Jardim de Sequeiro: a rainfed garden technique, innovative in aesthetics and environmental quality, inspired by the Cerrado

Abstract

The “Jardim de Sequeiro” (rainfed garden) is an innovative technique of naturalistic and seasonal rainfed gardening developed by Prof. Julio Pastore and a team of professionals and students at the University of Brasilia (UnB). The first experimental garden was planted at the Instituto Central de Ciências (ICC), an iconic brutalist building at the University of Brasília and a landmark of modern Brazilian architecture. The garden extends through the 732 meters of the mega-structure, encompassing more than 5,000 square meters of rooftop gardens planted on a thin layer of soil. The experimental garden is primarily grown from seeds, making it a dynamic space. Beginning with fast-growing species, plants bloom in succession throughout the summer and early autumn. The garden is “rainfed,” relying entirely on rainfall for water, and it withers and dries with the onset of the winter drought. As such, it can be considered a garden-installation: a temporary occupation that is redesigned and improved every year. Conceived and planned during the initial months of the COVID-19 pandemic, the garden’s first cycle occurred between December 2020 and May 2021, when the university was closed. Despite the difficulties inherent to the pandemic period, the innovative nature of the project has yielded promising results.