FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI LANDSCAPE INTELLIGENCE VISIONS AND PROJECTS OF THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI LANDSCAPE INTELLIGENCE VISIONS AND PROJECTS OF THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
Editorial Team Conceptual Director: Alfonso Vegara Editor and Texts: Judith Ryser Coordination and Production Management: Gracia Cid Documentation: Begoña Arrate Project Designs: Fundacion Metropoli Team Graphic Design and Layout: Taula de Disseny Printer: Graficas Monterreina Publisher Fundacion Metropoli Avda de Bruselas 28 28108, Alcobendas, Madrid Spain T[+34] 914 900 750 info@fundacion-metropoli.org www.fundacion-metropoli.org
ISBN DL All rights reserved ProyectoCities™ Territorios Inteligentes™ Landscape Intelligence™ Printed in the EU Madrid 2010
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACION METROPOLI 1 INTRODUCTION 2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 3 PROYECTO CITIES™ 4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES
9 11 23 41 57 99
PART II CONCEPTS 6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.1 TERRITORIOS INTELIGENTES™(LANDSCAPE INTELLIGENCE) 6.2 URBAN ECOSYSTEMS OF INNOVATION 6.3 THE EUROPEAN DIAGONAL 6.4 MEDITERRANEO_TEC
117 119 122 131 138 152
PART III PROJECTS 7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.1 EUSKAL HIRIA NET 7.2 PATAGONIA, BEYOND PETROLEUM 7.3 TERRITORIO M@C™ 7.4 CASABLANCA RABAT ECOLINEAR CITY REGION 7.5 MALAGA VALLEY™ 8 ECO-DEVELOPMENTS 8.1 ECO-CITIES 8.2 LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATIONS AND ECO-VILLAGES 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS 9 URBAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS 9.1 ALICANTE LIVING LAB 9.2 BILBAO GUGGENHEIM++ 9.3 THE ISLAND OF INNOVATION, AVILES ASTURIAS 9.4 PASAIA BAY, SAN SEBASTIAN 9.5 MARRAKECH, THE MEDINA OF THE 21ST CENTURY 9.6 MEDITERRANEA 9.7 GARRAF INNOVATION PARK 9.8 QUALIA SITGES. ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY 10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.1 LANDMARK ARCHITECTURES IN BUCHAREST 10.2 INNOVATION CUBES 10.3 SUN SCULPTURES 10.4 PLASTIC LANDSCAPES MAZARRON 10.5 CAM SPACES FOR URBAN HAPPENINGS 10.6 BILBAO SHANGHAI PAVILION 10.7 THE AURA OF CORVIALE, ROME 10.8 THE TWIST, LONDON 10.9 ECOBOX, MADRID
157 161 164 170 176 182 186 193 198 226 244 257 262 266 270 276 280 284 288 292 301 304 312 318 323 330 336 342 346 350
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FOREWORD BY THE PRESIDENT The Fundacion Metropoli is an international institution with a mission to foster a creative, human and sustainable transformation of cities and regions. It aims to act as a catalyst between the public and the private s ectors i n d esigning a nd re alising a s ustainable f uture. The approach of the Fundacion Metropoli to this demanding task consists of three interdependent lines of action: knowledge creation and sharing through research and innovation; new ideas and new projects; and incubation as a means to f acilitate the transition from ideas to reality. They are carried out respectively by the HUB, a node of initiation and cooperation with international research networks; the LAB, design laboratories where urban and regional strategies and projects are being elaborated; and ASMOA which assists the process of incubation and implementation of urban initiatives. This book on the work of the Fundacion Metropoli from its inception to the present day is presenting an overview of i ts main a ctivities and results of i ts research and development s trategies. It elucidates the criteria and references which enable the Fundacion Me tropoli to discover the essence of each place and its vocation for the future. What distinguishes its approach is to work simultaneously at different scales and their interdependencies. A second common denominator of the work of the Fundacion Metropoli is its commitment to innovation. We believe that innovation is one of the keys to f uture sustainability and for that reason we consider it important to treat the transformations of space at its various scales as ecosystems of innovation. The book illustrates this process with projects ranging from the scale of North American super-regions to the European Diagonal and the Mediterraneo TECs. They encompass regional, metropolitan and urban perspectives, as well as land art, rural landscapes, eco-villages, the regeneration of quarries and experimental architecture. We could not have reached our achievements without close cooperation with decision makers, supportive leaders of public administrations, sponsors who believe in our approach and assist in turning our ideas into reality, our advisors from all over the world who encouraged us in our endeavours, our colleagues in cooperative ventures, committed members of international research networks, t he a cademic world w hich p articipated i n our re search a nd e xperimentation, t he professional community, fellow architects, urban designers and planners, the legal professions, and most importantly artists whose creativity and innovation are a continuous inspiration. Finally, the enthusiastic and gifted t eam of the Fundacion Metropoli, with members f rom all over the world was essential in continuously challenging acquired ideas and in keeping our efforts at the forefront of innovation.
ALFONSO VEGARA PRESIDENT OF THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
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1. INTRODUCTION 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OUTLINE OF THE BOOK MISSION STATEMENT RESEARCH - INNOVATION INCUBATION
2. UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.1 A WORLD OF CITIES 2.2 THE RISE OF CITY REGIONS 2.3 TOWARDS A GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE 2.4 THE NEED FOR INNOVATION 2.5 THE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY 2.6 CITIES FOR, WITH AND BY PEOPLE 2.7 INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE WITH ACTION 3. PROYECTO CITIES 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6
LEARNING FROM CITIES PROYECTO CITIES NETWORK PROYECTO CITIES METHODOLOGY URBAN PROFILE AND CITY FORUM COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENCE CLUSTERS OF EXCELLENCE, CRITICAL PRIORITIES, STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS 3.7 SELECTED PROYECTO CITIES FINDINGS PHILADELPHIA, BOSTON, TORONTO, CURITIBA, DUBLIN, SYDNEY, SANTIAGO DE CHILE, SINGAPORE 4. KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.1 SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS INTERNATIONAL PLANNING WORKSHOP EUSKAL HIRIA CONGRESSES INITIATIVES WITH PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS: ISOCARP 4.2 FUNDACION METROPOLI: SCIENTIFIC/KNOWLEDGE PARTNER IN SINGLE EVENTS CATALUNYA CALIFORNIA 25 YEARS OF DEMOCRATIC MUNICIPALITIES IN SPAIN INNOVATIVE CITIES AND REGIONS, MADRID TERRITORIOS 21, LA RIOJA DIGITAL PLACES @ BARCELONA DIGITAL CITIES @ VITORIA WORLD SUMMIT OF CITIES AND REGIONS
4.3 COOPERATING WITH MAYORS AND CITY LEADERS MAYORS' INSTITUTE MAYORS' SUMMITS SINGAPORE, ISTANBUL, BILBAO, GENEVA, ZARAGOZA 4.4 INVOLVING THE ARTS CITIES ART FERNANDO PAGOLA, CARLES VALVERDE, RAQUEL MONTILLA HIGGINS, FERMIN REMIREZ DE ARELLANO, JESUS SOLER, GONZALO PARAMO, IÑIAKI BERGERA FUNDACION METROPOLI SCULPTURE 4.5 RECOGNITIONS FUNDACIÓN METROPOLI CITIES AWARDS FOR EXCELLENCE ADRIANA DAL CIN, GARY HACK, JAIME LERNER, KISHO KUROKAWA FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI PARTICIPATION IN WORLD PRIZES LEE KUAN YEW WORLD CITY PRIZE 4.6 FUNDACION METROPOLI FELLOWSHIPS 4.7 PUBLICATIONS AND DISSEMINATION LIST OF FUNDACION METROPOLI PUBLICATIONS (2010) FUNDACION METROPOLI PUBLICATION SYNOPSES CATALOGUE SYNOPSES: ART AND INNOVATION - CITIES ART FUNDACION METROPOLI WEBSITE 5. THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.1 FUNDACION METROPOLI TEAM AND ALUMNI 5.2 HONORARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS 5.3 INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL 5.4 SPECIAL ADVISORS 5.5 FUNDACION METROPOLI KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS STRATEGIC PARTNERS COLLABORATING UNIVERSITIES AND CITIES IN THE PROYECTO CITIES NETWORK 5.6 VENUES: ECOBOX MADRID AND DIGITAL BOX BILBAO 5.7 VIRTUAL NETWORKS AND WEBSITE
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
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INTRODUCTION 1.1 1.2 1.3 1.4
PURPOSE OF THE BOOK OUTLINE OF THE BOOK MISSION STATEMENT RESEARCH - INNOVATION - INCUBATION
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
1 INTRODUCTION 1.1 PURPOSE OF THE BOOK
1.1 PURPOSE OF THE BOOK The purpose of this book is to assist cities and regions in discovering their vocation and opportunities for their future. The book adopts a particular academic and professional stance toward the understanding of space and cities in a c omplex, open and globalising world. The philosophy of this book is based on the research a nd t he p rojects d eveloped b y t he Fundacion Me tropoli and, in particular, on i ts Proyecto Cities network, a research cooperation between twenty innovative cities on five continents, w hich o riginated a t t he Un iversity o f Pennsylvania in 1998 and continues to this date. It is coordinated by the Fundacion Metropoli at its headquarters, the Ecobox in Madrid. The most relevant urban phenomenon of the 21st century is the unprecedented emergence of the dispersal of the contemporary city at a regional scale. Tensions about localisation have arisen due to their differentiated development potential of specific places in the world. Never before in the history of mankind have cities evolved and changed at the present pace and intensity. Such development no longer respects the traditional boundaries of municipalities, nor, for that matter, of whole regions and nations. Spatial governance m echanism have become increasingly complex and are lagging behind the explosive dynamic of spatial development. Traditional planning can no longer cope with these circumstances and new, more coherent forms of dealing with spatial development are needed. 'Landscape Intelligence' aims to provide useful pointers at various spatial scales. Landscapes are likely to become of fundamental relevance to spatial policies.
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In our times, all factors of production have become footloose. Raw materials, energy, capital, ideas, as well as people and enterprises are moving f rom one place t o another within a g lobal competitive world and use complex means of cooperation. What cannot be displaced from one location to another is climate, culture, the genius loci, landscapes, cities and overall specificities of place. In the era of the knowledge society these essential features of urban identity are crucial for the retention and attraction of talent and the creation of competitive advantage. This book rests on the premise that the design of the build environment constitutes an essential factor of the competitiveness of companies which operate there, as well as a sustainable quality of life for citizens. One of the most important and difficult tasks of local government is to shape the model of their city towards what they perceive as a successful future, inspired by the idiosyncrasy of place, its landscapes and i ts components of excellence, together with the active participation of the different actors.The identification of strategic projects does not often arise from a local vision alone. It requires a much wider context within which the city can identify a re levant role for itself. Constrained by the management of scarce resources and the possibility of a limited term of office, local governments have a primary responsibility to select and identify critical projects which can be pursued by those most able to bring the city into a competitive position by contributing energy, drive and leadership towards progressing the development of the city in a promising direction. The book aims to contribute to the discovery of critical projects capable of advancing powerful city transformations. Such 'Urban Projects' are transversal and require a particularly astute management. More than ever, cities of the 21st century
have to resort to innovation which is generated at the confluence of specific disciplines, the crossroads of different philosophies and attitudes, the merging point of complementary sectoral policies, in physical spaces of encounters, at the intersection between real and virtual worlds, and in places frequented by the most creative and tolerant members of our society. Currently cities differ from each other in terms of scale, level of economic development and urban profile. What really differentiates cities are those 'with a p roject' and c ities 'w ithout a p roject'. Coherent places are able to establish a balance between their economic strategies, social cohesion a nd d evelopment, a nd t heir s ensitivity towards and care for the environment. The Fundacion Metropoli is rooting its pursuit of urban sustainability in its 'project of the innovative city' which is based on the inherent potential of place, comprising both a strong social dimension and an awareness of macro-economic development options. Thus, sustainability is understood in a broad sense, including physical as well as economic, social and cultural dimensions. Contemporary urban development is not a z ero sum game. Basic local administrative powers are very l imited in t heir possibilities t o t ransform cities. Only an 'Urban Project', sustained by leadership a nd c ooperation b etween k ey a ctors contains the potential to multiply the opportunities of a city exponentially. When local and regional governments have the vision and the credibility to work with the private sector and the civil society they have the capacity to transform it’s ideas into reality. The thesis of this book postulates that the existence of an innovative 'Urban Project' is in itself a decisive factor of the city's progressive development. Driven by a creative leadership an 'Urban Project' is l ikely t o mobilise t he active participation of the citizens and key actors of the city towards a coherent sustainable future.
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
1 INTRODUCTION 1.2 OUTLINE OF THE BOOK
1.2 OUTLINE OF THE BOOK The book is divided into three parts.They describe the Fundacion Metropoli, discuss its concepts and present key projects elaborated during its 15 years of existence. Part I gives an insight into the Fundacion Metropoli, what it stands for, what distinguishes it from other institutions, how it approaches its vocation, how it devises its tasks and how it is learning and sharing its knowledge with the outside world. Its mission statement synthesises its philosophy while the presentation of its tripartite approach shows how it combines research, innovation and incubation. The chapter on Understanding Cities provides the background t o how t he Fundacion Me tropoli is selecting its activities and developing its working method. It stresses the need for innovation as an inescapable path to competitiveness and sustainability. Innovation engaging people is considered a key f actor for the success of the cities of the future. Part I demonstrates how through knowledge generation and sharing the Fundacion Metropoli is able to transform such integrated knowledge into action.The chapter on Proyecto Cities explains and demonstrates the methodology which the Fundacion Me tropoli i s c ontinuously d eveloping i n cooperation with its networks of cities, universities, mayors and other protagonists of sustainable spatial development.The chapter on Knowledge Creation and Sh aring p resents i ts o n-going a ctivity, “Learning from Cities” and discusses a number of initiatives and recurrent events, such as university workshops, the Mayors' Institute which was responsible for mayors' summits, continuous cooperation with city or regional administrations, common ventures with professional institutions, international planning workshops and world summits of cities. The Fundacion Metropoli attaches great importance to working with artists which is described in Cities Art. It has also instituted Fellowships, Awards and Prizes and produces many publications in cooperation with partners, besides its website aimed to disseminate its knowledge as widely as possible.
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Finally, it gives an overview of the many partners, advisers, staff and alumni it has attracted since its inception and describes the venues in which it is working and cooperating with its networks, the Ecobox in Madrid and t he f uture Digital Box in Bilbao. Part II is dedicated to the conceptual work of the Fundacion Metropoli. 'Territorios Inteligentes' provides the framework of theoretical and conceptual ideas which underpin the practical applications in the project work of the Fundacion Metropoli. The idea of Urban Ecosystems of Innovation emerged to p rovide a f ocus on i nnovation f or s trategic projects at a w ide range of scales. Building the European Diagonal is a concrete illustration of this conceptual work, and Mediterraneo_TEC translates these ideas into more localised practical proposals. Part III presents projects mainly initiated by the Fundacion Metropoli itself and often carried out in cooperation with strategic and knowledge partners. While m ost p rojects c ontain a ll t he k ey objectives of the Fundacion Metropoli, they are structured into separate chapters to emphasise the most characteristic aspects of the projects presented there. The chapters focus respectively on projects w ith e mphasis on regional spatial concepts; eco-development strategies including eco-cities, e co-boulevards, e co-villages a nd landscape transformations; innovation-based development projects establishing urban innovation clusters; and experimental architecture.The presentation of projects is conceived to convey how strategic ideas and objectives find their expression in spatial concepts and designs at a wide range of scales, with emphasis on continuous dialogue between regional and supra-regional scales down to urban blocks and individual buildings and their constituting public realm.
1 INTRODUCTION 1.3 MISSION STATEMENT
1.3 MISSION STATEMENT The Fundacion Metropoli belongs to the emerging generation of international 'intellectual capital institutions'. Its aim is to create and share knowledge towards a sustainable future. It contributes to t he innovative t ransformation of cities and regions to cope with the global competitive environment of the 21 st century. Acting as a catalyst between the public and private sectors the Fundacion Me tropoli g enerates a nd d isseminates
intellectual capital to enhance creative activities and improve wellbeing in a sustainable built environment. It s m ulti-disciplinary t eam c reates strategic alliances with partners who share its values. It engages with political and entrepreneurial leadership, cultural agents and artists to implement its initiatives. Such cooperation is leading to mutually beneficial results and lasting relationships.
Ecobox in action
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
1 INTRODUCTION 1.4 INVESTIGATION - INNOVATION INCUBATION
1.4 INVESTIGATION - INNOVATION INCUBATION Based in Madrid (Spain), the Fundacion Metropoli was conceived at the University of Pennsylvania, USA where Eisenhower Fellowships provided the network and inspiration to set up lasting collaboration agreements with many institutions around the world. As no single institution can resolve the complexity of t he globalising world, a k ey characteristic of the Fundacion Metropoli is to work in cooperation with global networks of excellence. It seeks partners from a wide range of places and professional backgrounds to generate knowledge t owards a n ew spatial culture. It s action-oriented philosophy is guiding its understanding of the dynamic of cities, the connections with their surroundings, and their role in futureoriented a ctivities of 21 st c entury society. It s overarching aim is a better quality of life enhanced by the active participation of those living, working, playing and learning in cities. A key vocation of the Fundacion Metropoli is to constitute a cultural meeting place for knowledge creation and sharing. Having initiated on-going joint ventures, such as 'Learning from Cities' it is hosting cooperative projects, international workshops, other knowledge sharing events, and is disseminating them through publications and presentations at international events. With these activities the Fundacion Metropoli is undertaking new approaches t o sustainable development, drawing on research, innovative ideas, city design and implementation processes, devised by its own team as well as in cooperation with its networks of excellence. The approach of the Fundacion Metropoli is practice oriented. In combining spatial development projects, networks of collaborators and funding organisations it is able to incubate its creative ideas and convert t hem into e xperiments and realities on the ground. Its multicultural, actionoriented exchanges and cooperative endeavours
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enable the Fundacion Metropoli to harness synergies b etween re search re sults, i nnovative projects and purpose designed institutions capable o f m obilising t he i mplement at ion o f development strategies adapted to the environment for the well being of people. The three pillars of the activities of the Fundacion Metropoli are research, innovation and incubation. Its research HUB ('Investigacion') contributes to knowledge creation and sharing; its LAB ('Innovacion') p roduces i nnovative d esigns; a nd 'ASMOA' ('Incubacion') - the incubator associated with the Fundacion Metropoli - generates a new breed of institutions to transform ideas into practice. Together the three pillars contribute to a new spatial culture for the sustainable development of cities and city-regions. Constant cross fertilisation connects the three pillars and constitutes the core approach of the Fundacion Metropoli. It consists of incorporating research results into innovative projects, using new institutional forms to realise projects initiated and conceived by the Fundacion Metropoli, and providing f eedback f rom experimentation and implementation processes into research for further exploration of innovative approaches to spatial design for cities and regions. The various activities under each of the three main pillars are summed up below. Research and innovation are presented in greater detail in Part II.
University of Pennsylvania and University of NSW of Sidney at the Ecobox workshop
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
Research (investigación): Knowledge Creation and Sharing What t he Fundacion Me tropoli designates a s 'investigation' is its conceptual, methodological and analytical work. Its 'Research HUB' elaborates conceptual frameworks, especially for large scale, sustainable development processes (Part II). They a re b eing a pplied a nd re fined i n t he 'Learning from Cities' programme which the Fundacion Metropoli has initiated in cooperation with a network of cities and universities.The Fundacion Metropoli has specifically developed the Proyecto Cities methodology (Chapter 3) to translate its ideas into concrete proposals for a built reality. The research activities of the Fundacion Metropoli on innovation (Part II and Chapter 9) are drawing on its conceptual work. By a pplying new ideas derived from its research to its projects and by obtaining feedback from sharing its findings with its n etworks o f c ooperation, t he Fu ndacion Metropoli is constantly evolving its research activities.
1 INTRODUCTION 1.4 'INVESTIGATION - INNOVATION INCUBATION'
the Ecobox and elsewhere of artists who work on themes related to cities. Examples are the Fundacion Metropoli Logo, the Wall of Paper; Ecobox exhibitions open to the public (Part I Chapter 4) •
International Advisory Council of the Fundacion Metropoli
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Global networks of knowledge sharing: network of c ities and universities; network of R&D centres for cooperative ventures; strategic partners; k nowledge p artnerships (P art I Chapter 5)
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Fellowships Programme (Part I Ch apter 4)
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Cities Awards for world class achievements: Adriana Dal Cin, Gary Hack, Jaime Lerner, Kisho Kurokawa (Part I Chapter 4)
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Publications (Part I Chapter 4).
The main areas of activities of the Fundacion Metropoli research programme are: •
R&D on Space (Part II, Part III Chapter 7)
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Learning from Cities. This formal network of 20 participating cities is cooperating at local events, exchanging experiences and disseminating them to other cities (Part I Chapter 4)
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Institute of Mayors. The mayors' summits are a key function of the Institute of Mayors. They took place in 2002 in Zaragoza, 2004 Geneva, 2005 Bilbao, 2006 Istanbul, 2008 and 2010 Singapore (Part I Chapter 4)
•
Art and Innovation. The Fundacion Metropoli attaches great importance to cooperating with artists. They p lay a n a ctive p art i n project design and in the environment of the Fundacion Metropoli which curates exhibitions in
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Presentation of Bilbao at the World Expo of Shanghai 2010 designed by the Fundación Metropoli
Innovation (innovación): Ne w Ideas, New Projects The future-oriented spatial development strategies of the Fundacion Metropoli are devised by its 'Cities LAB'. The concept of 'Urban Project' constitutes the guiding principle of its projects driven by innovation. The Fundacion Metropoli draws on i ts re search (Part II) t o develop i ts strategic designs with sustainability in mind, often in cooperation with decision makers and local institutions. Together, they can resort to purpose-designed 'Agencies Zero' to turn them into reality. Part III (Chapters 7-10) is allocated to representative projects among the work of the
Fundacion Metropoli. The introductions to these chapters give an account of key research concepts and design principles and how t hey are being translated into projects. Projects are presented under the headings: • • • •
Regional Spatial Strategies (Part III Chapter 7) Eco-Developments (P art III Ch apter 8) Urban Innovation Clusters (Part III Chapter 9) Experimental Architecture (Part III Chapter 10).
A CAM event in the public realm designed by the Fundacion Metropoli
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
Incubation (incubacion): From Ideas to Reality Ideas and projects are legions. The question is why so few of them are being realised. The Fundacion Me tropoli became aware that i t had to invent new institutional structures to assist the passage from its ideas and projects to the material world and i t developed 'agencies z ero' t o assist this essential period of incubation.
1 INTRODUCTION 1.4 'INVESTIGATION - INNOVATION INCUBATION'
realisation of innovative ideas of public interest. Agencies Zero are vital at the very early stages when project ideas are being adopted for proposed schemes, while taking account of external constraints, such as existing planning systems, land ownership, or investment opportunities. The Fundacion Metropoli has been instrumental in creating and participating in innovative purposemade institutions, and public private partnerships, as we ll as in a ttracting green f unds and seed capital to implement its spatial strategies and experimental designs.
'Agencies Zero' are innovative institutions conceived by the Fundacion Metropoli to bridge the gap between visions of spatial development and their chances of realisation. Agencies Zero are action-oriented, dynamic bodies. They are instrumental in the start up of the strategic development process within a large spatial context. They have the capacity of conceptualising long term spatial transformations at a regional scale and to translate them into concrete 'urban projects' which are reconfiguring regional landscapes. An Agency Zero combines research, development and capital.1 It b rings together the knowledge base, of t he Fundacion Me tropoli, w ith green funds and seed capital supplied by a g roup of investors and institutional partners. This innovative procedure for a creative approach to spatial transformations consists of a layered process of institutional innovation. The 'Agency Zero' constitutes the umbrella organisation while other agencies are set up specifically for each project. An Agency Zero integrates leadership of public administration, research and design capacity of international centres of excellence, incubation, management and f inancial instruments into a single institutional framework and thereby constitutes a new instrument of innovative spatial development. Setting up 'agencies zero' as a means to starting up the implementation process is crucial for the
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From Ideas to reality. Ecocity of Sarriguren. Fundacion Metropoli
Ecocity of Sarriguren
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
2 22
UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.1 2.2 2.3 2.4 2.5 2.6 2.7
A WORLD OF CITIES THE RISE OF CITY REGIONS TOWARDS A GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE THE NEED FOR INNOVATION THE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY CITIES FOR, WITH AND BY PEOPLE INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE FOR ACTION
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
WITH ITS FOCUS ON CITIES, THE FUNDACION METROPOLI DEDICATES A LOT OF EFFORT TO UNDERSTANDING CITIES AND CITY REGIONS. AN IMPORTANT PART OF ITS ACTIVITIES IS ALLOCATED T O E STABLISHING A S OUND KNOWLEDGE B ASE ON W HICH T O RE ST I TS PROPOSALS OF CHANGING AND DEVELOPING THE HUMAN HABITAT. IN THE LIGHT OF CURRENT GEO-POLITICAL CHANGES IT DIRECTS ITS ATTENTION TO INNOVATION, SUSTAINABILITY AND GOVERNANCE TO ACHIEVE AN INTEGRATED COMPREHENSIVE PERSPECTIVE FOR ITS SPATIAL STRATEGIES AND TRANSFORMATIVE URBAN PROJECTS OF THE 21ST CENTURY.
Brasilia
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2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.1 A WORLD OF CITIES
2.1 A WORLD OF CITIES Relentless Urban Growth For the first time in human history the majority of people are living in cities and the urbanisation process is expected to pursue its relentless course. While world population is growing from 6.9 billion in 2010 to 8.3 billion in 2020, urban population is estimated at 3.5 billion in 2010. 59.7% of the world population is expected to live in cities by 2030 and 75% by 2050. Most of this growth is taking place in developing regions. During the next few decades
many new mega-cities over 10 million people and hyper-cities of over 20 million will emerge, while the bulk of new urban growth will t ake place in cities between 100,000 a nd 250,000 i nhabitants. Conversely, some cities are shrinking, mostly in developed and transitional regions. City transformations are overwhelming. The 186 million people living in cities over a million before 1950 have grown into one billion in 2000 and will reach 1.8 billion by 2025. Mega-cities of ten million and over increase twice as fast: from 23 million in 1950 to 229 million in 2000 and 447 million in 2025. By 2020, 24 cities will have over 10 million population, 43 between 5-10 million and 495 between 1-5 million. Europe, North America and Oceania led urbanisation in the 1950s, Latin America became mostly urban in the 1960s, and Asia is on its way, expected to re ach majorities of populations in cities by 2025 and Africa by 2030.2 Urban growth tends to concentrate in areas of poverty and deprivation, where in-migration is reinforcing it. Cities are conceived as integrators, but rapid urban growth in areas which are lacking infrastructure, ability to pay for urban facilities and services, and resilience to natural disasters have exacerbated the growth of slums and squat-
Shanghai
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.1 A WORLD OF CITIES
Paris. European city with history
Typical 20th century fast growing city with highrise CBD
New York is the forrunner of a skyscraper skyline
Squatter settlements amount to some 60% of abodes in the developing world
Skyscraper townscape
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Urban sprawl in the USA
ter settlements and sharpened spatial and human segregation. Declining cities are also facing polarisation, deprivation and anomie. Yet cities are here to stay, despite the rise of Innovation and CommunicationTechnology. More virtual communication technologies are accompanied by more face to face contacts, while changing the use of cities which have to adapt continuously to new technologies and evolve with and for people who are l iving, working, playing and l earning there.
Deficiencies Many cities are becoming increasingly unsustainable, p olarised a nd h ard t o g overn. Cl imate change, an essential environmental challenge, may have negative effects on cities, regarding access to water, exposure to flooding, landslides and other, often man induced disasters.3 In reverse, cities are adversely contributing to climate change, reflected in their unsustainable ecological footprints.4 Their prolific use of fossil fuels has facilitated urban sprawl and conditions the urban economy as a whole. The degree to which cities are responsible for heat trapping and green house gases is disputed and r anges f rom 75% t o 3040%,5 but buildings and urban transport are contributing the majority of city CO2 emissions and warrant mitigation. Cities have thus a collective responsibility to create more sustainable urban forms and uses of the physical fabric. Economic restructuring, shifting from production to services, casualisation of labour, increase of low paid, especially female workers and decline in public resources has been exacerbated by the current economic crisis, boosting the informal sector, urban poverty and inequality in the wake of mass unemployment. These phenomena have spatial repercussions, bringing about more fragmentation, segregation and exclusion. They are expressed in gated communities on the one hand and unplanned peri-urban growth, drawing heavily on the hinterland on the other hand. Weak institutions are accelerating urban degradation a nd l awlessness. The s hif t f rom government to governance had mitigated effects.
Many local governments are unable to cope with globalisation, multi-level contexts and involvement with non-state actors, the rise of market freedom and t he erosion of we lfare provision. Decentralisation of responsibilities and liabilities are supposed to increase participation, but rescaling is pushing decisions to city-region levels, at best in the form of multi-level collaboration. International migration is broadening ethnic minority groups, cultural r ichness and diversity. Conversely, i t a lso contributes t o income and employment inequalities, decline of social cohesion and adds to the complexity of cities which encounter greater difficulties in delivering consensus.
Toward a New Model of Urbanity Demographic, economic, socio-spatial and institutional f actors which are shaping 21 st century cities, together with the speed and vastness of urbanisation may defy the traditional model of urbanity. Urban concentrations are increasingly structuring and organising the world economy. Driving innovation and urban reform to become more competitive in the global economy cities and city-regions are gaining importance and hold a growing l eadership role. They are the avantgarde producers of knowledge and culture, but it is also their responsibility to prevent the gap of social segregation, economic inequality and environmental deterioration from widening. Giving coherent responses to these challenges and opportunities has become a central issue, not only for urban planners, but also for the economy, the environment, culture and society at large. All these changes re levant to stakeholders of urban development, planning and management point to the need of new thinking. Only thus is it possible to grasp the emerging notion of 'cityness' and to invent new relations between urban form and c ity l ife. The m ission o f t he Fu ndacion Metropoli is to contribute to a new understanding of cities and to prepare the ground for interventions toward positive change.
27
PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.2 THE RISE OF CITY REGIONS
2.2 THE RISE OF CITY REGIONS If c ities a re t o b ecome e ffective drivers of creative change - the mobilising f orces of t he new global order - they have to act in coherence with their wider context. This implies a c omplete o verhaul a nd reconfiguration o f p olicies a nd practices at city, regional, national and supra-national levels to cope with n ew p aradigms a nd s patial realities. City regions have emerged since the beginning of the century around the major cities in the world. With global urbanisation, metropolitan areas are devising integrated strategies of transportation, economic development and environmental protection in cooperation with neighbouring metropolitan areas. By building high speed rail networks, integrated with airports and regional transit links these mega-regions improve mobility and strengthen economic links between individual cities within polycentric networks.The constituent cities mobilise i nvestments s imultaneously i nto u rban regeneration, local economic development and environmental improvements to ensure the full contribution of every urban node to the competitiveness of their 'megapolitan' region.
America 2050 The USA have pioneered mega-regions and super-cities, c onceptualising t he Bo ston t o Washington region as a coherent whole in the North East already in the 1950s. To date, ten dynamic m ega-regions c ontrast w ith a reas o f poverty and decline elsewhere. For that reason, the National Committee for America 2050 is developing a national framework, using the existing mega-regions to set the context for future, large scale infrastructure investment and spatial coordination o f e conomic d evelopment w hich, together, should e nable America t o c apture sustainable opportunities and ensure its competitiveness. The Fu ndacion Me tropoli h as participated in the Initiative of the Regional Plan Association directed by Bob Yaro to study the characteristics o f American Su perCities.
Megacity regions of the USA Source: University of Pennsylvania
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Japan and China When Japan entered its breathtaking economic growth in the 1970s it spawned the movement of metabolic design which expanded cities underground, under water, onto reclaimed land, and into large metropolitan conglomerates within the Tokyo to Osaka Belt. Combining west and east traditional dualism with dynamic pluralism - in an increasingly nomadic world, Kisho Kurokawa who obtained an Award of Excellence from the Fundacion Metopoli proposed a better symbiosis between man and nature, based on metabolic concepts which he expressed in his ideas about cities and super-regions of the future, such as multimedia super-corridors. Comprehensive supra-regional development s trategies a re a lso proposed for the Pearl Delta with its unprecedented growth of cities in numbers and size.6
Kisho Kurokawa. Metabolism Project
Europe The only acknowledged mega-region capable of global competitiveness is the 'European Pentagon'. Its key cities - London, Paris, Hamburg,The Dutch Randstad, the 'Flemish Diamond' with Brussels, Antwerp and Breda, Munich and Milan - constitute the economic and productive heart of the European Union (EU). Covering 20% of the total EU area and concentrating 40% of its population it generates over 50% of EU gross domestic product (GDP). Other global mega-regions need to emerge to fulfil the stated aim of the European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP) w hich i s t o re duce spatial imbalances while including globally competitive concentrations. Polycentric city networks are proposed to establish stronger city-country relationships and promote sustainable, competitive development. In 2000, France adopted a new legal planning f ramework, the Law on Solidarity and Urban Regeneration7 to facilitate large scale regional development perspectives, joining up cities and the countryside into super-regional polycentric structures. In 1999, Germany also allocated a regional t erritorial dimension t o i ts networks of competitiveness and innovation to foster closer cooperation b etween i ndustry a nd re search. The answer of the Fundacion Metropoli is to build the southern European Diagonal.8 Mediterranean Europe has great e conomic dynamic until t he global economic crisis and can build on its outstanding natural and human resources. An initial network of cities is sharing their experiences of urban regeneration and sustainable spatial development a s a b asis f or f uture c ooperative projects at the meta-scale in the field of renewable energy generation, complementary regional and cross border polycentric cooperation and sustainable urban design adapted to a southern lifestyle, also across the Mediterranean.
