Planting memories

Planting Memories Gonzállez Granja, Ana Jiméneez Salmerón, Fernando Oliva Varier, V Candela

(relationship of the settlement growth and river) segovia

settlement

city grows towards

The medieval city experimented an intensive growth throughout the 20th century. At the beginning there was a huge dependance of the river, water was used for drinking, irrigation and energetic purposes. Delimited in the north by river Eresma being part always of the city, it seems to lie bellow it, but Segovia has expanded widely to the East and South, adjoining smaller settlements in all directions. The current growth pattern seems to leave apart the river growing to the South East direction.

medival city

1

2

zoom in

zoom in

3

1940

historical evolution

1971

1998

4

2012

1. watermill energy 2. watermill rute plan 3. medieval wall 4. aqueduct

A

B

C

B A C

A

river morphology plan

1 2

landscape character

Segovia´s landscape is full of contrasts. Green, yellow and brown tones lie through the whole region, varying according to the proximity of river Eresma, parallel to which the city has grown through history, and the altitude of the different areas.

(photo. character views)

a- rocky slope

b- riparian corridor

Rocky natural elements viewpoints

protected area

c- weeds

d- acuatic plants

e- wet land

f- dry land

How the house sat next to the river?

How the dam can be tranformed into a museum?

(sketch. character views)

2

1 a

e

b

f

d c

existing environment

(natural system as means of defining future urban growth) The aim of the masterplan is to integrate Segovia with river Eresma, while taking advantage of the protected area to create a green belt for the city. On one hand, this ring, combined with new lineal parks, will create a green network able to connect the whole city through bikeways, and also with nearby populations. On the other, it will allow for a system of ecocommunities to develop: allotments next to the river, biomass buffer areas and parks in the highest points

Important Places High Places Protected Areas City Growth

Green Spaces Green Bike Way Biomass Allotment Gardens eco-community growth

master plan

0

1050

105

1050

1050

N 10

50

S

50 10

00 10

1000

N

950

1000

1000

1050

2 950

1

balcony 1. river basin confine. view of river more hidden.

3

S

1000

balcony 2. open river basin.open view of valley . predominant symmetrical valley

00

high points 950

950

N

S

balcony 3. asymetrical valley. views of landscape. hidden river

balconies

900

950

1000

10

(synergic relationship of city to watershed and river)

Ripanian area

Allotments

Biomass buffer

Eco village

Park

detailed section for WATER QUALITY

new growth areas

Landscape and city are organised according to the proximity to the river and the altitude.

Next to the ripanian areas, we propose allotments for food production. The next layer is a buffer zone made of biomass woods, while the higher points of the city are reserved for recreation parks. This will provoke a synergic relationship between landscape and civilization.

BUFFER ZONE+NATURAL RIPARIAN

BUFFER ZONE. MIDE COLLECTION POINT

BUFFER ZONE. COLLECTION POINT

evapotranspiration

WOODLAND WOODLAND

ECO-VILLAGE

gravel mixture

ALLOTMENT AREAS

RECHARGE ACUIFERS

RECHARGE ACUIFERS

PERCOLATION

water quality (biofilters)

The city counts with a water filtering collection system: the higher points in the topography are equipped with a layer of filtering gravel that cleans the thicker particles of water and collect it in the recharge acuifers. This water that runs down the hill is used for drinking and irrigation in the eco-villages. That way, water is distributed evenly and absorbed by constant bands of planting, that can be found in the transitional areas, riparian corridors and the aquatic medium, which reduce the “heat island effect”. Plants clean the water further, and expell it to the atmosphere adding humidity through evapotranspiration at a local scale.

Pivot element SEGOVIA

vertical farm

vertical farm

EL CERRO

NUEVA SEGOVIA

Biomass process

Processed Biomass

Combustion

Biomass

Biomass forest CO2 Photosynthesis

ecologic production (vertical farm+biomass)

Once again Segovia as reference in technology and nature can offer, integrating biomass woods as part of its landscape strategy. Moreover, a vertical farm is proposed for the area between Segovia and two new developments, Nueva Segovia and El Cerro. It will supply fresh food for the city, while becoming a landmark that acts as a pivoting point that connects the three neighbourhoods.

