Porto Urban
Garden
1. IDEA
Located in the historic district in Porto, this outdoor space had been previously used as a dump for construction waste, resuting in the higher ground level. The intent was to turn it into a small urban oasis with endemic vegetation adapted to the mild yet very wet Porto climate.
2. PROCESS
This project consists of the rehabilitation of a 100 m2 outdoor space.
The space is located in the back of an 1800’s building and it has good solar exposure and some wind protection. The Porto climate provides an average of 1250 mm of precipitation per year.
The rehabilitation focused on creating a warm and inviting space that is an all-season garden.
3. SOLUTION
The play of textures and colors were studied for the backdrop of the existing stone walls and the species selection was made to ensure plants were either endemic or adapted to the local climate, so as not to need irrigation or excessive maintenance.
The granite interplays with soft and warm foliage and lighting to create a cohesive and harmonious design.
Using a succession garden design approach we were able to create an environment that is lush and has color, flowers and greenery all year round.
The result is an urban oasis that evokes tranquility and warmth.