29
PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.3 TOWARDS A GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE
2.3 TOWARDS A GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE Improving the human environment is a m assive t ask in t he l ight of the unprecedented transformations of cities and regions worldwide. It is clearly beyond individual urban thinkers and urban actors, no matter how powerful their position in their cities and regions. There is an urgent need to break down barriers between specialised and self-referential disciplines, professionals and institutions as they would benefit from creating knowledge together. Just as researchers, practitioners, policy makers, 'implementors' and civil society would benefit from creating and sharing information for the greater good, the developed and the developing world would be a t an advantage i n a n e quitable s ymbiosis t o b uild prosperous, s ustainable a nd i nclusive c ities throughout the world. Such knowledge creation and sharing has been the guiding principle of the Fundacion Metropoli since its inception. The Fundacion Metropoli takes up a deliberately global position to contribute to this enormous task. It therefore collaborates with a wide range of cities, universities, institutions and experts whose diverse contributions enrich its research, developments and design projects, as we ll as other programmes to foster urban excellence. To that effect the Fundacion Metropoli has established a number of Strategic Alliances with which it cooperates in different cities around the world. The aim is to create a global network of excellence for research, innovation and knowledge sharing as a contribution to progressive transformations of cities and regions. The Fundacion Metropoli set up CitiesHUB as the home for its Proyecto Cities research (elaborated in Chapter 3) initiated with twenty cities worldwide in 1997. It developed its own participative research methodology to identify the urban 'Clusters of Excellence' of these
30
cities in cooperation with universities and institutions specialised in urban affairs. The selected cooperative activities with these various strategic and knowledge partners are summed up Chapter 4 while t he v arious networks and cooperative partnerships t ogether w ith o ther 'a ctors' a re presented in Chapter 5.
UOC Network. Source: Fundacion Metropoli
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.4 THE NEED FOR INNOVATION
2.4 THE NEED FOR INNOVATION Many governments acknowledge the rising importance of cities and the crucial role of the most innovative among them in the national economy. By identifying the components and clusters of excellence of cities, city-regions and city networks the Fundacion Metropoli is able to discover the creative and innovative capacities on which to build their f uture development strategies. The Proyecto Cities research established that innovation takes place in clusters and through urban networks which share ideas and are experimenting together at the intersection of diverse urban interests. Such privileged urban spaces - a sort of acupuncture nodes - p rovide the setting for synergies and become potential hothouses of creativity and innovation. By understanding the specificities of innovative urban profiles cities can take advantage of their components of excellence t o c apture i nnova t ive p eople a nd institutions, advanced technologies, investment and artistic creativity. Cities around the world aspire to creative confluence and try to replicate the conditions which may have occurred spontaneously in such diverse places as Silicon Valley or artist colonies in dilapidated urban areas. Confronted with global competitiveness, a particular challenge for cities is to attract, nurture and retain creative talent. The Proyecto Cities methodology can assist them to identify the wide ranging conditions they have to f ulfil, encompassing 'hardware' - b uildings, infrastructure, public realm - as well as 'software' - people, cultural content, social connections. In this context, innovation applies to both product and process. In developing innovative products and services (content) cities may also have to innovate process (institutions) to secure the competitive a dvantage i n t he l onger t erm. One definition of innovation is to bring creative ideas to life, stressing the contribution of individuals and groups of people within organisations or cities
32
receptive to change.9 The Fundacion Metropoli introduced the interactive Urban Forum. In each particular city, it contributes to identify the urban profile of cities and, in particular, the pull factors and those constituting critical mass of innovative cities. This complex set of drivers reflects the role of human creativity in fostering competitive urban development. Innovation does not happen on its own in cities and requires specific spatial settings, an important object of innovation strategies.The Proyecto Cities research extended to measures adopted by cities with ambitions of global competitiveness. For that reason the Fundacion Metropoli compared innovation hubs driven by frontline science, research and technology with the ones which build on higher education and close links with the arts and the creative industries. It d iscovered that innovation of competitive cities was not confined to science and technology but encompassed in-
Digital and Design City. Fundacion Metropoli
Innovation is the Key to Sustainability novative institutions and rested increasingly on the contribution of environmental and cultural assets to quality of life. This led the Fundacion Metropoli to explore innovation according to the more comprehensive concept of 'urban ecosystems of innovation'. In its comparative study of Innovation Hubs,10 the Fundacion Metropoli found that cities which rely on innovation and wellbeing for their prosperity shared eight groups of innovation drivers: • science and technology; • property development; • culture - arts - media; • social cohesion - i nclusion - s tate we lfare; • sustainability - c are f or t he e nvironment; • governance - p roficient public i nstitutions; • education -l earning - s kill t raining; a nd • horizontal management - dynamic private institutions.
Clusters of components of excellence worldwide: IT employment, patents, venture capital. Source: Silicon Valley Index 2007
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.5 THE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY
2.5 THE PATH TO SUSTAINABILITY Research of the Fundacion Metropoli on the competitiveness of cities in the global economy shows the importance of the urban environment among its components of excellence and the growing attention cities attribute to their sustainability, not only for political but also for economic, social, cultural and environmental reasons. "Sustainable development is development that meets the needs of the present without compromising the ability of future generations to meet their own needs” is how t he Br undtland Commission11 defined sustainability. It goes beyond the environmental concept of the “finite resources of planet earth” of the Club of Rome12 and the systemic ecological preoccupations after the oil shocks of the early nineteen seventies. URBAN 2113 produced a global agenda for 21st century cities toward the new millennium, emphasising sustainable development. It implies a long term horizon with greater uncertainty and risk, interdependence between economic, social, and environmental factors, and moral re sponsibility o f human i nterventions. Sustainability is becoming an aspect of innovation and e conomic g rowth i tself. The Fu ndacion Metropoli cooperates with cities which consider sustainable development as a pull factor to attract innovative companies and a creative work force. In response to the debate on climate change they realise that longer term strategies for renewable energy and water management are objects of innovation in themselves, as well as assets of city marketing. For protagonists of sustainability, such as Herbert Girardet14 this means reducing the use of the private car and energy flows, local food supply and the establishment of set criteria for urban sustainability to compete for best environmental performance. Sustainability principles elaborated toward the knowledge based city in Europe15 encompassed high value added activities without squandering
34
resources; more qualitative t han quantitative growth, adaptable to rapidly changing wants and needs; better use of labour and skills by relaxing boundaries between 'job' and 'work', employment and training, unemployment and retirement; high quality urban environment (physical, cultural, social) sustained by devolved powers and resources; n o w asteful c ompetition b etween knowledge based cities for finite investment; a strategy for cooperation, specialisation, complementarity and coordination in t ime and space, relying on temporary allegiances between cities among themselves and between cities with other public - private and voluntary sectors; together with actions to nurture social life in the city and to tame explosive situations by avoiding racism, discrimination and exploitation. Sustainability principles are essential for the Fundacion Metropoli in its elaboration of spatial strategies and urban design, and its conceptions of eco-cities, eco-boulevards and eco-villages as sustainable design contributions to long term spatial development.
Requirement levels for air conditioning
Diagrams of orientation and natural ventilation for housing in the eco-city of Sarriguren
Angles of solar inclination Vertical and horizontal: basis for bioclimatic design
Bioclimatic architecture in the eco-city of Sarriguren
35
PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.6 CITIES FOR, WITH AND BY PEOPLE
2.6 CITIES FOR, WITH AND BY PEOPLE Decisions on innovation, sustainability and the future development of cities often involve long term programmes which require years of implementation. In representative democracies such decisions are delegated to elected politicians and possibly devolved to unelected administrators. Regardless of the competence of the various urban stakeholders, their actions affect the people who live, work, play and learn in cities. People may be alienated by remote decisions, although it is they who ultimately shape the identity, culture and economy of cities.The more complex the city, the greater the mix and change of those who use the city, including powerful vested interests. Far from being a simple product of economic forces and a locus of consumption, cities are constantly responding and adjusting to those who use the city, a f iendishly difficult t ask a s t hey a re not necessarily in agreement with each other and may well pursue different goals. Activism may be d iffuse a nd f ragmented b etween d ifferent interests and can also arise f rom the outside. Information technologies provides people with a powerful tool to exercise pressures in order to take part in the decision making process. This has undoubtedly contributed to the introduction of new governance with more inclusive citizen participation in both short term, small scale as well long range, strategic choices. For its Proyecto Cities research the Fundacion Metropoli is co-opting a broad spectrum of stakeholders t o t he Ur ban F orum, c onstituted i n cooperation with the city administration. It is also involving the most dynamic stakeholders in identifying the strengths and weaknesses of the urban profile. From this participatory process it derives the most promising priorities for the future of its city. People constitute a unique resource of cities and provide its knowledge base, top-down and bottom-up, intellectual and human, competitive and caring. In innovative cities a lively citizenry
36
is actively involved in their wellbeing. Moreover, those who participate in decision making tend to feel ownership for outcomes towards which they often invest themselves. A continuous dialogue with the recipients of flexible urban development strategies enables t he protagonists t o adjust them to changing circumstances, while preserving the guiding principles acquired by consensus. In a globalising world people benefit from greater mobility and are becoming increasingly footloose in their pursuit of opportunities. This enriches cities w ith g reater d iversity, a r ich s ource of innovation, but it also brings along challenges of polarisation, fragmentation, inequality and uncertainty.
Urban strategies need to become more responsive and able to remedy such adverse tendencies.They have to anticipate innovative opportunities, capable of accommodating a more diverse population and turning i t i nto a s ustainable c ity constituency. The p ublic re alm, where urban cultures mix and express t hemselves m ost v isibly assumes a powerful role in this process and becomes a cornerstone of sustainable urban policy.
2. UNDERSTANDING CITIES
37
PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
2 UNDERSTANDING CITIES 2.7 INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE FOR ACTION
2.7 INTEGRATING KNOWLEDGE FOR ACTION Perhaps the most challenging task of the Fundacion Metropoli is to combine all these strands of knowledge and experience from the diverse fields of innovation, sustainability, equitable governance and re ciprocal interaction between c ities and citizens and t o converge t hem into an a ctionoriented vision, capable of constant adaptation to unknown influences to achieve creative transformations of existing landscapes and townscapes. In this pursuit the Fundacion Metropoli is drawing on its global networks of excellence to evolve and change with them through continuous interaction between research, innovation, experimentation, feedback and adjustment. Its a pproach t o t he t ransition f rom i deas t o projects is t o work s imultaneously a t v arious scales and navigate between them when elaborating conceptual frameworks and principles for
Bilbao river front during industrial revolution
concrete proposals. This gives both context and sense to projects which, by definition, remain partial w hile f orming p art of a g reater w hole within a long term future. Moreover, the activities of the Fundacion Metropoli are future oriented, with a horizon for longer term strategies beyond the realisation of specific projects. An example is the constant interplay between spatial strategies for the Basque region as a whole and local transformative interventions, such as the Guggenheim e ffect i n Bi lbao w hich s tarted t he gradual regeneration of the entire industrial waterfront by means of continuous and new strategic interventions. For the Fundacion Metropoli it is thus a m atter of never s tanding s till, s eeking inspiration from outstanding events worldwide, and i ncorporating k nowledge s hared w ith i ts global network of excellence into innovative spatial strategies and transformative projects.
Bilbao’s urban revolution: river walk today
38
Bilbao in a continuous process of innovation Proposal to transform an existing non decript building into a cultural attraction with an interactive screen and connections to the public realm around it. Fundacion Metropoli
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
3 40
PROYECTO CITIES™ 3.1 3.2 3.3 3.4 3.5 3.6 3.7
LEARNING FROM CITIES PROYECTO CITIES NETWORK PROYECTO CITIES METHODOLOGY URBAN PROFILE AND CITY FORUM COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENCE CLUSTERS OF EXCELLENCE, CRITICAL PRIORITIES, STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS SELECTED PROYECTO CITIES FINDINGS PHILADELPHIA, BOSTON,TORONTO, CURITIBA, DUBLIN, SYDNEY, SANTIAGO DE CHILE, SINGAPORE
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
THE MOMENTOUS TRANSFORMATIONS CITIES ARE F ACING IN THE NEW GLOBAL ECONOMY LED THE FUNDACION METROPOLI TO INITIATE THE PROYECTO CI TIES RESEARCH IN 1997 I N COOPERATION WITH 20 CITIES AND 20 UNIVERSITIES FROM FIVE CONTINENTS (CHAPTER 5). RESPONDING TO SHARED CHALLENGES CITIES JOINED PROYECTO CITIES FORMALLY TO COMPARE THEIR PRINCIPAL URBAN INNOVATIONS WITH FOCUS ON THEIR METROPOLITAN FORM AND CITY-REGION STRUCTURE TO IDENTIFY THEIR COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES. PROYECTO CITIES IS A KEY ACTIVITY OF THE FUNDACION METROPOLI TOWARDS KNOWLEDGE CREATION A ND S HARING (S EE CH APTER 4 F OR OTHER INITIATIVES).
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3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.1 LEARNING FROM CITIES
3.1 LEARNING FROM CITIES Underlying this project is the belief that the capacity of cities to learn is a key competitive advantage.The best urban endeavours are bridging theory and practice. Reaching beyond t raditional u rbanism t hey maintain interactive relations with all participants.Their common pursuit i s t o s urpass c onventional thoughts and to detect new alternatives adapted to present times. Many c ity n etworks h ave b een s et up t o t hat effect. What distinguishes Proyecto Cities is the challenge to apply a common research methodology to a global coverage and to a great diversity of participating cities in terms of urban profile, location, history, stage of development and culture. This should enable them to identify and act upon their 'clusters of excellence' believed to constitute their unique competitive advantage in a f ast moving global economy. Coordinated by the Fundacion Me tropoli, t he Proyecto Ci ties research is supported by networks of different institutions, city leaders, urban administrations, the business community, as well as universities and research institutions located in these cities, which a re a ctively i nvolved i n d evelopment projects, together with individual experts advising these cities. These diverse networks of participants e nable t he re search t o d raw o n b oth academic contributions and practical experiences and to combine quantitative with qualitative aspects in t he pursuit of identifying t he overall 'DNA' of the cities and their capacity to innovate.
In the f irst instance, the Fundacion Me tropoli initiated close cooperation with eight cities and associated academic institutions to analyse their competitive advantages and give exposure t o their urban innovations. Serving as model and inspiration for future city research, this network evolved into the Proyecto Cities research. Subsequently, some twenty cities were studied in depth with the methodology developed by the Fundacion Metropoli in cooperation with its city partners. The same approach is used in cities and regions with which the Fundacion Metropoli is elaborating new urban projects. The findings are providing continuous feedback for new departures of the Fundacion Metropoli, with emphasis on ecological principles and design for innovation. Many of them are disseminated in publications produced by the Fundacion Metropoli. The Fundacion Me tropoli e xtended 'Le arning from Cities' to city-regions, laying the ground for its conceptual position elaborated more theoretically in 'Territorios Inteligentes' and 'Urban Ecosystems of Innovation' (PART II).These core reflections a re p roviding t he c onceptual f rameworks f or 'T he Eu ropean Di agonal' a nd 'Mediterraneo_TECs' (Part II) a nd are guiding other urban projects and regional development strategies (Part IIII).
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.2 PROYECTO CITIES NETWORK
3.2 PROYECTO CITIES NETWORK Besides the initial development of the research methodology, the Proyecto Cities network of the Fundacion Me tropoli o rganises m any events to exchange f indings with participant c ities, a nd i nviting newcomers to join. Other cities have decided to apply the Proyecto Cities methodology as well and provide feedback on their findings to the c ity network. Their e mpirical evidence assists in continuously adapting the methodology to new challenges and to enrich the actionoriented approach of the Fundación Metrópoli to urban development.
20 cities of Proyecto Cities network
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The Proyecto Cities network encompasses Barcelona (Sp ain), Bo rdeaux (F rance), Bo ston (USA), Bucharest (Romania), Los Cabos (Baja California Sur, Mexico) , Cebu City (Philippines), Curitiba (Brazil), Dakar (Senegal), Dubai (United Arab Emirates), Dublin (Ireland), Euskal Hiria (Basque city region, Spain), Hong Kong (China), Lisbon (Portugal), Ma drid (Sp ain), Ma rseille (France), Medellin (Colombia), Mi ami (USA), Milan (It aly), Monterrey (Mexico), Montevideo (Uruguay), Philadelphia (USA), Riyadh (Saudi Arabia), Santiago de Chile (Chile), Santo Domingo (Dominical Republic), Shanghai (China), Singapore, Sydney (Australia),Toronto (Canada), Windhoek (Nam ibia), Ca sablanca (Morocco), Elche (Spain). New cities are joining continuously and besides cities, the Proyecto Cities network has also attracted universities to participate in its research (Chapter 5.5.2).
PARTICIPATING UNIVERSITIES HARVARD UNIVERSITY, UNIVERSIDADE LIVRE DO MEIO AMBIENTE, UNIVERSITY COLLEGE DUBLIN, UNIVERSIDAD DEL PAIS VASCO, UNIVERSIDAD DE DEUSTO, UNIVERSIDAD PONTIFICIA BOLIVARIANA, UNIVERSITY OF MIAMI, PONTIFICIA UNIVERSIDAD CATOLICA DE CHILE, UNIVERSIDAD DE LA REPUBLICA DE MONTEVIDEO, INSTITUTE TECNOLOGICO Y DE ESTUDIOS SUPERIORES DE MONTERREY, UNIVERSITY OF HONG KONG, UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYLVANIA, SHANGHAI ACADEMY OF SOCIAL SCIENCE, UNIVERSITY OF SYDNEY, RYERSON POLYTECHNIC UNIVERSITY TORONTO, UNIVERSITY OF THE PHILIPPINES IN CEBU , RAMON ABOITIZ FOUNDATION, UNIVERSITY OF NEW SOUTH WALES. STRATEGIC PARTNERS UNIVERSITY OF PENNSYL VANIA (PENN), EISENHOWER FELLOWSHIPS (EF), URBAN LAND INSTITUTE (ULI), INTERNATIONAL SOCIETY OF CITY AND REGIONAL PLANNERS (ISOCARP), PARTNERS FOR LIVABLE COMMUNITIES (PLC), ARAB URBAN DEVELOPMENT INSTITUTE (AUDI), UNIVERSITY CITY SCIENCE CENTER (UCSC) 45
PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.3 PROYECTO CITIES METHODOLOGY
3.3 PROYECTO CITIES METHODOLOGY The purpose of the Proyecto Cities methodology is to identify the 'components of excellence' of each participating city and derive 'clusters of excellence' w hich contain t he c ity's g reatest potential of innovation. They encompass social, economic and environmental criteria, together with urban components with their impacts on the physical form of the city.The methodology produces a synthesis between the 'Urban Profile' of a city and expert assessments devised by its 'Urban Forum'.The 'Urban Profile' combines an objective compilation of 100 urban indicators and criteria with critical cartography, space syntax analysis, and regional as well as global context research. Alongside, the 'Urban Forum' is set up specifically by each city in cooperation with the Fundacion Metropoli. It consists of local urban stakeholders who evaluate and ponder the urban indicators to
derive the 'components of excellence' of the city, and whose expert assessments of strengths, deficits and priorities identify 'clusters of excellence': privileged places of intervention and change. The synthesis of all these findings constitutes the 'c ity-specific DNA' w hich quantifies a nd qualifies its ability to innovate in order to compete and cooperate in the global economy. Overall, the Proyecto Cities methodology combines empirical factors with practical experience to provide an inclusive understanding of the quantitative and qualitative assets of cities which are assisting them to re alise their innovative potential. The Proyecto Ci ties methodology is being refined continuously and used in all the real-life projects initiated by the Fundacion Metropoli in Europe, North Africa, Asia and Latin America.
PROYECTO CITIES URBAN PROFILE
CITY FORUM
CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY
URBAN INDICATORS
Scale
Physical
Intensity
Economic
Morphology
Demographic
Cohesion
Social
Nature
Cultural
Innovation
Housing
Connectivity
Environment
EXPERT OPINIONS (Interviews)
COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENCE
CLUSTER Excellence
ADN SYNTHESIS
46
URBAN FACTORS (Interviews)
Priority
Deficits
BASIC RESEARCH CITY-FORUM
CRITICAL CARTOGRAPHY
URBAN INDICATORS
INTERNATIONAL CONTEXT
SPACE SYNTAX
CLUSTER OF EXCELLENCE COMPONENT 1
COMPONENT 1
COMPONENT 1
COMPONENT N
STRATEGIC PROJECTS IN THE REGIONAL INTEREST
BOARD INITIAL NUCLEUS
COLLABORATING INSTITUTIONS
CITY
A3
CITY
UCSC University City Science Center
FUNDACIÓN METROPOLI
CITY
A2
CITY
A2
Project Development
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
CITY
CITY
CITY
CITY
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
Local Authorities Universities City Forum
CITY
6
3
...
4
X
CITY
5
2
A3
A1
1
ASSOCIATE CITIES
WEN Wharton Export Network
IAC International Advisory Council
A1
ASSOCIATE CITIES
University of Pennsylvania GSFA
EEF Eisenhower Exchange Fe llowships
PROJECT SPONSORS
GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.4 URBAN PROFILE AND CITY FORUM
3.4 URBAN PROFILE AND CITY FORUM Operationally, the methodology consists of two interdependent parts, the Urban Profile and the City Forum, with their constituent parts of critical cartography, urban indicators, questionnaires and structured interviews, open exchange of opinion, components of excellence, synthesised into clusters of excellence as the foundation of policies to e xploit s trengths, mitigate deficits and s et priorities for urban intervention.
relations between different parts of the city, as well as the distribution of urban activities. Critical cartography is also used to represent non physical factors, such as demographic, social and economic c haracteristics, a nd t o v isualise t heir spatial distribution, cohesion, inequalities and fragmentation a t a g lance. The d iagrammatic nature of these graphics is able to project a synthetic perception of essential urban f eatures, highlighting both assets and constraints.
The Urban Profile includes the international context of the city, together with urban indicators characterising the physical structure, economy, demography, society, culture, housing and environment of the city. Encompassing data in the public domain and trend extrapolations, the urban indicators provide objective measurements which substantiate the urban reality of each city. The space syntax approach developed by University College London is used to analyse connectivity. Critical cartography perfected by the Fundacion Metropoli represents scale, intensity, morphology, cohesion, nature, innovation and connectivity of the city, with special a ttention t o physical a ttributes a nd l ocation of i nnovative a ctivities.
The interactive City Forum involves up to f ifty representative key players of the respective cities. They prioritise and weigh some 180 relevant urban factors by means of questionnaires and structured interviews and rank order urban innovations which encompass economic, socio-cultural, governance and environmental aspects. From these overall inputs they derive the city's 'components of excellence'. During brainstorming sessions they identify strengths and deficits of the city and extrapolate the city's synergetic 'clusters of excellence', with the aim of setting priorities to make the city truly competitive in a globalising world. Urban elements and their cohesive groupings selected by them are subjected to a more comprehensive weighted interpretation in the form of matrices and scattergrams, while comparative critical cartography captures mutual relations between physical form and overall s tructure of t he c ity, i ts e conomic competitiveness, socio-cultural cohesion and environmental sustainability.
More specifically, critical cartography produces a set of interpretative graphics with synthetic building blocks as a contribution to the understanding of the underlying structure of cities and their metropolitan regions. The aim of these representations is to reveal structural and spatial Society
Employment and immigration
Level of Excellence
City’s capacity to generate employment
6,8
Job quality and wage levels
Level of social acceptance of immigrants Level of control of immigrants
Example of pondering components of excellence. Madrid
2
4
8
10
21,2%
8,6
21,0 % 6
25,7 %
7,8
20,2 %
3,7 0
28,4 %
7,4
23,2 %
4,9
23,8 %
6,9
23,2 %
4,2
20,8 %
7,6
30,0 %
4,0
City’s capacity to respond to the needs of inmigrants
CD 8,6
29,4 % 6,8
Professional qualifications of immigrants
Level of Priority
18,5 %
5,7
City’s capacity to attract international inmigration
48
CD
20,21%
7,1 0
2
4
6
8
35,6 % 10
3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.5 COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENCE
3.5 COMPONENTS OF EXCELLENCE Technically, members of the City Forum value from 0 to 10 the level of excellence of each particular component (out of some 180 i ndicators grouped into f unctional blocks). They a lso a ttribute priorities from levels 0 to 10 on which the city should focus its actions for the future in their view. What is understood by 'components of excellence' are the elements which are considered exceptionally attractive, or outstandingly successful in their city f rom an economic, sociocultural or environmental point of view. They include urban components related to the physical structure of the city. These 'components of excellence' can be historic centres, residential areas including public housing, university campuses, new business districts, science-parks, public transport systems, airports, urban i nfrastructure, c ycling a nd p edestrian
routes, green belts, prominent natural features, waterfronts, or urban open spaces, landmarks which influence the image of the city, unique urban designs, programmes of environmental sustainability, as well as organisational and technological innovations, and e ven intangible but e fficient elements of the city's social architecture.
From this combination of empirical and expert knowledge the Fundacion Metropoli proposes 'clusters of excellence' and strategic development priorities as a b asis of innovative competitive policy formulation and urban design strategies.
Matrix of Excellence. Priority
Example of matrix of excellence showing the key attributes with transformation potential
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3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.6 CLUSTERS OF EXCELLENCE, CRITICAL PRIORITIES, STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS
3.6 CLUSTERS OF EXCELLENCE, CRITICAL PRIORITIES, STRATEGIC INTERVENTIONS Once the City Forum has reached consensus on the 'components of excellence' it contributes to the grouping of 'components of excellence' into synergetic 'clusters of excellence' from which to derive new development opportunities and innovative actions. These selective and interrelated sets of 'components of excellence' within the city are, or have the potential to be, the basis of its competitive advantage and the key to its success. They are also used as comparative reference to assess the innovative capacity of the city in an international context.
In some cities, the 'components of excellence' are already a t angible reality, in others they exist only as ideas, or have yet to be invented. They are recognisable components which present exceptional opportunities a nd c ould l ead t o t he development of a unique or rejuvenated 'c luster o f e xcellence', capable of generating competitive advantages within the city's particular context. Such a c omprehensive analytical assessment enables the researchers to detect convergence and divergence of opinions regarding specific issues, and to calculate averages of importance which t he whole m embership of t he Forum i s attaching to these themes. These findings point to perceptions of t he city's s trengths, critical deficits and basic priorities, from where strategic directions are devised. The symbiosis of all the inputs generated with the Proyecto Cities research methodology results in an unique profile for each city, the city-specific
50
'DNA'. A c omparison b etween c ity-specific 'DNAs' reveals the relative strategic position of the cities among them. Thirteen years of Proyecto Cities research has produced some useful findings on cities in ascendance. What t hey h ave i n c ommon a re 'components of excellence' which are 'necessary' to sustain and extend their competitiveness. What distinguishes them from each other are the 'components of excellence' over and above the ones they share. These 'sufficient' components stem from the specificities of each city. They form an essential part of city-specific 'clusters of excellence', the building blocks of strategic options for the future which assist the city to operate as an effective ecosystems of innovation capable of enhancing the city's competitiveness. Due to uniqueness of context, time-specific intervention, a nd s ize o f i nnovative c ities a f inite combination of 'necessary' and 'sufficient' conditions of innovative 'competitiveness' is unlikely. Nevertheless, lessons can be drawn from the strategies and actions which underpin the success of cities, derived from the way and at what scale they are constituting clusters of excellence. What is relevant is how they may operate as 'ecosystems of innovation' (discussed in Chapter 7).
3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.7 SELECTED PROYECTO CITIES FINDINGS
3.7 SELECTED PROYECTO CITIES FINDINGS A few examples are presented to show the diversity of findings which the Proyecto Cities methodology has brought to light. While such findings cannot become models for direct application they can provide lessons for cities towards their policies to regenerate themselves and adopt innovative strategies to improve their competitiveness.
PHILADELPHIA BOSTON TORONTO CURITIBA DUBLIN SIDNEY SANTIAGO DE CHILE SINGAPORE 51
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3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.7 SELECTED PROYECTO CITIES FINDINGS
3.7.1 PHILADELPHIA
3.7.2 BOSTON
City Reinventing Itself
Knowledge City
The city of Philadelphia relies on a long tradition of innovative planning. After a long decline since the second world war the city took decisive measures to modernise itself and become competitive in the knowledge society. A key strategy was to foster the creative industries to achieve a high living standard. Building on its concentration of universities and a rts institutions i t mobilised scientific and historic research to revitalise the city and undertake strategic projects, such as the Avenue of the Arts, the regeneration of the historic centre, t he refurbishment of t he historic dockyards and the reuse of the New Delaware harbour area. The prominence attributed to the arts provides an international reference.
Metropolitan Boston is recognised as one of the most important research and technology hubs in the world. The presence of top universities Harvard and MIT in particular - and their entrepreneurial spirit beyond basic research has led to the clustering of technology companies along 'Route 128'.The city has been very successful in retaining the talent it attracts due in part to the quality of universities and of the urban life it offers. Industrial conversion, new t echnologies, highly qualified citizens, far sighted political, economic and urban development and planning have given rise to an attractive, modern and dynamic city. The experience o f Bo ston's t ransformation f rom a n o ld industrial town to a City of Knowledge is an important international reference.
Philadelphia
Boston
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3.7.3 TORONTO
3.7.4 CURITIBA
Cosmopolitan Cohabitation
Ecological Capital of Brazil
Metropolitan Toronto is a b alanced mosaic of cultures, and exudes a confident cosmopolitanism. This e conomic and cultural v ibrancy and diversity is the result of deliberate choices. The city created the first metropolitan government in North America. In 1998 a 'n ew' City of Toronto was created to respond to the necessities of the changing demands of metropolitan governance. The new Of ficial Toronto Plan, which was approved in November 2002, articulates a collective vision for the future of the city based on a broad public dialogue. The involvement of people in key strategies of the city acts as international reference.
Widely recognised and praised as the most ecological city of Brazil, Curitiba's success is the result of its commitment to strategic, integrated urban management, and its strong and creative municipal leadership with the capacity to implement a sustainable planning vision. Curitiba has become an international reference for sustainable urban development, with a commitment to environmental quality, social balance, job creation and economic competitiveness. Yet, the city's greatest success is its ability to creatively and efficiently approach urban development as an integrated and inter-connected process, guiding and informing all aspects of the city's urban and regional management. The Proyecto Cities research in Curitiba was developed in collaboration with the Universidad Li vre do Meio Ambiente (Unilivre).The prominence of environmental sustainability in a city with limited resources is an international exemplar.
Toronto
Curitiba
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3 PROYECTO CITIES 3.7 SELECTED PROYECTO CITIES FINDINGS
3.7.5 DUBLIN
3.7.6 SYDNEY
Silicon Valley of Europe
The Olympic Effect
In the 1980s Ireland underwent a dramatic economic renaissance, led by the capital of the 'Celtic Tiger' where a t hird of the national population was concentrated. Location in the EU, tax incentives a nd a h ighly t rained, motivated English speaking workforce were instrumental in attracting foreign investment into the targeted sectors of information technology, financial services and pharmaceuticals. The economic transformation of Metropolitan Dublin reversed the Irish brain drain, reduced unemployment and changed the image of t he c ity. Ne w prosperity confronted Dublin w ith new planning challenges: l ack of affordable housing, traffic congestion and urban sprawl. Pro-active urban planning aimed to create sustainable, liveable, attractive urban and economic spaces by unifying nodes of physical and social segregation. How rapid, city driven economic growth is able to withstand international economic recession provides an international reference.
The 2000 Olympic Games in Sydney were characterised by an environmental consciousness that demonstrated to the world how the Games can physically t ransform a c ity but also forge new public a ttitudes t owards t he f uture. The ambitious and imaginative Green Games were based on the 'Sustainable Sydney’ programme for the entire metropolitan region. The Games served as an opportunity for innovations in waterfront development and urban design which extended Sydney's magnificent natural setting and its growing economic and cultural stature into a re vitalised urban v ision f or t he f uture. Sydney's sustainable performance is a reference for future Olympic cities.
Dublin
Sydney
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3.7.7 SANTIAGO DE CHILE
3.7.8 SINGAPORE
Context Conscious Competitive City
Tropical City of Excellence
In Sa ntiago, i t i s difficult t o e scape f rom t he presence of landscape and geography.The Andes mountains, the Mapucho r iver and the Pacific Coast a re t remendous natural re sources t hat offer tourism, recreational potential and quality of life. Along with the quality of educational and economic facilities, financial services and recent political stability, Santiago has become an internationally competitive city and one with the most promising urban and economic profile in Latin America. Chile's Urban and Regional Reform Plan aims to create and secure both quality of urban life for all citizens and to develop cities and regions which can compete on the international level. The regional perspective acts as an international reference.
As a city-state, Singapore is vulnerable but has the capacity to respond in an agile manner to global economic trends. Initially, the Singapore economy has evolved from logistic and trading activities to manufacturing and industry. In the 1980s, t he e conomy d iversified t oward v alueadded high-technology and services. Today, Singapore is committed to reinvent itself to compete in the knowledge economy and to excel in the creative economy. The process involves not only new economic, education and social policies, but also a n ew urban vision for the city-state as a sustainable place to live, work, play and learn. The latest transformation is the One North initiative which accommodates the most advanced economic activities, higher education while rescuing some of the cultural heritage of Singapore. The way to combine the requirements of the most technologically advanced e conomic a ctivities with cultural e lements of quality of l ife a re a reference internationally.
