Trafalgar Square in London is not known for its green credentials. For those of us that have walked its open expanse, there's very little organic material beyond the gum stuck to your shoe to tred on. Being a large intersection of foot traffic, it's naturally a stone and concrete affair. Starting today and continuing until tomorrow, however, Trafalgar Square is getting a green makeover.
Over 2,000 square meters of living turf will be placed in the square transforming the icon into London's "Village Green". For two days, people are encouraged to take advantage of the living space with picnics and other recreational activities. The turf itself comes from a company outside of York called Lindum that specializes in sustainable grass growing practices. The turf is harvested as a vegetative mat of roots and leafy plant with very little soil attached. One of the main fertilisers is an organic material made from recycled waste from Yorkshire Water.
After its use on the square, the turf will be moved to Bishops Park in Hammersmith and Fulham, where it will be planted beneath "an avenue of majestic plane trees close to the River Thames and Fulham Palace."
Personally, I love this idea. The concept of taking urban areas generally devoid of natural beauty and adding something organic and grand is impressive. I think people in cities generally avoid nature; and in doing so, miss out on the connection that's needed for us to actually care about the big picture; to work in harmony with everything beyond our two bedroom pads. While these additions are temporary, one hopes that if such creations can inspire, then permanent solutions that offer a mix of urban and nature are not far ahead.
Did you get to Trafalgar this week? What did you think of its new look?