A rooftop garden as social infrastructure

Urban gardens will never feed a dense city like Barcelona. But that is also not really the point. L’Hort del Mercat sits on the roof of the Mercat de la Vall d’Hebron-La Teixonera and turns unused rooftop space into a small productive garden. Food is grown here, and the project also supports biodiversity , composting and environmental education . But its main value lies elsewhere: it creates a reason for people to come together. That matters especially in an ageing city, but not because it is only a space for older people. With many retired participants, the garden also becomes a place where …