Announcement of winners Grey goes Green

The reason for the Grey goes Green campaign was the presentation of the Sikkens Prize to garden and landscape designer Piet Oudolf. Worldwide, he transforms greying places into green oases that appeal to the imagination. He donated the prize money (about 25 thousand euros) to the Piet Oudolf Green in the Neighbourhood Fund, which aims to promote the greening of urban environments.

Giving colour to the neighbourhood with green

The most original and unusual green projects in which colour had a central role stood a chance of winning project funding. Another important criterion was the social and connecting component, both in the cooperation between local residents during implementation and the public nature of the green project.

Winners Grey goes Green

As many as 10 initiators receive funding to green their own neighbourhoods. The following applicants received an award from the Piet Oudolf Green in the Neighbourhood Fund:

1) Bewoners Scheepmakerskwartier (Haarlem)

Received an award for greening a petrified square in their Haarlem neighbourhood. They work with high and low plant borders and create a space where people can meet each other.

2) Stichting Bosnodig (Voorst)

Received an award to create a ‘Zoemmm’ meadow. The aim is to increase biodiversity and engage people, especially children, in nature. The site will therefore provide space for meeting and education.

3) Vereniging Weesperzijdetuin (Amsterdam)

Received an award for making and placing 100 wooden and ceramic insect hotels in their yet-to-be-created neighbourhood garden. The insect hotels will be made by pupils of the neighbouring primary school and placed in the ecological garden with native planting.

4) GROENzaans (Koog aan de Zaan)

Received an award for greening Koog aan de Zaan station square. One will provide the roundabout with plantings and install a trellis of green climbing plants, including wild honeysuckle, along the dog-walking area adjacent to the square. Management will be taken up by volunteers and local residents.

5) Stichting Luca (Den Haag)

Received an award for creating a green facade. A blind wall of location Maakhaven, where over 60 creative entrepreneurs work, will be provided with plantings. Flowering climbing plants with varied leaf colours, shapes and growth rates have been chosen. Many residents of surrounding flats overlook the wall.

6) Eendenplein Foundation – in formation (Culemborg)

Received an award for greening a car-free square. The design consists of three green areas, each with its own interpretation. There is space for meeting and biodiversity. One of the areas will be filled with low-trunk fruit trees and a hedge consisting of various berry bushes.

7) Westlandse Stichting Katholiek Onderwijs (’s Gravenzande)

Received an award for an initial greening of the schoolyard at BLINK primary school. The square is not only for playing, it also forms a (green) corridor between a residential area and the park and shopping centre on the other side of the square. Plantings have been chosen that vary in height and flowering period, while the schoolyard also offers space for meeting and relaxation.

8) Stichting De Vechtclub (Utrecht)

Received an award for the first phase of the construction of an experimental town square. The location is a concrete square in the Merwede district. The square is to become a ‘Rover garden’, where discarded greenery can be placed and where residents of Utrecht can adopt a plant for their own garden.

9) Buurtinitiatief Skatelane Amsterdam Zuid (Amsterdam)

This initiative won a competition held by the Amsterdam municipality, Buurtbudget Zuid, with their plan to create a lane for skaters meandering through greenery. They received an award for the realisation of the greenery. In the design, attention has been paid to composing plantings that give a beautiful image in every season.

10) Stichting Speeltuin voorheen de Pan (Utrecht)

Speeltuin voorheen de Pan is the oldest playground in Utrecht and attracts many visitors from the neighbourhood and the province every year. They received an award for transforming a bare playing field into a varied, green play location. The design works with three flowering zones so that there are blooms in spring, summer and autumn.

Ten beautiful and very diverse green projects where colour is central. Another common denominator is the focus on meeting and the great involvement from local residents.

We wish all initiators success in implementing their green projects and look forward to seeing the results!