A Break from The City: Convivial Greenstreets in Philadelphia
Gardening is a human activity carried out in rural areas and densely populated cities alike. In dense urban areas where residences have minimal to no yard space, people may set out pots or remove pavers to create gardens within the streetscape itself. When enough of this activity occurs on a given urban street, it is called a convivial greenstreet (Tamminga 2017). In a convivial greenstreet, the plantings and decorations are not specified by a planner or landscape architect. Instead, they are resident-created places; expressions of personal autonomy and grass-roots engagement in community building and place-making. Convivial greenstreets can be important avenues of self-expression and serve as a symbol of care for both community and place. They play a crucial role in humanizing a neighborhood and, by extension, a city. In a rapidly urbanizing and warming world, convivial greenstreets have the potential to enhance individual and communal well-being, mitigate climate change factors, and provide habitat for urban fauna. Given their potential to positively impact communities, informal streetside gardens and gardeners deserve the attention, respect and support of landscape architects and other urban professionals. This capstone explores some of the social impacts of streetside gardens using two Philadelphia neighborhoods, Fitler Square and Fishtown, as case studies. It includes findings from a resident survey how streetside gardens are valued, their contributions to conviviality or neighborliness, and issues faced by streetside gardeners within the study neighborhoods. Finally, this capstone concludes recommendations for both residents and urban design professionals interested in supporting informal streetside gardens.
Advisors/Committee
