Nepo Schrade
he/himGREENING ON THE VERGE: A starter kit for community-led public realm interventions
Born in Germany, Nepo grew up in the US, later returning to Berlin via the UK. He works as a planner for a council in London’s green belt. Now transitioning to roles in Germany, he is excited about opportunities to contribute to the built environment closer to home. Nepo studied international relations and urban studies at Hampshire College, before earning a master’s degree in Town Planning in Brighton. Recently, he completed a degree in Berlin to gain insight into the German planning system. His master’s thesis, “Climate Justice Implications of Planning Responses to Urban Heat Islands: London and Berlin,” was commended at the Royal Town Planning Institute Research Awards 2021. Published in the journal of the Town and Country Planning Association, it forms the basis of his CIRCE project.
Project
How can we counteract the outpricing and alienation of existing residents, especially marginalized communities, caused by urban greening projects? This phenomenon, known as green gentrification, forces disadvantaged residents into less green, hotter areas, impacting health, productivity, and community cohesion. The “Just Green Enough” approach offers a solution through neighbourhood-scale, community-led interventions that increase greening while fostering resident ownership and avoiding gentrification. Building on this research, the project proposes designing a toolkit for identifying and sustainably greening spaces in Berlin, such as verges and underused plots, focusing on BIPOC residents in underserved areas of the city. The project’s goal is to empower marginalized groups to influence their built environment, creating a city designed through multiple cultural perspectives.
