Ecourbanism

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Matidzukuri: Smart Cities of New Generation

(Issue of a magazine 4/2012, page 22)

The world enters a new era in city planning – starting creation of smart cities, based on modern technologies for the formation of the comfortable living environment. The leader in this process is Japan, where the concept “Matidzukuri” is developed and implemented. This concept is promoted by the Japanese company Nikken Sekkei, the largest architecture and engineering company in the world. For these purposes in 2009 was established Smart City Planning Inc. comprising 25 leading Japanese companies with original technologies and own “know-how” to manage smart city project.

Masdar-City – a Source of Innovations

(Issue of a magazine 4/2012, page 28)

Giant umbrellas, with a design based on the principles of sunflowers, will provide moveable shade in the day, store heat, then close and release the heat at night in the plaza of a new eco city in the United Arab Emirates. The ‘sunflower umbrellas’ are one aspect of the winning design by the international practice Laboratory for Visionary Architecture (LA VA) for the city centre for Masdar in the UAE the world’s first zero carbon, zero waste city powered entirely by renewable energy sources.

BedZED Standard

(Issue of a magazine 4/2012, page 34)

Beddington Zero (fossil) Energy Development (BedZED ) is the UK’s largest mixed-use carbonneutral development. An exemplar project, the development generates all its power on site from renewable sources. When it was built in 2002, it set new standards in sustainable architecture and proved that green living is easy, attractive and affordable.

«Garden Quarters»: Ecoreconstruction of the City Space

(Issue of a magazine 4/2012, page 42)

In the modern society the quality of life has become the most important criterion. The concept includes: ecology, living comfort, the conditions of urban environment surrounding the house, safety and the possibility of interesting and useful leisure activities. Nowadays it is not enough to lay the lawn and build a children’s playground beside the house. It is necessary to apply a complex approach to organizing the outdoor amenities such as: transportation scheme, landscaping concept, developing recreational and sports areas. Ecological parameters are also of great importance – it would be perfect if the entrance door opened into a park or a green field.

The New Coasts

(Issue of a magazine 3/2012, page 16)

The previous edition of the magazine “Green Buildings” (No 2, 2012) informed you about an architectural conception of the “New Coast”, which will be built on an artificial island and become a part of the “Great St.Petersburg”. The project is planned to be realized during 15 years, but authors already thought not only over designing and planning decisions, but provided for advanced engineering systems for power, heat and water supply in future city, also elaborated a restoration and development plan for the territory with unique nature.

Moscow - 2062: Liveable City

(Issue of a magazine 3/2012, page 22)

Recently has finished the competition to develop the concept of the “Great Moscow”. Nine architectural teams taking part in the competition presented their visions of the capital urban development including the joined new territories and entire Moscow metropolitan area. The team from TSNIIP of urban planning RAASN proposed a strategy of transition from monocentric to a polycentric city by creating new centers within the Ring Road and city cores in the region. Their appearance should be a catalyst for social and economic development and prosperity of the citizens.

The Bridge of Life at the Crossroad of Time

(Issue of a magazine 3/2012, page 28)

Biodiversity Museum (Museo de la Biodiversidad) the project designed by a world celebrity, winner of the Pritzker Prize in 1989, the architect Frank Owen Gehry is constructed in the Republic of Panama. The Biomuseo is the only one in its class in the region. Besides being an architectural icon (it is Frank Gehry’s first incursion in Latin America), the main exhibition depicts of how the Isthmus of Panama changed the history of our planet. Also, the museum plans to have a profound impact on education, primarily in subjects related to biodiversity.

Mobile “Enzymes” of Natural Growth

(Issue of a magazine 3/2012, page 34)

Humans tend to expand, move, and reallocate ground at speeds unparalleled within the natural world. Our persistent and unpredictable need for space, land, and raw materials causes the original natural environment to diminish, along with its ecosystem of plants and animals. The continuous cycle of removing and reallocating natural space can, in the best case, maintain a certain amount of the “natural environment”, yet it can never maintain the same level of biodiversity that was originally present. Only through fundamental changes in our relationship with nature can we undo the damage done in the past. Company Lijbers Architects (Netherlands), in the framework of “Green Architecture”, organized by the Netherlands Institute of Architecture, offers his view on this issue, based on the complex dynamics of urban development.

Green Practices of Expo 2012

(Issue of a magazine 3/2012, page 38)

World Exhibition “Expo- 2012” - one of the largest international events of this year, took place from 12 May to 12 August in the South Korean city of Yeosu. As you could identify from the theme of “The Living Ocean and Coast”, the Yeosu Expo has the conversational topics of environmental issues like global warming and other major problems facing the planet, but it has also selected ‘green expo’ as a strategy for the success of the event.

The New Strands

(Issue of a magazine 2/2012, page 16)

In the resort area of St. Petersburg, north of the dam toward the Sestroretsk planned to build a new town on the man-made island, covering almost 400 hectares, which will become a part of the Great St. Petersburg. Near the village of Lisy Nos in 2015 will appear new of land subject, where will be built millions of square meters of housing and infrastructure facilities. The project developer has already been selected it is one of the world’s, leading architectural firms - Nikken Sekkei, known for its caring attitude towards nature and the ability to effectively leverage any area.