KSU Forum on the City » Public space

TU Delft students on visit at El Campo de Cebada by Zuloark.

KSU Forum on the City — Mon, 09 Dec 2013 10:20:03 +0000

Wouter Vanstiphout, Chair at the Architecture Faculty of Delft University of Technology, had his students visit Madrid, as part of their graduation studio “Follow the Money”, in order “to explore the effects of the county’s property bubble and the (sometimes) harsh consequences of political games and real estate speculation on the built environment.”

On the last day of their excursion to Madrid the TU Delft students visited El Campo de Cebada, conceived by Zuloark. In the words of Denis Kolesnikov: “After several days of critical discussions relating to the negative impact of the economic crisis on the city, this refreshing encounter with a citizen-initiated project that speaks critically against the indifference of the top-down urban planning tactics of property developers, gave us an opportunity to reflect on what positive implications the economic crisis may have had for the architectural profession and showed us new ways in which we can all shape our own urban environment.”

See this post for more insights on El Campo de Cebada.

Design Details: Eco Boulevard by ecosistema urbano.

KSU Forum on the City — Tue, 03 Dec 2013 16:38:13 +0000

Architizer just published an article on the design details of ecosistema urbano’s Eco Boulevard in Madrid’s Vallecas neighborhood.

“The architects used recycled industrial materials such as plastic, greenhouse fabric, and rubber tires to construct the air trees. And the structures aren’t only made of sustainable materials; each pavilion is itself sustainable as well. A crown of photovoltaic panels supplies energy for water fountains as well as power outlets for computers, concerts, and other activities. Excess electricity produced by the solar panels is sold to the municipality and pays for maintenance of the boulevard.”

For more information, read the article on Architizer.

West8 complete first phase of park on Governors Island.

KSU Forum on the City — Sat, 30 Nov 2013 18:31:38 +0000

West8 (co-designers, with Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos, Porras – La Casta Arquitectos and Rubio & Álvarez-Sala Arquitectos, of the MADRID RIO project) have recently announced completion of the first phase of the park on Governors Island, New York.

On Thursday, November 14, New York City Mayor Michael R. Bloomberg planted the final tree in Liggett Terrace, marking the completion of the first 30 acres of new park on Governors Island. This ceremony represented a major milestone in the transformation of Governors Island into a lively destination with extraordinary public park space and a dynamic mix of commercial, educational, and not-for-profit uses.

For more information, see this post on West8′s website.

Urban horticulture in Madrid.

KSU Forum on the City — Thu, 28 Nov 2013 10:23:49 +0000

Urban horticulture has widely spread in Madrid in recent years. Many of these urban orchards in the city are dedicated to children and school groups. For a commentary, see this post on ecosistema urbano’s website.

Madrid Río wins the Green Good Design Awards 2013

KSU Forum on the City — Wed, 13 Nov 2013 14:58:36 +0000

The Green Good Design Award is promoted by The European Centre for Architecture Art Design and Urban Studies, an institution dedicated to public education concerning all aspects of the built environment —from entire cities to individual buildings— including the philosophical issues of arts and culture that ultimately give the final shape to design.

This year, the project Madrid Río, one of the case studies of The Forum for the City, was awarded under the banner, “Build A Better World Now,” in a selection of designs for buildings and products that emphasize the most advanced “Green Approach” and the most sophisticated methods and technology to make the the most positive impact on the environment.

The project Madrid Río has been designed by Burgos & Garrido Arquitectos Asociados, Porras La Casta Arquitectos, Rubio & Álvarez-Sala and West 8 and is part of the case studies selected for thr Kent Sate Forum on the City: MADRID.

More info: Burgos-Garrido

Photo courtesy of The European Centre For Architecture Art Design and Urban