The International Week of Urban Greenery was held in the Czech Republic, where young gardeners from five European countries learned about building green roofs and explored smart solutions for urban green spaces. The participants also visited green roof projects, learned about using recycled materials, and competed in designing a green roof for a hospital pavilion. The event aimed to inspire future generations of gardeners and urban planners.
International Urban Greening Week inspired young gardeners & urban planners
From 15 to 19 April, the International Week of Urban Greening took place for the first time in the Czech Republic on the premises of the Benešov Agricultural College & Secondary School. Teams from five European countries came together to develop their skills in building green roofs.
Under the title “Green Smart Cities”, the young gardeners took part in a challenge that not only offered the opportunity to expand their knowledge but also to explore smart solutions for green roofs. Students from Denmark, the Netherlands, Finland, Spain and the Czech Republic had the opportunity to gain valuable experience from experts in the field, discover new technological approaches and learn, for example, how recycled materials can be used to build green spaces in urban areas.
Exploring Urban Greenery: Excursions Highlight Sustainable Innovations
The programme also included several excursions. Despite the bad weather, the participants were very interested in a visit to Sedum Top and Green Depot companies near city Mělník, which offer already planted plant carpets or tiles for green roofs. During the presentation of these technologies, many questions were asked and a lively discussion ensued. The theoretical introduction was followed by a practical demonstration of green carpets and tiles directly on the growing areas. After Mělník, a visit to the green spaces of Prague followed. In Prague, the destinations visited were very diverse and the whole group had the opportunity to see both the modern concept of urban greenery, thanks to the demonstration of green tramlines or The Park project in Prague’s Chodov, and the historic park surrounding the Queen Anne’s Summer Palace.
The event also included the creation of the foundations for a new green roof, which will cover the garages located directly on the premises of the guest school. This practical workshop was held in cooperation with practitioners from BRENS EUROPE. This company uses recycled materials from the auto industry to create green areas and has been awarded by the Ministry of Industry and Trade of the Czech Republic for its sustainable approach in the past.
Students Compete in Green Roof Design Challenge
The second part of the week was followed by a competition where students in international teams designed their own solutions for the green roof on the new rehabilitation pavilion of the Rudolf and Stefanie Benešov Hospital. The competitors had to prepare their designs with the help of horticultural software – NBL Realtime Landscaping Architecture. This was also a challenge for many of them, as it was the first time they had ever tried working with specialised software. But they took up their tasks bravely and on the last day of the “green week” they presented to the expert jury 5 different designs of how the garden at the hospital pavilion could look like. Each of the presented solutions was different, each of them interesting in some way. You can see their designs for yourself in the attached photos.
The whole week passed very quickly and in a friendly spirit. In addition to the study and work moments, the students also experienced leisure time moments together, for example, during a dinner together or a visit to the nearby Konopiště castle. And after a week, they returned home to their countries, tired but full of experiences, new knowledge and, last but not least, with newly established friendships.
We believe that the International Week of Urban Greening brought everyone not only new knowledge, but also inspiration for future generations of gardeners and urban planners who will actively contribute to creating more sustainable and greener cities.
The event was organised under the auspices of the Czech Centre of Excellence for Urban Greenery – Green Cities 2030+.
The Centre was established within the framework of the international platform – European Platform for Urban Greening.
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