Santiago de Chile
Singapore
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
4 56
KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.1
4.2
SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS INTERNATIONAL PLANNING WORKSHOP EUSKAL HIRIA CONGRESSES INITIATIVES WITH PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS: ISOCARP FUNDACION METROPOLI: SCIENTIFIC/KNOWLEDGE PARTNER IN SINGLE EVENTS CATALUNYA CALIFORNIA 25 YEARS OF DEMOCRATIC MUNICIPALITIES IN SPAIN INNOVATIVE CITIES AND REGIONS, MADRID TERRITORIOS 21, LA RIOJA DIGITAL PLACES @ BARCELONA DIGITAL CITIES @ VITORIA WORLD SUMMIT OF CITIES AND REGIONS
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
THE FUND ACION METROPOLI IS AN 'INTELLECTUAL CAPITAL INSTITUTION' WHICH ASPIRES TO CONTRIBUTE TOTHE INNOVATION AND DEVELOPMENT OF CITIES AND REGIONS FROM A GLOBAL PERSPECTIVE. IT AIMS TO ACHIEVE ITS GOAL THROUGH KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING, THE KEY TO INNOVATION IN I TS VIEW. THUS THE FUNDACION METROPOLI IS PRO ACTIVE IN CREATING STRA TEGIC P ARTNERSHIPS FOR I TS INNOVATIVE URBAN PROJECTS BY HA RNESSING ITS EXTENSIVE NETWORK OF INSTITUTIONAL, STRATEGIC AND KNO WLEDGE PARTNERS WHICH COMPRISE AN INCREASING NUMBER OF CI TIES, UNIVERSITIES AND OTHER RESEARCH INSTITUTIONS. THE INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL OF THE FUNDACION METROPOLI AND ITS GROWING NUMBER OF ALUMNI FORM ALSO PART OF ITS GLOBAL NETWORK OF EXCELLENCE (SEE CHAPTER 5). INTERACTION WITH THESE NETWORKS IS CONTRIBUTING SIGNIFICANTLY TO THE REFINEMENT OF DIFFERENT PROGRA MMES AND ACTIVITIES OF THE FUNDACION METROPOLI. IN I TS PURSUI T OF COSMOPOLI TAN AND INTERDISCIPLINARY ACTIVITIES THE FUNDACION METROPOLI INITIATES VENTURES WITH O THER REGION AL AND INTERNATIONAL ORGANISATIONS, EITHER AS PERIODIC EVENTS TO KEEP ABREAST WITH CURRENT ISSUES, OR AS ONE-OFF INTERA CTIONS TO WHICH I T INVI TES OUTSTANDING PROTAGONISTS TO SHOWCASE THEIR LATEST IDEAS. 58
4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.1 SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS
4.1 SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS 4.1.1 International Pl anning Workshops The Fundacion Metropoli has been sponsoring y early e ducational workshops for post graduate students. These international workshops, c oncentrating o n l arge scale, supra regional development processes, were often hosted a t the Ecobox (Chapter 10). Their aim is to bridge theory and practice. Compressed in time and highly interactive they enable the students to learn from interdisciplinary interaction in new places with unfamiliar cultures. Led by a c osmopolitan t eam these workshops open up fresh insights, challenge conventional thinking and generate alternatives, sometimes consolidated in publications.
2009 Sydney International Urban Design Studio on Eco-Cities in cooperation with the University of New South Wales 2009 London Landscape Urbanism in Alicante: The Future of the Port of Alicante organised by the Architectural Association London 2009 Casablanca The European Diagonal, Extension to North Africa: The Casablanca Rabat Corridor in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania and participants from Ecole Superieure d'Architecture de Casablanca, INAU Rabat, EAC/ENA Rabat, City of Rabat, City of Casablanca
International Planning Workshops, sessions held in the Atrium of the Ecobox
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.1 SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS
2008 Valencia and Madrid
2005 Madrid
The Mediterranean Diamond in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania and staff from the University of Southern California, the Architectural Association, Polytecnico di Milano, Glasgow and Clyde Valley St ructure Pl an, Ci tyScope Europe
Reinventing the Megalopolis, America 2050 in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania and staff from Georgia Technology, University of Delft, Texas A&M University, Bartlett School of Planning UCL, Universidad de Valladolid, Glasgow and Cl yde Valley St ructure Pl an, Atlanta Regional Commission, Regional Plan Association
2008 London Landscape Urbanism in Sitges: Information Hubs organised by the Architectural Association London 2007 Madrid Building the European Diagonal in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania and staff from the Polytecnico di Milano, the Architectural Association London, Bartlett School of Planning UCL, Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan, Euromed Ma rseille, Ge neralitat de Ca talunya 2006 Madrid Planning the Mega-Region, the Role of Super Cities in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania, University of Michigan, University of Texas at Austin, University of Delft, Bartlett School of Planning UCL, Glasgow and Clyde Valley Structure Plan, City-Region of Arnhem-Nijmegen, International Society of City and Regional Planners, Generalitat de Catalunya
2002 Granada Urban Design Studio on Knowledge City Granada in cooperation with the University of Pennsylvania, the City of Granada, the University of Granada 2001 Bilbao Vision of the Basque Country: Art, Urban Space, Multimedia with the participation of Multimedia Development Corporation Malaysia, One Academy of Communication Design, Asia New Broadcasting 1998 Santander Visions for the Future of the Bay of Santander in cooperation with Oxford Brookes University, Instituto Universitario d'Architettura di Venezia, École d'Ar chitecture d e Bre tagne, Re nnes, Kunstakademiets Arkitektskole, København, CEU San Pablo, Madrid, Universidad de Navarra, Pamplona, Universidad de Cantabria, Santander
International Planning Workshops held in the multifunctional space of the Ecobox
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Scenes from the International Planning Workshops at the Ecobox
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.1 SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS
4.1.2 Euskal Hiria Congresses The Fundacion Me tropoli has a l ong s tanding agreement to organise Euskal Hiria Congresses in cooperation with the Basque Government to debate planning issues of the Basque Country and to get acquainted with the most innovative European experiences of relevance to the Basque urban and regional development process.The aim of the congresses is to generate debates between professionals, institutions, interest groups and individuals concerned with their built environment. Each year a specific aspect of relevance to the network of the three provincial capitals of the Basque country is selected to broaden the international outlook of these cities.
2010 Sp aces i n Trans formation, i n Sa n Sebastian Our autonomous region undergoes similar spatial, social and economic transformations as those San Sebastián
Bilbao
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experienced internationally, as we live the same historic moment of rapid and continuous change. Both the various sectoral policies initiated by our institutions, such as crucial infrastructure projects, and the trends brought about by globalisation, such as new lifestyles and new socioeconomic aspirations are influencing our spatial structures and have to be taking into account in our spatial planning strategies. Moreover, it is useful to be aware of international experiences and best practices which have generated positive urban transformation processes and to draw lessons for our own spatial development objectives. These pressing current issues provide the context of the IX Eu skal Hiria event which will address spatial transformation processes occurring of our autonomous region and will draw on international experiences to inform our multi-sectoral perspective of issues likely to affect the future of our infrastructure, l andscapes, h ousing a nd m obility.
Vitoria
2009 Spatial Planning and Innovation, in Bilbao The complex international context which has triggered the global economic crisis has shaken the foundations of contemporary societies and gave rise to reflections about which values societies needed to cope with in the future. Cities play a crucial role in these choices as they form the physical framework for new economic and social directions. Innovation is indispensable to overcome the current structural deficiencies of the economy and the social values underlying it, as t hey a re supposed t o provide a c onducive environment for better social relations. The congress e xplored t he r ole of i nnovation i n t his process a nd t he qualitative a nd s ustainable characteristics cities could contribute to attract innovative activities and assist their success.
Bilbao
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.1 SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS
2008 Regional Development, Innovation and Climate Change, in Vitoria Gasteis16
interests, a wide range of opinions and sensitivities around a common objective.The development process in such a situation is evolving fast alongside r apid s ocial c hange, a nd n ew p lanning methodologies need to be devised to respond adequately to such changing situations. In t he Basque country, landscapes are at the centre of such new approaches and they constituted the key subject of this congress.
The deep and global economic crisis has concrete repercussions on cities, but it also provides the opportunity to rethink current development processes a nd i magine a lternative f utures. Space and its development potential is of great value to society as it is vital to accommodate its activities, a s we ll a s i ts c ulture, h istory a nd values. This congress was dedicated t o such visions of a better future and the role of spatial strategies and the transformation of the physical environment. It included the role of innovation to attract new talent to lead the economies of the f uture. The role of cities in mitigating the adverse effects of climate change were the other major issue.
2007 New Scales of Regional Planning, in San Sebastian Cities and regions are organic and dynamic entities, akin to societies. While they are becoming more competitive t hey a lso develop a g reater awareness of their environment and its values. The re lation b etween c ity a nd countryside i s changing in many parts of the world and have led to new development processes. In particular, the scale of intervention has changed and created city-regions, new metropolitan areas, and networked spaces with nodes where people, goods and information circulate. These transformations into new urban structures provide the opportunity to incorporate principles of sustainability into their development strategies. The congress focused on these larger urban scales in reflecting on new conceptual models of spatial development.
2006 Landscapes of the Basque Country, in Bilbao The increased attention attributed to landscapes is putting new demands on the professions of the built environment. Understanding their characteristics, their needs and their potentials becomes increasingly important when planning new, and increasingly large scale interventions. Such development strategies have repercussions on whole city-regions which encompass diverse and complex forces to contend with, including sectoral
64
2005 Spatial Planning and Sustainability, in Vitoria Gasteiz Spatial development is in constant flux, responding t o c hanging d emands o f a s ociety w hich evolves rapidly in an uncertain environment. Spatial development of the Basque country is driven by instruments laid down in its legislation, expressed in a series of complementary plans. In this context the congress focused on two objectives: t he re-e valuation o f t he e ight y ear o ld development plan in view of the sustainability imperative, and the improvement of planning at the municipal level in the light of strategic objectives incorporated in the development plan, with particular attention to the environment.
2004 Sp aces f or a Ne w So ciety, i n Sa n Sebastian The constant and profound changes which societies underwent since the beginning of the 21 st century affect many parts of urban life.The cities which provide the setting of human activities are experiencing new demands which bring about unprecedented problems and opportunities. Traditional instruments may no longer suffice and need continuous reappraisal which could inspire the professionals to change their attitudes and adopt new processes and techniques. The development and management of a complex region like the Basque country requires constant openness toward new spatial development perspectives. Within this broad context, this congress focused on the role of infrastructure as the key element of spatial development, the integration of specific development projects i nto a c oherent overall environment, and the need to regenerate obsolete spaces to identify the key components which will shape the spaces for a new society.
2003 Places and Flows for Sustainable Development, in Bilbao The autonomous Basque region has elaborated a complex set of spatial development plans to achieve a more balanced, attractive, competitive and sustainable region with the aim to improve the quality of life of its citizens and to hand a better environment to future generations. Underlying this spatial strategy is the concept of cityregion, composed of the three major cities constituting a balanced and well structured urban network. The emphasis of this congress was on how to achieve overall sustainability in the spatial development process. 2002 Spatial Strategy for the 21st Century, in Bilbao A new culture of spatial planning has emerged in Europe. It was initiated by the Council of Europe at the end of the 20st century and adopted by the European Union. It e volved into the European Spatial De velopment P erspective w hich a ttributes a p rominent role to the regions in the pursuit of balanced and equitable spatial development throughout Europe by means of polycentric city structures. The Basque region is committed to such a balanced spatial development strategy expressed in its spatial development plan (DOT), partial plans (PTP) and sectoral plans (PTS). The congress offered an opportunity to make these plans known to a wider public and compare them with similar innovative experiences in Europe.
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.1 SUSTAINED KNOWLEDGE INTERACTIONS
4.1.3 Initiatives w ith Pr ofessional Institutions:
World Planning Day (8 November)
(International Society of City and Regional Planners (Isocarp)
The Fundacion Metropoli has init iated a n umber o f i nnovative activities with one of its knowledge partners, the International Society of City and Regional Planners (Isocarp) when Alfonso Vegara was its President. They are now run by the Societ y w hile t he Fu ndacion Metropoli maintains an active part in some of them. Isocarp Reviews The First Isocarp Review, Making Spaces for the Creative Economy, was produced toward the 2005 Congress in Bilbao on the same theme. It w as co-sponsored by the Fundacion Metropoli with the City of Bilbao and the development company Bilbao Ria 2000.The Review contains some of the most interesting case studies related to the congress theme.This approach has been successfully continued and four more Isocarp Reviews have been published since then on the following topics: 'between integration and disintegration', 'urban trialogues', 'urban growth without sprawl', and 'low carbon cities'.
Urban Pl anning Advisory Teams (UPAT) The objective of UPATs is to offer the extensive planning e xperience and e xpertise of Isocarp members to municipalities or other development institutions at short, action oriented workshops where they contribute ideas and advice on international planning projects, programmes and policies. Over 14 events have taken place in cities in various countries and a new publication series will disseminate their findings more widely.
66
Isocarp has initiated specific events for World Planning Day in cooperation with the Fundacion Metropoli. The first event took place in Sitges in 2005. This has become part of the regular programme of Isocarp which is encouraging its members to stage annual events in different countries to give World Pl anning Day g reater exposure.
Isocarp Awards for Excellence The Fundacion Metropoli collaborated with Isocarp to set up an Award for Excellence which Isocarp is a ttributing to outstanding planning work. The initial awards were allocated in 2005 to mark Isocarp's 40 th anniversary. The aim of the award is to invite members and institutions to compete with their projects for the award to promote innovative ideas and best practice in planning worldwide.
Mobile Workshops These one day events were introduced to professionalise the study visits of Isocarp congresses. They aimed to obtain the participation of local leaders, professionals and other stakeholders who were directly involved in the development process of the cities visited during the workshops. They were coopted to explain how their projects had been conceived and implemented on conducted site visits.
Isocarp congress 2008 in Shanghai
President of the Fundacion Metropoli, Award winner Kisho Kurokawa and Marcelino Iglesias President of Diputaci贸n General de Arag贸n
Hong Kong
Fundaci贸n Metr贸poli Awards 2002. Bilbao
Inauguration of Sitges UPATs
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.2 THE FUNDACION METROPOLI: SCIENTIFIC / KNOWLEDGE PARTNER IN SINGLE EVENTS
4.2 THE FUNDACION METROPOLI: SCIENTIFIC / KNOWLEDGE PARTNER IN SINGLE EVENTS 4.2.1 Ca t a lunya-Ca li for nia: Creative Tourism and the New Economy @ Sitges The California / Ca talunya Summit brought together l eaders f rom t hese t wo internationally competitive regions to discuss innovative strategies in tourism and how mid-sized waterfront cities are diversifying their traditional economies to include dynamic sectors of the new economy. Offering unrivalled quality of l ife a nd l eisure options these two regions are strongly positioned to attract top level businesses and institutions from innovative sectors relying on advanced technology.This summit was organised in conjunction with the World Planning Day events of the International Society of City and Regional Planners.17
4.2.2 25 Years o f De mocratic Municipalities in Spain This event was staged in cooperation with the Spanish Federation of Municipalities (Federacion Espanola de Municios y Provincias) and international participants. Its aim was to celebrate the 25th anniversary of the democratisation of Spanish municipalities. Their achievements in planning and spatial management were discussed.
4.2.3 Innovat ive Ci t ies a nd Regions, Madrid. Salón Inmobiliario Organised in cooperation with the Salon Inmobiliario de Madrid, this event compared the innovative capacity of a number of cities. Leaders of regions in Europe and worlwide made contributions on the achievements of their cities and regions.
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4.2.4 Territorios 21, New Ways of Living in Europe This event was organised with the Government of La Rioja to explore what options were available to diversify the local economy for greater viability. It focused on harnessing its natural assets, in particular i ts v ineyards, while preserving t he character of t he region. UNESCO, ECTP a nd European cities had sent participants.
4.2.5 Digital Places@ Barcelona Meeting Point The a im of 'Ba rcelona Me eting Point' w as t o gather protagonists f rom four continents who had been successful in introducing digital technology a s a m eans of d iversifying t heir l ocal economies and making them more competitive. Barcelona was gathering this body of knowledge as a basis for its own strategy to introduce digital technology into its urban fabric and attract digital companies to constitute a new cluster of technological innovation.
4.2.6 Digital Ci ties @ Vitoria The Fundacion Metropoli was exploring the possibilities of introducing innovative technologies into local urban economies to help them restructure themselves and diversify into the knowledge industry. Working on the spatial development of Vitoria it organised an event at which selected cities were invited to present their policies of adopting digital technology to increase their competitiveness.
25th Anniversary of democratic municipalities 2004
Exhibition stall on cities in Madrid 2004
Territorios 21 in La Rioja 2004
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.2 THE FUNDACION METROPOLI: SCIENTIFIC / KNOWLEDGE PARTNER IN SINGLE EVENTS
4.2.7 World Summit of Cities and Regions 2002, 2008, 2010
and remaining internationally competitive, Singapore c onvened a w orld m ayors' s ummit, a nd awarded the first Lee KuanYew Prize to recognise individuals and organisations who made outstanding contributions to the creation of vibrant, liveable and sustainable urban communities around the world. The Fundacion Metropoli was invited to become a k nowledge partner of t hese e vents.
The World Summit of Cities (Territorios Inteligentes, Ci udades In teligentes) w as a n e arly attempt to attract leaders from cities worldwide to re spond t o n ew d emands a nd e xplore n ew opportunities which globalisation was bringing to cities.The Fundacion Metropoli was a knowledge partner of the Government of Aragon. It was its first attempt at a mayors' and city leader summit which it pursued further with Isocarp and other partners. The event brought together leaders and experts from over forty cities and 80 institutions located in thirty countries in Africa, the Middle East, Europe, North America and Latin America. The idea of World City Summits was taken up by Singapore which organised events attended by a broad international audience in 2008 ad 2010. Besides showcasing its own successes in becoming
Mayors' Summit at the Isocarp congress 2004, Geneva. Antwerp · Patrick Janssens · Mayor / Bilbao · Iñaki Azkuna · Mayor / Bordeaux· Alain Juppé · Mayor and Regional President / Casablanca · Mohamed Sajid · Mayor / Curitiba · Jaime Lerner · Former Mayor and Governor / Dakar · Seydou Sy Sall · Minister of Urbanism / Dublin · John Fitzgerald · City Manager / Geneva · Pierre Muller · Lord Mayor / Geneva · Christian Ferrazino · Mayor for Planning
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World Summit of Cities and Regions, Zaragoza
Eisenhower Fellows from 10 different countries
Alfonso Vegara in action
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIĂ“N METRĂ“POLI
4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.3 COOPERATING WITH MAYORS AND CITY LEADERS
4.3 COOPERATING WITH MAYORS AND CITY LEADERS A coherent transformation of cities and regions requires the active involvement of city leaders. With increasing prominence of cities in the global economy, the mayors of cities and other city and regional l eaders are occupying a k ey position. Mayors t end to be politicians with charisma, a comprehensive grasp of strategic issues of their cities and a will to implement change. However, they have to deal with a very broad remit and may not have expertise on all the fields in which they have to make decisions. This includes the more technical aspects of spatial development and urban management.
4.3.1 Mayors' Institute The Fundacion Metropoli considers it essential to cooperate with mayors in developing spatial strategies. Convinced that both mayors and urbanists would b enefit f rom a d ialogue, t he Fundacion Metropoli set up a Mayors' Institute, a platform for exchange of political l eadership and urban policy. This would enable all interested parties to gain a better understanding of each others' visions of the city. Its brief is to provide mayors with opportunities to interact with professionals and other organisations of city stakeholders. The Mayors' Summits were providing an effective forum for dialogue between politicians and professionals of the built environment. Other methods are also explored, such as short, intense learning sessions for mayors which they can accommodate in their busy schedules to familiarise t hemselves w ith t he a pproach o f professionals of the built environment, especially those who aim at a comprehensive and strategic conception of the 'urban project'.
Mayors' Summit, Geneva 2004
Mayors' Summit at the Isocarp congress, Bilbao
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Mayors' Summit at the Isocarp congress 2004, Geneva
Publication of the Mayors’ Summit in Geneva
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.3 COOPERATING WITH MAYORS AND CITY LEADERS
4.3.2 Mayors Summits
Istanbul 2006
Lasting urban renaissance depends on committed l eadership, i ts c apacity f or d ialogue a nd inter-institutional cooperation and mobilisation of the private and social sectors to achieve sustainable urban change. Mayors' summits with the professionals of the built environment are useful to foster such cooperation.The Fundacion Metropoli has cooperated with Isocarp in organising Mayors' Summits at the congresses of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (Isocarp), of which it is a knowledge partner, to the city of Bilbao. The Fundacion Metropoli has a lso b een i nvolved i n a n umber of o ther Mayors' and City Leaders Summits, as follows:
At the Isocarp congress on 'Integration and Disintegration', of which the Fundacion Metropoli was a knowledge partner mayors and city leaders were invited to present issues of their cities relevant to the overall theme.The event was combined with the local mayors' convention with invited participants from further afield, some of whom gave keynote addresses.18
Singapore 2010 A second World Cities Summit was held in Singapore in 2010 on Liveable and Sustainable Cities for t he Future a t which t he f irst Le e Kuan Yew World City Prize was attributed with the Fundacion Metropoli as knowledge partner. The aim of the Prize is to recognise individuals and organisations which have made outstanding contributions to the creation of vibrant, liveable and sustainable urban communities around the world through urban initiatives that display foresight, good governance or innovation.The Mayors' Summit ran in conjunction with the conference which provided practical recommendations for joint actions in which mayors and city officials can work together to make their cities a better place. Singapore 2008 A Mayors' Summit was convened at the occasion of the first World Cities Summit held in Singapore on Liveable and Vibrant cities with the World Bank, the Asian Development Bank, UN Habitat, UNDP, UNEP, UN ESCAP and the Fundacion Metropoli as strategic partners.The summit was inaugurating a premier international conference series on effective p ublic g overnance a nd s ustainable development of cities.
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Bilbao 2005 The Mayors' and City Leaders' Summit was jointly sponsored by Isocarp and the Fundacion Metropoli a t t he occasion of t he Isocarp congress on 'Making Spaces for the Creative Economy'. The invited participants presented the key issues of their cities at a debate with the congress audience, w ith p articular a ttention t o i nnovative strategies.19 Geneva 2004 'The Management of Urban Regions', the theme of the 40th congress of the International Society of City and Regional Planners, presented a pertinent occasion f or t he Fundacion Me tropoli t o initiate the f irst Mayors' Summit as knowledge partner of Isocarp.20The aim of the summit was to stimulate cooperation between planners and political decision makers. Dialogue with mayors of cities and city-regions was considered of particular importance to professionals of the built environment. The Fu ndacion Me tropoli i nitiated t he publication on the Geneva Mayors' Summit which includes the presentations of the city leaders and a synthesis of the debate.21 Zaragoza 2002 At the occasion of the World Summit of Cities and Regions, the Fundacion Metropoli initiated a Mayors' and City Leaders' Summit22 in cooperation with the autonomous region of Aragon in Zaragoza, a city which was preparing itself for the knowledge society and won the competition to host the World Expo 2008.
Publication of the Cities and Regions World Summit in Zaragoza
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
4 KNOWLEDGEa CREATION AND SHARING 4.4 INVOLVING THE ARTS
4.4 INVOLVING THE ARTS From its inception the Fundacion Metropoli has cooperated closely with the arts as the creative forces of innovation. Its CITIES Art programme enables the Fundacion Metropoli to get artists to contribute as essential partners in innovative design projects. It involves artists also in its own environment by curating exhibitions at the Ecobox and producing publications on artists with an interest in the urban environment. The Fundacion Metropoli creates spaces for artists and the arts in its strategic projects which constitute ecosystems of innovation. Examples are the City of the Arts in Sitges near Barcelona and the village of the arts in Katutura, Windhoek, Namibia. The cubes of innovation involve the arts in producing media projections on their screen facades as a creative means of interacting with the public realm, and artists are cooperating with the Fundacion Metropoli on the design for quarry regeneration.
Fernando Pagola “For me there is no doubt that art and poetry, not modern but eternal, reach their pinnacle when they are able to become 'magical' at times, most unthinkably entwined in their paths. With this command over space and matter they compose all and show us the authentic sense of nature.” Fernando Pagola Carles Valverde "Creating by using geometry is a pretext to feel the m aterials, and use f reedom a s a s tylistic concept to avoid rhetoric and give the work all the strength and poetry of the inexplicable. This catalysing effect is what interests me in my vocation.To place oneself before a space and begin to shape it is like posing a problem in a game of chess a nd i nventing n ew r ules t o s olve i t. To modulate, participate, build and leave traces is perhaps one of the functions of art.” Carles Valverde
4.4.1 Cities Art Cities Art is a programme which aims to involve the role of t he arts as engine of creativity and innovation in the design of the built environment. The spaces of the future are spaces where architecture, urbanism, landscape, painting, sculpture and the new technologies converge. One of the objectives of CITIES Art is to promote artists who are committed to humanistic and multidisciplinary training beyond conventional art classifications. In a society where the processes of globalisation are ever present, it is fundamental to incorporate the dynamic forces of innovative and integral art to face the challenges of the 21st century. The f ollowing a rtists h ave b een c ooperating closely with the Fundacion Metropoli.
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Fernando Pagola
Raquel Montilla Higgins
Gonzalo Páramo
“My work is sensuous and delicate, subject to the destruction of time. It is also about a caress, about holding, keeping and embracing. I want to capture that moment of a feeling before it disappears.” Raquel Montilla Higgins
“Just as an old artisan repeats a piece tirelessly in search of its perfection, I have searched, and continue to search, for ways to express what I have inside me through landscapes and architectures.” Fermín Ramírez de Arellano
“Now that the f allacious dichotomies between scientific a nd humanistic t hinking which h ad much influence during the 1950s and 1960s have become outdated, the interrelation of all knowledge, a lbeit w ithout re ally understanding t he complexity of this network, is more obvious”. In his search for, and without a doubt, discoveries at times, Gonzalo Páramo, makes visible for us that immense reality, that complex interaction between the innate and the acquired and that influence of s cientific re volutions on a rtistic movements.” Simón Puerta García, director gerente de Luxemburgo Art Tatum
Jesús Soler
Iñaki Bergera
“With his dramatic, vigorous works, Jesús Soler urges us to join together and build a more humane world, and t o k eep up our hopes of a chieving peace and life." Pablo Guayasamín, presidente de la Fundación Guayasamín
“Bergera's photographs reflect a world that acknowledges the existence of cultural difference while negating the incommensurability and insularity of such differences. Difference is recognised but rendered relative, contextual and global at the same time.” Sibel Bozdogan, GSD Universidad de Harvard y Universidad Bilgi de Estambul
Fermín Ramírez de Arellano
Raquel Montilla Higgins
Carles Valverde
Iñaki Bergera
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.4 INVOLVING THE ARTS
4.4.2 The Sculpture 'Fundacion Metropoli'
diately thought of collaborating with Carles, and so we set out to work. I proposed that we begin with the logo of the Fundación Metrópoli which I had designed in 1998. The logo is formed by the letters "F" and "M", and has clearly an architectonic reference. Carles was able to see beyond that and converted the logo into two modular objects of a d istinctive volume that allow the two pieces to interact in many different ways. This gave the objects not only a third dimension, but also a certain capacity of movement. With this happy discovery, we were able to give life to what was an inert object a t the beginning, transforming the material in space, and endowing the piece with all the versatility and creativity that the Awards seek to represent." Fernando Pagola
The burnished steel sculpture is the result of a close collaboration between Fernado Pagola, an architect-artist from Navarra and Carles Valverde, a Ca talan s culptor b ased i n Sw itzerland a nd Mallorca. Fernando Pagola reflects on the collaboration: "I am not a sculptor, I am an architect. Instead of practicing architecture, I paint. When I paint, some people tell me that I appear to be a sculptor. I discovered the work of Carles Valverde at the ARCO event in Madrid in the year 2000, and was rapidly captivated by the character and the expressiveness of his pieces. One look at his hands will tell you that Carles is a sculptor with a great personality who is passionate about his vocation. When t he Fundación Me trópoli a sked m e t o design a sculpture for the Cities Award, I imme-
Sculpture of Fundacion Metropoli at Ecobox
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Fundacion Metropoli Logo Sculpture
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.5 RECOGNITIONS
4.5 RECOGNITIONS The Fundacion Metropoli found it important to attribute recognition and convey encouragement to outstanding achievements in the field of urban development. For that reason i t h as c reated t he Ci ties Awards for Excellence and has become k nowledge p artner i n t he creation of the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize.
4.5.1 F unda ci ó n M e t r ó poli Cities Awards f or Ex cellence The Fundacion Metropoli Cities Award for Excellence highlights the strategic importance of cities and re gions a nd re cognises t he w orld c lass achievements made by individuals, institutions or cities in advancing the field of urbanism. The Award aspires to be one of the highest distinctions that can be internationally awarded to urban planning.The prestige of the Award is not derived from its economic value, but rather from the rigour, independence and capacity of the institutions which identify innovative projects as an active part in the Proyecto Cities initiative. The Award seeks to identify and internationally disseminate the most re levant and innovative advances in urbanism, city and regional planning. The candidates for the Award are individuals, institutions, cities or regions which have contributed significantly to the world of cities and whose work can be considered as a world class international reference.
Award ceremony of the Fundación Metrópoli Cities Awards at the Guggenheim Museum in Bilbao
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ADRIANA DAL CIN Architect, planner, President-elect, International Society of City and Regional Planners "For her life-long passion for our historic urban heritage, and for her great humanity that she dedicated to promote intercultural understanding and extend democratic and social ideals in planning" Adriana Dal Cin was someone of whom you never knew whether her heart or her intellect was bigger. She was professor of urban design and urban planning at different universities and centres in Argentina and Spain. As a talented speaker she lectured widely in many countries around the world. She advised municipalities in Europe, the Americas and the Middle East, as well as institutions and organisations, such as the Institute of Physical Planning (Cuba), WHO and the Government of Azores (Portugal). She collaborated with her husband and partner, Javier de Mesones, since 1973, winning more than 10 national and international competitions. Her deepest lifelong passion was dedicated to historic conservation, environmental sustainability and public participation. She was awarded the Professional Merit Medal in 1999 for her work. She was actively involved in a number of professional organisations such as the Spanish Association of Planners (1985-2002) and the Association for the Protection of Cultural Heritage (1984-1989). She was elected President of the International Society of City and Regional Planners (Isocarp) in 2001, after her previous period as Vice President during 1993-2001. Deeply committed to intercultural understanding, she co-edited the International Manual of Planning Practice under the auspices of Isocarp. After a long struggle with cancer, Adriana Dal Cin passed away in March 2002.
GARY HACK Paley Professor, University of Pennsylvania School of Design "For being the epitome of the reflective practitioner who has combined rigorous theory with thoughtful practice, and is inspiring a generation of planners around the world with his experience generously imparted"
Gary Hack t eaches, practices, and studies large-scale physical planning and urban design. Before he was appointed as Dean of the University of Pennsylvania School of Design (PennDesign) in 1996, he taught for 25 years at the Massachusetts Institute of Technology (MIT), where he directed the urban design programme. He is co-author of the third edition of Site Planning and Lessons from Local Experiences, as well as numerous articles and chapters on the spatial environment of cities. Recently, he was a member of the team that won the competition and prepared t he design guidelines for redeveloping t he World Trade Center Si te. He a lso co-directed an international comparative study of urbanisation patterns on four continents, published as Global City Regions: A Comparative Perspective. He has prepared plans for over thirty cities in the United States and abroad, including the redevelopment plan for the Prudential Center in Boston, the West Side Waterfront plan in New York City, and the new Metropolitan Plan for Bangkok, Thailand. He has also worked with smaller communities on urban design issues by preparing downtown development guidelines for the centre of Portland, Maine; design review manuals for Hendersonville and Germantown, Tennessee; and guidelines for the development of the entrance corridors and downtown of Charlottesville, Virginia. Earlier in his career, Gary Hack directed the Canadian government's housing and urban development research and demonstration programmes, initiating several large neighbourhood demonstration projects and the redevelopment of urban waterfronts in a number of Canadian cities. He has also served as an urban design consultant for projects in Japan, Taiwan, China and Saudi Arabia.
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.5 RECOGNITIONS
JAIME LERNER Ex-President, Union Internationale des Architectes "For four decades of visionary and inspiring leadership, and for demonstrating clearly that sustainability, competitiveness and social cohesion are achievable goals for our cities and regions"
Jaime Lerner was Mayor of Curitiba three times (1971-75, 1979-83 and 1989-92) and turned the city into a paradigm of planning, not only for developing countries. He consolidated Curitiba's basic urban transformations and implemented an Integrated Mass Transport System during his first term. Afterwards, in addition to the leadingedge urban planning initiatives, he intensified an encompassing programme which resulted in social and environmental advances. Before being elected Mayor, he was also responsible for setting up and defining the structure of the Research and Urban Planning Institute of Curitiba (IPPUC). At the same time, he was involved with Curitiba's Master Plan to guide the city's physical, economic and cultural transformation. In 1994, he was elected Governor of Paraná State, and re-elected in 1998. As Governor, Lerner has promoted the economic and social transformation of Paraná, and consolidated its position as the country's new industrial hub thanks to a series of policies geared toward attracting productive investments, with the support of Curitiba's successful experience. Upon leaving office in 2002, Jaime Lerner was elected President of the International Union of Architects. He named his term "Celebration of Cities" in favour of improvement of the cities in order to bring better quality of life to people.
KISHO KUROKAWA Architect, Kisho Kurokawa Architects & Associates "For his life-long journey from metabolism towards symbiosis that has profoundly enriched his work and provoked the re-examination of our relationship with nature, bringing us closer to the Age of Life."
