Inside Out
The Local Challenge
Bishopbriggs is a densely built suburban area with few calming green spaces, constant traffic noise, and limited places for residents to rest and connect with nature. The pathway beside the library is a key pedestrian link between new housing, the town centre, and the local park, yet it is uninviting, noisy, and overlooked. More than 100 new flats directly behind the library have no gardens, and recent surveys show residents lack sheltered, welcoming outdoor spaces. The demographic is shifting, with more New Scots arriving from Europe and India, alongside older adults and families who often feel socially isolated. In Auchinairn, part of the library’s catchment, high levels of deprivation mean fewer opportunities for inclusive community spaces.
The Initiative
Inside Out transforms the neglected space outside Bishopbriggs Library into a green and accessible sanctuary. The library creates a multifunctional garden for storytelling, nature watching, performances, and quiet reflection. The garden offers sensory planting, herbs, scented flowers, wild meadow plants, and native species to attract wildlife. Bug hotels, bird feeders, and pollinator-friendly areas encourage biodiversity. A regular programme of community growing sessions invites residents to plant together, donate seedlings, and take part in seed and produce swaps, helping to reduce household costs and strengthen local food resilience.
The space doubles as an outdoor classroom for schools, nurseries, and community groups, with hands-on environmental activities and seasonal workshops. Lending binoculars and camping chairs encourage visitors to explore the garden and neighbouring park. The project also builds cultural connections, with opportunities for new arrivals to share plants, recipes, and stories from their own traditions, and fosters an international link with Kaunas Library in Lithuania.
What’s Next?
When complete, Inside Out will offer a year-round, accessible garden that invites residents to pause, connect, and engage with the library in new ways. Older adults, families, and neurodivergent individuals will have a peaceful retreat; children will learn about biodiversity through direct experience; and newcomers will find a shared space that celebrates cultural diversity. The library will become part of the town’s green infrastructure, expanding its role beyond books to a hub for wellbeing, outdoor learning, and community life.
Contact theeuropechallenge@culturalfoundation.eu if you have any questions or want to be connected with the team behind the project.
