Space for urban gardens is constantly shrinking. Current urban development only makes cities greyer and more polluted – when they urgently need to become greener to stay sustainable. At the same time, nature-starved city dwellers live in cramped environments that seem to have little space for gardens of their own. How can HORNBACH create a positive impact and inspire city residents?

HORNBACH redefines gardens for urban surroundings by transforming the bleakest corners of European cities into green spaces. From a 1,250 square meter fac¸ade at one of Vienna’s busiest traffic junctions to a derelict subway station entry, we transformed hopeless spaces into living, breathing biotopes. Proving that gardens can flourish in even the most hostile cities. And that anything is possible with the right DIY & and gardening store.

Aside from HORNBACH’s traditional target groups of enthusiastic DIY-ers and gardeners, HORNBACH targeted a group that rarely connects with the brand: People in major cities, living in increasingly small spaces. While this segment might feel that it doesn’t have the right circumstances to profit from our brand, the pandemic showed that the desire for nature is still strong even among urban customers. By showing that cities offer significantly more opportunities than they think, we not only tried to give hope. But also show how HORNBACH can play an active part in making their daily environment richer and more sustainable.

The campaign kicked off on 10th March 2021, on a 1,250 square meter façade at one of Vienna’s busiest traffic junctions. Using nearly 5,000 plants, a team of construction workers and gardeners transformed the entire block of buildings into a gigantic, widely visible biotope, providing additional breathing space for two months. Additional spots were added in more than 20 European cities, turning forgotten objects into gardens all over the continent.

The site in Vienna generated more than 150,000 on-site impressions per day and was widely shared on social media, even by local competitors like IKEA Vienna. Additional installations in European cities generated 41,4 million impressions, on- site and on social media. The entire campaign generated 251 million impressions in total. Afterward, all plants used in the installations were donated to local projects, securing them a permanent place in the city and making a permanent environmental impact on the cities.