Kisho Kurokawa was one of the world's foremost architects, and gained international recognition both for his practical and theoretical contribution to the field. He was one of the founders of the Metabolism Movement. Since then, he advocated the paradigm shift from the "Age of Machine" to the "Age of Life". He believed that the world has moved inexorably from an architectural culture based on the modernists' commitment to the machine to a new "life" age, a thoughtful, humanitarian period that moves towards nature and values life over mechanical objects. This philosophy of symbiosis was originally developed as a concept concerned with architectural and urban planning issues, and formed the underlying theme of his work. He distilled these ideas in his book The Philosophy of Symbiosis (1987), which was awarded the Japan Grand Prix of Literature in 1993. Afterwards, his philosophy expanded into a world view, a f act reflected by the English title of his book Each One A Hero: The Philosophy of Symbiosis. The English translation was cited for excellence by the American Institute of Architects in 1992. Some of his major works in Japan include the National Ethnological Museum, the National Bunraku Theatre, Nagoya Ci ty Art Museum, Hiroshima Ci ty Museum of Contemporary Art, and t he Museum of Modern Art, Wakayama. Major works abroad include the Japanese-German Centre of Berlin, Germany; the Chinese-Japanese Youth Centre in Beijing, China; Melbourne Central in Australia; Pacific Tower in Paris, France; Republic Plaza, Singapore; Kuala Lumpur International Airport, Malaysia; and the new wing of the Van Gogh Museum, Amsterdam. His latest works include: Oita stadium for the World Cup 2002, Japan; the new National Gallery inTokyo; Zhengdong New Town and Overall Concept Plan for the Zhengzhou City, China. He was also advisor to a number of national, provincial and municipal governments. He passed away in 2007.
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4.5.2 F unda ci 贸 n M e t r 贸 poli participation i n World Pr izes Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize is a biennial international Award to recognise individuals and organisations t hat h ave m ade o utstanding contributions to the creation of vibrant, liveable and sustainable urban communities around the world. It s eeks t o re cognise i ndividuals a nd organisations responsible for urban initiatives that display foresight, good governance or innovation in tackling the many urban challenges faced by cities.These urban initiatives can include (but are not l imited t o) urban planning projects, urban policies and programmes, urban management, as well as applied t echnology in urban solutions. These u rban i nitiatives s hould i ncorporate principles o f s ustainable d evelopment a nd demonstrate an ability to bring social, economic and environmental benefits in a holistic way to communities a round t he world. The Pr ize a lso places an emphasis on practical and cost effective solutions and ideas that can be easily replicated across cities. Through this prize, Singapore hopes to facilitate the sharing of best practices in urban solutions among cities and spur further innovation in the area of sustainable urban development. The Lee
Kuan Yew World City Prize Laureats is presented with an award certificate, a gold medallion and a cash prize of S$300,000, sponsored by the Keppel Corporation. The Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize is named after Singapore's first Prime Minister, who currently holds t he position of Mi nister Mentor. Mr Lee was instrumental in developing Singapore i nto a d istinctive, c lean a nd green garden c ity in a s hort span of a f ew decades. Under his leadership, the adoption of strategic land use, transport and environmental policies and p rogrammes h ave h elped Si ngapore t o develop into a l iveable city with a h igh quality living environment, in tandem with rapid economic growth.The Fundacion Metropoli has been invited to b e a k nowledge p artner i n nominating a nd selecting candidates for this Prize. LKY Pr ize Winner 2010: Bi lbao Ci ty Ha ll Bilbao is an exemplary city that continually reinvents i tself a nd e volves am idst d ynamic changes, and will serve as an inspiration to cities worldwide. The e xperience o f Bi lbao a s a comprehensive "c ity p roject", i ncrementally executed through 25 urban projects over 25 years, has achieved a profound transformation of the city. The city has improved its environment and quality of life significantly, strengthened its social cohesiveness a nd c ultural v ibrancy a nd a lso increased its economic competitiveness.
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.6 FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI FELLOWSHIPS
4.6 FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI FELLOWSHIPS The Fundación Metrópoli Advanced Research Fellowship was created to bring talented young professionals to the Fundación Metrópoli in Madrid for the purposes of knowledge creation and sharing. At its headquarters, the EcoBox in Madrid, t he Fu ndación Me trópoli p rovides a n international setting for young professionals to learn and research different eco-urban and innovative design methodologies in a multidisciplinary professional environment. The recipients of the Fellowship are engageing in learning, sharing and researching methods aimed to influence the creative transformation of cities and landscapes in innovative and sustainable ways. Laureates are participating in new projects, global research and international networking, gain professional and practical experience, and engage in all parts of the Fundación Metrópoli methodology: Investigation - Innovation | Incubation. They are involved in the v isiting l ecture series on Learning from
Fellows and scholars at the Ecobox of the Fundacion Metropoli forming part of an international network
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Cities, Learning from Practice, and Learning from Universities. The Fundación Metrópoli Advanced Research Fellowship is open to international applicants who hold a Ma sters degree or higher in f ields related t o Ci ty and Regional Pl anning, Urban Design, Architecture, Landscape Architecture and related disciplines.The programme operates primarily t hrough t he English l anguage while giving laureates the opportunity to learn Spanish in the context of Madrid and Spanish culture.The Fundación Metropoli seeks to attract young international professionals, interested in urban innovation and sustainable design practices who are enthusiastic about working on improving cities and regions for the 21st century. Alumni will build and form part of an international network of strategic a lliances promoting new initiatives and innovation around the world.
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.7 PUBLICATIONS AND DISSEMINATION
4.7 PUBLICATIONS AND DISSEMINATION The Fundacion Metropoli attaches great importance to knowledge sharing to which it attributes considerable resources. Its publications constitute its m ain instrument t o disseminate i ts ideas and i ts projects. Most publications are produced with knowledge partners and protagonists of the projects initiated by the Fundacion Metropoli, which presents its work also at international events and in academic settings. Moreover, it organises exhibitions of its own projects and that of its collaborators. The completely redesigned interactive website of the Fundacion Metropoli is its latest contribution to its dissemination strategy. 4.7.1 List of Fundacion Metropoli Publications (2010) Qualia Sitges Ecoaldea Daroca Provincia de Alicante. Programa Innovación + Territorio Provincia de Alicante de la A a la Z. Programa Innovación + Territorio Málaga. Ecosistema de Innovación L'Agropolis de Meknès Sarriguren Ecocity Building the European Diagonal La Isla de la Innovación. Aviles, Asturias Mar Menor. Propuestas de futuro The Coastal Space. Galicia Golfo San Jorge. Propuestas urbanas para la Patagonia argentina Región de Murcia. Programa Territorios Inteligentes Diccionario Región de Murcia. Programa Territorios Inteligentes Golfo San Jorge. Hacia un Territorio Inteligente Golfo San Jorge. Propuestas urbanas para la Patagonia argentina Euskal Hiria. Findings of the Proyecto Cities Research Ecobox Fundación Metrópoli Ecocities de la A a la Z Isocarp Four Decades of Knowledge Creation and Sharing, 40th Anniversary Making Spaces for the Creative Economy. Isocarp Review 1 Isocarp Mayors' Summit Haro: paisajes y arquitecturas del vino Arte. Una ecociudad inteligente para Castilla La Mancha Territorios Inteligentes Cities Hub. Findings of the Proyecto Cities Research
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4.7.2 Fundacion Me tropoli Pu blication Sy nopses L'Agropolis de Meknès The Agropolis of Meknes in Morroco forms part of national spatial strategies, the 'Green Plan of Morocco' and 'Strategies of Emergence'. These visions focus on agro-industry as a strategic pillar of Morocco's economic development. Agropolis is a project based on the agro industrial food production sector and encompasses university education in this field, as well as experimental activities related to this sector, including the development of new technologies linked to production and distribution of agro-industry. At the same time Agropolis is conceived as an innovative urban environment which integrates mixed activities and a diverse public realm. It encompasses residential and recreational areas, R&D premises with related pilot plant growing groves, productive zones and logistics. The urban design is inspired by the landscape pattern specific to this region as a means to integrate these diverse functions into a coherent urban form. ISBN: 978-84-613-5006-3. pp 229. Madrid 2009, in French.
Ecoaldea Daroca “Ecovillage Daroca in Ibi, Alicante, is an initiative by the Grupo Empresarial La Cañada, a business group in collaboration with the Fundación Metrópoli.The proposal is to create a new precedent for the application of technologies and environmental management systems, where urban and sustainable tourism can work together with the rural context. "The Ecovillage Daroca is an area with a mixture of permanent homes, second homes, tourist accommodations and services for active leisure and recreation, focused on nature. This is an area in which the association between residential and agricultural uses can provide the traditional agricultural areas a new dimension in terms of elements of entertainment with a broad appeal. It is an innovative approach to the conservation of valuable landscapes which are in danger of losing traditional activities. It proposes to make the Ecovillage Daroca a precedent in technology and environmental management systems, and achieve sustainable urban and tourist areas that can work with the rural world." Alfonso Vegara ISBN: 978-84-613-3648-7. pp 145. Madrid 2009, in Spanish.
Sarriguren Ecociudad Ecocity The Ecocity of Sarriguren was sponsored by the Department of Regional Planning and Housing of the Government of Navarra (1998). It was developed to solve the problems of providing quality affordable housing, bioclimatic architecture and urbanism. It has been able to raise the standards of environmental quality and enhance the relationship between the environment and the population. The Ecocity Sarriguren initiative was the first of its kind to be built in Spain and has been inhabited since 2007. It provides over 5,000 bioclimatic dwellings, unique building types and activity areas such as the Innovation Park of Navarra which will include the Cubes of Innovation. In 2000, t he Ecocity of Sarriguren received an award for good sustainable practice in the III In ternational Competition of Good Practices organised by the United Nations in Dubai. This is a worldwide Habitat programme aimed at identifying projects considered as good practices in improving human settlements. In 2008, it also won the European Urbanism Award; the highest award in European Urbanism awarded by the Council of European Urbanists. It won the best urban project of the EU in the Sustainability category, in which a l arge number of projects participated. ISBN: 978-84-613-2568-9. pp 175. Pamplona 2009, in English with Spanish summaries.
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4 KNOWLEDGE CREATION AND SHARING 4.7 PUBLICATIONS AND DISSEMINATION
Málaga. Ecosistema de Innovación "Malaga. An Ecosystem of Innovation" is regional research driven by the Club Málaga Valley and the City of Malaga, with the sponsorship of BBVA. These institutions are making significant efforts to attract talent, investment and businesses involved in new technologies to the city of Malaga. The proposal to transform Malaga into an “Ecosystem of Innovation" that will be a m odel for Europe includes three main components: the environmental system, nodes of innovation and eco-boulevards. The key to transforming Malaga into an Ecosystem of Innovation is not in e ach individual project but in the interactions and synergies that arise between them. ISBN: 978-84-613-0251-2. pp 363. Madrid 2009, in Spanish.
Provincia de Alicante de la A a la Z This initiative to devise a d evelopment strategy was supported by SUMA, the Caja Mediterraneo and the Fundacion Metropoli. The book has the form of a dictionary with words qualifying the development process from A-Z. ISBN: 978-84-612-9571-5. pp 379. Madrid, 2009, In Spanish with English summaries.
Provincia de Alicante. Programa Innovación + Territorio "Province of Alicante, Innovation + Spatial Programme" is an initiative developed by the Provincial Government, through SUMA Gestión Tributaria, Caja Mediterráneo and Fundación Metropoli. "In an increasingly global and open world, our territory becomes one of our main identities. Cities, towns and landscapes of the province of Alicante are the backdrops for our everyday life where we live, work, learn and play. Our territory is where solidarity and human relations take place. It is the main component for our economy to be competitive and it is the key place where we can innovate and build a sustainable human future." Alfonso Vegara ISBN: 978-84-612-9571-5. pp 379. Madrid 2009, in Spanish with English summaries.
Mar Menor. Propuestas de futuro TheTerritory M@C has the potential to become an Intelligent Landscape; an area capable of supporting its own unique features and components of excellence and to find a pertinent balance between i ts e conomic s trategy, cohesion and social development and t he sensitivity and care for the environment. It is for this reason that Mar Menor needs to reinvent itself as a sensitive and special place. The Urban Design Competition organised by the Fundación Metrópoli and the Architectural School of CEU for the area of La Manga was turned into this publication which includes the important exploration undertaken by the students in the 5th level of the Metropolitan Planning programme on the future of the Mar Menor. ISBN: 978-84-613-0525-4. pp 118. Madrid 2008, in Spanish.
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Diccionario Región de Murcia. Programa Territorios Inteligentes 100 words synthesise the vision of the Murcia region. It is a cooperation between the Foundation Caja Murcia and the Institute of Public Works with the technological and scientific support of the Fundacion Metropoli. pp 205. Madrid 2008.
Región de Murcia. Programa Territorios Inteligentes The publication Región de Murcia. Programa Territorios Inteligentes (The Region of Murcia. Programme for Intelligent Landscapes) includes a process of territorial R&D initiated by the Government of Murcia with the collaboration of the Fundación Caja Murcia and the Instituto de Fomento (development institute) and with the technological and scientific support of the Fundación Metrópoli. Successful landscapes are committed to innovation, with an emphasis on urban ideas, unique features and opportunities. They are the places with an ability to learn from their own experiences and those of others. These areas are aware that in the XXI century the greatest risk is that of stagnation and the inability to innovate in the rapidly transforming context of today. Persevering with research and generating innovation is therefore one of the key factors in maintaining high levels of development in the Murcia region. This will ensure the competitiveness of businesses, guarantee sustainability and social cohesion, all prerequisites for the Region of Murcia to participate successfully in the new global environment and the knowledge economy. ISBN: 978-84-611-8496-5. pp 223. Madrid 2008, in Spanish.
La Isla de la Innovación. Asturias Landscapes and cities evolve and change, requiring new development strategies to accommodate the different needs and allowing transformations to occur by dealing directly with economic development, social relationships, quality of life and environmental factors. This book, whose title means “The Island of Innovation”, explores the historic opportunity of Avilés to strengthen its role as a fundamental part of the Metropolitan Area of Asturias by developing a strategic project that can lead the city towards a new future with opportunities. ISBN: 978-84-612-2063-2. pp 225. Madrid 2008, In Spanish with English summaries.
Building the European Diagonal The Diagonal contributes a vision of the future role of southern Europe in its process of globalisation and strategic positioning within the European continent. The Diagonal project introduced in this book is not a mere geographic description of a stated reality. It is a re search project which a ims t o re veal t he potential of internal and e xternal interactions between key cities in the south of Europe. The Diamonds of the Diagonal constitute nodes of great urban concentration and internal interaction and, as such, contribute a new scale of global relevance. ISBN: 978-84-612-3275-8. pp 363, Madrid 2008, in English with Spanish summaries.
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Golfo San Jorge. Propuestas urbanas para la Patagonia argentina Urban proposals developed by the School of Architecture CEU San Pablo for the Gulf of San Jorge in Patagonia (Argentina) under the academic research programmes “Golfo San Jorge” and “Towards an Intelligent Landscape” was combined for this publication. This programme is an initiative of Pan American Energy with the participation of the Fundación FINES and the Fundación Metrópoli as knowledge partners. Research by teachers and students participating in the programme are well integrated into the scheme and reflect a strategic action that seeks to discover, through the study of the territory, the components of excellence in the San Jorge Gulf Region and critical strategic projects capable of being the engines of change in the future.The projects shown in this publication dealt with a different attitude, sensitivity and creativity for the areas named Chenque and the Global Connectivity Node of Patagonia. ISBN: 978-84-612-1759-5. pp 118. Madrid, 2008, in Spanish with English summaries.
Golfo San Jorge. Hacia un Territorio Inteligente The document, whose title means “Gulf of San Jorge.Towards an Intelligent Landscape”, reflects a process of territorial R&D conducted in collaboration with local institutions and w ith t he scientific and t echnological support of t he Fundación FINES a nd t he Fundación Me trópoli. Intelligent Landscapes are committed t o innovation, with an emphasis on urban ideas, unique features and opportunities. They are the places with the ability to learn from their own experiences and those of others.These areas are aware that in the XXI century the greatest risk is that of stagnation and the inability to innovate in the rapidly transforming context of today. One of the key factors to sustain the levels of development of the Gulf of San Jorge is to pursue an ongoing effort of research and development of innovations for the area and to ensure the competitiveness of enterprises, sustainability and social cohesion in the process of development so that this region can participate successfully in the new global environment and the knowledge economy. ISBN: 978-987-24041-1-6. pp 222. Buenos Aires 2007, in Spanish with English summaries.
Fundación Metrópoli This publication summarises basic information about the Fundación Metrópoli. It includes references of its mission, objectives, strategic direction, activities, programmes for urban excellence, publications, the team as well as the Ecobox, a bioclimatic building which houses the headquarters of the Fundación Metrópoli. ISBN: 84-609-9743-X . pp 191. Madrid 2006, in English and Spanish.
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Ecobox Ecobox, the building of Fundación Metrópoli, was conceived with two basic criteria: the creation of a place for innovation and creativity, and the commitment to bioclimatic principles. The design of the building was inspired by architectural concepts of sustainability, and incorporates advanced bioclimatic facilities and construction systems.The objective of the experimental Ecobox was to create an innovative building that promotes the connection between human beings and nature. The building takes into account the criteria of energy efficiency, renewable energies and sustainable construction methods. The philosophy of the Ecobox is in line with the overall philosophy of the Fundación Metrópoli: a commitment towards creativity and the construction of a sustainable future for us, our cities and our small planet. ISBN: 84-611-2608-4. pp 80. Madrid 2006, in English and Spanish.
Arte. Una ecociudad inteligente para Castilla La Mancha The Ecocities Company has designed ARTE, an intelligent and innovative ecocity for Castilla La Ma ncha, in collaboration with the Fundación Metrópoli as a t echnology partner. ARTE aims to be a pioneering model for the future of urbanism by designing a city for the development of a humane and creative cultural lifestyle. ARTE has focused its priority on generating a lively, interactive and sustainable space with opportunities for a stable and high level of job creation. It is a city that enhances quality awareness for the future by allowing its inhabitants to become active citizens. pp 289. Madrid, 2005, in Spanish
Ecocities de la A a la Z Ecocities de la A a la Z (Ecocities from A to Z) contains one hundred concepts that define the corporate culture of Ecocities. It assists companies dedicated to identify, design and implement s trategic projects integrated into t he l andscape. Ecocities re st on creativity, sensitivity to quality of life, the interests of citizens and the value enhancement of technological capabilities of our time. The philosophy of this volume is based on finding the most efficient combination of public interest, innovation, synergies between components, elements with high added value in the future, sustainability as a global concept, infrastructures as a vital support of an Intelligent Landscape and respect for the business interests of its developers. pp 213. Madrid, 2005, in Spanish.
Paisajes y Arquitecturas del Vino. Haro Internationally, it is possible to observe that some wine regions are becoming destinations for high-end “quality” tourism. La Rioja in general, and Haro in particular, have been able to combine in an appropriate way, wine activities with nature, culture, leisure, sport, gastronomy and architecture. The development of these activities generates benefits and contributes to the diversification of the economy of the wine regions that have opted for this route. This book has been prepared in collaboration with the Government of La Rioja and t he Ha ro Town Council t o disseminate t hese ideas in t he context of t he ISOCARP 2005 Mobile Workshop “The Future of the Wine Country”. ISBN: 84-609-7495-2. pp 127. Madrid 2005, in Spanish and English.
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Isocarp, Four Decades of Knowledge Creation and Sharing, 40th Anniversary “Our cities and our city systems are in the centre of the processes of globalisation that are leading to the closer integration of countries, cities and peoples of the world. When the International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) was founded in 1965, about one-third of the world's population lived in urban areas. By 2025, this figure will have doubled. This is an immense global challenge, and one that the planning profession is acutely aware of. From small beginnings in 1965, ISOCARP has become a truly global organisation of experienced professional planners with members in over 70 countries on the five continents. As evidenced by the themes of its annual congresses, ISOCARP has always been a forward-looking organisation. As it approaches the milestone of forty years -one generation- it is good to indulge in a little “looking back” and remember and honour a ll t hose who worked t irelessly t o improve t he human habitat, t he planning profession and ISOCARP. Being an international association of planners in a global world of cities constitutes a fantastic opportunity for ISOCARP. Its ambition is to become a truly global network of excellence, with an active membership of committed professionals adopting an international perspective.” Alfonso Vegara ISBN: 90-755-24-41-2. pp 135. Madrid 2005, in English.
Making Spaces for the Creative Economy. Isocarp Review 1 As knowledge partner of the 2005 International Society of City and Regional Planners (ISOCARP) Congress in Bilbao, the Fundación Metrópoli conceived and designed this publication whose title coincides with the congress theme. The editors -Waikeen Ng and Judith Ryser- brought together 17 projects and initiatives that are fostering new urban spaces for economic activities linked to the creative economy. As creativity is not the prerogative of a c ertain region, nor i s i t only f ound in t he l arger m etropolises, t he contributions were carefully chosen from around the world.The cities represented include: Silicon Valley, Bilbao, Helsinki, Curitiba, Cambridge, Singapore, Barcelona, Frankfurt, London, Manhattan, Dublin and Durban. The chapters were structured to "tell the story" of the different projects. As a c oherent set, they allow the reader to understand the context and origins of each project and the different developmental processes. In this way, perhaps most importantly, the publication seeks to inspire other cities to adopt creative approaches for their new projects related to the relevant topic of improving our cities in an open and competitive world. ISBN: 90-755-24-37-4. pp 303. Madrid 2005, in English.
Isocarp Mayors' Summit With its 70 member countries, ISOCARP is a global association of planners in a global world. It has the capacity to understand global trends and meets local challenges. Aware of the impact of mayors on cities in a rapidly urbanising world, ISOCARP recognises the important synergy of collaboration between mayors and planners. At its first Mayors' Summit c elebrated in Geneva in 2004, ISOC ARP brought t ogether t op mayors and planners from around the world to discuss the role of leaders in the design and development of cities and to explore the possibility of cooperation between mayors and planners throughout the world. This learning experience should help to improve the Society's capacity to build better cities in the future. ISBN: 90-755-24-38-2. pp 54. Madrid 2005, in English.
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Territorios Inteligentes "Territorios Inteligentes (Intelligent Landscapes) written by Alfonso Vegara and Juan Luis de las Rivas, is one of the most complete publications I have seen related to urbanism. It aims to present ideas for a new contemporary urbanism by weaving the innovative ideas of today together with concepts and projects that have always been a reference in building the city. The book is an important tool for understanding the urban transformations that are taking pace." Forward by Jaime Lerner, former president of the International Union of Architects. Content:The Origins of Modern Urbanism;The City Beautiful; Urban Utopias in the Twentieth Century; Functional City; The Response of the New Cities; Urban Development and Participation; The Renaissance of City Centres; Strategic Plans for Cities; The City Region; Sustainable City; Digital City; Intelligent Landscapes. ISBN: 84-609-2698-2, pp 320. Madrid 2004, in Spanish
Euskal Hiria. Findings of the Proyecto Cities Research This publication is the culmination of the Proyecto Cities research in the Basque Country and in the three Basque capital cities of Bilbao, Donostia-San Sebasti谩n andVitoria-Gasteiz. The research identified the cluster of excellence and its components for Euskal Hiria (the Basque City Region) and each of the three cities. Over thirty local experts contributed articles detailing each component of excellence. Foreword by the Minister for Urban Planning and the Environment of the Basque Government. Photographs by Mikel Eskauriaza, commissioned through a special competition convened by the Fundaci贸n Metr贸poli. ISBN: 84-457-1905-X. p p 245. Vitoria-Gasteiz 2002, i n Spanish, Basque and English.
Cities Hub. Findings of the Proyecto Cities Research Cities Hub is meant to seek out and bring together the most innovative ideas, the most committed young professionals and the most interesting projects in the field of urban planning theory and practice to explore and extend the horizons in urbanism.This publication depicts the constituents of the global network of excellence of Cities Hub (participating cities and universities, International Advisory Council, strategic partners and collaborating institutions) and its tools of knowledge creation and sharing (Proyecto Cities research, Urban La boratory, Le arning f rom Ci ties a nd i nternational u niversity w orkshops). pp. 123. Madrid 2002, in English.
Qualia Sitges Qualia Sitges is a space designed for the integration of the arts and technology. Its vocation as a Mediterrano_TEC will turn Sitges, an open city with a t olerant community, into a centre of excellence for the creative economy. By exploiting its climate, culture, infrastructure and quality of life Qualia Sitges will provide the critical mass for the transformation of a traditional tourism economy into a place where transient artists, intellectuals, educators, entrepreneurs and technologists can cooperate in synergy. An Institute for the performing arts, together with the design centre will complement new performance and exhibition spaces and live-work places in the shape of zero energy, zero water and zero waste modular and mat-buildings.They are integrated in the earth movements which protect Qualia from the adjacent railway by forming two levels of public realm for encounters, recreation and entertainment. Of region-wide significance, Qualia's new centrality will form a bridge between the expanding city, its rich natural hinterland, the beaches and the historic centre.
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4.7.3 Catalogue Sy nopses: Ar t a nd In novation - Ci ties Ar t Iñaki Bergera. A tale of two cities The exhibition “A tale of two cities” by the Spanish architect and photographer Iñaki Bergera, confronts two of the most important metropolises of the world: New York and Istanbul. Both cities are the paradigm of a cosmopolitan city, as well as globalisation. New York is the 21st century Rome, icon of capitalism, whereas Istanbul digs in the roots of its own history to literally become the physical border that joins and separates occident and orient. Both metropolises live surrounded by contradictions, contrasts, similarities: culture and religion, consumerism and capitalism, poverty and opulence, race and gender; to mention only some. They outline that, although using architecture as a tool to create a particular urban setting, it does also allow for a multicultural society. The exhibition, which is half a photographic essay and half a s ocial documentary, portrays through analogies a selection of urban pictures that have de-contextualised so that observers can, without interferences, draw their own conclusions. ISBN: 978-84-612-2424-1. pp 30. Madrid 2008, in English and Spanish.
Fermín Ramírez de Arellano. Paisajes “The works in this exhibition belong to different moments, but cohabitate intimately, joined as a clarifying summary of my past trajectory and the present. For all this, as if I were a child again, I invite you to enter my imaginary castle and visit these works with me, both new and old, which will only be made complete through your viewing.” Fermín Ramírez de Arellano “These are landscapes of our time. A mixture of nature and artificiality. Painted with intentional strokes, though not overly precise. Recognisable, but not cheerful. Composed, but s ystematic. Consequence of a t radition, but not conservative of t hat t radition. Representational, but not expressionistic. Flush with the ground, but with flying ideas.” Antonio Cordón, Institutional Relations Director, Ericsson Spain. pp 31. Madrid 2007, in English and Spanish.
Gonzalo Páramo. Babel “Now that the fallacious dichotomies between scientific and humanistic thinking that had much influence during the 1950s a nd 1060s a re outdated, the interrelation of all knowledge, though without really understanding its complex network, is more obvious. Gonzalo Páramo, in his search for and, without a doubt, at times discoveries, makes visible for us that immense reality, that complex interaction between the innate and the acquired; and of the influence of scientific revolutions on artistic movements.” Simón Puerta García, Managing Director of Luxemburgo Art Tatum pp 40. Madrid 2007, in English and Spanish.
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Carles Valverde. Esculturas In the works of Carles, lead and iron are materials that achieve their goal of accessing another reality. We can describe his work, but not interpret it. It creates a new experience between form and its content; space and its possible interpretations. The use of paper on the lead leaf transforms it from support to material. In themselves, the geometric interpretations of the modular materials create for us a collection of sensations. The corten steel sculptures situated in both interior and exterior spaces possess a serene balance, where we perceive the relationship of the parts of the sculpture and the force that acts among them. It is not only the physical space of the work that we perceive, but also the interaction that is produced in the space where the work is exhibited. Even in the two dimensions, we can see that it is the work of a sculptor, who charms the viewer with traditional techniques like interrogation between the past and the present: the place of the artist in his industrial, social and urban surroundings. Carles prefers asking these questions than finding solutions. pp 30. Madrid 2006, in English and Spanish.
Raquel Montilla Higgins “Raquel Montilla's work refers us to an emotional space, where the dualisms verticalhorizontal, v isible-tactile, organic-synthetic, inside-outside, partial-total invite the spectator to interrogate himself about his own nature. This withdrawal to the interior, triggered by the artist, leads to Martin Heidegger's existentialism. Raquel takes us to a place inhabited by memories of her childhood, by her most vital experiences, by her place in the world, and puts us in a non-Cartesian space, where there is no room left for mathematics or geometry. All in all, her work generates a space that is linked to mankind through vital relationships, and where each place carries a special meaning." Esther Pizarro pp 31. Madrid 2005, in English and Spanish.
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4.7.4 F und a cion M e t r opoli Website
It provides details of the team at the ECOBOX, including alumni, outside advisors and project based collaborators. In a ddition, t he we bsite sums up, in brief, a range of projects, publications and initiatives in which the Fundación Metropoli is engaged. The website is being continuously updated with current events, recognitions and projects as they occur. www.fundacion-metropoli.org
The purpose of t he website of t he Fundación Metrópoli is to connect and share knowledge with the global community from its headquarters in Madrid. The website presents the mission statement of the Fundacion Metropoli, together with its methodology of urban and regional research and its approach to design and implementation.
www.fundacion-metropoli.org
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THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.1 5.2 5.3 5.4 5.5
5.6 5.7
FUNDACION METROPOLI TEAM AND ALUMNI THE HONORARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS THE INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL THE SPECIAL ADVISORS FUNDACION METROPOLI KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS STRATEGIC PARTNERS COLLABORATING UNIVERSITIES AND CITIES IN THE PROYECTO CITIES NETWORK VENUES: ECOBOX MADRID AND DIGITAL BOX BILBAO VIRTUAL NETWORKS AND WEBSITE
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GLOBAL NETWORKING AND COOPERATION IN ALL ITS ENDEAVOURS ARE KEY CHARACTERISTICS OF THE FUNDACION METROPOLI. IT IS INVOLVING PARTNERS IN ITS RESEARCH, STRATEGY DEVELOPMENTS AND DESIGN PROJECTS. OVER THE YEARS THE FUNDACION METROPOLI HAS BEEN BUILDING UP A LARGE BODY OF INSTITUTIONS AND COLLEAGUES WITH WHOM IT IS CREATING AND SHARING KNOWLEDGE AND UNDERTAKING PRACTICAL EXPERIENCES.THEY ARE PARTICIPATING IN CONCRETE INTERVENTIONS AND CONTRIBUTE TO THE DISSEMINATION OFTHEIR SHARED KNOWLEDGE THROUGH PUBLICATIONS AND OTHER CHANNELS OF COMMUNICATION.
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5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.1 FUNDACION METROPOLI TEAM AND ALUMNI
5.1. FUNDACION METROPOLI TEAM AND ALUMNI The team of the Fundacion Metropoli forms the core of these networks. It consists of a cosmopolitan group of professionals who are engaged in research, education, conceptualisation and project design and coordinate events and exchanges. When they become alumni they remain connected with the Fundacion Metropoli.They often undertake cooperative ventures in their countries with the Fundacion Metropoli, thereby contributing to the knowledge capital and keeping an active professional network abreast. 5.1.1. Fundaction Metropoli Executive and Management Team Alfonso Vegara, President and CEO Ana Gorroño, Vice President Ignacio Alcalde, Vice President Mark Dwyer, Director of Cities Lab and Fellowships Programme Gabriel Escobar, Director of Territorial Strategy and Environment Guillermo Sánchez, Director of Cities Programme Maki Kawaguchi, Director of Urban Design Celia Imaz, Director of Landscape Artemio Fochs, Director of Design LAAB Inés Primo de Rivera, Director of Environmental Design Paloma Díaz, Associate to the President and Director of Communication Gracia Cid, Director of Publications and Corporate Identity Juan Fernández-Calvillo, Financial Director and Office Manager Judith Ryser, Editor Naiara Vegara, Design LAAB London Waikeen NG, Singapore Office
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ALFONSO VEGARA (President and CEO) has a PhD in City and Regional Planning and degrees in architecture, economics and sociology. He was president of ISOCARP, the International Society of City and Regional Planners, during the period 2002-2005 which has members in over 70 countries. Alfonso Vegara has been lecturing in urbanism at the Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid, the Universidad de Navarra and the Universidad CEU San Pablo. He was also a visiting scholar at the School of Design of the University of Pennsylvania. Alfonso Vegara is the founder and president of the Fundación Metrópoli, an international institution with its headquarters in Europe dedicated to research and institutional innovation on cities and regions. Most projects on cities and regions have been developed by Alfonso Vegara's practice 'Taller de Ideas' and disseminated through publications and frequent conferences given by Alfonso Vegara in different cities in Europe, the United States, Latin America, Asia, Australia and Africa. His projects have been awarded prizes by United Nations, the European Union, the European Council of Spatial Planners, architects' associations, managerial associations, town councils and national governments. He has been awarded the Premio Jaime I prize in the category of Urbanism, Landscape and Sustainability. On three occasions he received the European Award of Planning for his work in Euskal Hiria, the Basque city region and the design of the eco-city of Sarriguren in Navarra, At present he is adviser to the Government of Singapore for the development of One North. The key contribution of Alfonso Vegara's work is to promote the strategic value of cities and of urban politics in society and his ability is to discover the future vocation of a wide variety of regions from their idiosyncrasies and their components of excellence in a complex and interrelated world. His ideas on cities and spatial development are presented in his book Territorios Inteligentes.
