Transforming a contaminated lot into a space to enjoy nature

The Seed A Lot: Sidewalk Share project for the Chicago Architecture Biennial transforms a 21-foot setback on a contaminated vacant lot into an immersive rewilding landscape, creating a space for communal respite and wildlife habitat. This project highlights resiliency and the ability to reclaim a former industrial site within a short time frame, while actively working to reverse the effects of past disinvestment. It also serves as a template for the activation of vacant space and for corridor creation in urban settings and demonstrates the benefits of more equitable public access to green spaces.

In addition to adding beauty and vegetation to a barren landscape, the Seed A Lot: Sidewalk Share project serves several social, economic and ecological purposes. Socially, the addition of trees and green landscapes on underutilized, barren lots creates “tree equity” in communities that lag behind the average tree canopy in the city. Tree equity in cities is important because of the positive benefits green landscapes have on the psyche and the economic effect generated by the addition of trees to the urban landscape. 

There is a positive correlation between the tree canopy density of an area and the value of the property in which the tree canopies exist. Ecologically, this project attracts pollinators to ensure the persistence of vegetation in the community, sequesters carbon from the air, produces oxygen and mitigates the urban beat island effect through evaporative cooling.

The big idea is that community members and property owners can begin to tackle underutilized spaces by applying innovative landscapes and unique approaches to activating these spaces. The scale and intensity can also range to fit a constituent’s budget. Both large/dynamic and simple/cost and labor effective strategies can have relatively immediate transformative effects on urban landscapes following Greenprint’s  lead. 

This intervention is a springboard and proof of concept that serves to inform a broader investigation, analysis and generation of a written and graphic framework plan. The impetus for this plan is to scale similar solutions across a variety of open lot conditions in Grand Boulevard, Bronzeville, Chicago and beyond. This project also improves resiliency in the built environment and empowers healthier, happier humans.

Seed A Lot: Sidewalk Share opened to the public on September 17, 2021. You can download the Seed a Lot: Sidewalk Share Framework here.