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NARA Arbour takes Shape ? Garden Arbour Rethought
NARA is taking shape ? the modular summerhouse, which was created over three semesters, is now becoming a reality. It combines storage space, lounge area and terrace ? barrier-free, adaptable and compliant with regulations. Users can customise the windows, fa?ade and planting. A green roof and climbing aids promote biodiversity and allow the arbour to become a living part of the garden.
The demands on the allotment gazebo have changed, and for good reason: the ecological crisis ? climate change, extreme weather events, species extinction ? requires a different kind of gazebo. One that can cope with these changed conditions. This was the task set when the Federal Federation of Allotment Garden Associations in Germany (BKD), the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam and the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development launched the "Rethinking the allotment garden arbour" project.
NARA ? NAturRAum and garden house!
The new arbour must meet practical and legal requirements, be stable, cost-effective, nature-friendly and customisable, promote biodiversity ? and it should also be beautiful!
The project team consisting of BKD, students from the design department of the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam and the HNEE in the field of woodworking and wood processing combines the necessary expertise for allotment gardening, design and sustainable production.
The result of this cooperation is "NARA ? NAturRAum und Gartenhaus!". NARA is a modular gazebo, a retreat with a shelf structure. It combines storage space, lounge area and terrace ? barrier-free, adaptable and compliant with regulations. Users can customise the windows, fa?ade and planting. A green roof and climbing aids promote biodiversity and allow the arbour to become a living part of the garden.
The project "Laube neu gedacht" ? is a cooperation project between the Bundesverband der Kleingartenvereine Deutschlands e. V. (BKD) and students of the design programme at the University of Applied Sciences Potsdam under the direction of Hermann Weizenegger, Professor of Industrial Design, and product designer Aylin Kayser.
The aim of the project was to develop a realistic design for a sustainable arbour with a focus on environmental friendliness, social justice - and compliance with the Federal Allotment Garden Act. At the same time, the arbour was to be designed to be functional and user-friendly, with accessibility and the promotion of biodiversity also forming part of the requirements profile.
As part of a design seminar in 2024, four arbour concepts were developed in the first phase, based on extensive research into materials and joining techniques as well as qualitative interviews to analyse the needs of the target group. To ensure that the designs would stand up to the planned realisation, the students received specialist support from the Eberswalde University for Sustainable Development (HNEE) under the direction of Klaus Dreiner, Professor of Woodworking & Wood Processing, and wood engineer Philipp Baier.
In the second design phase, the four concepts were assessed and evaluated by a panel of experts. The best design approaches were merged into a final design. The realisation of the prototype was supported by timber engineer Philipp Baier, the timber construction was manufactured and sponsored by Schmidt & Thürmer, and it was assembled and finalised down to the last detail in the HNEE workshops.
The result is a prototype that is easy and quick to realise in production and can also be assembled by the allotment gardeners themselves. All elements are interchangeable and repairable. In addition, the arbour can be adapted in size and also in the ratio between the outdoor and indoor areas. Also important: the price remains affordable while at the same time focussing on robustness, durability and environmentally friendly use of materials. When the prototype was created, subsequent series production was considered and taken into account.
The "sustainable arbour" is now being presented to the public for the first time. The whole thing will then be evaluated and revised. It remains exciting!
The NARA allotment arbour at the Berlin Design Week 2025
On the occasion of Berlin Design Week 2025 (15/05/2025 to 18/05/2025), the BKD is documenting the history of the creation of the arbour with the four initial designs in the special exhibition "Allotment arbour rethought ? the arbour in the focus of sustainability, social openness and biodiversity" in the new Federal Centre and is showing the 1:1 prototype in the exhibition garden with specially designed garden furniture. The special exhibition is a temporary addition to the BKD's permanent exhibition "Stadt I Natur I Mensch ? Kleine G?rten, gro?e Wirkung" and is taking place as part of Berlin Design Week.
