The historical heritage of the original districts of an 8000-year-old city has an immensurable value, but the lack of green areas might turn into a significant issue for the community and any tourism establishment. How to face such a situation while fostering community engagement and local food production?
Get inspired by the story of Hotel No11 and discover how the Green Key certified hotel has taken action and successfully overcame that challenge creating additional value!
©Hotel No11.
The issue:
lack of green areas
Local residents and tourists can experience the rich historical and cultural heritage of İstanbul, Türkiye, at every turn. However, escaping the urban infrastructure and accessing green public can be quite challenging. This is what used to be reported by the guests of Hotel No11, as the area around the accommodation did not offer many natural spots.
The issue was not beautifying the hotel spaces for its guests’ leisure, as the lack of green area is not a mere aesthetic issue, but a natural and social need. Well aware of these implications, the team of our Green Key-certified establishment came up with a more impactful alternative: transforming an unused hotel terrace into a community garden that could bring not only greenery to the hotel guests but also involve them in a sustainable initiative with local people.
“The initiative to transform the unused terrace space of Hotel No11 into a community garden was motivated by a desire to address the lack of green spaces in the area and to promote sustainability. The goals were multifaceted: to create a green oasis in the city, to engage the local community in sustainable practices, and to contribute to the hotel's sustainability goals by producing organic waste for composting and growing fruits, vegetables, and herbs for the hotel's breakfast buffet.”
From theory to practice:
engaging and upcycling
The project has been in progress for over four years now, during which the forgotten terrace evolved into a fully functioning community space and a garden with a seed bank for the Asmalı Mescit neighborhood. The first stage of the project involved cleaning up and transforming the abandoned terrace into a vibrant green space: second-hand gardening tools were acquired and old guest beds were creatively upcycled and converted into vegetable beds.
Residents and local businesses were also invited to join the initiative, promote sustainability and engage the community in environmentally friendly practices.
©Hotel No11.
©Hotel No11.
Creating social value:
community engagement and other benefits
And, the project turned out to be a great success. First of all, Hotel No11 managed to create a completely new green space for its guests and locals, which is particularly important for a historically dense urban area like this one. The Green Key certified hotel has also gained a garden where fruits, vegetables, and herbs are grown for the breakfast buffet, whereas worm composting stations help manage the organic waste from the hotel and the neighborhood.
But those are not the only benefits of the transformed terrace. Dedicated to the permaculture principles, Hotel No11 hosts multiple gardening events for scholars, volunteers, and permaculture enthusiasts, during which the attendees can share and exchange seeds and fertilizers and learn more about sustainable waste management and food production.
©Hotel No11.
Inspire:
ideas to be replicated
Hotel No11 is proud to share its successful model for community engagement through
shared gardening activities, composting, and seed sharing with the hospitality industry. With great benefits like self-grown organic fruits and vegetables and the reduction of organic waste through composting, the hotel believes that this is a great way to maximise any hotel’s sustainability efforts. Additionally, the seed bank contributes to the preservation and sharing of plant biodiversity within the community, while open activities for hotel guests, neighbours, children, students, and volunteers, raise awareness of permaculture and sustainable living practices, including composting, gardening, rainwater harvesting, and waste
management.
©Hotel No11.
©Hotel No11.
Top tips from Hotel No11:
Identify underutilized spaces (rooftops, terraces, or courtyards).
Assess available resources and space for suitability and potential impact
Engage with local communities, organisations, and experts in permaculture and sustainable gardening to gather support and expertise.
Utilise upcycled materials and sustainable practices to minimise environmental impact and promote circular economy principles.
Implement a phased approach to development, starting with small, manageable sections and expanding based on success and engagement.
How did you like this project idea? Could you adapt it to the needs and circumstances of your establishments? We would love to see that!
Do have you your own brilliant Good Practice that you would like to share with the world? Click here to open the submission form. We look forward to hearing from you!
Many thanks to our Green Key certified Hotel No11 from İstanbul, Türkiye, for sharing their Good Practice with us!