URBAN APPROACH
The VACANT LOT program was initiated by What if: projects in 2007 with the aim of transforming neglected and unused spaces on inner city housing estates into environments that provide neighbourhoods with the most basic of requirements: outside space, a place to grow food and a place to socialise. Projects investigate forms of neighbourhood engagement and aim to start processes of sustainable change. In deprived urban areas across London small pockets of vacant land have been made accessible and are now occupied by bespoke design elements that enable new communal use.
Garden layouts are based on a plot module of a 1m2. Plots are allocated to individual households thus transferring ownership of small parcels of land to residents. This system has proved successful in securing the sustained maintenance of these shared spaces by a diverse range of people from different backgrounds and age groups. The VACANT LOT gardens have provided the chance for people from the same area to meet and to be active.

CONTEXT
VACANT LOT sites are based on social housing estates in deprived areas of Camden, Islington, Hackney and Haringey with predominantly multi-ethnic communities. The estates include sheltered housing schemes for older and less abled members of the community. Levels of inactivity and poor health are high in most social housing areas across the UK. The majority of residents on inner city housing estates don’t have a private garden and there is a lack of play spaces particularly for children and young people.

DESIGN
The first Vacant Lot allotment on a housing estate in Hoxton started in 2007 as a temporary intervention during the Shoreditch Festival, featuring bulk bags as growing containers, seating and a water tower. All elements were designed to be low budget, have significant visual impact and allow for easy removal with no fixings to the ground. This formerly inaccessible piece of land continues to be used as an allotment and meeting place by the local community and in 2012 it was completed with tables and seating to allow for communal eating events and social gatherings.
The approach of the first project in Hoxton convinced housing associations across London to join the VACANT LOT program and make unused sites available to new communal use. As a condition to the temporary lease agreements with the landowners, all VACANT LOT allotments were designed as temporary interventions following the principles of the first installation.
As part of the Vacant Lot programme What if: projects developed layouts and a catalogue of planters, water towers, sheds, furniture and greenhouses in dialogue with hundreds of residents from culturally diverse neighbourhoods. Instead of introducing heavy non-destructible elements, that are typical for many housing estates in London, the VACANT LOT approach seeks to create shared spaces with sensual qualities and introduces care, special moments and seasonal change.

USE CONCEPT
VACANT LOT is an exploration of land use on housing estates and facilitates food growing closer to home, creating healthy and cost efficient food supply for inner city communities. On more than 21 sites across London local residents are carefully tending a spectacular array of vegetables, salads, fruit and flowers in their individual plots and, in addition insects and birds have moved in and thrive in this new natural habitat. Plot holders take care of their individual plots and tend to visit the garden on a regular basis. VACANT LOT gardens have become places for meeting neighbours, BBQs’, sitting in the sun, playing and gardening. Plot holders of different age groups and cultural backgrounds meet, exchange food, seeds and gardening advice. A new sense of community has emerged.

DELIVERY TRHOUGH COLLABORATION
The VACANT LOT program is the outcome of a collaboration between architects What if: projects, the environmental charity Groundwork, seven social housing providers and 21 neighbourhoods.
Based on the experience and popularity of the first VACANT LOT installation What if: projects formed a partnership with Groundwork (2009-2013) to create allotments in deprived housing areas. The team hosted various VACANT LOT events and successfully secured support and funding from seven social housing providers and the Big Lottery to create an additional 20 allotments on housing estates in London.
This three-year project (2009-2012) and the creation of 20 new communal spaces brought together over 880 residents, 4 gardeners, volunteering groups, construction trainees and maintenance. For the construction of timber elements the VACANT LOT team collaborated with construction trainees from different colleges who worked to detailed design drawings produced by What if: projects. Residents and volunteers supported the work on site and were responsible for filling planting areas with soil prior to being allocated an allotment plot.
Groundwork facilitated regular gardening training sessions at each new allotment and supported the formation of the new gardening groups who are now responsible for maintaining their VACANT LOT.

COLLABORATORS:
Architect and project initiator: What if: projects Ltd
Project partnership: What if: projects Ltd, Groundwork (2009-2013)
Partner organisations and match funding: Family Mosaic, Southern Housing Group, Circle 33 Housing Trust, Newlon Housing Trust, Homes for Islington, Homes for Haringey, LB Camden, Hackney Homes.
Funding: Big Lottery (Local Food/Impact and sustainability), Islington Council Community Chest, Shoreditch Trust, Arts Council England, Capital Growth, Calouste Gulbenkian Foundation, Wickes, Hackney Council.
Construction: Justin Fishlock, Matteo Ferrechia (Hackney College), King’s Cross Construction Centre, Camden Jobtrain, Furniture Group

STIMULI
VACANT LOT projects have transformed 2 acres of void spaces in high-density urban environment into places for growing food, socializing and play. 21 places that were formerly inaccessible, overgrown or filled with litter are now an asset to the neighbourhood and have become destinations for residents to meet and be active. The physical environment and living conditions for the wider community have been improved through small scale investment, community engagement and attention to detail.
The VACANT LOT program initiated a process of change on the housing estates that has resulted in the formation of 20 gardening groups, additional funding for the re-opening of two community centres, 2 new play spaces, an outside gym and additional allotment plots.

Quotes by residents:
“The VACANT LOT has become a focal point for the estate and had a ripple effect to get other non garden issues addressed and activities taking place...”
Old people don’t go out but wander over here. People helping people. No issues, no fights. We have action days every 3 weeks and started building cold frames.”
“Brought people together from other blocks, talking and gathering.”

The first VACANT LOT allotment in Hoxton attracted considerable media attention and through international exhibitions and publications the project has inspired many similar low budget communal projects in London, the UK and abroad. VACANT LOT has become a model for communities interested in creating an allotment on their estate and the format has allowed residents to gain access to otherwise unused pieces of land in their neighbourhood.

VACANT LOT has been highlighted as an example for meanwhile use in London and policy makers and local governments in the UK have used it as a model for setting up food growing project in the city. The program was reviewed as a case study of the Marmot Review “Fair Society, Healthy Lives”, produced in 2010 for the government Department of Health by the UCL Institute of Health Equity. The Marmot Review promotes VACANT LOT as a local example of interventions that help tackle health inequalities.