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Gap spaceActiveSince 2009

Skip Garden by Global Generation

London, United Kingdom · Operator: Global Generation (youth & environmental education charity)

Overview

A movable organic garden built inside builders' skips in the middle of the King's Cross redevelopment in London. Made largely (~90%) from reclaimed materials, with beehives and bug hotels, it turned a gap space into a site for youth education and community.

Citizen participation

Local youth, schools and volunteers build a movable garden DIY-style inside builders' skips and from reclaimed construction materials, then grow, cook and learn about the environment together.

Operating model

Run as a charity, funded by an on-site kitchen/cafe, donations and partnership with the King's Cross developer; a 'nomadic' garden that physically moves as the redevelopment advances.

Impact

Over a decade it engaged thousands of young people and residents and became an internationally noted model of reusing construction-site gap space for DIY urban gardening; its work continues through the successor 'Story Garden.'

Crops

  • salad greens
  • herbs
  • vegetables
  • edible flowers

Scale

Mobile garden built inside builders' skips on a 67-acre King's Cross construction site; relocated as development proceeds

Sources(2)

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Skip Garden by Global Generation — Urban Farm DB