The Front Garden City

Studio Berman collaborated with Matter Architecture to propose a new approach and supporting legislative policy that will enable people to repurpose front garden thresholds as places to meet, share and connect with their neighbours – to strengthen social bonds, address issues of loneliness and improve wellbeing. 

The project was conceived after Studio Berman responded to The Developer journal’s call for ‘Radical Rethink’ submissions for ideas to improve the design and development of public spaces.  Our initial response led us to be teamed-up with Matter Architecture with whom we developed the Front Garden City proposal. We presented the proposition at the 2020 Festival of Place. You can watch our presentation here

The proposal empowers people at a local level, within a strategic framework and a sequence of steps, to spread the Front Garden City throughout a town or city, creating a connected network of activated front gardens, steps and frontages.

The scheme would make use of existing components (ready-made items and furniture) paired with play permissions and local neighbourhood cooperation opportunity to bring together local governing bodies with residents to improve streetscapes, build relationships and enable residents to better connect with one another.