Living Grounds

Location of activities and scope

Sofia, Bulgaria

Bulgaria – Festival animation

Executive Summary

Soilscapes is an artistic and educational project that allows a way to see the unseen, celebrate it, and expose it-a project that unveils the vibrant life beneath our feet and uses the narrative of soil as a common generator that connects us all. Its objective is to advance soil literacy and ecological awareness in urban contexts, revealing soil as a living ecosystem that sustains communities, cultures, and climates rather than an inert surface. Targeting scientists, policymakers, activists, local communities, artists, children, and the general public – inviting everyone to participate in a shared story of care and connection. The approach merges scientific analysis with creative, sensory practices such as soil walks, cotton digs, chromatograms, and sensory workshops-to make hidden soil processes visible, tangible, and participatory. Activities will culminate in a large-scale interactive soil cartography presented at the Sofia Soil Festival, accompanied by workshops, round tables, and public dialogue. Expected outcomes include the engagement of at least 200 participants, co-production of 25 soil chromatograms and vitality samples, and a replicability toolkit enabling adaptation in other contexts. By bridging science, culture, and governance, Soilscapes aims to reveal our invisible connection to the ground beneath us and inspire collective stewardship for the future and leave a lasting legacy of inclusive, sustainable urban practices.

Motivation Statement

Although it may seem inert, soil is alive in multiple ways. It is alive because it fulfills essential ecological functions: sequestering carbon, draining water, decomposing matter, and more. It is alive because it carries memories: the memory of the city and its physical construction, made of dumps and burials, of polluting stockpiles and backfills; but also the memory of the land we left behind, and of the struggles we lived through to take root here. It is alive because it mobilizes, affects, and gives rise to institutions that recognize soil as an agent of our shared geohistory. Soil is also care – the daily care our grandmothers devoted to the soil in their tomato gardens. Care that is often invisible, yet involves hard labour. A labour we need to continue cherishing and reinventing for today’s world. Yet, we have taken this living ground for granted. Today, over 60–70% of soils in the EU and more than one-third of soils worldwide are degraded due to erosion, pollution, sealing, and loss of organic matter. This silent crisis threatens food security, climate resilience, and life itself. Soil is not just matter beneath our feet – Soil is Life: the invisible foundation that feeds us, shelters us, and sustains all species. Protecting it means protecting our shared future.

Sub-project objectives

-advance soil literacy in urban contexts
-develop participatory and creative methodologies
-influence urban governance and planning practices
-long-term cultural and educational impact

Challenges and how they will be addressed

The project focuses on urban soil and its vitality, emphasizing care as a way of fostering conceptions and practices that challenge the reduction of soil to a mere resource for humans. While agricultural soil is widely studied and analyzed for its fertility in relation to food production, urban soil has largely disappeared from societal and political attention. Hidden under concrete, buried or displaced for construction, covered with layers of sand, or left exposed, it is often assimilated to inert matter. Yet, within just a few months, unbuilt and unassigned plots can regenerate: plants emerge, insects return, and other animal species begin to recolonize. By placing urban soils at the core of citizen mobilization, the project seeks to generate new ways of imagining and developing our cities-ways that are more sensitive to the living environment and to the multiple relationships unfolding invisibly beneath our feet. To enrich practices of city-making, we aim to mobilize a community of actors capable of identifying, amplifying, and sustaining alternative narratives and practices of engaging with urban soils. By foregrounding the link between soil and nature, we work to reveal the regenerative potential of soils, their capacity to support vegetation, habitats, and biodiversity, thus contributing to healthier urban ecosystems. In this way, the project addresses all four objectives of the call, and in particular, the Soil Mission priorities of improving soil literacy in society, reducing soil sealing, and increasing the reuse of urban soils.

Expected outcomes

Engagement of ≥ 200 participants through soil walks, workshops, and public events
Delivery of 4 soil walks, 4 sensory workshops, and 4 children’s workshops
Co-production of 25 soil chromatograms and 25 soil vitality samples
Creation and public presentation of 1 large-scale interactive soil cartography installation at the Sofia Soil Festival
Organization of 1 round table with ≥ 20 stakeholders (scientists, policymakers, activists)
Production and dissemination of 1 press release and 1 podcast/interview
Development of 1 replicability toolkit, adaptable to at least 4 different contexts
Identification and activation of ≥ 1 urban site in Sofia for long-term soil intervention

Meet the Project Team

Gradoscope

“Gradoscope” is a multidisciplinary collective of urban activists with expertise in architecture, urbanism, cultural heritage, circular economy, and civic participation. We promote inclusive and sustainable approaches to urban planning by engaging citizens, businesses, and policymakers in dialogue and action. Through concrete projects and interventions, we share good practices and support policies, organizations, and initiatives that improve the urban environment.

Instagram

Gradoscope

Institute for Circular Economy

“Institute for Circular Economy” (ICE) promotes circular economy, sustainable development, and regenerative design to support a just transition from linear models. ICE’s expertise in educational programs, workshops, and multi-sector partnerships aligns with Soilscapes’ focus on soil literacy and participatory engagement. The institute’s commitment to resource efficiency, waste reduction, and ecosystem restoration strengthens Soilscapes’ mission to reveal soil as a living, vital foundation for climate resilience and urban sustainability. ICE bridges science, policy, and education to foster sustainable practices and community awareness, making it a valuable partner for the project.

Sofia Blooming Society

Sofia Blooming Society is a multidisciplinary dynamic dedicated to transforming Sofia into a greener, more vibrant city. Their mission is to enliven public spaces through creative, collaborative projects that connect local businesses, municipalities, and citizens-turning streets, parks, and squares into welcoming, beautiful places. By greening and revitalizing the urban landscape, they promote sustainability and foster vibrant community life. Their site-specific, hands-on approach to urban greening and soil initiatives aligns closely with Soilscapes’ focus on working with living soil and storytelling. Their work on the ground brings soil processes and urban ecology to life, making them a natural partner to engage communities in soil care and urban regeneration.