A neighbourly pole bean sculpture in urban space, Zurich 2023
by Piero Good
In early summer 2023, I distributed seeds of the ProSpecieRara pole bean "Von Ennetbürgen" to the residents on the various floors of a house on Josefstrasse in Zurich. I also provided a large flower pot, soil and ropes. The ropes were attached directly to the pot as a climbing aid and pulled up to the gardener's pot on the balcony above. Finally, the seeds were sown.
During the warm weeks of summer, the plants wind their way up the ropes until they finally reach the bean plant on the balcony above and continue to grow on its climbing support. In this way, all the plants combine to form a single bean sculpture that stretches across the entire height of the building.
Over time, the pods ripen into fruits, which can of course be eaten by the gardeners. I gave the balcony gardeners information on how to obtain the seeds. This way, they can harvest their own seeds in autumn and grow them again the following year.
The aim is to use these sensory experiences to strengthen the plant-human relationship and to obtain a resilient bean variety that is adapted to the climatic conditions and changes in the city.
