18 La Barre Potagère

Number of votes

347 (231 online/116 paper)

1. The project in a nutshell

The goal of the “Barre potagère” is to transform the schoolyard into a welcoming public space by using vegetable gardening as a means of fostering social connections—during school hours with teachers and outside of school hours with neighborhood residents.

2. The Project’s Objective

In addition to its educational aspect, the goal is to open the school to the neighborhood to enhance the schoolyard’s utility both during and outside of school hours. A true hub of community life, it becomes an oasis of freshness in the heart of the city.

3. The Project in Detail

The “Barre Potagère” project aims to beautify the courtyard of the Collège de la Barre, which currently consists mainly of hard surfaces. As a veritable heat island in the heart of the city, it is essential to introduce vegetation there and also improve user comfort. Thus, the project proposes creating vegetable garden beds using recycled materials (SBB crates and pallets, etc.) to grow vegetables and herbs, as well as benches where people can gather. During school hours, interested teachers will be able to develop an educational program to raise young children’s awareness of vegetable gardening, biodiversity, and related topics. Outside of school hours, families will be able to come and enjoy this space to tend to the plants, socialize, play, and chat.

4. The amount requested to carry out the project

17,000 CHF

• Flyers and information signs: 1,000 CHF

• Wooden planter boxes, tool storage bins, decking boards, planks, hardware, wood preservative, potting soil, gardening supplies, seeds, vegetable plants, climbing plants, mulch: 15,000 CHF

• Meals, beverages, and coffee for participants during the co-construction workshops for a project: 1,000 CHF

5. Neighborhood(s)

La Barre Neighborhood

6. The Association

Les Lombrics