Harsham Camp Garden

The conception and design of a communal facility with greenhouses and a garden next to the Harsham Refugee Camp in Erbil (IRQ) is a collaboration between [applied] Foreign Affairs, the United Nations Industrial Development Organization (UNIDO) and Kieran Fraser Landscape Design. Our design focuses on the most essential characteristic of a garden as a protected area, separated from the outside world and offering a contemplative space for the display, cultivation and enjoyment of plants. The simple and quiet overall figure of the garden is intended to mediate a feeling of comfort and security. The concentric arrangement supports this idea by creating an atmospheric “inside space” in the centre, framed by space-building garden elements towards the periphery. The central space is applied as an open lawn surface for multiple uses and surrounded by several planting beds spiked with blooming highlights. A colorfully plastered concrete wall at seat height defines the border between the central green area and the adjacent grove of trees. The grove creates shady spaces for both smaller and larger gatherings and offers all visitors of the garden a pleasant place for rest and relaxation. The gravel surface of the grove is framed by a green belt of shrubs that contains the garden atmosphere and marks the border between the recreational space and the agricultural garden. The agricultural garden is maintained by the residents of the camp and includes 5 green houses and beekeeping equipment.