Baladi Collective

𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘪 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘹 𝘈𝘞𝘈𝘚 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢. The second part of our latest action supported by AWAS was a mural, designed by our own @eddingles and painted together with @patarra_ & @demarco.demarco.demarco . The theme behind the artwork is ‘the sun always shines after a storm’, acknowledging the struggle and darkness that asylum seekers have been through to get here, and hoping that the future is brighter than what they left behind. With thanks to Beta Paints @beta_fgura for sponsoring the paint

𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘪 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘹 𝘈𝘞𝘈𝘚 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢. The second part of our latest action supported by AWAS was a mural, designed by our own @eddingles and painted together with @patarra_ & @demarco.demarco.demarco . The theme behind the artwork is ‘the sun always shines after a storm’, acknowledging the struggle and darkness that asylum seekers have been through to get here, and hoping that the future is brighter than what they left behind. With thanks to Beta Paints @beta_fgura for sponsoring the paint

𝘉𝘢𝘭𝘢𝘥𝘪 𝘊𝘰𝘭𝘭𝘦𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘹 𝘈𝘞𝘈𝘚 𝘔𝘶𝘳𝘢𝘭, 𝘔𝘢𝘳𝘴𝘢 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢. The second part of our latest action supported by AWAS was a mural, designed by our own @eddingles and painted together with @patarra_ & @demarco.demarco.demarco . The theme behind the artwork is ‘the sun always shines after a storm’, acknowledging the struggle and darkness that asylum seekers have been through to get here, and hoping that the future is brighter than what they left behind. With thanks to Beta Paints @beta_fgura for sponsoring the paint

𝗚̇𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻 Ħ𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗿 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴, Ħ𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢. As part of our latest action at Hal-Far in Malta, we just planted a herb garden at one of the migrant family centres - with over 150 plantlings including basil, mint, parsley, thyme, lucia-lima, rosemary and lavender, which we hope will continue to thrive, provide healthy additions to the residents’ plates, encourage pollinators and other wildlife, and bring more life and greenery. We were very happy to see a little veg garden had been planted at the back of the same centre by one of the residents. A simple reminder of the power of small actions with a good intention.

𝗚̇𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻 Ħ𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗿 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴, Ħ𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢. Passiflora, or Passion Flower, is the climber we chose to cover a wall at the open migrant centre, supported by a bamboo trellace. It’s a relatively fast growing, resilient plant that can withstand Malta’s summer heat, and produces beautiful flowers in different colours. We’re hoping that with enough care - and a bit of luck - this will grow to become a natural green wall.

𝗚̇𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻 Ħ𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗿 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴, Ħ𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢. With the support of AWAS Malta, we’ve just been back to the migrant centres at Ħal Far to continue to cultivate a bit more greenery and life. We planted 12 evergreen climbing plants along a blank wall, supported by a trellace. We hope this will eventually grow into an abundant green wall, with beautiful passion flowers that bloom in the summer.

Like in any regenerative design, water distribution was a key element in our proposal for @reuseitaly ‘s Nymphaeum competition. It also felt particularly relevant considering the Nymphaeum’s history and heritage as the “garden house near the lake”. In order to harness and slow water along the existing stream, stimulate infiltration of water into the landscape, and promote a diverse aquatic habitat, we proposed: building two droplet-shaped lakes, inspired by Rudolf Steiner’s biodynamic water principle. These would be strategically placed along the existing river a natural swimming pool sitting directly in front of the Nymphaeum, beneath the stage a platform over the existing waterfall further downstream, turning a ‘dead’ water runoff zone into a place for people to observe and interact As for the Nymphaeum building itself, we wanted to leave this untouched as a ruin, in all its glory, as a momentous backdrop for performances. Opposite, we added a semicircular structure for seating, inspired by Bramante’s Romanesque style. A retractable roof makes it functional all year round, while being beautifully open to the elements - and the stars - wherever possible.

