The project has its origin in the MAKING process and logistics of how the garden is put in place. We envisage this process as a COLLABORATIVE endeavour involving architecture & landscape students and volunteers in the construction of a garden as a plural experience.
The collaborative nature of the project results is a COLLECTIVE ENSEMBLE where many individual repetitive components determine the complexity of the garden, coming together to form a complex larger whole. The labour intensive nature of the making of the components results in a new way of planting and creating a garden.
Conceptually we started by FILLING the stairs and the church's terrace with these numerous components, then CLEARING the access points and circulation paths, in this way revealing the pattern of use of the space and maintaining its day to day use during the event. The result is a garden where plants are the protagonists and visitors and residents are encouraged to interact with the garden, inviting discovery and to enjoy the proximity of plants.
Plants occupy the edges and boundaries of this CITY BALCONY, always between the observer and the built elements around it. This creates a new perspective of how the Lausanne is perceived, enhancing the sensation of immersion in NATURE in the heart of the CITY, also offering a unique view of LES JUMELLES in the distance.
The only material implemented in the construction of the garden is a BLACK TEXTILE. The size and weight of the sack was carefully considered to guaranty that two people can easily transport it. These elements can be reused for another location of reproduced or rolled out to other places.
Plants are then planted offsite in the sacks, allowing for the plants to acclimatize before are transferred to the site. These will be organized in groups, in large portions of garden with one variety of plants. The chosen plants emphasize the natural architecture of plants, with hints at the landscape beyond in which the city is set.
As the labour intensive process of making the sack and planting is executed offsite, the project allows for a fast and effective placing of the garden in its site. We envisage the DELIVERY of the garden as a kind off GUERRILLA ACT: the garden will appear on site during one night. Ready made sacks will be delivered to the site in batches with a vehicle and placed. The garden will appear to residents and visitors as a surprise at dawn.