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ANA GORROÑO (Vice President) is a medical doctor specialising in cardiology. She also has a Master Degree in Public Health. She was elected to the Spanish Parliament in 1982, and served for four years in several parliamentary committees and in Brussels prior to Spain's entry into the EU. For her contributions, she was conferred the "Encomienda de la Orden Civil de Sanidad", the highest distinction awarded by the Ministry of Health. In 1987 she participated in the Eisenhower Programme on quality assurance and public health in cities, regions and nations. On leaving politics, she returned to the medical profession. The two themes of her professional development -public health and public policy - come together in an urban v ision of convergence between public spaces, a rt and t he city. IGNACIO ALCALDE (Vice President) is a graduate of the School of Architecture of the University of Navarra, where he specialised in Urbanism. He cofounded the multi-disciplinary practice, Taller de Ideas, in 1987. He w as also professor and director of the Department of Urbanism in the School of Architecture of the CEU. Since 2004, he has directed the Urban and Regional Planning Masters Programme of the San Pablo CEU Business School in Madrid, a leading Urban Master programme in Spain.
MARK DWYER (Director of Cities Lab and Fellowships Programme) is an Architect and Urban Designer from the United States and holds a Master of Architecture in Urban Design from the Graduate School of Design at Harvard University. He h as t aught Urban Design and Architecture at Harvard GSD, University of Pennsylvania School of Design and the Boston Architectural Center. Prior to joining the Fundación Metrópoli, Mark was an Associate in the New York office of Enrique Norten (TEN Arquitectos), managing large scale architectural and urban design projects for the firm. GABRIEL ESCOBAR (Director of Spatial Strategy and Environment) is a qualified agronomist. He is an expert in environmental and regional planning. He has taught undergraduate and postgraduate courses at a number of Spanish universities, and has prepared over 100 re gional planning and development projects in Spain and internationally. He is one of the most experienced Regional Planning experts in Spain.
GUILLERMO SÁNCHEZ (Director of Cities Programme) is an architect from the Instituto Tecnológico de Estudios Superiores de Monterrey (ITESM) in México and holds a Master Degree in Space Syntax and Architecture from the Bartlett School of Graduate Studies at University College London. He a lso holds a PhD in Urban and Regional Planning from Universidad de Valladolid, Spain. He has taught in several Campuses for ITESM in México and has worked on projects and urban research at several scales. In the Fundación Metrópoli he has participated in a number of international urban projects and has undertaken significant urban research in México, Argentina, Spain and Morocco. MAKI KAWAGUCHI (Director of Urban Design) is a licensed US Architect and urban designer and holds a Masters of Architecture in Urban Design from Harvard´s Graduate School of Design. She has taught architecture and served as guest critic at the Boston Architectural Center, Columbia University, Harvard GSD and Instituto Europeo Madrid. Prior to joining the Fundación Metropóli, Maki worked as an architect in New York City specialising in large scale urban design projects, including the New York Financial District Streetscape with Rogers Marvel and the Coney Island Redevelopment with Ehrenkrantz Eckstut & Kuhn.
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CELIA IMAZ (Director of Landscape Urbanism) is a licensed architect, registered in COAVN (Colegio Arquitectos Vasco Navarro) and graduated from the Architectural Association in London where she was awarded the Eileen Gray scholarship and the Nicholas Boas scholarship for research studies at the British School of Rome. Prior to joining the Fundación Metrópoli Celia cofounded IKIRUlab, an emergent studio working in multiple scale landscape design projects. At the Fundación Metrópoli she has participated in a number of international projects and has undertaken significant interdisciplinary research projects where the urban is connected to the local, global and regional scales, understood in terms of its future orientation and performative potential. ARTEMIO FOCHS (Director of Design LAAB) is an architect and specialised in construction at the Escuela Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid. He a lso holds an MDC degree (Master in Graphic Design and Audiovisual Communication) by CICE (professional school of new technologies). He has collaborated with the architects Antón Gárcía Abril and Jesús Aparicio and was professionally trained at ICA Arquitectura. In 2006, together with Raúl del Valle, he was selected by the Housing Ministry for the Jóvenes Arquitectos Españoles exhibition (JAE, Young Spanish Architects). Artemio occasionally takes part in diverse urban actions with the artist collective Boamistura, with whom he received the second prize of the Latin American architecture prizes in the category of “Restoration and enhancement of built cultural heritage 2005”. INÉS PRIMO DE RIVERA (Director of Environmental Design) is an architect from the Architectural Association in London, UK, with technical design honours and holds a degree in interior design with distinction by the Escuela Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (E.T.S.A.M.). She has participated in several environmental and social field projects in developing countries such as Brazil,Thailand and Malawi. Prior to joining the Fundación Metropóli, Ines has worked as an architect on small, medium and large projects related to urban design, architecture and sustainability in Madrid (Allende Arquitectos), London (Foster+Partners) and Shanghai (StudioTwist). PALOMA DIAZ (Associate to the President and Director of Communication) graduated in Sociology and Political Science and holds a Masters in Philosophy and Cultural Studies f rom the London Consortium. She was coordinator of Graduate Admissions and the Summer School at the Architectural Association in London. She is working closely with the President of the Fundacion Metropoli, is responsible for international coordination and manages the international networks of the Fundacion Metropoli.
GRACIA CID (Director of Publications and Corporate Identity) is an architect specialised in urbanism (ETSAM 1996). Sh e is a l ecturer of urbanism at the Higher Polytechnic School (EPS) of the Universidad CEU San Pablo in Madrid. She started her professional activity in the multidisciplinary team of Taller de Ideas. She combines t eaching and research activities with her professional activities in the field of cities and regions at the Fundación Metrópoli. She has taken part in a number of publications on urbanism, responsible for graphic design and production. JUAN FERNÁNDEZ-CALVILLO (Financial Director and Office Manager) is a senior accountant and a financial expert. He holds a degree in Business Studies from the Universidad Complutense de Madrid and has worked at the Fundación Metrópoli since 2002, directing the financial and economic operations in addition to internal management.
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JUDITH RYSER (Editor) Educated as an architect and urbanist with an MSc in social sciences, Judith Ryser is dedicating her cosmopolitan professional life to the built environment and its sustainability at university, in the public sector, private practice and with community groups. Her research in London, Paris, Stockholm, Geneva (United Nations) and Madrid focuses on the future of cities in the knowledge society, with emphasis on Europe. As Vice-President of the International Society of City and Regional Planners she edited several publications, including four decades of knowledge creation and sharing and is joint editor of the International Manual of Planning Practice. A member of the UK Chartered Institute of Journalists she writes a nd e dits books, a rticles a nd re ports f or i nternational organisations. NAIARA VEGARA (Design LAAB London) is an architect who qualified at the Architectural Association in London. She was a tutor at the AA summer course in Singapore in 2009, "Designing Geographics" and "Reclamation Land" in 2010 a nd has working experience at ACME Space London. She presented ongoing projects about Virtual Environments and the Design Process in Architecture at workshops at the University of Columbia (NY), University of Princeton (NY), U Penn (PA) in 2007. Sh e participated in ISOCARP Congresses and Seminars in Brasilia (Brazil) 2010, Da lian (China) 2008, Antwerp (Brussels) 2007, Istanbul (Turkey) 2006, San Jose(California) 2005, Genoa (Italy) 2004. WAIKEEN NG (Singapore Office) Studied Architecture at the National University of Singapore and City & Regional Planning at the University of Pennsylvania. He has extensive international experience in urban and spatial planning, and has served on expert advisory panels, planning workshops and conferences. As Director of Cities Hub at Fundación Metrópoli from 1999 t o 2007, h e was responsible for urban planning research and design projects, both in Spain and internationally. He has also worked for Scott Tallon Walker Architects in Dublin. He is currently special advisor of the Fundación for Singapore where he will teach at the university.
ECOBOX TEAM: LAURA SA IZ (1) Ge stión Interna. Of fice Manager. Licenciada en Filología Inglesa UCM. EMILIO ONTIVEROS (2) Architect - Escuela Técnica Superior de Arquitectura de Madrid (ETSAM, UPM). Master in Collective Housing; ETSAM, Master in Landscape Architecture; ETH Zurich. PhD Dissertation; ETSAM (on-going), Visiting Fellow at Harvard’s Graduate of Design. MARÍA DIEZ (3) Forest Engineer; Universidad de Santiago de Compostela (USC), GIS Specialist. KATTALIN AURTENETXE (4) Architect - Gr aduate School of Architecture of the University of Navarra (ETSAUN), Master in Collective Housing; ETSAM. AARON KELLEY (5) LEED AP. Urban Planner - Masters in City & Regional Planning; University of Pennsylvania. B.A. Geography; West Chester University, USA. BERTA LÁZARO (6) Architect - Graduate School of Architecture of the University of Navarra (ETSAUN), Master of Urban Design; University of California - Berkeley, PhD Dissertation; ETSAM (on-going).
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5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.1 FUNDACION METROPOLI TEAM AND ALUMNI
5.1.2. The Team and Alumni
IGNACIO ALCALDE, PATRICIA ANDRADE, SANTIAGO APARICIO, UN AI ARABAOLAZA, BEGOÑA ARRATE, IGONE ARRIOLA, KATTALIN AURTENETXE, M ARÍA BANDRÉS, XA BIER B ARRUTIETA, M ARIO BERMEJO , PAULA BLANCO, DAVID BUSTOS, CARLOS CASTILLO, FRÉDÉRIC CHESNEY, GRACIA CID, SANDRA COBIÁN, ALEJANDRO CRISTOBALENA, ÁNGEL DE DIEGO, DIEGO DELFÍN, PALOMA DÍAZ, BLANCA DIEZ, M ARÍA DIEZ, MARK D WYER, G ABRIEL ESCOB AR, ANUAR F ARIZ, JUAN FERNÁNDEZ C ALVILLO, M ARIA JOSÉ FERNÁNDEZ, RIC ARDO FERNÁNDEZ, ARTEMIO FOCHS , MANUEL G ALIÁN, SU SANA GÓMEZ DIA Z, SU SANA GÓMEZ PÉREZ, FABRIZIO GONZÁLEZ, ANA GORROÑO, HOLLY GRACE, M ACARENA HERRERA, CELIA IM AZ, DAVID IRIB AS, DINO JULO YA, M AKI KAWAGUCHI, AAR O N K E L L E Y , C AR L O S L A H O Z , F R A N C I S C O LAMÍQUIZ, LAURA LATORRE, BERTA LÁZARO, BORJA LÓPEZ, IÑAKI LÓPEZ DE M ATURANA, LUISA LÓPEZ, H É C TO R M AR T Í N E Z , L U K E M I T C H E L L , AD O L F O MONTALVO, PAUL MULÉ, WAIKEEN NG, MARÍA NÚÑEZ, ARTURO OCHOA, EMILIO ONTIVEROS, ALBERTO OTO, LUIS PEREA, MARTA POSTIGO, INÉS PRIMO DE RIVERA, ALFREDO RAMÍREZ, STEPHEN RAMOS, LAURA SAIZ, GUILLERMO SÁNCHEZ, GABRIEL SANSINENEA, JOSÉ MIGUEL SA NTIAGO, M ARÍA TENA, ANA M ARÍA TERRERO, JAIME TRASPADERNE, CAROLINA TRUJILLO, ALFONSO VEGARA, ALFONSO VEGARA GORROÑO , NAIARA VEGARA GORROÑO , SA NDRA ZA BALA, ALEJANDRA ZAZUETA, ENRIQUE A. ZULETA 106
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Bioclimatic solutions at Ecobox. Fundacion Metropoli, Madrid
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PART I ABOUT THE FUNDACIÓN METRÓPOLI
5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.2 HONORARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS
5.2 HONORARY BOARD OF DIRECTORS The Honorary Board of Directors is composed of prestigious, experienced, international leaders who have a clear understanding of the global economy, global trends and global opportunities.They advise on our longterm strategies on a voluntary basis.
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5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.3 THE INTERNATIONAL ADVISORY COUNCIL
5.3. THE INTERNATIONAL 5.3 ADVISORY COUNCIL The Fundacion Metropoli has constituted an International Advisory Council at its inception. It comprises reputed international experts, academics and professional leaders from key universities, cities and professional bodies in different countries and continents. The members of the International Advisory Council contribute ideas, support and strategic contacts to assist the Fundación Metrópoli in the development of its projects in their countries or in their professional fields.
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The members that have been participating in our International Advisory Council are: David Amborski -Toronto, Alfonso Arroyo - Madrid, Jon Azua - Bilbao, José Barbero - Washington DC, Larry Barth London, Paul Bedford · Toronto, Elizabeth Benson - Toronto, Javier Beristain* - Mexico DF, Eugenie Birch - Philadelphia, Rinio Bruttomesso - Venice, Robert Carter - Brisbane, Josep Maria Civit Gomis - Barcelona, Adriana Dal Cin* - Madrid, Donal de Buitleir - Dublin, Javier de Mesones - Madrid, Angel Diaz - Barcelona, Cleón Ricardo dos Santos - Curitiba, Peter Droege - Sydney, Jeremy Ellis - Melbourne, Jose Luis Esteban Penelas - Madrid, Marta Cecilia Fajardo - Bogota, Mabel Fernandez - Buenos Aires, Alexander Garvin - New York, José GelabertNavia - Miami, Natalio Grueso - Madrid, Gary Hack - Philadelphia, Sir Peter Hall - London, Claude Henrion - Paris, Carlos Hernández-Pezzi - Málaga , Jeffrey Huang - Lausanne, William Hudnut - Washington, Gilberto Jordan - Lisbon, Patricia Karvournis - Philadelphia, John Keene - Philadelphia, Nezir Kirdar - Istanbul, Hans Koehler - San Francisco, Alex Krieger - Boston, Kisho Kurokawa* - Tokyo, Pierre Laconte - Brussels, Charles Lambert - Paris, Paul Levy - Philadelphia, Pablo Ligrone - Montevideo, Thai-Ker Liu - Singapore, Alain Lorgeoux - Bordeaux, Mario Losantos-Ucha - Madrid, Victor Machedon - Bucharest, Asesh Kumar Maitra - India, Seymour Mandelbaum - Philadelphia, Robert McNulty - Washington DC, Waikeen Ng - Singapore, Andres Pedreño Muñoz - Alicante, Jorge Pérez-Jaramillo - Medellín, Janice Perlman - Hartford, Howard Perlmutter - Philadelphia, Paul Pezzotta - Philadelphia, Michel Rivoire - Lyon, Shanmuga Retnam - Singapore, Judith Ryser - London, Eduardo San Martín - Santiago, Saskia Sassen -New York and London, Sumio Takeichi -Tokyo, Anthony Tomazinis - Philadelphia, José Francisco Trigueros Sellés - Alicante , Siegried Zhiqiang Wu - Shanghai, Chung-Tong Wu - Sydney, Janeck Harold Zangen - Cali , Shilin Zheng - Shanghai , Patricia Zingsheim - Washington DC., Enrique Zuleta Puciero - Buenos Aires. * deceased
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5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.4 THE SPECIAL ADVISORS
5.4 THE SPECIAL ADVISORS As collaborators with the Fundacion Metropoli, these Special Advisors contribute their respective areas of expertise to enrich the everyday activities of the organization. The Special advisors: Antonio Aguilar - architect, Manuel Blanco - fiscal expert, Ariel Cano council member, Julio Castelao - professor of planning law, Jose Maria Civit Gomis - consultant graphic design and branding, Diego Delfín - architect, Angel de Diego - architect, Ángel Diaz expert in tourist development, Jose Luis Garro - engineer, Jose Miguel Iribas - sociologist, urbanist, Eugenia Kamenski - economist, Gabriela López - political science, Carlos de la Mora - architect, Alberto Oto - architect, Juan Luis de las Rivas - professor of urbanism, Alberto Pérez Cano lawyer, José Francisco Trigueros Selles - economist, Cleon Ricardo dos Santos - urbanist, Enrique Zuleta Ferrari - architect.
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5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.5 FUNDACION METROPOLI KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS
5.5 FUNDACION METROPOLI KNOWLEDGE NETWORKS The Fundacion Me tropoli has co-opted knowledge partners among internationally recognised institutions, universities, foundations and associations with strong links to the world of cities. From its inception the Fundación Metrópoli, has cooperated with these knowledge partners who have supported different programmes.They constitute a vital backing of future initiatives by the Fundación Metrópoli. 5.5.1 Strategic partners The Fundacion Metropoli is an intellectual capital organisation, as opposed to a traditional financial capital foundation. It has created a close association with a number of strategic partners who provide intellectual o r re source i nputs t owards t he development of t he a ctivities of t he Fundacion Metropoli. They e ncompass d ifferent t ypes o f institutions and companies, including LabeinTecnalia and Asmoa Zero which assist in the incubation process of technology based or area based initiatives. Strategic partners are: University of Pennsylvania (PENN) Eisenhower Fellowships (EF) International So ciety o f Ci ty a nd Re gional Planners (ISOCARP) Urban Land Institute (ULI) Arab Ur ban De velopment In stitute (A UDI) Partners f or Li veable Co mmunities (PLC) Universit y Ci t y Sc ience Ce nt er (UCSC) Labein Tecnalia Asmoa Zero
5.5.2 Collaborating universities and cities in the Proyecto Cities network Over and above cooperating on specific projects with cities from all over the world, the Fundacion Metropoli has e stablished t he Proyecto Ci ties network which organises events to share findings
between participant cities. They are also open to newcomers. Among them many cities decided to apply the Proyecto Cities methodology (presented in Chapter 3) and to provide feedback to the network. The f ormal c ore o f t he Pr oyecto Ci ties network encompasses: Barcelona, Bo rdeaux, Bo ston, Bu charest, Casablanca, Curitiba, Dubai, Dublin, Euskal Hiria, Hong Kong, Lisboa, Madrid, Marseille, Marrakech, Medellin, Miami, Milan, Monterrey, Montevideo, Philadelphia, Riyadh, Santo Domingo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sydney and Toronto. The Proyecto Cities network was joined by the following universities: Harvard University, Universidade Livre do Meio Ambi ent e, Un i ver s i t y Co l l ege Du bl in, Universidad d el P aís Vasco, Un iversidad d e Deusto (Basque Country), Universidad Pontificia Bolivariana Me dellin, Un iversity o f Mi ami, Pont icia Un iversidad Ca tólica d e Ch ile, Universidad d e l a Re pública (Mo ntevideo, Uruguay), Instituto Tecnológico y d e Estudios Superiores de Monterrey, University of Hong Kong, Un iversity o f P ennsylvania, Sh anghai Academy of Social Sciences, The University of Sydney, Ryerson Polytechnic University (Toronto, Ontario, Canada), University of the Philippines in Visayas, Ram on Aboitiz F oundation, In c. (Philippines), University of New South Wales and Instituto Tecnológico de Santo Domingo (Dominican Republic).
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5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.6 VENUES
5.6 VENUES When the opportunity presented itself, the Fundacion Metropoli took advantage of designing and building its own headquarters in the Madrid city-region. The Ecobox was conceived to showcase the fundamental c riteria t o w hich t he Fu ndación Metrópoli is committed: the encouragement of innovation and sustainable development in cities and regions and the incorporation of bioclimatic principles in all its activities. The building was designed to foster cooperative innovation and creativity and to host events which involve its
Fundación Metrópoli Headquarters
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networking partners as well as the wider public. The design philosophy, ecological principles and technical aspects which have guided the building are presented in Chapter 10. True to its mission of creating and sharing knowledge, the Fundacion Metropoli is now involved in the realisation of another 21st century place for innovation and creativity, the Digital Box in Bilbao. This consists of a part conversion of an existing building from Bilbao's industrial past and a new extension which will incubate other institutions dedicated to research and experimentation willing to create synergetic l inks with the Fundacion Metropoli and its projects.
5 THE ACTORS AND VENUES 5.7 VIRTUAL NETWORKS
5.7 VIRTUAL NETWORKS The Ecobox, and in future the Digital Box are able to re ceive m embers o f t he n etworks o n t he premises to cooperate on common ventures. As the Fundacion Metropoli is cooperating with colleagues and institutions throughout the world, an increasing part of its cooperation is t aking place through virtual networking. The Ecobox is equipped for such communications, including video conferencing, and the Digital Box will experiment further with virtual communication technologies to enhance synergies with its networks of cooperation partners.
The Fundacion Metropoli has redesigned its website www.fundacion-metropoli.org with the aim to reach a broader constituency and to communicate more interactively with its many networks. It aims also to inform professionals and decision makers in cities and regions, as well as with the development industry and academic institutions throughout the world. Presenting its work in two languages the Fundacion Metropoli is keen to disseminate its knowledge and to share its design experiments from its inception to its latest findings.
CAM project with digital animation
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6. CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.1 ‘TERRITORIOS INTELIGENTES’ 6.1.1 SMART PLACES ARE DESIGNED BY THE COMMUNITY 6.1.2 SMARTPLACES ARE ENVIRONMENTALLY SENSITIVE AND RESPONSIVE TO CHANGE 6.1.3 SMARTPLACES ARE CAPABLE OF CREATING COMPETITIVE ADVANTAGES 6.1.4 SMARTPLACES ARE COMMITTED TO SOCIAL COHESION AND DEVELOPMENT 6.1.5 SMARTPLACES ARE EFFECTIVE STRUCTURES OF GOVERNANCE 6.1.6 SMARTPLACES HAVE STRONG RELATIONSHIPS WITH THEIR SURROUNDINGS 6.1.7 SMARTPLACES ARE COMMITTED TO INNOVATION 6.1.8 SMARTPLACES ESTABLISH CONNECTIONS TO CITYNETWORKS 6.2 URBAN ECOSYSTEMS OF INNOVATION 6.2.1 BORROWING FROM SCIENCE 6.2.2 SYSTEMIC UNDERSTANDING OF CITIES 6.2.3 SCALING 6.2.4 PLACE-BASED APPROACH TO ECOSYSTEMS OF INNOVATION 6.3 THE EUROPEAN DIAGONAL 6.3.1 A MEGA-REGION INITIATIVE 6.3.2 CONCEPTUALISING THE EUROPEAN DIAGONAL 6.3.3 POLYCENTRIC CITY NETWORKS AND CITY-DIAMONDS 6.3.4 POLITICS, OPPORTUNITIES AND CHALLENGES 6.3.5 TURNING THE DIAGONAL CONCEPT INTO REALITY 6.3.6 THE DIAGONAL, ITS DIAMONDS AND THEIR CONNECTIONS 6.3.7 FUTURE DIAGONAL COOPERATION 6.4 MEDITERRÁNEO_TEC 6.4.1 FOCUS ON COASTAL REGIONS 6.4.2 CRITERIA OF LANDSCAPE URBANISM FOR MEDITERRANEO TECS
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CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.1 6.2 6.3 6.4
‘TERRITORIOS INTELIGENTES’ URBAN ECOSYSTEMS OF INNOVATION THE EUROPEAN DIAGONAL MEDITERRÁNEO_TEC
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PART II CONCEPTS
PART II OF THE BOOK IS DEDIC ATED TO THE CONCEPTUAL ACTIVITIES OF THE FUNDACION METROPOLI. THEY COMBINE REFLECTION, STRATEGIC PERSPECTIVES, FEEDBACK FROM PRACTICE AND INTERCHANGE WITH EXTERNAL NETWORKS. THEY ARE PERMEATED BY THE IDEA THAT INNO VATION IS DRIVING PRO ACTIVE SPATIAL INTERVENTIONS, AS WELL AS FLEXIBLE ADAPTATION TO EXOGENOU S CHA NGES. THROUGH CONTINUOU S INTERA CTION THE RESEARCH OF THE FUND ACION METROPOLI INTEGRATES FINDINGS FROM ALL SOURCES OF LEARNING: COOPERATION WITH INTERNATIONAL NETWORKS OF CITIES, UNIVERSITIES AND PROFESSIONAL INSTITUTIONS, CONTEXTUAL RESEARCH, THE DEVELOPMENT OF I TS O WN METHODOLOGY TO UNDERST AND CI TIES, EXPERIMENTATION WITH REAL LIFE PROJECTS, AND COLLABORATION WITH DECISION MAKERS AND ARTISTS. THESE EXPLORATIVE ACTIVITIES CONTRIBUTE TO THE NO TION OF 'URB AN PROJECT', A COMBIN ATION OF WILFUL ANTICIPATORY STRA TEGIES, INCORPORA TING EXISTING URBAN ASSETS, WHILE PROVIDING FLEXIBLE RESPONSES TO TRANSFORMATIONS BEYOND ITS CONTROL. 120
The Fundacion Metropoli is exploring new ways of perceiving cities and regions on all continents through global inspiration and local cultural connections. Due to uneven economic development cities are at different stages of evolution, but conceptual findings can assist those lagging behind to l eapfrog t o t he m ost c ontemporary i deas o f s ustainable s patial development. The Fundacion Metropoli draws innovative ideas from its conceptual work on physical, economic and socio-cultural development processes, environmental sustainability, democratic governance and wellbeing of citizens. It is committed to make its findings widely available to a contribution as a practical body of knowledge towards a 'new urbanity'. Part II i s presenting t he current s tate of t hinking of t he Fundacion Metropoli. It finds its expression in four interdependent areas: Territorios Inteligentes,23 a new conception of spaces fit for the 21st century; 'Urban Ecosystems of Innovation', a f ramework f or f uture-oriented spatial development processes; 'Building the European Diagonal',24 a dynamic approach to mega-regional strategies; and the region-specific, conceptual framework of 'Mediterraneo_ TEC'.
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6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.1 ‘TERRITORIOS INTELIGENTES’
6.1 ‘TERRITORIOS INTELIGENTES’ Written by Alfonso Vegara, with Juan Luis de Las Rivas, Territorios Inteligentes25 ('SmartPlaces') was published to mark the 25 th anniversary o f t he f irst d emocratic municipalities in Spain which has brought fundamental transformations to spatial development in a rapidly growing and fundamentally changing country.
In Spain, many responsibilities of the Nation State have been devolved to recently created autonomous regions, cities and municipalities. Since then, cities have an enormous potential to innovate and are assuming an increasing share of place making. They aim at a high quality physical environment to improve living conditions, preserve cultural heritage, care for the natural environment, promote social cohesion, foster innovative enterprises and s timulate t he local e conomy. Such initiatives enable t hem t o remain buoyant and competitive in a globalising world. It is against this background that Alfonso Vegara conceived 'Territorios Inteligentes'. This anthology o f m odern u rbanism re presents t he prof essional s tandpoint o f t he Fu ndacion Metropoli. It aims to provide a framework of references and includes examples of creativity and innovation, economic competitiveness, social cohesion and environmental sustainability.These tools contribute to d esigning the cities of the future in the age of the knowledge society for the wellbeing of their citizens. In h is f oreword, J aime Le rner 26 s tates t hat "…Territorios Inteligentes27 written by Alfonso Vegara and Juan Luis de las Rivas, is one of the most complete publications I have seen related to urbanism. It aims to present ideas for a new contemporary urbanism by weaving the innovative ideas of today together with concepts and projects that have always been a reference in building the city. The book is an important tool for understanding the urban transformations that are taking pace…." The first part of the book presents 20 th century urban t heories, planning approaches and city design solutions, many of them from the AngloSaxon world. The initial chapters are discussing the Origins of Modern Urbanism; The City Beau-
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tiful; Urban Utopias in theTwentieth Century;The Functional City; andThe Response of NewTowns. The book moves on t o public participation, a widespread reaction of the 1970s against autocratic p lanning s ystems a nd b lanket u rban renewal interventions, based on the principles of the machine age and management techniques of the business sector. The chapters on Urban Development and Participation andThe Renaissance of City Centres deal with these issues. Stepping further into the present, the book stresses the growing scale of space and the longer time horizons that attract the attention of planning. These changes are discussed in the chapters on Strategic Plans for Cities and The City Region. The most significant changes of contemporary urban development are expressed in the chapters on The Su stainable Ci ty a nd The Di gital Ci ty. The f inal chapter 'Territorios Intelligentes' is synthesising the key ideas of the book and showing their relevance to future planning and design. It points to the fragmentation of contemporary cities, growing physical and social segregation and their adverse consequences, lack of sustainability and the divisiveness of urban sprawl, edge cities and gated communities. The chapter reviews n ew a pproaches w hich d eal w ith decentralising trends. New nodes of attraction are being created, such as airport cities, Soja's Exopolis, Ascher's Me t apolis, K oolhaas' Megastructures and other existing metropolises. Besides these large scale, isolated urban structures, other models of urban development are emerging, more embedded in an urban continuum. Among them are compact cities, and polycentric regions of medium size cities which function as a whole, like in the 'third It aly'. Besides these 'first world' models, the informal settlements in the developing world are t aking an increasing place in urbanisation. They are a menacing form
of sprawl and need drastic solutions to lift them out of their insalubrities and lack of even the most basic urban services. Both self-generated and planned examples of positive change exist, but the overwhelming scale of the problem is a real challenge for those concerned with conceptualising a sustainable urban future. The Fundacion Me tropoli Proyecto Ci ties research (see Chapter 3) shows that the cities, cityregions and regions which are successful in facing the challenges and risks of globalisation are those able to imagine an 'urban project'. Such a project combines a we ll pondered balance between a city-own, economic development strategy driven by context-specific assets, aspiration to social cohesion, and innovative landscape design to enhance the environment. Based on this research, the book offers some pointers toward a better, more sustainable f uture of cities and regions. In conclusion, its vision of future urbanity focuses on those who reinvent their city by design, well aware that their ideas need political support, pertinent institutional structures and entrepreneurial impetus t o g et i mplemented. Above a ll, c ities require creativity and innovation to realise their full potential, and this can only be achieved with leadership, consensus and endurance over a long period of time. Alfonso Vegara calls these innovative city-regions "SmartPlaces". In his view they are able to achieve and maintain a balance between economic competition, social development and cohesion, together with cultural - environmental sustainability. Ot her c ities c an l earn f rom t he experience of these cities, especially from the way they are organised to achieve good urban results. Although none of their achievements or innovations can be copied directly t o another city or context, they remain stimulating references. The book ends by identifying eight common characteristics of ''SmartPlaces�.
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6.1.1 SmartPlaces are Designed by the Community
6.1.2 SmartPlaces are Environmentally Sensitive and Responsive to Change
The market is an excellent instrument to regulate the economy and to stimulate the creativity and productivity of companies. However, it is not an efficient city planning mechanism. If the market or the demands of a s ingle group or sector are dictating the physical organisation of the city, the medium and long-term results will not be satisfactory, not even as regards urban competitiveness. Therefore, SmartPlaces are not designed by the market, although the logic of the market economy needs to be taken into account, together with the views of the community in designing the future of cities. SmartPlaces design their future through leadership, civic participation and processes which encourage innovation. SmartPlaces a re c ities or regions w ith s trong leadership, a mature civil society and a high level of inter-institutional collaboration. It is important to highlight that coherent political leadership is an important competitive advantage. In some cities, the lack of political leadership is mitigated by the civil society through foundations, NGOs, and an active spirit of volunteerism, especially in America. In other cases, the business community plays an essential role beyond its own business interests. In either case, coherent political leadership constitutes an important competitive advantage for democratic societies. When different institutions are able to cooperate with shared objectives, they can undertake certain projects that would be impossible in a context of confrontation. A characteristic of SmartPlaces is that such cities and regions have active communities with the ability to organise themselves to invent and reach a collective vision for the future.
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SmartPlaces adopt a n ew ethic concerning the natural and urban environments.They realise that conventional urban planning along conventional administrative or political boundaries cannot lead to a coherent approach to issues affecting more than one administrative unit, such as the environment. Therefore, SmartPlaces seek new planning scales, especially at the regional level, and also at 'middle' or 'intermediate' scale. SmartPlaces have a new sensitivity towards the problems and opportunities of the environment.There is greater impetus to develop a planning model compatible with the physical features of the environment, as well as the development capacity and vocation of specific areas. While concerns for urban and natural environments are becoming global, they may attenuate negative environmental impacts. However, SmartPlaces assume a more ambitious and pro-active attitude towards environmental concerns.They opt for positive intervention and active protection of the natural environment; take into account the real value of the urban and natural landscapes; recover the natural eco-systems, and restore physically, socially and/or economically deteriorated areas. The cities participating in Proyecto Cities show that their efforts towards environmental issues influence not only overall quality of life, but also the competitive edge of attracting and developing economic activities. As natural spaces are resources shared by the entire population, they are also important for social cohesion.The case of Curitiba is striking, especially the social impact of the park system and the relation between environmental efforts and the capacity to attract international companies. SmartPlaces are committed to leave an e nvironment b ehind w hich i s b etter c ared forthan the one they have received, with a f ull potential for future development. Investment in natural landscapes, the improvement of the city and the regional environment is one of the most profitable economic activities, notwithstanding its important social impact.This is where architecture and physical planning can add value to the public realm through urban design and landscape architecture.
Sustainable design aims to improve the public realm, provides quality of life and makes cities more competitive
Views of Bilbao
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6.1.3 SmartPlaces are Capable of Creating Competitive Advantages
6.1.4 SmartPlaces are Committed to Social Cohesion and Development
Cities and their regions are unique entities. In an increasingly complex and inter-related international context they provide competitive advantages for economic, leisure, cultural and social activities. Good urban design and planning strategies can assist in making the city more liveable and more competitive. Cities are attractive not only because of the intrinsic conditions of their location, but also because they have been able to reach a consensus on the future of their city-region. SmartPlaces are able to develop an urban model that creates competitive advantages in a context of competition and cooperation among cities and regions.
SmartPlaces work to achieve social cohesion and balance, meaning the inclusion of all citizens, while struggling a gainst inequality a nd e xclusion of persons or groups. SmartPlaces dedicate important resources to urban regeneration, and to improve the quality of the urban environment and the image of the city, activities which affect all social classes and social groups of the city. SmartPlaces seek also to limit 'voluntary exclusion' by the elite to create a more 'inclusive' society, a 'society of well-being' instead of a 'welfare society'. Public spaces give important insights into community life of a city.The quality of these spaces and how well they are used are clear barometers of social cohesion in the city.
