jardin joyeux- la maladrerie - aubervilliers

photos : Yann Monel et Wagon

The temporary garden “Jardin des Joyeux” (happy garden) took place in 2016, on a car park area located in the heart of Maladrerie garden-city, in Aubervilliers (Paris surroundings). This abandoned parking was considered by inhabitants as a none interest wasteland, kind of backyard and noisy place, just next to social buildings.

In a context of urban renovation, this place progressively changed around. Social landlord decided, with “extra low” budget to transform this car park in a garden, in accordance to the garden-city, offering new way of living and looking to the people around.

The garden concept emphazises site and its arid context :

- creating a place inspired by the XIXth century Alpine gardens, where rich and ornemental plants grow on poor soils.

- developing a rock garden inspired by XIXth century english gardens, using asphalt and concrete as a basement for planting, without any exportation

Project ambition is to transform a poor mineral place in a biodiversity garden, recycling materials on site, enriching soil and planting various plants species

In that way, more than 200 species of plants chosen for their behaviour in extreme conditions (drought, poor soils and shallow grounds, variations of temperatures…) and their self development (adapted to rare and ponctual maintenance) were planted.

Garden is organized in four parallel areas :

  • “succulent garden”, based on gravels, where sedums proliferate

  • “central meadow”, where is condensed diversity of perennials, shrubs and seeding

  • “path”, a pre-existing pavement, offer visitors to walk inside the garden

  • “planted edge”, where bushes and pioneer trees create visual limit garden and living dwellings.

    client : Council house of Aubervilliers city