B

A

C

A.cemetery / B.watermill / C. dam gravel BUFFER ZONE. cupressus RIPARIAN WOODLAND. populus ORNAMENTAL AREAS. lavender - romero officinalis - thymus vulgaris MEMORIAL ZONE. prunus dulcis sorbus reducta - rosa canina castanea sativa

zoning vegetation plan

This intervention covers the area between the cemetery and the power station, at the end of a very narrow pass between both hills. Two areas will be treated as distinct yet continuous places: the flat piece of land that extends from the cemetry's back wall and the pathway that starts here and runs pareallel to the river, in the E-W axis, providing unexpeced views throughout the journey.

All the vegetation species proposed in the masterplan are native of the Segovian landscape, as the aim is to enhance the natural and cutural qualities of the cemetery and the river in a non-invasive manner. Therefore, different plants are used for symbolic, cultural, functional, ornamental and atmospheric intentions.

BUFFER ZONE. cupressus RIPARIAN WOODLAND. populus ORNAMENTAL AREAS. lavender romero officinalis - thymus vulgaris MEMORIAL ZONE. prunus dulcis sorbus reducta - rosa canina castanea sativa

S

winter atmosphere and character

Winters in Segovia are hard because of its low temperatures, so the path demands to be surrounded by deciduous species that shed their leaves and let the sun warm up pedestrians. The snow allows beautiful and cold views along the memorial path.

BUFFER ZONE. cupressus RIPARIAN WOODLAND. populus ORNAMENTAL AREAS. lavender romero officinalis - thymus vulgaris MEMORIAL ZONE. prunus dulcis sorbus reducta - rosa canina castanea sativa

S

spring atmosphere and character

During spring the leafiness of the trees is dense enough to block the sunbeams creating a perfect atmosphere to have a walk, which combined with the colour palette offered by the various species planted and the olfative experience of the memorial creates a perfect path either to remember or just to enjoy.

BUFFER ZONE. cupressus RIPARIAN WOODLAND. populus ORNAMENTAL AREAS. lavender romero officinalis - thymus vulgaris MEMORIAL ZONE. prunus dulcis sorbus reducta - rosa canina castanea sativa

S

summer atmosphere and character

In summer shade is needed if you want to enjoy a cool, relaxing way through the memorial.

This is achieved by dense high vegetation that directly blocks sunbeams all along the walkway.

BUFFER ZONE. cupressus RIPARIAN WOODLAND. populus ORNAMENTAL AREAS. lavender romero officinalis - thymus vulgaris MEMORIAL ZONE. prunus dulcis sorbus reducta - rosa canina castanea sativa

S

autumn atmosphere and character

The porosity of the vegetation decreases during the season of autumn, providing a way for the sunbeams to reach the walkway and warm up the pedestrians, while at the same time creates a beautiful collage of shades all along the memorial.

rosa canina

cupresus

pronus dulcis

populus alba

castanea sativa

memorial park

The cypress trees in the cementery, rigidly displayed in two lines, are a cultural reference to the world of the dead. Sober and upward-pointing, they filter through the cemetery walls (which have been thoroughly perforated) and enter the world of the living, mixing with the almond trees. White flowers in spring are symbolic about purity and new beginnings, and Segovia's cemetery is ready to provide a beautiful public space where the living and the memory of the dead coexist.

B

A 1

memorial park (section)

2

C

D

E

4

3 VEGETATION

ELEMENTS

A.cupresus B.pronus dulcis C.gravel D.rosa canina E.castanea sativa

1. cemetery 2.physical wall 3.memorial zone 4.memorial walkway

Three stepped platforms lead us from the cypress and almond wood to the chestnut wood, and then to the populus trees that continue into the memorial walkway.