Infrastructure, facilities and services are important components, but the most important challenge for the survival of cities in the future is their capacity to generate and attract highly skilled human resources. Professional opportunities, networking, educational facilities, culture of innovation, residential options, quality of life, social equilibrium, feeling of safety, cultural and leisure opportunities, quality of the urban spaces, etc, will be key factors of economic competitiveness.The cities which are most successful in attracting and training the best intellectual talents and workers are the ones which will flourish. In turn, these human resources will greatly affect the profile and functions of the cities of the future as they are the basic economic assets of the 21st century. Regional and local governments can also contribute effectively to the competitiveness of the companies and the activities being developed within their boundaries. They can define specific objectives to equip the city with critical factors able to generate competitive advantages.The experience of Monterrey, where the private sector plays an important role in the development of the excellent education system is significant. SmartPlaces are able to define an 'Urban Project' for the City which creates competitive advantages for viable activities of the new economy.
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The dynamism of the civil society is essential to achieve a balanced and inclusive city.This is partly because obtaining a socially integrated city cannot b e a chieved b y p ublic a uthorities a lone. Proyecto Cities research confirmed surprisingly that efforts to achieve real social cohesion have a positive effect on the competitive capacity and attractiveness of t he c ity i n e conomic t erms. SmartPlaces actively strengthen the feeling of belonging and the physical signs of identity because they also improve the capacity of cooperation in collective projects. In Sm artPlaces the democratisation of the urban planning process is an effective mechanism against exclusion and in favour of social development.
BOSTON
NEW YORK
PHILADELPHIA
BALTIMORE
WASHINGTON D.C.
Northeast Megaregion built up areas. Source: National Land Cover 2001
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6.1.5 SmartPlaces are Effective Structures of Governance
Some c ities s uch a s Toronto h ave re cently changed their administrative and political structure t o m anage t he m etropolitan a rea m ore effectively and more democratically. New technologies can also contribute to the creation of a more efficient government, or Smart Governance, to reduce bureaucracy and to open up new opportunities for greater citizen participation in urban planning issues. Digital technologies are being used by different cities to improve their services and to encourage the sense of citizenship.
The global trends which affect regional governance include the emergence of new economic and political a llegiances a nd t he re organisation of t he functions of nation-states. Some cities and regions are becoming important players in the global economy, while other complex regions have implemented decentralisation policies. Within this new context, governance and planning have become very complex, and there is a danger that inappropriate a dministrative s tructures could l ead t o political fragmentation which could greatly reduce the a bility o f e ffective re gional g overnance. SmartPlaces have efficient administrative structures and policies, or have coherent agreements of inter-institutional cooperation for the design and construction of the future of the city-region. SmartPlaces are able to create appropriate organisations for the development of strategic projects or to reach specific objectives. This means that they are capable of bringing together the various elements of 'Social Architecture' necessary for the efficient development of strategic operations.
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6.1.6 SmartPlaces have Strong Relationships w ith t heir Su rroundings SmartPlaces frequently find that the key of their urban profile lies in their specific urban context. At the global scale of inter-urban relationships, many cities have found a unique profile based on the development of their roles in the context of the global economy. For example, Singapore, traditionally a node for air and sea transport and a financial node is aiming to become a centre of excellence
Vitoria Intelligent City, Fundacion Metropoli
for bio-technology; Kuala Lumpur wants to consolidate its position as a c entre for multimedia technologies with its Multimedia Super-corridor project; Boston's cluster of quality universities led to the development of its creative economy; and Miami benefits from being the 'meeting point' between the United States and Latin America. There are opportunities of creating city-systems with surrounding cities.This is especially relevant in Europe with its long urban tradition and rich system of historic s ettlements. Opportunities emerge from defining complementary urban profiles of cities within a city-system; strengthening certain economic, cultural or social connections; creating polycentric urban structures; developing supra-municipal functions; and fostering closer interaction between cities, the rural system and natural spaces, as in the case of the Euskal Hiria initiative in the Basque Country. The emergence of a city-region around the principal city offers tremendous but complex opportunities.The organisation of the metropolitan region is possibly the most difficult challenge of urban planning in the 21 st century. The future of cities
depends increasingly on their ability to identify the vocation of the city in relationship with the surrounding environment. SmartPlaces are able to identify a c ompetitive urban profile for their future in relation to their contextual conditions. Traditional urbanism is not the most appropriate tool to identify urban profiles, as it is oriented towards the allocation of urban activities within municipal boundaries. New planning scales are needed, combined with an understanding of the 'components of excellence' of cities, together with their singularities in relation to their context, as a basis for strategic thinking.
6.1.7 SmartPlaces are Committed to Innovation The most innovative and successful companies in the international markets devote much time and effort to research and development (R&D) activities. Similarly, cities and regions will be able to successfully meet future challenges through research and design of innovative strategies. SmartPlaces seek innovation and emphasise the 'Urbanism of Ideas'.
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They make efforts to study their own specificities and opportunities, and have a c apacity to learn from their own experience, as well as from experiences of others. SmartPlaces are conscious that in the current stage of globalisation it is risky to stay the same, to be unable to innovate, given that rapid changes and transformations have become the constants of t oday. True innovation means inventing from what has already been invented, from wisdom accumulated in cities and regions.
strengthen their strategic positioning. These city networks can be based on complementary functions, shared cultures, or geographic proximity, etc. Such connections among cities facilitate economic, social and cultural exchanges. Strong links established with distant cities can overcome conventional b arriers t o t rade a nd d evelopment.
Some excellent examples include Curitiba with its urban research centre (IPPUC) which was instrumental in t he urban t ransformation of t he c ity; Melbourne with its International Benchmarking practice; the 'Sustainable Sydney' initiative which influenced the successful Olympic candidacy of the city, and continues to inspire the current urban and regional strategies of the metropolitan areas of New South Wales; One North in Singapore which aims to create an innovation node to attract creative professionals from around the world. The key to urban innovation is people, and in particular the existence of a highly skilled population. A strong infrastructure for education and research is the basis of innovation in t he c ity. Yet, some c ities without sophisticated educational infrastructure have been able to attract intellectual talent, companies and skilled workers required for economic growth, due to their high quality of life, open and innovative culture and intelligent strategies for the future which are attractive to individuals, companies or institutions sharing the same vision.
The experience of Proyecto Cities shows that it is possible to establish solid links between cities far away from each other if they share similar characteristics or visions. Just as is the case of private companies, universities, R&D centres, and also people, cities need to establish intelligent links and strategic alliances in order to achieve their objectives in this era of globalisation. Cities without a clear vision of their future will find it difficult to identify the specific connections they require, and strategic alliances which will give them access to the innovations and experiences in the specific areas needed for their improvement. SmartPlaces are aware that one of the keys of success at this stage o f g lobalisation i s m embership o f c itynetworks which function at regional, national and international levels.They are also aware that these types of networks can only be created through concerted cooperation and exchange.
6.1.8 Smar tPlaces e stablish Connections to City-Networks In a global world, the idea of networks and flows is substituting the conventional idea of cities exercising an influence on their adjacent area. The most global and best connected c ities a re t he gateways to the global economy and the world. Traditionally, the nation states have monopolised international relations through their diplomats and embassies. In future, in line with their growing role in the global society, city-regions will be more active in seeking strategic alliances. SmartPlaces are capable of developing the necessary connections t o p articipate a ctively i n n etworks t hat
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6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.2 URBAN ECOSYSTEMS OF INNOVATION
6.2 URBAN ECOSYSTEMS OF INNOVATION The Fundacion Me tropoli i s exploring 'u rban e cosystems o f innovation' to deal with uncertainty, risk, turbulence, environmental impacts, competitiveness, creativity and long term trends of evolution. This concept evolved from the notion of 'innovation hubs', conceptualised by Proyecto Cities research (Chapter 3) through case study comparisons.28 This approach differs f rom s tatutory planning by going beyond t op-down planning procedures and market-led development projects.
It tackles the contradictory nature of most development p rocesses b y re sorting t o s ystemic thinking and its synergetic effects. It harnesses confrontation and tension, and rests on dialectic int eract ion t o g enerat e m utual b enef its. According to this model of thinking global competitiveness b elongs t o a n e cosystem o f innovation i n w hich c ities p lay a m ajor p art. Reaching beyond polycentric city interaction, 'urban ecosystems of innovation' are about cooperation between the key actors of city regions who are instrumental for the knowledge economy, open governance, effective institutions and innovative processes of sustainable development.
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6.2.1 Borrowing f rom Science
catastrophe theory, and general systems theory applied to information and communication processes, for example by Bertalanffy.30 Inspired by these interpretations of ecosystem, the dynamic of an urban ecosystem generates clusters, both material and virtual, to harness the synergy of its innovative energies in response to globalisation.
Akin to the analysis of urban growth during the functionalist period of the nineteen thirties, when the Chicago School compared cities with organic processes, the term of 'ecosystem' applied to cities by the Fundacion Metropoli is borrowed from biology.29 It is used as an analogy with natural processes of evolution and progress, in which innovation is an inherent part of bringing about the survival and thriving of species during competitive evolution. Part of this analogy with nature is that interaction between an ecosystem and its environment is a constituent part of how ecosystems function, whereby continuous interaction is changing both t he ecosystem and the environment in which it operates. Moreover, biological ecosystems tend to function like Russian dolls, at different scales, nested into each other and interdependent to some extent, albeit each with its finite environment of interaction. Based on inspiration from biology, the way the Fundacion Metropoli is applying the term of ecosystems of innovation to urban development in practice re lates t o t hree l evels o f a nalogies: • survival and progress of cities during competitive evolution due to internal innovative transformation; • dynamic interaction of cities with their surrounding environment, to the advantage of both the city and the countryside within a c ity region; • urban dynamic processes operating interdependently at different scales. The concept of ecosystem has been borrowed by other sciences such as physiology, mathematical
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In an increasingly interdependent world where communication technology provides instant access t o i nformation w ith p otential i mpacts anywhere on anything, the Fundacion Metropoli found it particularly pertinent to borrow the notion of 'ecosystem' as applied in different scientific fields to assist it in conceptualising new urbanity in a world of unprecedented interactivity. Transposed t o t he dynamic of spatial development processes in the context of globalisation 'urban ecosystems of innovation' signify for the Fundacion Metropoli the interplay between the three pillars of a trialogue: • spatial strategies at a regional scale • capacity o f c ities a nd re gions t o i nnovate • governance inventing institutions fit for purpose. Like all analogies, the notion of ecosystems applied to cities and their development is limited and functions more like an aphorism of progress and change. Cities and their development can be conceived as a metaphor of ecosystems, behaving similarly to the dynamic of natural ecosystems, continuously seeking equilibria, yet constantly unsettled b y u nforeseen a nd u nforeseeable events, despite steering or regulatory interventions such as planning, designed t o s tem t he natural trend toward chaos.
Mechanisms counteracting the tendency toward entropy in biological systems are equivalent to interventions in cities by politics, governance or other decision making processes. Physical and climatic characteristics of the environment affect cities, alongside wilful interventions, and socioeconomic forces. In liberal democratic systems this means essentially that markets influence cities, yet cities are shaping markets to some extent by the way they accommodate them, both physically and virtually. Moreover, interactions between the environment and the city are influenced by the behaviour of inhabitants, workers, transient visitors and occasionally social movements. It is thus essential for those who intend to steer the f uture of cities to acquire a g ood knowledge of the evolution of the diverse forces which constitute this urban dynamic to devise appropriate tools of intervention. 'Generic designs' and 'arbiters of design' form part of evolutionary biological processes. They are setting codes for the selection process among competitive innovative designs t o ensure t he survival capacity of the ecosystem. Similarly, innovation will determine the viability of designs among a wide range of options in the urban deve lopment p roc ess, m e asured a ga ins t performance specifications laid down by interventionist actors or actions. Innovation is thus an inherent and necessary condition of the positive evolution of the urban development process and its competitiveness. However, for such urban ecosystems to be viable in the longer term and to feed back positively into the environment they
have to satisfy the condition of sustainability, in the broader sense of balanced physical, social and economic development. Applying its research on ecosystems of innovation to concrete cities, the Fundacion Metropoli is distinguishing eight aspects which innovative cities have to address to harness the places with unique s trat egic d evelopment p ot ent ial: • vision at regional scale and their relation with multi-scale levels • components of excellence and interactive flows • interventions i nto e xisting i nteractions • identification of new innovation nodes as strategic options • devising innovative governance and integrating it with existing institutions • fostering emerging cluster organisations with innovative power • continuous adaptation, thinking, re-invention, internal and external dialogue to strengthen the urban ecosystem of innovation • inventing new planning systems which complement traditional instruments with new dynamic ideas a nd p rocesses o f i mplementation. Following these principles cities can identify the components of excellence which constitute the genius loci of each city, of each node in networked cities and of each link crisscrossing large spaces between them.These nodes and flows, as Manuel Castells calls them31 - these interchanges and connections between places and spaces - a re getting urban ecosystems of innovation to operate as flexible, ever changing, but robust wholes.
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6.2.2 Systemic Understanding of Cities
conducive to civic expression, freedom of speech and tolerance, together with a system of wellbeing for t he inhabitants, public a ccountability and ethics which secure social order, safety and security. In t he broader context, t he c lusters of excellence include openness towards, and networking with the world as a whole. Overall, cities in ascendance are re lying on their clusters of excellence to expand and sustain their competitiveness. What provides them with a competitive edge is the inclusion of their specificities into clusters of e xcellence w hich c onstitute t he building blocks of cities conceived as urban ecosystems of innovation.
In order t o successfully t ranspose insights of systems theory to cities and regions they need to be combined with understandings of cities acquired by other modes of analysis. According to conventional wisdom, continuous interactions between the physical setting and people are forging the uniqueness of cities.Thus, their sustainable future depends on a f avourable constellation of their history, culture, physical specificities and lifestyles, as well as their ability to change and their capacity to reinvent themselves. In the past, many cities have accommodated to industrialisation. Since then they have shifted to a service economy and t o t he information age in r apid succession.Their current evolution toward immateriality is reflected in their transformation into ecosystems of innovation which characterise the knowledge society. The ability of cities to develop, evolve and adjust is deeply rooted in their identity.32 As cradles of creativity and knowledge generation, cities devise new visions of their future. They improve their urbanity by exploiting the opportunities of technology and adopting their system of governance to new circumstances. While mobility of people, capital, goods and services is accelerating without precedent throughout the world, cities have to meet the challenge of global attractiveness and significance. This entails m ixing and l ayering different uses, and creating spaces which facilitate a symbiosis between business ecologies and urban life where living, working, playing and learning coexist with ease. In conceptual terms they have to behave like ecosystems of innovation. The Proyecto Cities research of the Fundacion Metropoli is focusing on identifying the clusters of components which characterise such cities. In concrete terms, the constituent components of excellence encompass life-long learning, support of science and t echnology, attracting and fostering innovative production and s ervices, evidence-based policies, purpose-made institutions able t o cope w ith change, f acilitated by innovative funding organisations, a competitive setting for trade, cultural excellence and a fertile ground for the arts. Most importantly, these clusters o f e xcellence i nclude a h igh q uality, sustainable urban environment and a public realm
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6.2.3 Scaling In its research activitie the Fundacion Metropoli discovered that the concept of ecosystems of innovation applies to different urban scales. Ecosystems of innovation can refer to urban initiatives in specific locations with intense innovative potential. They can f ederate several strategic local ecosystems of innovation, such as science and technology parks connected to universities, to transform scientific findings into innovative technologies with practical applications; or they can use parts of the city as a living lab. Cities themselves can constitute ecosystems of innovation, encompassing science and t echnology centres of excellence, together with institutional, social and human innovatory capacity and the support of creative learning bodies. At the supraregional s cale, c ities c an e stablish n etworks between them and stimulate pro-active cooperation between their innovative actors to constitute large scale polycentric ecosystems of innovation. Ecosystems at these different scales can occur separately, alongside each other, or interact with each other. The existence or creation of such ecosystems have repercussions on existing cities, as we ll a s on t heir p lanning process a nd t he nature of their governance in charge of spatial development. Their long term success depends on the synergetic integration between them, guided by sustainability principles. Due to the uniqueness of context, the given moment i n t ime, a nd s ize o f e cosystems o f innovation, they cannot be blueprints. Nevertheless, lessons can be drawn from the strategies and actions which underpin the success of cities,
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their way of creating clusters of excellence, at what scales, and their ability to establish synergies a cross t hese s cales. Therefore, w hat i s relevant is how they are operating as ecosystems of innovation, either by creating synergy between the various innovation hubs located in the city; by constituting ecosystems in their own right; by forming part of a s upra-regional ecosystem of innovation; or by combining all three spatial strategies. Understanding the complex processes of such a culture of innovation is expected to make an important contribution to the knowledge base towards building a sustainable future.
6.2.4 Place-Based Approach to Ecosystems of Innovation
The Fundacion Metropoli is sharing experiments on these issues with protagonists and institutions which are pursuing similar long term objectives. Building the European Diagonal (explained below) is an example of such collective experimentation with the concept of 'urban ecosystems of innovation' a t a s upra-regional scale. Findings apply also to other projects which range from a broad regional scale (for example in Catalonia or the Basque country), to landscapes which are used as engines of innovative change (expressed in the Paisaje de Vino projects), and to urban areas of innovation at city level, such as the Isla de la Innovacion, the driver of the transformation of industrial Aviles.
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The Fundacion Metropoli has adopted explicitly a spatial perspective to ecosystems of innovation to assist cities in becoming more competitive. Space- and place-making capable of attracting innovative activities is considered an important contribution t o t he global competitiveness of cities. The question is what spaces and places in what location-specific contexts are conducive to creative activities. What are the components of excellence and, most importantly, how do they interact with each other as clusters of excellence to produce the right conditions of innovation in urban environments, and what are the instruments enabling their implementation? In other words how do t hey f unction as urban ecosystems of innovation? Numerous studies have focused on the competitiveness of c ities a nd a ttempted t o i dentify a number of characteristics which are likely to constitute the key instruments of their evolution and competitive staying power. From examining development policies of many competitive cities some consensus seems to emerge as to their need of:
• • • • • • • • • • • • •
evidence based policies education and vocational training from cradle to grave support of science and technology attracting and fostering innovative production and services offering a competitive setting for trade fostering cultural excellence and nurturing the arts providing for hygiene, health care, citizens' wellbeing, support of the most vulnerable social order, security, safety and public accountability some ethical framework, through philanthropy, religion, or secular rules a public realm where civic society can express itself freedom of speech, open access to information, tolerance of 'the other' setting up t ailor-made institutions capable of dealing with unpredictable change openness towards, and networking with the outside world.
These criteria, which are not exhaustive, show that spatial development strategies can no longer be confined to physical objectives. On the contrary, there is a need for new forms of integration between 'hard' and 'soft' development objectives, as well as between quantitative and qualitative dimensions of the various sectoral goals of competitive c ities. P olitical a nd a dministrative devolution have given cities increasing compet ence i n t hese a reas, o ff ering t hem t he opportunity to integrate spatial-environmental with socio-economic goals. They have thus acquired the capacity to become ecosystems of innovation. The projects presented in Part III demonstrate how critical characteristics are identified a nd used a s s trategic options i n c ities which are identified to function as urban ecosystems of innovation.
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6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.3 BUILDING THE EUROPEAN DIAGONAL
6.3 BUILDING THE EUROPEAN DIAGONAL The concept of 'urban ecosystem of innovation' underpins the megaregional strategies which the Fundacion Metropoli has developed in 'Building the European Diagonal'.32 In a globalising world cities are no longer capable of competing in isolation. They cannot avoid globalisation either, as they are its prime habitat. Having become metropolitan in nature cities are operating a t a g rowing regional scale and are increasingly networked beyond national boundaries. They have turned into mega-cities and cityregions at an accelerating pace, exemplified by America's North East Super-City ranging from Boston to Washington, or Japan's Tokyo - Osaka Belt. The Southern European Diagonal is conceived as such a dynamic mega-region in Europe, with Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, Marseille and Milan a s i ts k ey c ities. It h as t he potential t o complement the European 'Pentagon' in the northwest. Encompassing London, Paris, Brussels, the Randstad, Frankfurt, Cologne, together with Milan
which it shares with the European Diagonal, the Pentagon is the only recognised global economic mega-region in Europe.
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Source: University of Pennsylvania, Department of City and Regional Planning
Busiest Ports in the Diagonal. Source: Puertos del Estado / Ports Authorities of Genova, Venice Marseille, Leixoes and Lisbon
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6.3.1 A Mega-Region Initiative
ent cities into urban regeneration, local economic development, and environmental improvements to ensure that every urban centre participates fully in the competitiveness of these 'megapolitan' regions. It became clear that cities in the European Diagonal could clearly benefit from increasing their connectivity, both physical and digital to harness their innovation potential. Consolidating cooperation and sharing knowledge to develop joint products and services would strengthen the meta-regional market, and thereby improve the meta-region's global competitiveness.
The Fundacion Me tropoli has undertaken t he European Diagonal project34 to experiment with the concept of m ega-region in Europe. Megaregions correspond to trends of urban concentrations taking place rapidly in all continents. It is important to explore what shape a mega-region will take in Europe, initiated by cities when they assume a growing leadership role to respond to the challenges and opportunities of globalisation. City-regions have emerged since the beginning of the 20th century around the major cities of the world. Metropolitan areas were developing integrated t ransportation, economic development and environmental protection s trategies w ith other metropolitan areas, thus creating a n ew type of extensive urban region in many parts of the world. New high speed r ail networks were integrated with airports and regional transit links in these mega-regions to improve mobility and strengthen economic links between individual cities and form polycentric networks. Parallel investments were also made within the constitu-
Lisbon
An innovative feature of the Diagonal is the recognition that development strategies gain from being devised at a range of different scales, simultaneously and in coordination with each other. This includes cooperation at the very large Diagonal scale toward an integrated economic and spatial development strategy which would provide a f ramework to harness synergies. This would include initiatives at city level which would link cities into collective and/or complementary economic, s ocial o r c ultural n etworks t o t ake advantage of pooling their communalities and specificities.
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6.3.2 Conceptualising the European Diagonal The Diagonal experiment assumes that cities are the p rotagonists o f p rogress, d rivers o f t he knowledge based economy, cradles of innovation and c reativity, c ustodians o f c ulture. In a globalising world cities are likely to benefit from networking with each other.The most prosperous cities and polycentric mega city regions in the European Union (EU) are located in the 'Pentagon' area. Together, t hey a re able t o compete w ith world cities and global city regions. However, EU membership f ostered g rowth a lso i n m ore peripheral regions. Until the financial crisis, the economic and demographic growth rate of cities in southern Europe was twice that of the north, albeit from a lower starting point. When the far less prosperous new member states in eastern Europe became next in line for preferential EU treatment, time had come for the south to stand on its own feet. The shift of Europe's enlargement to the east has exacerbated t he p otential m arginality o f t he
European Diagonal. With increasing globalisation this threat is real, despite the spatial framework for e conomic c ompetitiveness a nd s ocial cohesion (ESDP) 35 which provides t he policy context for balanced development across the EU. Polycent ricit y i s c onsidered a m eans o f squaring the circle between the imperative of concentration, imposed by global competition and t he Eu ropean v alues o f s ocial c ohesion, cultural diversity and care for the environment. EU structural funds foster gateway cities outside the 'Pentagon' and networks of smaller cities to provide the setting for more equitable resource allocation across administrative boundaries.This presents an opportunity for southern cities to intensify their 'spaces of flows'36 across national borders. However, counter-balancing the concentration of wealth and resources in the 'Pentagon' requires action a t a m acro s cale. Thus t he Eu ropean Diagonal is exploring innovative alternatives at the meta-regional level to improve its economic position b y h arnessing i ts e nvironmental a nd cultural a ssets t owards a c ommon goal. Such
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coopera t ion c an e xpand t hroughout t he Mediterranean w ith which t he Di agonal h as a common cultural history. Likewise, the Diagonal can stretch eastwards to reconnect ancient ties. Similarly, it can branch out geo-politically to other continents, strengthening it as a gateway to Latin America, taking advantage of shared languages to c ooperate w ith t hese r apidly e xpanding economies and emerging markets.
6.3.3 Polycentric City Networks and City-Diamonds
What the Diagonal has in common with other metaregions is the blurring between city and countryside into an interactive continuum. Urbanity has been penetrating the deepest countryside for some time, while cities are adopting spatial strategies which bring nature back into the urban fabric.The former is d riven b y i nformation a nd c ommunication technology, t he l atter b y t he s ustainability movement which is seeking a more harmonious balance b etween n a ture a nd m an-made environments. Townscapes and landscapes are increasingly intertwined into a c omprehensive whole, drawing on respective specificities, finding points of connection and sharing overlapping areas throughout such mega-region.37
Madrid
Milan constitutes the linchpin between the Pentagon and the Southern European Diagonal. As the fashion and design capital of the world it also contributes to global competitiveness. In southern France, Sophia Antipolis in the Nice city region constitutes a prime international science park with global connections. It is a potential hub for Diagonal-wide R&D cooperation. Marseille is the largest sea port of the Mediterranean linked to the world economy. As the second French city it has privileged links with the capital, now reinforced by the high speed train connection which brings it also closer to Lyon and Grenoble, two cities which have already been networking with cities in northern Italy as well. A polycentric city network is emerging there, encompassing Milan, Turin, Genoa, possibly La Spezia, Verona, Venice and Trieste as gateway eastwards to Ljubljana. Europe's eastern dimension was never clearly defined, but with the demise of the iron curtain, cities l ike Vienna have reconnected with their
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historic hinterland. By joining the cross border Centrope network, Vienna becomes a cross roads between the emerging Adriatic - Baltic corridor and its Danube connections with Bratislava, Budapest and beyond. Its long range historic link with Spain may influence the extension of the Diagonal eastwards. Depending on the issues, cooperative ventures may require specific projects at different scales at regional or city levels, while preserving overall coordination and strategic outlook at the Diagonal level. This has led to the concept of 'urban diamonds'. In itially, f our u rban Di amonds a re earmarked as polycentric systems of cities within each of the participating countries. Cities constituting t he d iamonds h ave a m ore i mmediate capacity to initiate projects.They can share them across city-diamonds which could undertake similar projects a longside e ach other, a s we ll a s joining them up at the Diagonal level.
6.3.4 Politics, Opportunities and Challenges Political w ill i s e ssential i n s haring i deas, experimentation and large scale cooperation in concrete projects.The Diagonal enjoyed political support of its vision as the Fundacion Metropoli managed to engage the leaders of key cities by proactively p romoting t his m ega-space f or sustainable development. From the outset the mayors of Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona and Milan subscribed to widespread cooperation in a large scale, strategic, action-oriented development perspective. Ot hers, e specially am ong t he diamond cities, expressed interest to join up.The mayor of Casablanca was keen to engage his city, 'the northern gateway to the south of the African continent', a s a n o utreach l inchpin o f t he Diagonal. Eu roMed, 38 t he re vival o f c loser cooperation across the Mediterranean39 by the EU in 2008 confirms the timeliness of the European Diagonal initiative.
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Besides political leaders, active participation of innovative businesses and learning establishments is required t o mobilise l arge scale and often high risk projects. Most important is the engagement of civil society, a dynamic force needed to anchor such projects in the public domain and obtain lasting support. The active participation o f c ivil s ociety i s p articularly v ital i n establishing 'soft' connections based on long standing cultural bonds which can create powerful synergies with 'hard' connections between the cities and regions of the Diagonal.
of water, forest fires, coastal erosion, flooding, pollution, natural and man-made disasters, inmigration, lack of inward investment and presently the collapse of t he re al estate s ector and t he potentially harsh consequences of the deep economic c risis c ould b enefit f rom s trategic cooperation at the Diagonal scale.
The Diagonal f aces severe common problems permeating many cities and city regions. They would stand a better chance of being resolved by pooling t he k nowledge b ase a nd re sources throughout the Diagonal to the advantage of the mega-region as a whole. De-industrialisation is widespread in the Diagonal where local and regional economies are in need of restructuring which is affecting the macro-economic dimension of the region as a whole. Moreover, the Diagonal is Europe's g ateway of s outh - n orth c limate change and migration. Desertification, scarcity
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On the positive side, the Diagonal mega-region possesses rich assets on which to build a prosperous f uture. It s hares a c ommon h istory, a southern climate and an open mentality.The influx of a young population boosts urban growth, stimulates its economy and provides ties with regions outside Europe. Building on its cultural affinities and high level of education the Diagonal could gain considerably from establishing synergies between its constituent parts and develop technological and institutional innovations to solve common challenges within the Diagonal. Such communal undertakings have also great potential for technology transfer and 'capability exports' to a much larger area which shares its problems. An innovative trend of the Diagonal is to translate regional spatial development objectives into land-
scape strategies, based on the specificities and characteristics of i ndividual t ownscapes a nd landscapes within the region. Connections between different landscapes which correspond to specific activities and cultures can be found at a very large scale. They could form the basis of future synergies between integrated spatial development a nd f unctional s tructural c hange. Identifying such large scale spatial entities helps to detect the critical mass required to turn them into powerhouses of t he global e conomy. The Fundacion Metropoli has experimented with a number of landscape projects discussed below.40 A similar combination between landscapes and townscapes could be adopted for cities, although development pressures are often hampering the real understanding of their genius loci. Yet, their urban developments may ignore the 'archaeology of spatial memory' to their peril and find that their hurried changes may carry dramatic consequences, even harming the self interest of their protagonists, n ot t o m ention t he l ocal e conomy a nd powerless citizenry. Cities may stand a b etter
chance of building on their strengths if they become part of an integrated landscape strategy for whole regions, such as the 'Diamonds' of the Diagonal. This scale may f avour innovation of townscapes and landscapes, and create innovative 'scapes' at the interface between the rural and the urban which may become the essence of the European Diagonal mega-regions as an urban ecosystems of innovation.
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6.3.5 Turning the Diagonal Concept into Reality
The ESPON research on spatial scenarios46 corroborates these findings. The ESPON scenarios single out characteristics of southern Europe, such a s i ts s hared f avourable c limate w hich makes it Europe's prime tourist and second home destination, attracts talent and fosters culture; conversely t hey h ighlight s outhern Eu rope's shared c limatic c hallenges. They c onfirm i ncreased competitiveness of European cities and regions but point out immigration pressures and increased social and spatial polarisation. They underline southern Europe's common economic dynamic, strong endowment of higher education establishments and R&D clusters, but expose the deficiencies of its transportation infrastructure which hampers cross-border cooperation.
Initially, the Fundacion Metropoli had organised a number of networked projects and international planning workshops t o d evelop t he European Diagonal concept.The Diagonal Project benefited from reflections on American super-cities at the University of Pennsylvania workshops hosted by the Fundacion Metropoli.41 They concluded that large scale linkages are the key to long term global competitiveness. Influenced by t he European Spatial Development Perspective,42 the MEDOCC research cooperation on 'competitive business places in the Western Mediterranean',43 led by Sevilla, applied the cluster of excellence methodology developed by the Fundacion Metropoli and its Proyecto Cities44 partners. It identified the components of excellence and urban factors of business a ttraction in t he six participating cities45 and found that they could be harnessed more effectively with better, coherent infrastructures and economic connections throughout what would become the European Diagonal space.
Source: AENA
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Although the Trans European Ne tworks (TEN) strategy covers the whole of the EU territory, establishing high speed r ail and comprehensive highway transport connections across a m egaregion of some 2300 k m in length - t hree t imes longer than the Boston toWashington mega-region in the USA - is a major and costly ambition. The Diagonal would have to provide convincing arguments for TEN extensions, beyond corroborating EU policies of cohesion and territorial balance.47
Lisbon
Madrid
Barcelona
Marseille
Milan
Evolution of population (1960 index 100)
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6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.3 BUILDING THE EUROPEAN DIAGONAL
Arguably t he most challenging a spect of t he Diagonal is its mega-scale. Despite visions devised by international bodies and academics, decision makers find it difficult to conceive benefits at such a level of abstraction and long range timeframe. Even within a single country, cooperation between cities at the regional scale encounters many difficulties and rivalries. At city-region scale, individual areas may not necessarily reach a consensus about a comprehensive urban development strategy, not least for lack of pertinent governance and institutional support structures. Nevertheless, government s ponsored a nd a cademic c omparative research48 emerged at various spatial scales. The OECD49 addressed the governance and the involvement of the private sector in long term, high risk regional development projects. The EU COMET programme50 dealt with large scale urban development projects through the role of the private sector, relation between national, regional, local levels and local actors, multi-sectoral approaches, and innovative democratic governance.51
ment projects and institutional arrangements,52 and IAURIF's comparative study of innovative development strategies concentrated on large scale projects as spatial instruments to enhance the economic competitiveness of cities and regions.53 Cities in southern Europe participating in these comparative studies confirm the practice of cross-border knowledge creation and sharing within the Diagonal. The Diagonal projects aims to consolidate such cooperation within its network of 'urban diamonds' and between its major constituent city-regions.
Facing global competition, a number of European countries initiated research on mega-city regions, large scale development strategies and implementation instruments. In France, the Club Amenagement et Villes discussed regional develop-
Diamonds of the European Diagonal
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The first results of knowledge creation and sharing between Diagonal cities are shown in Building the European Diagonal.54 The City's viewpoints presented by the mayors are corroborated by the Proyecto Ci ties re search o f t he Fu ndacion Metropoli on Lisbon, Madrid, Barcelona, Marseille and Milan. The core of the book presents innovative projects which provide lessons across the Diagonal.They focus on waterfront developments, solutions for the legacy of international events such as world exhibitions, innovation hubs as drivers of the local economy, new institutional approaches t o public policies a nd i nnovative urban design solutions for eco-boulevards, sustainable transportation, and greening of cities.
