Climate Quilts - Weaving threads of biodiversity and community resilience

The Climate Quilts project is a pioneering international initiative that embodies the interconnection between “soul, soil, and society,” emphasising sustainability, biodiversity, and social cohesion as essential components for thriving urban environments. This visionary project aims to temporarily transform neglected areas in urban landscapes across Europe by establishing interconnected green spaces, or “quilts,” that enhance ecological health, foster community engagement, and promote urban resilience. Climate Quilts is structured around two one-year cycle dedicated to the design, planting, and nurturing of biodiverse spaces in urban areas in four countries: the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden and Estonia.

Climate Quilts will develop a series of 10-by-10-metre mini-gardens on underutilised lots in urban environments in collaboration with city councils, academic institutions, and community organisations. These mini-gardens will serve as individual patches within larger green quilts, each designed and maintained by diverse groups comprising residents, artists, students, and researchers. By incorporating principles of eco-aesthetics and regenerative agriculture, each quilt will feature a variety of plant species, urban farming, and artistic elements, contributing to ecological functionality and aesthetic appeal per local needs. The project prioritises collaborative design processes that empower participants and municipalities to acquire skills in sustainable gardening and ecological design, thereby strengthening community ties and commitment to biodiversity stewardship. All activities are shared with municipalities and findings will inform urban policies. The project strongly values diversity and inclusion, ensuring equitable participation across all community groups.
At its core, Climate Quilts is driven by an applied research question: Can biodiversity and socio-cultural relationships with brownfield sites be strengthened by developing temporary, community-managed gardens? This question frames the project as a living lab for understanding how ecological regeneration and social cohesion might emerge through collective care practices in urban contexts. The project tests how temporary interventions can activate long-term transformations, and how communities can reclaim, reinterpret, and reimagine abandoned spaces as places of environmental stewardship and social belonging.

Climate Quilts aims to evaluate impact with a holistic approach that considers all three pillars: sustainability (soul), biodiversity (soil), and social cohesion (society). To facilitate this comprehensive evaluation, the UNESCO Chair Futures Literacy will guide a reflection on sustainability and future scenarios, allowing participants to envision and strategise for long-term ecological and social outcomes.
Biodiversity is the cornerstone of the research in Climate Quilts. Each quilt will act as a micro-ecosystem to support local flora and fauna and enhance overall ecological health in urban areas. A complete evaluation plan will be developed and implemented across all participating countries to assess all cycles and compare the impact of the quilts on biodiversity, starting with soil health. By incorporating native plant species and climate-resilient design strategies, we expect quilts to provide cooling effects and offer habitats for wildlife.

The project also places a strong emphasis on social cohesion and community engagement. By involving a wide range of stakeholders in designing and maintaining the quilts - such as horticulture and art students, researchers, local citizens, and activists - Climate Quilts aims to foster a sense of ownership and collective responsibility for urban spaces. This participatory design approach reflects the traditional practice of quilting, where community members collaborate, promoting inclusivity and social interaction. Furthermore, the social and cultural impact of the project will be evaluated in all participating countries through the development of a recent tool called the "Value Wheel," which will assess community engagement and cultural well-being.

In conclusion, the Climate Quilts project envisions a future where urban spaces are transformed into biodiverse, inclusive ecosystems serving both people and nature. By integrating sustainability, biodiversity, and social cohesion principles, this initiative aspires to contribute to the study of how small urban green interventions might ensure a livable and resilient Europe, ensuring that urban environments are functional, beautiful, and biodiverse.

Climate Quilts is an exciting international project that brings new life to forgotten city spaces by turning them into small, vibrant gardens. These gardens, called “quilts”, are planted and cared for by local communities in the Netherlands, Italy, Sweden, and Estonia. The idea is simple but powerful: connect people, nature, and the places they live to create greener, healthier, and more connected cities.

At the heart of Climate Quilts is a simple but important question: Can we make abandoned or unused city spaces better for both nature and people by turning them into temporary gardens that are looked after by the local community? The project is like a big experiment to find out if growing plants and working together can help neighborhoods feel more connected and bring life back to neglected places. It explores how short-term projects like these gardens might lead to long-lasting changes, showing how communities can take care of their environment and feel a stronger sense of belonging in the process.

Each quilt is a 10-by-10-meter patch of land filled with native plants, edible gardens, and artistic touches, all designed to support local wildlife and help cool down our urban areas. These patches aren’t just beautiful, they’re useful too. They improve the soil, attract pollinators like bees and butterflies, and offer places for people to meet, learn, and work together.

What makes Climate Quilts special is how it brings together many different people, from local residents and students to artists and scientists, to co-create and care for these spaces. Everyone is welcome, and the project makes a real effort to involve people from all walks of life. By working together, people build stronger bonds with each other and with their neighborhoods.

The project also looks closely at how these green spaces help the environment and communities. Experts will study things like soil health, biodiversity, and how people feel about their neighborhoods before and after the quilts are made. Climate Quilts is supported by researchers and city governments who want to learn how small, local green spaces can make a big difference for the future of our cities.

Just like a traditional quilt is made up of many patches sewn together, this project connects people and places across Europe to create a shared, living artwork – one that helps both people and nature thrive.