A concept study exploring how a school courtyard can become a living garden, an outdoor classroom, and a place of shared stewardship.
Developed for the historic Evangeliki Model High School of Smyrna in Nea Smyrni, this concept study reimagines underutilized outdoor spaces through Nature-Based Solutions, edible landscapes, and participatory design. Founded in Smyrna and carrying a centuries-long educational legacy, the school has consistently embraced innovation, research, and community-oriented learning.
The proposal introduces a network of productive gardens, pollinator-friendly planting, vertical greening structures, recycled-material planters, and flexible outdoor gathering areas. Existing hard surfaces are transformed into spaces that support biodiversity, environmental awareness, and everyday interaction with nature.
Conceived as a collaborative process, the project places students at the centre of the design and implementation journey. Each intervention becomes both a physical transformation and a learning opportunity, encouraging hands-on engagement with ecology, food systems, circularity, and collective care for the school environment.