6.3.6 The Diagonal, its Diamonds and their Connections Acting as a City Hub, the Fundacion Metropoli has mobilised partners in the four constituent 'supercities' in Portugal, Spain, France and Italy to participate in the Diagonal project. A brainstorming session confirmed the pertinence of further cooperation. In the first instance, the Diagonal metaregion project has been exploring communalities and complementarities, functional connections and synergetic interests between an initial selection of cities: Lisbon, Madrid, Zaragoza, Barcelona, Marseille - Cote d'Azur and Milan from which the four 'diamonds' (super-cities) emerged respectively in the participating countries: • The 'Portuguese Diamond' ranging from Lisbon to Porto • The 'Mediterrannean Diamond' encompassing Barcelona, Ma drid, Valencia a nd Za ragoza • The 'Midi Diamond' of Southern France w ith Marseille, Nice, Cote d'Azur and Lyon • The Diamond of It aly-North, with Milan Turin, Genoa andVenice. Smaller cities situated within these regions can also form part of these diamonds by contributing their specificities and complementarities to the diamonds or the links between them.They include historic c ities in t he Madrid m ega c ity region, Montpellier, Toulouse, Pau in t he southwest of France, and settlements up the Ticino river and in the Po Valley in Italy.
Clearly, the participant cities have to satisfy their own interests and need to identify worthwhile objectives to join forces at the city cluster, supercity, regional, cross-border or Di agonal scale. Different issues warrant different scales of cooperation. Various projects may be undertaken at various levels - separately or simultaneously - to establish synergies between levels and spaces of cooperation to their mutual benefit. Initiated by the Spanish Fundacion Metropoli the Diagonal vision is getting a positive reception in Spain. Already the mayors of Barcelona, Madrid, the Regional Government of the Comunidad of Valencia and Zaragoza have offered to support the 'Mediterranean Diamond' objectives, as they consider their cities and regions as an integral part of this Mediterranean 'Ecosystem of Innovation'. Similarly, the leaders of the 'magic square' in northern Italy have offered to take account of the objectives of the Diagonal in their future cooperative projects.
‘Midi’ Diamond
Italy-North Diamond
Mediterranean Diamond
Portuguese Diamond
Milan
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6.3.7 Future Diagonal Cooperation
as individual cities could undertake pilot projects as part of nested strategies coordinated at the Diagonal level.
Key issues for further cooperation can be grouped into 'hard' and 'soft' topics which encompass a vast array of potential projects suitable to be taken up by the urban 'Diamonds' and their constituent cities, and extended between 'Diamonds' across national borders. The Diagonal as a whole could benefit f rom these experiences by setting up a light umbrella structure, capable of pooling, expanding a nd d isseminating t his k nowledge.
Cooperative projects combining 'hard' and 'soft' issues could focus on a core set of topics. Climate change presents a common challenge of the Diagonal and, in particular, energy and water husbandry. The Diagonal presents opportunities to pool and develop scientific knowledge t o harness solar energy, wind and wave power, adapt water scarcity and drought at a very large scale, develop knowhow of building technology for challenging climatic conditions, and devise monitoring tools to evaluate overall sustainability. The Diagonal's favourable climate is also causing strong seasonal tourist fluctuations with adverse impact on local ecosystems and unsustainable demand on infrastructure.
Concerning 'hard' links, important physical obstacles exist between the Portuguese and the Spanish city clusters, separated by sparsely populated mountainous regions. Similarly, connections between South of France and Northern It aly a re tenuous. Ci ties would benefit f rom adopting a common approach to the improvement of the high speed railway and motorway infrastructure within the Diagonal, besides intensifying air and sea links between them. Regarding 'soft' connections, where physical obstacles exist, such as the Pyrenees or the Alps, ancient cross border cultural bounds can assist in forging connections. Similarly, the ties of over 10% immigrants in Marseille and Milan with their countries of origin are market potentials for the Diagonal and successful social integration solutions have export potential. Other 'soft' networks - v irtual communication and information f lows, cultural exchanges, student and workforce mobility - are equally important to harness synergies between the specificities and competitive advantages of cities in a mega-regional network. Innovative governance forms part of 'soft' cooperation. The search for institutional arrangements capable of delivering urban projects has become a widespread pursuit by both the public and the private sector for large urban projects as well as regional development strategies.56 Governance, invented specifically for large scale urban and regional projects or as new forms of cooperation between existing institutional structures is considered as important as the visions and projects themselves57 and forms a significant part of the Diagonal experiment.The scale of a planned intervention contributes t o determining t he t ype of governance capable of delivery. Diamonds as well
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These examples l end themselves to action research, scaleable real life pilot experiments, and comparative operational cooperation between projects run in parallel by different cities in the Diagonal. All these topics are at the forefront of political programmes, not just in Europe but across the world. The Diagonal is well placed to make practical contributions t oward t hese pressing issues, such as climate change, which could be put to global use to the benefit of both the cities and regions in the Diagonal and as well as worldwide.
Existing connectivity between cities and regions of the Diagonal and Diamond areas and socio-economic impacts of extending the high speed rail network (Casiroli)
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6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.4 MEDITERRÁNEO_TEC
6.4 MEDITERRÁNEO_TEC The next step undertaken by the Fundacion Metrópoli to refine the concept of the European Diagonal was to experiment with a more loca lised c oncept o f 're giona l ecosystem o f i nnovation', t he Mediterraneo_TECs. They aim to develop p ot ent ial i nnova t ion nodes on the Mediterranean coast capable of enhancing the creative economy, owing to their components o f e xcellence w hich a re amounting to a critical mass when combined with targeted strategic projects.
are attracting economic migrants from developing countries as well as depopulating the rural hinterland. They we re having adverse e ffects on agriculture and rural services, burdening social infrastructure and testing social relations. The large numbers of tourists, the enormous amount of construction and increased traffic were having a detrimental effect on the environment. On the positive side, the international connections established by e xpanding a irports and passenger numbers are creating new links for business and providing new opportunities f or international exchange and cooperation, joint educational ventures, cultural activities and inward investment. While coastal resorts may compete with each other, t hey c an a lso specialise in particular services or types of tourism. Leisure and entertainment facilities were expanding and activities spreading more evenly throughout the seasons on the Mediterranean coast when Northern Europeans were travelling there more frequently, acquiring second homes and moving there for their retirement.
6.4.1 Focus on Coastal Regions
Another trigger of the Mediterraneo_TECS were the many vestiges from the industrial age located on the coast. They include vast areas where raw materials, such as salt were extracted, or large plants where raw materials were transformed, imported by sea in bulk, such as oil.The industrial ports themselves became derelict and occupied valuable land, often severing the built environment from the sea. These industrial activities, such as salt mining, quarries, oil refineries, sometimes with related heavy industry using byproducts, bulk storage of heavy goods, outdated rail-tracks and abandoned roads, etc. left behind contaminated land and scars in the landscape in potentially attractive locations with great development potential. The Mediterraneo_TECs are inspired by their underlying landscapes which they reinstate and enrich, t aking advantage of their specific positive features, while contributing to the reinstatement and transformation of such derelict areas into assets of the future.
A major objective of Mediterraneo_TECs was to transform coastal re gions a nd d iversify t heir economy, as they had often developed into monofunctional areas for mass tourism, due to their favourable climate and the presence of the sea. These areas were developing very fast when Europe b egan t o b enefit f rom r apid e conomic expansion from the nineteen sixties onwards, as its population was becoming wealthier and enjoyed longer paid holidays. Especially people from the north were attracted to the southern climate and started to spend their holidays in the sun, taking advantage of lower prices, easily available services and welcoming hosts. Cheaper and more widespread a ir t ravel contributed to the r apid development of holiday resorts on the Mediterranean coast, many of them in Spain. The overall e ffect w as a l arge s cale i nflux of demands which brought economic growth to the Mediterranean coast, but a t a p rice. Unevenly used infrastructure due to seasonal fluctuations was difficult and expensive to supply. Unskilled seasonal jobs in the service industry were, and
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Some areas broadened out into new f ields of tourist activities, ranging from high end tourism to sports and health re lated f ields and, more recently, to action and adventure oriented tourism,
as well as to relaxation and nature based offers. The Mediterraneo TEC concept is taking these ideas much further.The intention is to make better and more ecological use of existing resources, reinstate those in decline and develop others by harnessing potential a ssets, d iversifying t he existing narrow local economy, and introducing a much wider range of innovative and high value added activities, preferably less dependent on the seasons. Instead of confining development and economic growth to the coast, new strategies are planning to reach further inland to provide
richer, more diversified experiences for visitors, a less volatile economic base for the inhabitants, and a more sustainable environment, by regenerating declining areas, fostering activities and housing for the local population, and restoring damaged environments. Such a strategy is expected to provide a more stable future for the local population, with training and educational facilities for new, less precarious jobs, provided by a n i nnovative e conomic d ynamic w hich i s expected to attract new talent, businesses and investment from the outside.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7.
6
MĂĄlaga-Marbella Territorio M@C Alicante-Elche Valencia-Valle delTuria Barcelona-Sitges Marseille-Nice GĂŠnova
7
5 4 3 2 1 Location of planned Mediterraneo_TECs
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6 CONCEPTUAL FRAMEWORKS 6.4 MEDITERRÁNEO_TEC
6.4.2 Criteria of Landscape Urbanism for Mediterraneo TECs
•
Both the selection of locations and the activities proposed for an innovative future of Mediterraneo TECs are based on criteria of strategic importance.They are combining local assets with locational characteristics of regional significance and international links. They form a dynamic urban project guided by landscape urbanism, connected to other areas of s trategic i mportance w ithin t he c ity, while becoming an integral part of a re gional infrastructure between complementary cities and the hinterland. They usually benefit f rom good access to international connections which enhance their dynamic evolution.
With these qualities the Mediterráneo_TECs a re expected to become world class spaces capable of attracting, training and maintaining the best talent.
From a worldwide survey the Fundacion Metropoli imputed that innovative cities were those with a great concentration of ICT employment, a high number of patents, and easily available venture capital. The success of what it conceived as Mediterráneo_TEC would be measured by similar criteria. The f ollowing characteristics a re qualifying Mediterráneo_TECs: • They are spaces for creativity and innovation, with universities and innovation parks • They foster the convergence between the arts, technology and recreation and they provide the most advanced digital technology infrastructure • They integrate architectural design with nature and they offer a wide typology of residential and work place designs • They apply energy efficiency and bio-climatic designs to architecture and adopt the latest generation of green technologies • They accommodate mixed uses and secure an environment of the highest quality • They benefit from an efficient network of communications, including motorways, rail and especially high speed rail, as well as sea links and international airports • The are endowed with a strong tourist infrastructure with beaches, marinas, golf courses, hotels, restaurants, other t emporary accommodation, leisure and cultural offers
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Overall they have the potential to diversify the economy and building on talent and new technologies.
A number of examples are described in different project chapters in Part III. So far, the Fundacion Metropoli has concentrated on five Mediterráneo_TECs, the Malaga - Marbella region (Chapter 8.1.7); Territorio M@C which encompasses the Murcia, Cartagena and Mar Menor region (Chapter 7.3); the Alicante - Elche axis (Chapter 9.6); the Turia Valley including the Valencia metropolitan area; and the Barcelona - Sitges region (Chapter 9.7).
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7. REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.1 EUSKAL HIRIA NET, META-REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY 7.2 PATAGONIA BEYOND PETROLEUM 7.3 TERRITORIO M@C 7.4 CASABLANCA-RABAT REGION 7.5 ‘MÁLAGA VALLEY’ ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION 8. ECO-DEVELOPMENTS 8.1 ECO-CITIES 8.1.1 ECO-CITY SARRIGUREN, PAMPLONA, NAVARRA 8.1.2 ARTE, CASTILLA LA MANCHA 8.1.3 CANRASO, ECO-CITY INTUDELA 8.1.4 SPORTS ECO-CITIES 8.1.5 MEKNES AGRÓPOLIS, MOROCCO 8.1.6 ECO-LINEAR CITY: LOS CABOS, MEXICO 8.1.7 LANDSCAPES OF ALMANSA: 8.2 LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATIONS AND ECO-VILLAGESS 8.2.1 WINE LANDSCAPES BORDEAUX, TUSCANY, NAPPA VALLEY, CAPE TOWN, AUSTRALIA, HARO, LA RIOJA, CASTILLO DE MONJARDÍN, NAVARRA 8.2.2 QUARRY TRANSFORMATIONS CUCHÍA QUARRY, CANTABRIA SITGES QUARRY, CATALUNYA 8.2.3 ECO VILLAGE DAROCA 8.2.4 ECO VILLAGE CASTILLO BARXELL 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS 8.3.1 ECOBOULEVARD ONE, CASABLANCA 8.3.2 BM30, ECOBOULEVARD, MADRID 8.3.3 MEDITERRANEAN ECO-BOULEVARDS ALCOY BLUE ECO-BOULEVARD IN TORREVIEJA INNOVATION CORRIDOR, ALICANTE, ELCHE
9. URBAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS 9.1 ALICANTE LIVING LAB 9.2 BILBAO GUGGENHEIM ++ 9.3 THE ISLAND OF INNOVATION, ASTURIAS 9.4 PASAIA BAY, SAN SEBASTIAN 9.5 THE MEDINA OF THE 21ST CENTURY, MARRAKECH 9.6 MEDITERRÁNEA, HEALTH, SPORT AND INNOVATION PARK 9.7 GARRAF INNOVATION PARK 9.8 QUALIA SITGES, ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY 10. EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.1 LANDMARK ARCHITECTURES IN BUCHAREST 10.1.1 TOWER: HEROES OF DEMOCRACY 10.1.2 HOTEL H2O 10.2 INNOVATION CUBES 10.3 SUN SCULPTURES, LA MANGA 10.4 PLASTIC LANDSCAPES, MAZARRON 10.5 CAM SPACES FOR URBAN HAPPENINGS 10.6 BILBAO PAVILION, SHANGHAI 2010 10.7 THE AURA OF CORVIALE, ROME 10.8 THE TWIST, LONDON 10.9 ECOBOX, MADRID
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PART III OFTHE BOOK IS DEDICATED TO THE PROJECTS OF THE FUND ACION METROPOLI. THE SELECTION OF PROJECTS EXPRESSESTHE MISSION OF THE FUND ACION METROPOLI TO UNDERSTAND AND CONTRIBUTE TO CITIES AND REGIONS AND ASSIST THEM IN REM AINING COMPETITIVE IN THE GLOBAL ENVIRONMENT OFTHE 21ST CENTURY. I T DRA WS ON I TS O WN RESEARCH TO FACILITATE THE REALISATION OF I TS VISIONS. FOR ALL ITS ACTIVITIES I T CREATES STRATEGIC ALLIANCES WITH THOSE WHO SHARE ITS VALUES. I T ENG AGES ACTIVELY WITH UNIVERSITIES, CI TIES, POLIT I CAL AN D B U S I N E S S LEA DERS, CULTURAL AGENTS AND ARTISTS TO CREATE LANDSCAPES OF NEW URBANITY.
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The projects encompass a broad range of scales and a w ide v ariety of contents, a ll bound by a common conceptual approach. Projects comprise supra-regional spatial strategies designed to foster cooperation between key decision makers on g lobal d evelopment i ssues. They f ocus on connectivity, complementary cooperation, mitigation of adverse climate change and sustainable design. At regional level, projects build on existing landscapes and are linking strategic interventions into coherent spatial developments. At city level innovative projects accommodate the creative activities of the 21st century to secure their competitiveness while m aintaining a s ustainable environment.These ideas are formalised in terms of eco-cities, eco-boulevards and eco-villages. Drawing on these projects, comparative studies are identifying the systemic characteristics of innovative cities. Dealing with all physical scales, projects include the use of renewable energies in buildings and the application of advanced technologies to experimental architecture. At every level of intervention t he Fundacion Me tropoli seeks a d ialogue with localities and engages also t he arts which i t considers an essential driver of innovative and sustainable development.
The categories which divide the chapters are not mutually exclusive and most projects presented in this book address several of them at the same time.The Fundacion Metropoli takes a broad view of the studies it undertakes, even if the core of a project focuses, for example, on experimental architecture.The Fundacion Metropoli also tends to engage in several projects in a given region at different scales, ranging from the mega-regional scale of the European Diagonal to city-regions, polycentric city clusters, metropolitan areas and, within them, places carefully selected for their innovative development potential and their capability to function interactively with each other. The projects elaborated here aim to illustrate how the Fundacion Metropoli is seeking synergy between all these aspects in its studies and designs.
The s elected projects a re presented in f our chapters. Each concentrates on one major preoccupation of the Fundacion Metropoli: regional spatial concepts, eco-development strategies, innovation nodes, and experimental architecture. Within these broad categories the projects encompass a r ange of approaches. Chapter 7 on regional spatial concepts includes spatial strategies, analytical studies, as well as meta-regional designs. Chapter 8 deals with sustainability and ecology. Presents eco-cities, eco-villages, ecoboulevards, together with spatial transformations inspired by landscapes. Chapter 9 on innovation as a driver of development shows how innovation can contribute to functional spatial and design solutions, and how specific innovative interventions may converge into urban ecosystems of innovation. Chapter 10 on experimental architecture includes work undertaken in cooperation with artists, technology experts and other inspirational partners. It includes exhibition design developed as a new approach to dissemination.
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7 160
REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.1 7.2 7.3 7.4 7.5
EUSKAL HIRIA NET, META-REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY PATAGONIA, BEYOND PETROLEUM TERRITORIO M@C, MURCIA-CARTAGENA-MAR MENOR CASABLANCA-RABAT ECO-LINEAR CITY REGION ‘MÁLAGA VALLEY’ ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION
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THE FUND ACION METROPOLI WAS AN E AR LY P I O N E E R O F L A R G E S C AL E STRATEGIES FOR SPATIAL DEVELOPMENT I N C O O P E R A T I O N W IT H C I T Y AN D REGIONAL GO VERNMENTS. O VER MORE THAN TWO DEC ADES, I T HA S BEEN ACTIVELY INVOLVED IN SPATIAL STRATEGIES FOR THE B ASQUE COUNTRY AS A WHOLE, U SING THE STRENGTH OF I TS COMPLEMENTARY CI TY NETW ORK AS A BASIS OF INNOVATIVE DEVELOPMENT. AS A C O N S E Q U E N C E , T H E F U N D AC I O N M E T R O P O L I H A S C O N T R I B U T E D TO REGIONAL DEVELOPMENT STRATEGIES OF MANY O THER SP ANISH AUTONOMOUS REGIONS: GALICIA, CANTABRIA, CASTILLA LEON, LA RIOJ A, EXTREM ADURA, THE VALENCIA REGION, AS WELL AS THE BALEARES ISLANDS, ALWAYS IN COOPERATION WITH LOCAL LEADERS AND LOCAL UNIVERSITIES.
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The regional scale has become increasingly relevant as a means of sustaining competitiveness in a globalising world, based on knowledge creation and innovation. The new departure of the OECD 58 to include regional competitive development strategies in its programme reflects this. The shift to large scale conceptual planning is not arbitrary. It rests on the necessity of a dynamic knowledge base and innovative allegiances between governments at all levels to handle the complexity of spatial development under the influence of globalisation. Thinking strategically at regional and meta-regional levels involves cooperation and complementary between cities at a large scale.The Fundacion Metropoli conceives regions containing polycentric systems of cities as 'urban ecosystems of innovation'. As their key constituent parts cities provide strategic points of intervention capable of harnessing indigenous, region-specific physical, economic and human resources. It is expected that this may translate into mutually beneficial interactions between cities and the emergence of virtual networks. Such actions are likely to have repercussions on surrounding regions, generating cross-border interactions and, in recent times, urban-rural continuum. New urban nodes of innovation can diffuse urbanity into the countryside while reintroducing nature into townscapes to enrich their quality of life. A challenge of operating at a regional scale is the lack of instruments to integrate sectoral strands, connect different t erritorial entities into a coherent whole, and overcome physical and mental border frictions which tend to hamper both vertical integration and horizontal coordination. Cities may stand a better chance of building on their strengths if they become part of an integrated landscape strategy of a whole region. By translating spatial development objectives into landscape urbanism, based on the specificities and characteristics of individual townscapes and functional areas the projects presented here are exploring new avenues to create synergies between structural change and spatial development a t the regional level. Within a region, such initiatives may constitute the critical mass which can turn large spaces into powerhouses of the global economy. Working with decision makers the Fundacion Metropoli is well aware of the pressures which may hinder the pursuit of understanding the genius loci of cities and elusive regions. Yet consequences of short term interventions which ignore the 'archaeology of spatial memory' may harm even the interest of their protagonists, let alone the local economy and the citizenry. 163
7.1 EUSKAL HIRIA NET, META REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY
San Sebastiรกn
Vitoria
Bilbao
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.1 EUSKAL HIRIA NET, META REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY
The Euskal Hiria Net strategy was a follow up of the regional development s trategy a pproved i n t he 1990s.59With a population of 2 million the densely populated autonomous region of the Basque Country is conceived as an ecosystem of innovation, a networked and integrated city region open to the outside world, forming part of a wider polycentric pattern of cities and aiming at sustainability a nd i nnovation. What characterises this balanced regional development strategy is the complementarity of its three main cities, Bilbao, San Sebastian and Vitoria, meshed into a network of medium size cities, each with its specificity, and integrated into a rural system of villages, man-made and natural landscapes, alongside recreational areas with their own cultures and viable decentralised economies.
7.1.1 Regional Characteristics of the Basque Country
Connectivity and Centrality
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Geopolitically the Basque country belongs to the Atlantic Arc with Bilbao the main urban node of the Bay of Biscay. On the ancient path of Santiago de Compostela, it is also closest to the Mediterranean Arc and acts as an intersection between macro-regional corridors to Paris and Madrid. Nationally, i t is connected widely through the river Ebro, while its links to its surrounding regions enhance both its own and their distinctive character.The planned extension of the transportation infrastructure, including high speed rail to Madrid, o ther Sp anish re gional c apitals a nd France, together with its network of airports underpins i ts s patial d evelopment s trategy. Containing physical sprawl the regional strategy is concentrating development in the nodes of its well connected urban network, while preserving the outstanding natural assets of the Basque country.
Emerging linear corridors
7.1.2 Key Complementary Nodes of the Basque Ecosystem of Innovation The three regional capitals of the Basque country are accommodating three quarters of its population. The metropolitan area of Bilbao underwent a spectacular regeneration. The Guggenheim effect was only a starting point of its transformation from its industrial revolution and urbanisation to a knowledge based society. In physical terms, for over two decades it has been decontaminating its r iver, regenerating v ast derelict industrial areas, displacing and modernising its port, investing in public transport and a new airport, preparing its old town for creative activities, refurbishing the 'Ensanche', its 19th century 'new town', and improving housing areas throughout the contemporary city. Besides t hese l arge scale spatial regeneration projects which are continuing, Bilbao has expanded its universities, encouraged R&D and broadened its skill base. Its determination t o b ecome a 21 st c entury, i nnovative, knowledge based city had positive interactions with San Sebastian and Vitoria. San Sebastian, a l ong standing balneal tourist attraction regenerated its historic city and expanded i ts c ultural i nfrastructure t o d iversify i ts economic functions and international attraction.
Structure of a polycentric spatial region
In recent years, San Sebastian has developed new activities for the advanced economy building on new technologies. A major project is the redevelopment of the neighbouring Pasaia Bay w ith a cruise terminal and a multimedia cluster and further improvements of its public transport system. Vitoria, the administrative and political capital of the Basque country rejuvenated its compact historic centre while enhancing its administrative and commercial functions. It developed its economic b ase b y t aking a dvantage o f i ts l and reserves to consolidate and modernise its logistic position and provided infrastructure to attract high tech industries in a new ecological extension to the city centre. An essential characteristic of Euskal Hiria is its vision of complementarity and synergy between the basque cities enhanced by high speed train connections which f acilitate the growth of the region into a polycentric coherent whole.
7.1.3 Integrating Urban, Rural and Ecological Networks The medium sized cities of the Basque country facilitate the integration between its urban and rural a reas. Their l ocal e conomies a re b eing strengthened t o re tain t heir p opulation a nd
Landscapes and Networks
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specificity, thereby reinforcing the aim to maintain a balance between the diverse functional areas of the Basque country and to make the ecological corridors crisscrossing them more accessible. The Euskal Hiria Net proposals refine the development strategy of the Basque country which emphasises the conservation and enhancement of its ecological, productive, landscape, cultural and scientific values. The development strategy focuses on innovation nodes, spaces for the creative economy, universities, the recuperation of industrial brown field sites and the regeneration of industrial networks, sustainable mobility with high s peed t rains, m odern l ogistics, e cocommunities, identity nodes, global connectivity and virtual spaces. The main characteristic of Euskal Hiria NET is a polycentric strategy, building on existing landscapes and townscapes and aiming a t t heir innovative t ransformation by conceiving the whole Basque country as an ecosystem of innovation.
Polycentric system of Basque capitals, a European node of centrality
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7. REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.1 EUSKAL HIRIA NET, META REGIONAL STRATEGY FOR THE BASQUE COUNTRY
Network of isolated worlds with potential connections
ABIADURA HA NDIA, ADIMENDUNA, AIREPORTUA, ALDIRIAK, ARABAKO LAUTADA, ARDOAREN PAISAIAK ETA ARKITEKTURAK, ARKITEKTURA, AZPIEGITURA, BASOAK, BERDEA, BERRIKUNTZA, BERRIKUNTZA-EK OSISTEMA, BERRIKUNTZA-NODOAK, BIHOTZ BERDEA, BIKAINTASUNOSAGAIAK, BILBAO, BIOKLIMATIKOA, DEBAKO HARANA, DENTSITATEA, DIBERTSI TATEA, DIGI TALA, DISEINU A, DONOSTIA-SAN SEBASTIÁN, EGUZKITIKOA, EHUNDURA, EKOBULEBARRAK, EKOHIRIA, EKOLOGIKOA, EKONOMIA BERRIA, ENERGIA BERRIZT AGARRIAK, ENPLEGU A, ERALDATZE-ARDATZAK, EREMU FUNTZION ALAK, ERROTULA, ESKALA, ETORKIZUNA, EUROPAKO DIAGONALA, EUROPAR B ATASUNA, EU SKAL HIRIA, EU SKAL HIRIKO HARANAK, EZAGUTZAREN GIZARTEA, FU SIOA, GARAI BATEKO INDUSTRIALDEAK, GELTOKIAK, GLOBALAL, GUNE HIST ORIKOAK, HERRIA K, HEZKUNTZA, HIRI ERTAINAK, HIRI LINEALA, HIRIGINTZA, HIRI-IRAULTZA, HUB, INDUSTRIA AROA, INDU STRIALDEAK, INGURUMENBIKAINTASUNA, INNOB ASQUE, INTERMOD ALTASUNA, IRAUNKORTASUNA, I TSAS BIDEA, I TSASERTZEKO NORTASUN-NODOAK, K ONEKTIBITATEA, K ORRIDORE EKOLOGIKOAK, K OSTALDEA, LAA, LA ND ART, LA NDATARRA, LINKAK, LIVING LA B, LOGISTIKA, LURRA LDEA, L U R R A L D E AR E N E S P AR R U KO I + G , L U R R A L D E ESKULTURAK, MUGIK ORTASUNA, N ATUR GUNEA K, NEKAZARITZA, NERBIOI IB AIAREN I TSASADARRA, NORTASUNA, OREKA, P AISAIA, PAISAIA HIBRIDO AK, PORTU DIGITALA, PORTUAK, PROIEKTU ESTRATEGIKOAK, SARE-LURRALDEA, SINBIOSIA, SORTZAILEA, TALENTUA, TEKNOLOGIA, TEKNOLOGIA-PARKEAK, TXORIERRI, UNIBERTSITATEA, URA,VENTURE CAPITAL,VITORIA-GASTEIZ, ZERO AGENTZIA, ZERO EMISIO, ZERO SUM GAME, ZIENTZIAPARKEA Euskal Hiria Ecosystem of Innovation from A to Z 169
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.2 PATAGONIA BEYOND PETROLEUM
7.2 PATAGONIA BEYOND PETROLEUM
Dramatic landscape desert on the Atlantic coast of Golfo
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Two sculptural artefacts representing the traditional and new sources of energy in the Patagonia
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.2 PATAGONIA BEYOND PETROLEUM
The development process of the Golf of St. George, a remote and sparsely populated region of southern Argentina, was initiated by oil exploration. Coming on stream at the beginning of the 20th century, oil and gas extractions in the Golf of St. George and its hinterland are the oldest and largest of Argentina and have brought wealth to the region which is invested in infrastructure. The fossil fuel industry is contributing some 70% to the GDP o f the region and covers some 40% o f Argentina's e nergy needs. The Golf St Ge orge and its two ports and sea t erminals are a main node of Argentina's oil- and gas pipeline networks.
Golf St Ge orge i s e ndowed w ith r ich f ishing grounds, vast lands for agriculture and minerals, has developed production sectors ancillary to the oil industry, produces construction materials and has a 'just-in-time' culture. Conscious of the potential conflict b etween t he i mpacts of o il extraction and the natural assets of the region, Golf St. George is already aware of its potential to develop alternative clean renewable energies, especially wind power due to strong and constant air flows, and to diversify its economy. It is also experimenting with hydrogen production and biodiesel from algae. The high and certified standards of its products are an asset. However water scarcity, adverse weather conditions, remoteness, insufficient infrastructure and a we ak regional market were inhibiting the diversification of economic development.
7.2.1 Finding Co mponents o f Excellence In cooperation with the Fundacion FINES a nd PanAmerican Energy the Fundacion Metropoli initiated the study of the components of excellence of the area as a basis for an innovative and sustainable long term spatial development strategy.60 Applying its Proyecto Cities methodology (Chapter 3), it had a catalytic effect and managed to attract a large number of participants among a diverse and dispersed population, including politicians from two provinces, the main cities and municipalities, the business community, academics from the local universities and the civic society in devising visions for the future of the region. Its components of excellence include oil extraction and its attraction of many international companies, as well as people which have improved the local economy and raised living standards. As gateway to the Patagonia region and its unspoilt wilderness and itself a high quality environment the Go lf of St. Ge orge h as great potential t o enlarge its tourism opportunities. Moreover, the
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Main Production Sectors in Golfo San Jorge
Spatial characteristics: urban areas, urban structure, farms. open spaces
Integration of urban structure into the landscape
Favourable conditions for wind energy (wind speeds)
San Jorge, node of global connectivity
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7.2.2 Cr it ica l De velopment Proposals
activities. Caleta Olivia is resorting to active public participation to create a linear eco-city extension 2020 along the coast with mixed housing, a new industrial area and ecological corridors. PicoTruncaro and Las Heras, inland are the key nodes of the energy landscape of the Chubut province. Lake Musters situated inland is connected with towns and agriculture by rivers and a canal network. It is the main source of drinking water of the whole region and needs ecological protection. Sarmiento, the nearest town will be equipped for green technologies and experimentation.The countryside will accommodate recreation, sports and an agropolis where agriculture will be transformed into a sustainable process.The commercial port of San Jorge is a global connectivity node. It i s enlarging the container port, adding an international airport and an inter-modal logistics platform which will generate tertiary activities and services for the whole region to be accommodated in a new eco-city.
The purpose of the initiative of the Fundacion Metropoli was to elaborate proposals for economic d iversification w ithin t he c ontext o f globalisation before the oil resources are running out. The objective of t he spatial d evelopment proposal is to provide an evidence-based support structure for local development policies of regional i ntegration a nd e conomic d iversification. Concrete proposals are based on clusters of the identified components of excellence, with emphasis on innovation and sustainability. Chenque 21 i s u sing a n a rtificial s poil h eap, Chenque Hill, near the port on the fringe of Comodoro Ri vadevia's c ity c entre w hich i s i ts m ain landmark, to establish a mixture of recreational, educational, research, creative and conference
Main metropolitan areas in South America
Main cities of Patagonia
Research by the CEU San Pablo university
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7.2.3 Integrated St rategy and Implementation Process These strategies were combined into a regional development vision, integrating the coast, the ports and the region's essential oil industry, the water resources of the hinterland, the natural environment, the ecological corridors and innovative renewable energy technologies. A linear eco-city of Patagonia could develop along the coast, linked by eco-boulevards and sustainable public transport. Growth of the eco-city would concentrate in specific nodes which would give the coast its identity, prevent sprawl and preserve nature.The cities of the hinterland would be better connected between them and with the urbanised coast.The energy landscape which is dominating the region has inspired a lot of original public art, including at international exhibitions in the open which reinforce the unique character of the region.
The implementation of this comprehensive and ambitious regional development strategy for the challenging area in and around t he Golf of St George requires strong institutional support.The active participation obtained for the elaboration of this development perspective provides a promising b ase f or c lose c ooperation b etween national, regional and local levels, and the will to set up tailor-made public-private agencies to turn these original ideas into reality.
Ecosystem of Lake Musters
Art and landscape in Chenque and Comodoro Rivadavia
Improving the agricultural landscape structure
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7.3 'TERRITORIO M@C', MURCIA - CARTAGENA MAR MENOR
Emerging M@C metropolitan area: the green heart
Sun Sculptures
Energy Valley and ellypse
Energy technology park
Morphology of the territory of Cartagena
Ecosystem of Innovation in Cartagena
Technology Park of “Huerta de Murcia�
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.3 'TERRITORIO M@C', MURCIA CARTAGENA - MAR MENOR
This fast growing region, comprising Murcia, Ca rtagena a nd Ma r Menor, constitutes the 'Territorio M@C'. With over 800,000 i nhabitants, equivalent of two thirds of the population of the Murcia region it has the potential of becoming the 6th l argest m etropolitan a rea i n Spain and to constitute a s upraregional link between the north and the Mediterranean Ark, once the new a irport a nd t he h igh s peed train have been built. This diverse region e ncompasses mountains, river plains and the coast. Tourism has taken hold there more recently than elsewhere on the Mediterranean sea, with urbanisation concentrat ing o n t he a ccessible coasts, displacing traditional agriculture and transforming it into intensive agro-industry under plastic sheeting.