The memory walkway has a dual function: on one hand, it symbolises the process of time in life and helps remember loved ones through the changing seasonal colour of the decidious populus tree and the flowering shrubs. On the other, by choosing native species the civilizians are contributing to regenerate these spaces through the act of mememorance , creating a buffer zones for existing and new development, as well as improving shade and use of the path. By keeping most of the planting to the upside of the path, the natural qualities of the site are left untouched.

l d lavender

pronus dulcis

pinus pinea

castanea sativa

memorial walkway

A B

A. pinus pinea - BUFFER element B. lavender - ORNAMENTAL element C. gravel D. rocky area - NATURAL element E. castanea sativa - SHADOW element F. thymus vulgaris - ORNAMENTAL element

memorial walkway (section)

3.5 m

C

D

E

F

A

B

E

ORNAMENTAL elements A. rosa canina B. lavender C. romero officinalis D. thymus vulgaris E. wood viewpoint

viewpoints

C The viewpoints that appear naturally in the site are enhanced by placing rocks for sitting, as well as marking the steps that one may take in order to discover a small wooden structure from which to enjoy the stunning views towards to river.

D

option 1

N

memorial walkway atmosphere

S

option opt op ptittitio p pt io on o n2

S

N

until 2012

from 2012

year 0

planting life

year 50

The memory walkway will grow through the years, along with the memories of Segovian people: each time a citizen passes away, the family will be given the opportunity to plant a populus tree in the side of the path, and a plaque remembering the deceased will be installed at its foot.

A series of light shafts will cross the river from side to side, from the cemetery to the power station.The light will be generated at the cemetery, and transmitted with a system of mirrors embedded in the rocky hills of the north side, and in the top of the existing electric poles in the south bank. It is a metaphorical display, representing the theme of vita flumen (“life flows as a river"), and at the same time it makes the river visible (or at least its route) at night, creating a surprising effect when observed from the memorial walkway.

night-light atmosphere in the memorial

evergreen / deciduous:

evergreen

height:

20 m

crown diameter:

60 cm

colour:

green

The Mediterranean cypress has been a symbol of mourning since classical antiquity (Greece and Rome). The reasons for this are probably its longevity (it lives up to 1,000 years) and its shape: tall and narrow, looking as if it were pointing to heaven, or as if it were guarding over the tombs of the departed.

cupresus (vegetation)

evergreen / deciduous:

deciduous

height:

30 m

crown diameter:

2-3 m

colour:

yellow / brown

Populus alba trees grow very fast, so they are often planted to provide shadow. They produce very special and soothing sounds, caused by their flattened leaf stems: this make the leaves to twist and flutter in slight breezes.

populus alba (vegetation)

evergreen / deciduous:

deciduous

height:

4-10 m

crown diameter:

5-6 m

colour:

green; white / pink flowers

Chinese consider it a symbol of enduring sadness and female beauty. It blooms very early, so its white flowers traditionally indicate the end of winter and the beginning of spring.

prunus dulcis (vegetation)

evergreen / deciduous:

deciduous

height:

30 m

crown diameter:

25 m

colour:

maroon / red-brown

Chestnuts provide an excellent soil-enriching understory in pine forests. Their fruits have a sweet taste and easy-to-remove inner skins, they can be roasted, deep-fried or dried in order to be eaten.

castanea sativa (vegetation)

evergreen / deciduous:

deciduous

height:

1-5 m

crown diameter:

2-3 m

colour:

pale pink / white flowers; red-orange fruits (shrub)

The plant is high in certain antioxidants. The fruit is noted for its high vitamin C level and is used to make syrup, tea and marmalade.

rosa canina (vegetation)

LAVANDULA

ROSEMARINUS OFFICIANIS

THYMUS VULGARIS

deciduous

evergreen

evergreen

30 m

1.5 m

40 cm

blue / violet / lilac flowers green above and white grey; pale pink flowers below; pink / purple / deep blue flowers (herb)

(herb)

(sub-shrub)

aromatic plants (vegetation)

These species are usually found together in nature. They are highly aromatic plants, which emanate a delicious perfume to the site. They also have culinary and medical uses, and their flowers present vivid colours of complementary tones.