Expected impacts, Achieved impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Unknown
Presence of indicators used in reporting
No evidence in public records
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
No evidence in public records
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
References
1. Terapia Urbana. (n.d.). Exterior Vertical Garden in Bilbao. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 7 October 2020].
2. Urban Therapy. (2015). VERTICAL GARDEN IN PLAZA LEVANTE. [Not available in 2020].
3. GONZÁLEZ HUESO, S. (2017). El jardín vertical de la perrera, hierbas muertas y paneles rotos. IDEAL. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 7 October 2020].
4. Auzokide 2016-2019 Plan. Bilbao's Council Website. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 7 October 2020].
2. Urban Therapy. (2015). VERTICAL GARDEN IN PLAZA LEVANTE. [Not available in 2020].
3. GONZÁLEZ HUESO, S. (2017). El jardín vertical de la perrera, hierbas muertas y paneles rotos. IDEAL. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 7 October 2020].
4. Auzokide 2016-2019 Plan. Bilbao's Council Website. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 7 October 2020].
Plaza de Levante's Vertical Garden
Fernando Hidalgo Romero (Terapia Urbana), retrieved 08/22/2018
Plaza de Levante's Vertical Garden
Fernando Hidalgo Romero (Terapia Urbana), retrieved 08/22/2018