From Paved Paradise to Daeza

Abstract

Nearly 50% of the Dutch gardens is paved and this number is ever increasing. This negatively affects the environment. It contributes to biodiversity loss since less space is available as a habitat for flora, fauna and ecosystems. Secondly, the paved gardens do not allow the rainwater to infiltrate the soil. As a consequence, the rainwater is directly steered to the sewer system. With growing number of torrential rains due to climate change, this leads to an increased pressure on the sewer systems. Lastly, the paved garden negatively affects the temperature and the quality of the air as well. This project only focuses on the effects of the paved gardens on biodiversity, since this was the original interest of the foundation Operatie Steenbreek, which was involved in this project.

Biodiversity is the variability among living organisms from all sources, ecosystems included. These ecosystems, among other things, provide food, control the climate, support nutrient cycles and offer recreational benefits. Any loss in biodiversity is a matter of public concern, since it underpins the health of the planet and has direct impact on all our lives. However, there is a widening gap between humans and the natural world. The extinction of experience, a cycle of impoverishment that is initiated by the homogenization and reduction of local flora and fauna, followed by disaffection and apathy, needs to be combated to counteract the biodiversity loss. Within the context of the paved garden, this means that positive interactions between man and nature has to be stimulated. In addition, plants have to get a new and clear function in the garden. It is important that paved garden owners see the benefits of having plants in the garden.

The garden has served different functions over the centuries. Today, the domestic garden has mainly become an extinction of the living room. As a result, a high level comfort is one of the main requirements of the garden.

Many different activities take place in the garden throughout the year, varying from having dinner in the garden in the summer and playing in the sand pit, to activities that take place all year long, like storing bikes or that only occur once a year, like a big party. These activities can be performed alone, by different family members or by a group of people, of all ages. This leads to a complex interplay of social interactions. This demand for a high versatile usage of the garden should be taken into account during this project, in the short as well as in the long-term perspective. The product should offer the garden flexibility in space usage, different possibilities in function, and the ability to create an intimate place as well as an open space. To respond to the assignment, this should be done in a way that supports biodiversity.

The final concept is the Daeza, a rack with and integrated irrigation system where one can position plants on. It functions as a room divider for the garden.

The Daeza enables the user to create an intimate place, separate different activities from each other, and maximizes the potential of the open space of the garden. The product supports the flexibility of the garden especially during summer when the garden is used most extensively. In other seasons serves different purposes like covering the unused furniture or creating a nice winter scenery that is perceived from the house.

The product offers the garden owner a clear structure to position plants onto. Gardening becomes a matter of decorating the rack in which plants can grow, without becoming cluttered. By offering the customer a core pollinator-friendly plant package, they are helped in choosing a nice combination of plants regarding color, flowering period and benefits. The product enables the user to hang different things in the screen, this can be food for species, or personal decorations. In this way the user can express one’s identity in the garden and create something personal.

The Daeza stands out in the paved garden by offering a large and clearly demarcated surface, which is filled with plants. The vertical direction contributes to the composition of the garden. The visual impact of the Daeza encourages interaction between the user and wildlife.

Overall, the Daeza gives plants a function, a clear position in the garden and attracts the owners attention to them. This offers the first step in reducing the gap between man and nature, which is essential for combating biodiversity loss.