Zaragoza, Spain
City population: 687448
Duration: 2007 – 2008
Implementation status: Completed
Scale: Sub-microscale: Street scale (including buildings)
Project area: 530 m2
Type of area: Previous derelict area
Last updated: October 2021

"After the intervention, the 530 square metres of the block of land have been turned into a new public square with a metal structure over fifteen metres high which is the support of a hanging garden. The structure is attached to the two flank walls facing on to the square in such a way that it completely conceals them. Beneath the ground level of the square, there is a basement housing the new offices of the neighbourhood association, which is responsible for the environmental management of the garden and its use as an educational space." (Ref. 2)

Vertical Garden las Delicias 1
Source: Ref. 2

Overview

Nature-based solution

  • Nature on buildings (external)
  • Balcony greens
  • Other
  • Parks and urban forests
  • Pocket parks/neighbourhood green spaces

Key challenges

  • Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
  • Green space creation and/or management
  • Inclusive and effective governance (SDG 16)
  • Inclusive governance
  • Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
  • Social cohesion
  • Social interaction
  • Health and well-being (SDG 3)
  • Creation of opportunities for recreation

Focus

Creation of new green areas, Transformation of previously derelict areas

Project objectives

"The neighbourhood of Las Delicias is the most densely populated of Zaragoza. In the 1950s and 1960s, the arrival of immigrants coming from rural zones of all over Spain swiftly gave rise to disorderly growth in the district’s urban fabric, which has been affected ever since by a manifest lack of facilities, green zones and landmark places." (Ref. 2) This NBS intervention aims to address the increasing population density, aggravating social conflict and hastening physical deterioration of buildings in the Las Delicias neighbourhood by: - increasing the green zones in the neighbourhood (Ref. 2) - "...convert[ing] the vacant lot left by the demolished building into a public space." (Ref. 2) - "...us[ing] the surface of this land tangential to its main street to establish a representative place that could become a meeting point for the community, a leisure space and one of social integration and relationship with nature." (Ref. 2)

Implementation activities

"Las Delicias neighbourhood association sponsored in 2007 a project to convert the vacant lot left by the demolished building into a public space." (Ref.2) Proposal presented in 2005 by Asociacion de Vecinos Manuel Viola et. al (Ref.1) Metal structure with hanging garden (Ref. 2) Series of ramps and a lift to reach the garden (Ref. 2) Beneath ground level: new offices of the neighbourhood association, which is responsible for the environmental management of the garden and its use as an educational space. (Ref. 2) Botany classes are given and art installations are exhibited. (Ref. 2)

Main beneficiaries

  • Non-government organisation/Civil Society
  • Citizens or community groups
  • Food producers and cultivators (i.e. farmers, gardeners)

Governance

Management set-up

  • Co-governance with government and non-government actors

Type of initiating organisation

  • Local government/municipality
  • Non-government organisation/civil society

Participatory approaches/ community involvement

  • Crowd-sourcing/Crowd-funding/Participatory budget
  • Citizen oversight (e.g. boards, advisory)

Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project

The Manuel Viola Neighborhood Association sponsored the project (Ref. 2) and was in charge of maintenance of the project (Ref. 5) The City of Zaragoza supported the project and provided some maintenance. (Ref. 2, 8) Grupo de Estudios en Ordenación del Territorio (GEOT), University of Zaragoza provided technical support for proposals to revive neighborhoods as part of the EU's Revitasud-Interreg project (Ref.1) EU provided ERDF funds for intervention (Ref. 1); The project was implemented within the Revitasud-Interreg project (European Union ERDF Funds project) in line with the territorial cohesion objectives. (ref 1)

Project implemented in response to ...

... an EU policy or strategy? Yes (The project was implemented within the Revitasud-Interreg project (European Union ERDF Funds project) in line with the territorial cohesion objectives. (ref 1))
... a national policy or strategy? Unknown
... a local policy or strategy? Yes (Pilot plan Revita-Sud: the Socio-urban study of the Delicias Neighborhood (2005). (Ref 1))

Financing

Total cost

€500,000 - €2,000,000

Source(s) of funding

  • EU funds
  • Public local authority budget

Type of funding

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

Non-financial contribution

Unknown

Impacts and Monitoring

Environmental impacts

  • Green space and habitat
  • Increased green space area
  • Restoration of derelict areas

Economic impacts

  • Unknown

Socio-cultural impacts

  • Social justice and cohesion
  • Improved social cohesion
  • Fair distribution of social, environmental and economic benefits of the NBS project
  • Improved liveability
  • Improved access to urban green space
  • Increased visibility and opportunity for marginalised groups or indigenous peoples
  • Increased opportunities for social interaction
  • Increased involvement of locals in the management of green spaces
  • Health and wellbeing
  • Improved physical health
  • Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
  • Cultural heritage and sense of place
  • Promotion of cultural diversity
  • Increased sense of place identity, memory and belonging
  • Increased appreciation for natural spaces
  • Education
  • Increased support for education and scientific research
  • Increased knowledge of locals about local nature

Type of reported 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

Yes

Availability of a web-based monitoring tool

No evidence in public records

References

1. Asociacion de Vecinos Manuel Viola et el. (2005). Estudio sociourbanistico del Barrio de Delicias en Zaragoza 2005. [Document provided].

2. Bravo Bordas, David. (2018). Jardin Vertical y Plaza Publica Delicias. Available at: Source link [Accessed 2 September 2020].

3. Sociedad Municipal de Zaragoza Vivienda. (2017). Revitasud. [Not available in 2020].

4. Sociedad Municipal de Zaragoza Vivienda. (2010). Estudios y elaboración de propuestas piloto de revitalización urbana en barrios residenciales transfronterizos (1945-1960). [Document provided].

5. M. Rived. Zaragoza (2015). El Jardín Vertical de las Delicias, cerrado y a la espera. Source link. Available at: Source link [Accessed: 2 September 2020].

6. Europa Press (2016). C's pide al Ayuntamiento arreglar las deficiencias en el Jardín Vertical. Source link. Available at: Source link. [Accessed: 2 September 2020].

7. Efe. Zaragoza. (2010). El Jardín Vertical de Delicias, entre los mejores espacios públicos de Europa. Source link. Available at: Source link. [Accessed 2 September 2020].

8. Martin, T. (2012). Buenas prácticas vecinales para mantener el Jardín Vertical. Source link. Available at: Source link. [Accessed 2 September 2020].
Vertical Garden las Delicias 2
Source: Ref. 2
Vertical Garden las Delicias 3
Source: Ref. 2
Vertical Garden las Delicias 4
Source: Ref. 2
Vertical Garden las Delicias 5
Source: Ref. 2
Vertical Garden las Delicias 6
Source: Ref. 2