In our entry for @reuseitaly ‘s Nymphaeum competition, we imagined the new Nymphaeum as the centre, or crossroads, of a ‘slow movement’ network - made up of pedestrians and cyclists - set within a lush natural environment. We wanted to bring the surrounding park back to life - for people to stroll, cycle, forage food, commute, or just enjoy. Our design ideas included: re-emphasising old pathways and designing new ones installing pavilions in key crossroads for interaction planting ancient fruit trees of different varieties along the way creating a floral prairie in an open area, to bask in the sun with a view of the Nymphaeum

At the start of this year, we felt inspired to partner up with @son.architecture to enter @reuseitaly ‘s Nymphaeum competition, to re-imagine a 16th-century ‘shrine to the nymphs’ in Genazzano, about 50km south of Rome, as a theatre. We called our proposal ‘Valley of Abundance’, as we dreamt up a holistic design to inject new life into not just the Nymphaeum, but the entire surrounding area. Inspired by the principles of Permaculture, we imagined a whole ecosystem of life and diversity to include the new theatre, the surrounding park, and the ongoing flow of both water and people through the area. Landscape design and territorial study: @machielvn Architectural design: Mark Sullivan @marksullivan.jr @sonarchitects , @machielvn Poster & graphic design: @eddingles , @machielvn , @evihellebaut Writing & storytelling: @ninjjj , @machielvn

Amoreiras-Gare Survey, analysis and schematic design for a private client in Alentejo, Portugal, carried out using the permaculture design methodology. The 1ha site will host a naturopath clinic; with activities projected to take place in a traditional ‘taipa’ (cob) house, a sauna and a workshop space. The land is envisioned to host a small family. To sustain the future land stewards, an existing food forest is envisioned to be enlarged, and added upon can be a vegetable garden, shade tolerant herb garden, humid floral and medicinal grassland with orchard, herbal and medicinal garden, and mushroom production in a humid forest. The native cork oak forest covering the hills provides an excellent fire and wind break, and creates opportunities for water retention and foraging. Permaculture is a clear and efficient design methodology that allows us to create beautiful and highly productive environments and habitats for co-living with nature, because it is based on nature’s logic and strives to create systems that are as energy efficient, abundant, complex, and regenerative as nature’s own. As BALADI Collective, we are experienced in and passionate about these projects. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any and all design requests!

Amoreiras-Gare Survey, analysis and schematic design for a private client in Alentejo, Portugal, carried out using the permaculture design methodology. The 1ha site will host a naturopath clinic; with activities projected to take place in a traditional ‘taipa’ (cob) house, a sauna and a workshop space. The land is envisioned to host a small family. To sustain the future land stewards, an existing food forest is envisioned to be enlarged, and added upon can be a vegetable garden, shade tolerant herb garden, humid floral and medicinal grassland with orchard, herbal and medicinal garden, and mushroom production in a humid forest. The native cork oak forest covering the hills provides an excellent fire and wind break, and creates opportunities for water retention and foraging. Permaculture is a clear and efficient design methodology that allows us to create beautiful and highly productive environments and habitats for co-living with nature, because it is based on nature’s logic and strives to create systems that are as energy efficient, abundant, complex, and regenerative as nature’s own. As BALADI Collective, we are experienced in and passionate about these projects. Don’t hesitate to reach out to us with any and all design requests!

𝗚̇𝗻𝗶𝗲𝗻 Ħ𝗮𝗹 𝗙𝗮𝗿 𝘗𝘳𝘰𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘵𝘪𝘷𝘦 𝘢𝘯𝘥 𝘦𝘥𝘶𝘤𝘢𝘵𝘪𝘰𝘯𝘢𝘭 𝘶𝘳𝘣𝘢𝘯 𝘧𝘢𝘳𝘮𝘴, Ħ𝘢𝘭 𝘍𝘢𝘳 𝘤𝘦𝘯𝘵𝘳𝘦𝘴, 𝘔𝘢𝘭𝘵𝘢. It was beautiful to bring this community together over two humble planter boxes. For us, this is just a small taste of how we can begin to sow seeds of regeneration in Hal Far, and beyond. Thanks for your help, kids!