Ecourbanism

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Vitoria-Gasteiz – a Lighthouse of Sustainable evelopment

(Issue of a magazine 4/2019, page 16)

Ten years ago, Vitoria-Gasteiz, the capital of the Basque Autonomous Community, won the European Green Capital award, and in 2019, it reaffirmed its strong commitment to sustainable development. In June, it became one of three lighthouse cities, along with Tartu and Sonderborg, selected as part of the European SmartEnCity program, which aims to create smart cities with zero CO2 emissions. And in September it received the global Green City Award, sponsored by the United Nations.

Magallanes Park in Seville – Space for Everyone

(Issue of a magazine 4/2019, page 28)

In May 2019, a new green area in Seville which has been called Parque de Magallanes or more specifically the Ferdinand Magellan River Park enjoying the atmosphere of the Guadalquivir River was opened. The project resolves after 25 years of abandonment a very prominent space of the city, which belonged to the former Universal Exhibition of 1992. Park is designed by the Sevillian architect Guillermo Vázquez Consuegra, one of the most prominent in the country for his architectural production and its quality.

The Ancient Roman Theater of Tarraco – the Time Vault

(Issue of a magazine 4/2019, page 34)

Conservation and adaptation of cultural heritage objects to modern use is a complex task that is being solved by both state and public organizations, as well as architects. It is much more complicated if we are talking about monuments that are more than 2000 years old. The Barcelona-based company Estudi d’Arquitectura Toni Gironès has extensive experience working with such objects, as evidenced by numerous awards. In 2018, architects completed a project to adapt the ancient Roman theater of Tarraco in Tarragona, Spain, transforming it into an urban public space.

Safety, Warmth and Comfort inside a ‘Big Body’ of Jonas

(Issue of a magazine 4/2019, page 48)

Jonas is located in the heart of IJburg, Amsterdam, The Netherlands. IJburg is a collection of artificial islands around the city, mainly providing housing environments for families. Consisting of 29.500 m2 mixed-use program and public space, the project completes the center of IJburg, which is organized around a marina. The name Jonas is a reference to the legend of Jonas and the Whale, a tale about adventure, intimacy, shelter, security and comfort inside a ‘big body’. Jonas is a sturdy building with a warm heart.

 

Living Landscape: Merging the City with Nature

(Issue of a magazine 4/2019, page 62)

In 2019, two projects of the parisian architectural studio Jakob + MacFarlane – “Odyssee Pleyel” in the suburbs of Paris and “Living Landscape” in Reykjavik – were among the 15 winners of the international competition “Reinventing Cities”, organized by the C40 Group – the Partnership of cities in the fight against climate change (Cities Climate Leadership Group). “Living Landscape” is a zero-carbon mixed-use building, with a positive impact on the environment and sheltering a local ecosystem. It will be the largest wooden building in Iceland. It will not emit carbon dioxide into the atmosphere, but, on the contrary, will have an exceptionally positive impact on the environment. 

Transit Oriented Development: Key Principles and Perspectives

(Issue of a magazine 3/2019, page 12)

According to World Bank case study on the integrated development of public transport and land use, most cities that are evaluated as sustainable develop their public transportation and land comprehensively. These cities have a long-term vision of what they should be in the future, and implement these plans through territorial zoning and the development of social infrastructure, which is reflected in the Transit Oriented Development (TOD). The achievement of these goals is based on five basic principles.

London Bridge Connecting People

(Issue of a magazine 3/2019, page 20)

London Bridge Station is one of the oldest railway stations not only in London, but also in the world. In May 2018, it was inaugurated after a massive reconstruction. However, during construction works, the movement did not stop there, since the project was implemented in several stages. As a result, the number of platforms serving mainline rail routes increased, the UK’s largest concourse was created, and the conditions for passengers at the station was significantly improved. In 2019, London Bridge Station was shortlisted for the Stirling Prize for excellence in architecture.

The Architecture of the “Underworld”

(Issue of a magazine 3/2019, page 28)

The first subway line was opened in London in 1863 and today this type of underground transport is available in almost all major cities in the world. The work of metro significantly reduces the load on ground transport and, at the same time, allows people to move as quickly and efficiently as possible. All metro stations in the world have something in common – they are located in urban areas, while tunnels can be laid anywhere: in a city or under a hill in a countryside. In design and construction of underground transport stations, it’s always tried to minimize public anxiety, control noise, vibration and dust levels from the metro. But how to assure passengers a sense of comfort and safety underground?

Tianjin Eco-City: Decade of Quality

(Issue of a magazine 2/2019, page 12)

In 2018, it was ten years since the launch of the Sino-Singapore Tianjin Eco-City (SSTEC) joint Chinese-Singapore project. This project is being implemented in the Tianjin urban area, the third largest in mainland China, to jointly develop an economically-vibrant, socially harmonious, environmentally friendly and resource-conserving city in China. 

A New Silhouette for the Montréal Tower

(Issue of a magazine 2/2019, page 22)

Montreal’s Olympic Stadium, with its tallest inclined tower in the world (165 m), was designed by the French architect Roger Taillibert for the 21st summer Olympic games, which were held in 1976 in Canada. Later the stadium, the construction of which cost an astronomical sum of more than $1 billion, was used for both sports and other events, but the tower was empty for thirty years. Finally, in 2015, when Canada’s leading cooperative financial group “Desjardins” announced its intention to rent for about 80% of the area under the offices, the Olympic Installations Board (RIO), administered Montreal’s Olympic Park, decided to renovate the interiors along with the already planned reconstruction of the facades.