“Gardening the City,” a family-friendly exhibition-workshop at the Cité de l’Architecture et du Patrimoine

Designed in three distinct parts, the exhibition showcases a selection of inspiring citizen-led projects from around the world, organized into six themes : urban agriculture, redeveloped wastelands, shared gardens, green roofs, vertical nature, and “guerrilla gardening.” Visitors are then invited to discover, see, and touch various natural materials that can be used in architecture and urban planning in a dedicated materials library. A diverse range of materials, including different types of stone and soil from various French regions, as well as plants from a contemporary herbarium, are on display.

Finally, a giant model at the heart of the exhibition illustrates how nature interacts with and transforms the urban landscape : shared gardens, vegetated facades and rooftops, urban farms, and redeveloped wastelands. All of these wooden modules are freely movable, allowing visitors to imagine an imaginary city while exploring the balance between built spaces and green areas within an urban setting.

This exhibition is the perfect summer activity for budding architects!