ORGANIC GARDERING PLOT

PROJECT: ORGANIC GARDERING PLOT
LOCATION: SANT CRISTÒFOL, BARCELONA
DATA PROJECT: 2003- 2004
CONSTRUCTION: 2005 – 2006
BUIT AREA: 786 m²
AUTHORS: DATAAE + CLAUDI AGUILÓ RIU
TEAM: ELENA MOSTAZO (AGRICULTURAL ENGINEER)
IMAGES: ADRIÀ GOULA

THIS GARDEN-ORCHARD WAS BORN FROM THE OWNER’S DESIRE TO CREATE A SPACE THAT IS BOTH PRODUCTIVE AND CONTEMPLATIVE, INTEGRATING INNOVATIVE AGRICULTURAL TECHNIQUES AND SYSTEMS FOR COLLECTING RAINWATER AND GROUNDWATER. THE PROJECT ORGANIZES A PLOT OF LAND BETWEEN THE MAIN HOUSE AND THE GUEST HOUSE, USING TERRACES THAT ALLOW FOR ECOLOGICAL FARMING WHILE ALSO OFFERING A PLEASANT LANDSCAPE.

THE LAYOUT FOLLOWS THE “PARADES EN CRESTALL” METHOD BY GASPAR CABALLERO DE SEGOVIA, RESULTING IN A GEOMETRIC AND FUNCTIONAL STRUCTURE. THE SOIL IS RETAINED WITH REINFORCED CONCRETE WALLS USING WOODEN FORMWORK, AND PREFABRICATED PAVEMENTS ALLOW FOR FOOT TRAFFIC WITHOUT DISRUPTING WATER FLOW. THE TERRACES, FRAMED BY FRUIT TREES AND NATIVE LOW-WATER PLANTS, ARE DESIGNED TO FACILITATE DRAINAGE AND COLLECT WATER INTO A 25,000-LITER UNDERGROUND TANK, SUPPLIED BY RUNOFF, RAINWATER, OR A PRIVATE WELL ON THE PROPERTY.