7.3.1 Specificities of the Territorio M@C
The ambition of the M@C region is convert challenges into opportunities.61 The Government of Murcia has invited t he Fundacion Me tropoli t o participate in R&D of the region, supported by the bank ‘Caja Murcia’ and the Institute of Development of the Murcia Region. A Proyecto Cities Forum contributed to identify the components of excellence as key to an efficient exploitation of the potential of this dynamic region. They formed the basis of a sustainable spatial strategy for integrated economic, urban and infrastructure development. Such a regional strategy was to improve its lack of coherence and consolidate its dispersed development into an integrated process of transformation of the area. Improving the connection between Murcia and Cartagena is essential to increase the innovation potential of this metropolitan area and turn it into spaces for the knowledge economy.
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Situated in the hills surrounding the river Segura, Murcia's urban regeneration focuses on the river, the life blood of the region. Running through Murcia the river can turn it into an ecological corridor, connecting all the cities on its course. Agriculture remains an important economic sector of the Murcia region, especially between Murcia and Cartagena, and along the Segura river. Murcia, the regional capital, holds many central functions: the university, the financial sector, cultural, administrative and commercial services. Cartagena located in the hilly part of the coast and its port have diversified their activities. Regeneration focuses on new urban services, tourism and energy industries. Originally, tourism was introduced to this region on the eastern coast around the Mar Menor, attracted b y t he s andy b eaches o f La Ma nga. In t he nineteen sixties, La Manga began to develop second homes and tower blocks. It is in need of regeneration (see Chapter 10.3), diversification towards innovation, and integration into the M@C region through new means of communication. It can build on its exceptional site, landscape, environment and favourable c limate, a s we ll a s i ts re creational infrastructure to attract talent and reinvent its local economy. Overall, theTerritorio M@C has tremendous development and regeneration potentials due t o i ts increasing centrality on the Mediterranean coast. The development strategy of this sprawling area is to restructure the region into more concentrated polycentric networks connected by good quality public t ransport corridors, while protecting the orchards and preserving the green heart a t the centre of the region. Efforts are made to attract a high speed train station to both Murcia and Cartagena to boost the centrality of the region and its metropolitan areas. Another project is to create a multimodal transport interchange with an international airport, a high speed rail station, and a logistic park, connected by motorway with Murcia, Cartagena the Mar Menor and the rest of the coastal region.
Space Syntax accessibility analysis of the M@C region
Integration of M@C into the wider regional structure
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.3 'TERRITORIO M@C', MURCIA CARTAGENA - MAR MENOR
7.3.2 Development St rategies
to the city, and regenerate it entirely for advanced services and innovative economic and recreational activities. For the Mar Menor a new public transport is needed, t ogether w ith t he t ransformation of second homes into permanent residences, as well as the integration between new innovative activities with existing traditional tourism.
Like all the cities which compete in the global economy, t he Territorio M@ C a ttempts t o d evelop strategic innovative projects, such as science and techno- parks to attract innovative companies and provide spaces for incubators specialising in agroindustry, renewable energies, water management, pharmaceutics, health and life sciences, information technology and t elecommunications, as well as maritime activities connected with the port and the sea, etc. while setting up public private ventures offering the local universities a more competitive environment. For Murcia, this means reconnecting the city with the river and regenerating areas adjacent to the new high speed track. For Cartagena, this would presuppose to displace traditional port activities to the new Port of Gorgel, reconnect the waterfront
Dominant landscapes
Together the many regeneration projects based on the clusters of excellence identified and analysed with the Proyecto Cities methodology form the building blocks of an integrated, f orward looking, long term development strategy which can b e i mplemented i n c oordinated s tages, thanks t o innovative public private a gencies especially set up for this purpose. The Territorio M@C forms part of what the Fundacion Metropoli calls Mediterraneo_ TECs, which will become the creative and innovative spaces of tomorrow in southern Europe.
Murcia Urban System, Model of spatial balance Green heart and surrounding landscape specificities
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.4 CASABLANCA-RABAT, ECO-LINEAR CITY REGION
7.4 CASABLANCA-RABAT ECO-LINEAR CITY REGION
Bird’s eye view of Casablanca
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7.4.1 The Meta-Context
7.4.2 The Region-X
The spatial development strategies of Casablanca and i ts region r aise the issue of very l arge spatial connections embedded in a l ong t erm historical past. As the gate to the north of the African south, Morocco considers itself responsible to link the Sub Saharan African continent to Europe into an inter-continentally connected coherent space of economic development potential. Mo rocco i s we ll p laced t o m ediate t he tensions between the north and the south while contributing to the creation of wealth and employment in North Africa. Conversely, as Europe is historically bound to both North and Sub-Saharan Africa, it has to take into account the evolution of this enormous continent and its development goals, which have repercussions on its own strategies.
Casablanca is the economic engine of Morocco while Rabat is the political centre of the country. Together they form key metropolitan areas of Morocco's development dynamic and are aware of the pressures of global competitiveness. They decided to adopt a b road perspective for their spatial development strategies in this very large country. For that purpose, the Fundacion Metropoli conceived the Region X. It reaches fromTanger in the north along the coast to Rabat and on to Casablanca. From there two legs lead further south along t he coast t hrough l ess we ll e stablished connections to El Jadidda, Safi and Essouaria on the one hand and to Marrakesh on the foot of the Atlas desert on the other hand. The fourth leg of the X-shape linear region extends from Rabat to Meknes and Fez.This part encompasses the major ports and airports of Morocco and its essential highways, as well as major rail connections. The region as a whole contains the majority of Morocco's e conomic a ctivities a nd d evelopment potentials. Overall its dimension is about a quarter of the supra-region of the European Diagonal.
Within such a mega-structure, Morocco aims to situate its own development opportunities and how they can be strengthened by cross border, supra-regional allegiances, as well as within the country and, more particularly, within i ts own region. In t he context of this trans-continental environment Casablanca and Rabat undertook research i n c ooperation w ith t he Fu ndacion Metropoli and i ts own network of specialists.
What emerged from this spatial research was a linear system of urban development, led by Casablanca and Rabat. The Region-X s trategy was expected to create spatial coherence between its networked cities and to combine their opportunities to achieve greater overall effectiveness. A linear urban structure is very efficient and sustainable. It enables the protagonists to organise the processes of urban development in a coordinated way by establishing ecological corridors, lines of communication and coherent coastal spaces, while preserving natural environments. Such a regional spatial strategy would benefit the development of the urban areas whilst strengthening t he r ural s paces a nd i mproving t he environmental eco-system in which the processes of sustainable urban development have their roots. This spatial support system would foster the dynamism of the processes of innovation which are the indispensable drivers of competitive economic activities.
Major communication infrastructure of Region X
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7.4.3 The Ca sablanca - Ra bat Connection The positive specificities of the region provided the basis of a spatial strategy for this large scale region which combines its natural and man made assets. Specific interventions were proposed to create s ynergies b etween t he components of excellence within the cities with positive repercussions on the region as a whole. A key element of this regional strategy was to create a m ore efficient regional road connection running along the inland periphery of the coastal cities, as well as to transform the existing trunk roads which run t hrough d ense u rban f abrics i nto e coboulevards (see Chapter 8.3) t o make the city structure more cohesive and the urban environment more sustainable. Two recreational routes were proposed, one running along the coast and the other through the hills above the cities. Secondary re gional r oads we re c ompleting t his network of mobility. The water system was improved w ith w ater re servoirs, n ew c anals f or drinking water distribution and i rrigation and desalination plants on the coast. Some of the river courses were turned into ecological corridors and improvements were proposed for the forest above the cities and their management. Agriculture reform aimed to preserve existing areas and encourage urban agriculture for more local food supply.
System of cities along the coast between Casablanca and Rabat
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Agricultural structure of the region between Casablanca and Rabat and river system
Forests, water system and green areas of the region between Casablanca and Rabat
Eco-boulevards and main roads connecting Casablanca, Rabat and intermediate cities on the coastline
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Townscapes of Malaga and along its coast
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.5. MALAGA VALLEY, ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION
7.5 MALAGA VALLEY, ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION Malaga has benefited from Spain's membership of the European Union. EU subsidies for new high speed rail connections brought Malaga into a national network of dynamic cities, as well as into international physical and functional connections and the ambit of the European Diagonal (see Chapter 6.3).The Costa del Sol and Malaga, its major urban concentration owe their growth to tourism from the northern parts of the European Union, due to excellent connectivity, sunshine and warm weather the whole year round, outstanding beaches and ample natural assets. However, Malaga's current ambition is to diversify its international attractiveness to achieve a h igher value added economy. Besides leisure tourism, it aspires to provide a s etting for international business and academic cooperation as part of a wider network of innovation.
Malaga's dense network of international air connections with key technological and innovative regions of Europe
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.5. MALAGA VALLEY, ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION
7.5.1 Malaga's Ecosystem Features
At the city-region scale Malaga's development process is nested in its regional position as part of a b alanced polycentric s ystem of c ities i n Andalusia, as well as in its geographic location as a gateway to North Africa. The latter gives it great potential to expand its markets internationally, especially now that the European Union has revived t he Euro-Mediterranean Partnership, 'EuroMed', with its seat in Barcelona, one of the lead cities of the European Diagonal in which Malaga can become a major partner.
With increasing global competition, cities have to devise strategies based on their particular assets and potentials, while engaging in targeted beneficial cooperation and seeking complementarity with national and international competitors. According t o t he f indings o f t he Fu ndacion Metropoli, Malaga functions as an urban ecosystem of innovation in its own right.62 There a re t wo l evels a t which t he concept of ecosystem o f i nnovation a pplies t o Ma laga: • at t he l evel of specific i nnovative s trategic projects which the city can incorporate into its overall urban strategy in a synergetic manner; • at the level of the city-region, driven by its innovative development strategy expressed in the comprehensive vision devised for metropolitan Malaga.
Meta settlement structure of the region of Andalucía with major connectors
Malaga's d evelopment s trategies re ly on t he components o f e xcellence i dentified i n t he Proyecto Cities research, as well as on the priorities elaborated by the specifically constituted Urban Forum of Malaga. The clusters of excellence, s trengths, p erceived p olicy g aps a nd priorities form the basis of long term strategic policy formulation within the conceptual framework of the 'urban ecosystem of innovation of Malaga'.The key strategy for Malaga which arose from re search c arried o ut b y t he Fu ndacion Metropoli is to build up a knowledge economy, based on attracting talent, improving and greening i ts infrastructure f or t ourism and cultural activities, and a high quality environment. One of Ma laga’s d ynamic b usiness c ommunity, ‘Malaga Valley’, is instrumental in realising an ICT based future.
7.5.2 Malaga's Strategic EcoSystem Projects Well targeted urban eco-system strategies constitute the building blocks of the comprehensive concept of Me tropolitan Ma laga a s a n Ur ban Ecosystem of Innovation and its vision of spatial development. They are captured in a s ynthetic map of metropolitan Malaga showing the location of t he s trategic nodes of innovation, t he ecoboulevards connecting them, and their integration into the natural environment. Living l abs: PTA, Media-lab, r egenerated quarry 'Living Labs' are a key concept of Malaga's approach to innovation nodes. Their aim is to offer great potential for experimentation in spaces integrated for living, working, playing and learning. Their original features are: spaces of innovation and creativity; spaces for the arts and technology'; advanced digital infrastructure; integration between a rchitecture a nd n ature; n ew t ypes o f productive spaces; new types of living spaces; bio-climatic architecture; latest non polluting technologies to service mixed activities and uses. Overall, they constitute a 'world class' location to attract talent.
The three proposed 'living labs' are all located on the outskirt of the city, two at the interface of the motorway bypass, one on the coast, a t the transition between the built up area and the surrounding natural environment. The extension of the existing TechnoPark of Andalusia, PTA i s re ached by a c omprehensive, sustainable public transportation network. It offers spaces for experimentation to firms which are expected to cluster and establish close connections with the existing university campus and R&D establishments attracted to a nearby regenerated industrial area. The 'media-lab' is located on a privileged site above the city with spectacular sea views, planned for mixed uses. Its flexible life-work spaces with high level ICT i nfrastructure aim to create synergies between established media companies and start up firms. The media-lab will be connected by an ecological cable car system, which will link the city, the university campus, the media lab and recreation destinations in the surrounding countryside. Once decommissioned, the cement quarry provides a valuable site on the coast. By harnessing its man-made topography, recycling some industrial s tructures a nd a pplying b io-climatic principles to building design this site will become an exemplar living lab for innovative activities in the field of renewable energy.
Urban centrality and metropolitan connectivity
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7 REGIONAL SPATIAL STRATEGIES 7.5. MALAGA VALLEY, ECOSYSTEM OF INNOVATION
Other innovation nodes
public transport encourages the regeneration of their frontages, while preserving urban densities and mixed uses. Eco-boulevards will become the public re alm o f t he 21 st c entury i n Ma laga.
Other eco-system projects are the airport city, the digital port, the integrated university campus extension, the techno-industrial cluster and the district for creative industries. Each has its own specificity, complements the other innovation nodes and contributes to Malaga-wide synergies. Within the expansion of Malaga's urban infrastructure the airport assumes a key position in the planned multimodal transportation and logistics network. Its many international routes provide an opportunity to attract talent from other innovation nodes in Europe. Shifting cargo logistics from the existing port to the airport city by resorting to latest technologies releases most land on the seafront for public use alongside a new, more accessible digital port. Another set of connected innovation nodes are the t echno-industrial cluster and surrounding areas of t he university campus e armarked for mixed use developments, such as high tech industries, R&D , l ife-work u nits a nd s tudent housing, interspersed with generous open spaces, including the revitalisation of existing ponds. The planned extension of the public transport network will provide them with better access to urban services and integrate them with the city as a whole, and the inner city in particular. The new high speed train station will give new life to a run down area adjacent to the historic centre. Regenerated and endowed with a pedestrian network this f ine grain urban f abric w ith i ts convivial outdoor spaces is expected to attract creative activities.
The proposed eco-boulevards are branching out in a star from the city centre, crossing the topographic c orniche o f t he c ity f urther o ut. The Creativity Avenue climbs up the steep topography and connects the motorway bypass; the Technology Avenue links the city centre with the technoindustrial node, the university campus, the Techno-Park of Andalusia and new techno-nodes in the hinterland; the Sun Lane runs parallel to the coast connecting the digital harbour to the airport. The Corniche creates cross links between the Sun Lane, the Technology Avenue and the Creativity Avenue. The interplay between innovation nodes and ecoboulevards constitutes Malaga's new townscape. It contributes to the creation of new functional landscapes for the Malaga metropolitan region, including what t he Fundacion Me tropoli c alls 'Mediterraneo TECs', innovative, ecological and sustainable development corridors on the Mediterranean (see Chapter 6.4).
Eco-boulevards: Creativity Avenue, Technology Avenue, Sun Lane and Corniche Existing traffic corridors of Malaga act as barriers and sever urban areas from each other. The aim is to transform them into eco-boulevards to create cross connections between hitherto segregated urban activities and to create connections between the proposed innovation nodes of Malaga to enhance synergy within and between them. Each proposed innovation node is linked to and by an eco-boulevard which acts as an urban link, equipped with state-of-the-art sustainable public transport, cycle lanes, generous pedestrian areas and tamed car traffic. Lined with trees they act as green corridors and provide spaces for encounters a nd social integration. Their sustainable
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Technology Avenue, Creativity Avenue and connecting Corniche
Malaga as ecosystem of innovation with seven nodes of intervention
Members of 'Malaga Valley' Club of Entrepreneurs
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8 192
‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES 8.1 ECO-CITIES 8.1.1 ECO-CITY SARRIGUREN, NAVARRA 8.1.2 ARTE, CASTILLA LA MANCHA 8.1.3 CANRASO, ECO-CITY IN TUDELA, NAVARRA 8.1.4 SPORTS ECO-CITIES 8.1.5 MEKNES AGRÓPOLIS, MOROCCO 8.1.6 ECO-LINEAR CITY: LOS CABOS, BAJA CALIFORNIA, MEXICO 8.1.7 LANDSCAPES OF ALMANSA 8.2 LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATIONS AND ECO-VILLAGES 8.2.1 WINE LANDSCAPES BORDEAUX, TUSCANY, NAPPA VALLEY, CAPE TOWN, AUSTRALIA HARO LA RIOJA, CASTILLO DE MONJARDÍN, NAVARRA 8.2.2 QUARRY TRANSFORMATIONS CUCHÍA QUARRY, CANTABRIA; SITGES QUARRY, CATALUNYA 8.2.3 ECO VILLAGE DAROCA 8.2.4 ECO VILLAGE CASTILLO BARXELL 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS 8.3.1 ECOBOULEVARD ONE, CASABLANCA 8.3.2 BM30, MADRID 8.3.3 MEDITERRANEAN ECO-BOULEVARDS ALCOY BLUE ECO-BOULEVARD IN TORREVIEJA INNOVATION CORRIDOR. ALICANTE, ELCHE
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8 ‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES
INDUSTRIALISATION AND URBANISATION HAVE BEEN RELENTLESS EVER SINCE SCIENTIFIC DISCOVERIES HAD ENABLED TECHNOLOGICAL INNOVATIONS TO TRANSFORM BO TH THE PRODUCTION PROCESS ANDTHE CHARACTER OF CITIES IN THE PURSUIT OF THE ULTIMATE GOAL OF THE ENLIGHTENMENT , N AMELY 'M AN'S DOMINATION O VER N ATURE'. THE MILI TAROINDUSTRIAL COMPLEX OFTHE 20TH CENTURY WAS CONVERTINGTECHNOLOGICAL INVENTIONS INTO INNOVATIONS IN THE KEY AREAS OF ENERGY GENERATION, MOBILITY AND COMMUNICATION WHICH, TOGETHER, BECAME A SOURCE OF MASS PRODUCTION. INTURN,THIS LEDTO POPULATION E X P L O S I O N , M AS S C O N S U M P T I O N AN D ECONOMIC EXPANSION, A TREND STILL UNDER WAY IN M ANY DEVELOPING COUNTRIES . THIS PROCESS STIMULATED THE RISE OF CI TIES AS DRIVERS OF PROGRESS AND AFFLUENCE WHERE COMMAND AND CONTROL FUNCTIONS TENDED TO CONGREGATE. THE ROLE OF CITIES AND THEIR NETWORKS INCREA SED WITH THE GRO WING INTERDEPENDENCE OF MARKETS WORLDWIDE IN TERMS OF PHY SICAL FRA MEWORKS OF THIS GLOBAL EVOLUTION. 194
The Energy Challenge
Sustainability Technological achievements had significant repercussion o n c ities, s uch a s t he i nternal combustion engine which was providing individual mobility. Aviation, high speed rail and road transport helped to overcome the friction of distance and f acilitated the connection between cities into networks of interchange, cooperation and competition. With their concentration of human resources, knowledge and wealth cities became the power houses of the economy. As cradles of production, services and innovation, cities were also profligate with their resource consumption, relentlessly growing, sprawling and changing their fabric.The oil shocks of the nineteen seventies, and more recently the preoccupations with adverse effects of human activities on climate change pushed cities into a critical light. Their ecological footprint, together with their often indiscriminate consumption of land and energy became the focus of attention of those concerned with sustainable development and the long term survival of the planet.
Energy generation and consumption, the life blood of human existence are closely connected with climate change and present particular challenges. While at the beginning of the 20th century fossil fuels contributed less than 4% to world energy, it covers about 80% of the global energetic needs at present. Hydraulic and atomic energy represent about 15% of energy consumption, while renewable e nergy, s uch a s s olar, w ind, t idal, w ave, photovoltaic, geothermal, heat pumps, biomass, bio fuel, etc. contribute around 6%, and although expanding rapidly, they do not have the capacity to substitute solid fuels.63 The followers of technological fixes can see that other energy generating, substitution and storage technologies, such as nuclear fusion, light emitting diodes or hydrogen power are neither ready for application nor economically viable at present, although they may become so with escalating oil prices, depleting reserves of non renewable energy sources, lack of security of supply, as well as inordinate carbon emissions. The scientific community is considering man made carbon emissions a m ajor contributor t o a dverse c limate
Evolution of world total energy consumption 1970 = index 100 Source: EIA (Energy Information Administration)
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change. An estimated 60-80% i s generated by cities a nd re lated a ctivities such a s i ntercity transport, food and commodity production. They are posing a particular challenge for cities and their high dependence on their surroundings, as demonstrated by their ecological footprints.64
Even if productive activities such as manufacturing are located outside cities, they are connected with logistic nodes as well as with neighbourhoods from where workers commute. In the longer term they tend to generate cities around them to accommodate the work force and provide services for them, thus contributing to the urbanisation process and its own latent energy consumption. The trend to decentralise back offices of large companies, or to create remote large scale logistic nodes, business parks, university campuses, specialised financial, media and other compounds with high land consumption on cheap sites outside b uilt up a reas i s a m ajor c ontributor t o urbanisation.These developments will eventually form part of urban regions or constitute new builtup concentrations in their own right and add to excess ecological footprints. Conversely, waste stemming f rom e nergy consumption i n c ities tends to affect areas outside cities but should form part of the city's own environment and energy equation.
Conventional wisdom has estimated that in 2006 the contribution of the built environment to global warming through energy consumption - residential and commercial buildings and traffic combined was in the order of 36%, if generation and transmission losses of 27% are accounted separately in the 15TW of total energy consumption. Industrial production - agriculture, mining, manufacturing and construction compounded - consumed 37%. Excluding energy generation losses, net energy consumption of end use per sectors accounts for 40% of the residential and service sectors, while transport a nd i ndustry c onsume 30% e ach.65 The overall share of urban energy consumption, as well as by the various sectors will vary according to the degree of urbanisation which is steadily increasing, at the fastest pace in the developing world.66 Moreover, certain activities do not take place strictly speaking in cities but are essential contributors to city life. Air, rail, road freight and passenger transport, the transmission of energy supplies such as oil and natural gas, extraction and production of construction materials, as well as industrial production have most of their end use in cities where they are ultimately consumed.
World primary energy consumption by source, 2006 Source: EIA (Energy Information Administration)
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Remedial Strategies It became paramount to apply ecological principles to physical structures, city and city-region development. In re cent t imes designers have
started t o include sustainability principles in urban development and management more generally.67 The Fundacion Metropoli is exploring ecological principles in its research with the aim to discover and apply e cological principles which ensure synergy between buildings and the spaces between them to create an integrated sustainable micro-climate. Introducing the principles of ecocities to new and existing cities in this context was imminently sensible.The Fundacion Metropoli has compiled 100 keywords to characterise ecocities68 and applied these principles to the ecocities it has designed. In c ooperation w ith e xperts i n t he f ield t he Fundacion Metropoli was modelling and experimenting eco-design at several scales, ranging from individual buildings, to small settlements to urban quarters and c ities, a s we ll a s t heir surrounding landscapes. At the supra-regional scale, it produced ecological development proposals for several Spanish autonomous regions, such as Euskal Hiria and Galicia, as well as regional spatial concepts for the Alicante Province. It contributed widely to the concept of eco-cities and applied it to Sarriguren, Aranjuez, Aviles, Arte, the eco-linear city of Fengxian in Shanghai China, Los Cabos in Mexico, eco-cities of sports in Sevilla, and elsewhere. At the local scale it experimented with sustainable design for eco-
Energy consumption by end-use sector, 2006 Source: EIA (Energy Information Administration)
villages (Chapter 8.2.3-4), and bio-climatic design for its own building: the continuously monitored Ecobox (Chapter 10), and imminently the Digital box in Bilbao. As cities and the countryside are becoming increasingly blurred, the Fundacion Metropoli is also exploring a new approach to landscape design based on predominant features of areas in need of transformation, such as wine landscapes, or landscapes influenced by agriculture, forests or nature. It s most advanced projects are t he wine landscapes in La Rioja and Baja California Sur, the Tequila landscapes in Mexico, the ecoagriculture landscapes in Meknes Morroco and the arid landscapes in Patagonia. Further ideas include desert landscapes near Murcia and water landscapes in Aranjuez.
World ecological footprint 1961-2003 Source: Global Footprint Network
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8.1. ECO-CITIES Cities occupy only about 2% of the globe; however, they constitute a serious challenge to climate change and their ecological footprints far exceed their fair share. Compounding all the activities connected to cities, the estimated gross energy consumption of cities amounts easily t o t wo t hirds o f t otal e nergy consumption. Consequently, they also contribute an inordinate amount of environmental pollution and adverse e ffects t o c limate c hange. The compounded energy flows in cities are not being empirically measured and may probably not be adequately measurable. However, the exact amount of environmental deficit of cities is not the issue, as they widely exceed their share of non renewable resources and can be considered environmentally unsustainable. Conversely, it is argued that cities contribute by f ar the largest share of global economic growth and productivity. They are the privileged place of production and reproduction of talent and creative brainworkers, indispensable for the survival of the economy in a globally competitive environment. In particular, cities are the locus of research and development and ensuing technological innovation, key factors to secure the viability of the knowledge society. They provide places for the creative economy which t ends t o f lourish i n h igh quality urban environments. Acknowledging the importance of the quality of their environment, cities are willing to redress their sustainability deficit. Eco-cities a re one concrete form of delivering this goal with promising effects, notwithstanding the many unknown aspects emanating from the complexity of cities as d ynamic e cosystems. Ci ties a re t hus we ll placed t o b ecome e co-cities a s t hey h ave
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enormous potential to improve their sustainability. The key to sustainability is innovation and readiness for change. Turning cities into eco-cities constitutes a powerful strategy which encompasses a h ost o f opportunities t o c ontribute toward ecological redress. Origin and Background of Eco-Cities Where does the notion of 'eco-city' come from? Eco-cities are not new. Early settlements can be conceived as the precursors of eco-cities (ecovillages, eco-towns, ecopolis, sustainable city, etc). They s erved t he collective n eeds of t he communities by protecting them from the elements and accommodating their activities. They were built with local natural and renewable materials, using climatic 'design', for example in ancient Mesopotamia. They were the natural setting o f d ivision o f l abour, s pecialisation, adaptation and innovation. Many communities have the culture and knowhow to produce eco-cities in physical as well as semiotic terms and tend to live within their own ecological footprint in sustainable symbiosis with nature. The physical form of such eco-cities is often termed vernacular architecture.69 Few of them were designed by architects as Amos Rapoport points out70 and e ven t oday e co-design remains a specialised skill. During the first wave of environmental consciousness in the 1960s, the merits of climatic design and efficient equitable use of energy71 became part of mainstream thinking, first among designers l ike Ha ssan Fathi72 a nd l ater b y n ational governments and the international community.73 Even the intergovernmental OECD has directed its a ttention t o e cological approaches of c ity design and management in the light of climate change.74 In the developed world, the American eco-city movement formed part of this evolution, proposing
alternative solutions for city planning.75 Richard Register's Ecocity Builders76 define an eco-city as ecologically healthy, an ideal state which does not exist yet in their view. Meanwhile they perceive Paolo Soleri's Arcosanti in Arizona as the prototype of such an ideal eco-city. From an economic point of view, Jane Jacobs77 considered that cities which are integrated with their immediate hinterland a re drivers of prosperity a nd c apable of revitalising n ature i n overloaded r ural a reas. The eco-city concept gathered momentum also in the developing world. China is committed to realising eco-cities, the most publicised among them Dongtan in the Shanghai conurbation and the Tianjin eco-city, planned in cooperation with Singapore on a s alt p lane n ear Ch ina's t hird largest city. Curitiba is Brazil's avant-garde ecological capital with its ecological public transport system and university of the environment. African countries are also adopting eco-city principles, for example in Johannesburg; and the Middle East is preparing an eco-friendly f uture after oil in eco-cities like Masdar in AbuDhabi. Eco-City Typology Three design concepts underline eco-cities. At one end of the spectrum there are bucolic ecocity utopias, based on the idea of self-sufficiency promoted by social reformers in the past and by green movements at present. Yet, in the interdependent world of g lobalisation building such autarchic eco-communities appears unrealistic. On the other hand, designers propose vertical utopias, gigantic towers constituting eco-cities in themselves. Ken Yeang's bioclimatic tall buildings are based on 'ecomimesis', while others are perceived as bionic structures, such as Eloy Celaya's experimental eco-city towers, or Eugene Tsui's two mile high volcano shaped Ultima tower, accommodating vertical eco-cities. However, 9/11 may have put paid to very t all buildings while other utopias like f loating or underwater ecocities may enjoy a comeback. Meanwhile, enlightened city leaders and their designers have started to put realistic eco-city principles into practice, thereby mobilising national governments78 and international agencies79 to follow suit. The urban ecology movement is flourishing in Australia and New Zealand and Europe has a long history of ecological design,
especially in oil and gas poor Scandinavia,80 but also in Germany81 and the Netherlands.82 More recently, t he UK g overnment has adopted t he concept of e co-towns w hich i ncorporates a ll known eco-technologies83 aiming at zero carbon emissions of brown-field site developments. In Spain, non renewable energy generation is promoted country-wide,84 but t he municipality of Sarriguren was the first to realise an eco-city, calling on the Fundacion Metropoli to design it. Working Definition of an Eco-City The notion of eco-city is influenced by a w ide range of contributions by the movement for ecological c ities w hich f ound t heir e xpression i n international manifestos.85 Many eco-NGOs also adopted their own definition of ecological development. When Richard Register coined the term eco-city in 1987 in the developed world, he defined an ecocity as “a sustainable city which is entirely dedicated to minimising required inputs (energy, water, food) and its waste output (heat, air and water pollution). It also relies minimally on the surrounding countryside, creating the smallest possible ecological footprint. It resorts to renewable energy sources, ecologically designed buildings and appliances, natural ventilation and public transport, with an environment conducive for cycling and walking”. Later, Register's 'Ecocity Builders' borrowed the definition of Urban Ecology Australia: “an eco-city is a human settlement that enables its residents to live a g ood quality of life while using minimal natural resources”, but Register86 proposes his own design criteria for eco-cities to build or rebuild the ecological carrying capacity of bio-regions. For others,87 eco-cities are about healing or ethnic programmes for ecological restoration. In the developing world, Akhtar Chauhan88 f or instance, conceives a sustainable living environment as being “based on climate responsiveness, appropriate use of technologies, and innovation of sustainable environmental design”. Alternatively, the European Union eco-city project on “urban development towards appropriate structures for sustainable transport” did not seek a single definition a nd i ncorporated t he k ey s ustainability visions of the participant cities instead. At a more abstract level, the idea of eco-cities draws on analogies with biology and the notion that successful ecosystems are driven by innova-
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tion and shaped by human intervention. Eco-cities constitute a context to which human beings adapt, while their integrated design facilitates continuous and complex interactions and information flows, the key ingredients of innovation brought about by intellectual exchanges and synergies which assist cities in their transition to a knowledge society. The operational concept of eco-cities is “an urban environment purposefully designed according to sustainability principles”. Eco-city design applies ecological t echnologies to the built f abric and integrates it with a high quality public realm, the natural environment and sustainable mobility. Limits to the Implementation of Eco-Cities When cities are preparing pre-emptive or retroactive instruments to curb adverse effects on climate change t hey e ncounter d ifficulties i n coping realistically with the f ull complexity of energy consumption, pollution, the relation between t hem a nd i nteraction w ith o ther urban activities. Thus, many city leaders who are committed to the principles of sustainability tend to isolate specific groups of assumed effects on climate change, accepting that they may have to sub-optimise interventions to reduce energy consumption a nd c urb e nvironmental p ollution. Discrete interventions can apply at various scales: at the level of individual buildings and their uses; in urban areas to accommodate specific single or mixed urban activities and groups of people; more ambitiously at the level of the city as a whole; or at the city region including its hinterland which has to absorb the city's environmental footprint.
Eco-city Sarriguren, Pamplona, Navarra
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Eco-city Sarriguren, Pamplona, Navarra
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8.1.1 ECO-CITY SARRIGUREN, NAVARRA
The government of t he autonomous region of Navarra i n Sp ain, t ook concrete m easures t o create a s ustainable urban e nvironment. This included a strategic decision to provide sustainable living conditions as a basis of a development strategy aimed to foster innovation while responding to the pressing issue of climate change. The eco-city of Sarriguren was promoted by the Departments o f t he En vironment, Pl anning a nd Housing of Navarra in 1998. It originated in the desire to provide high quality housing which satisf ies b io-climat ic c rit eria a nd p rovides accommodation, in particular for young people who need housing to start up families when taking up creative jobs and making a major contribution to the dynamic of the city and its region. For this reason, it decided to build an eco-city, the first realised in Spain with the dwellings starting to be occupied in 2007. Sarriguren holds the role of eco-city pioneer by providing a 21 st century model of sustainability for other c ities and regions undergoing r apid urbanisation in Spain and beyond. Both regional and local leaders of the autonomous region of Navarra took many innovative initiatives on project design, as well as institutional, budgetary and managerial solutions. It benefited from a strong political vision, perseverance, and long term commitment of politicians and operators, based on consensus achieved with the local population. This included awareness raising among its inhabitants and the provision of incentives to change consumer behaviour. Conceiving Sarriguren as an eco-city and making it an integral part of the existing agglomeration of Pamplona a lleviates i ts energy burden and adds to ecological soundness of the Pamplona conurbation. It is a mixed development with 5000 bio-climatic dwellings; a techno-park for renewable energies and environmental t echnologies with, as it anchors, the National Centre of Renewable En ergies (CENER) a nd Acciona So lar; innovation cubes for f lexible and mixed use of
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living and working; and generous public realm. It is located on the outskirts of Pamplona in an area of expansion aimed to retain and attract talent for which it is creating a high quality sustainable environment. Eco-Design for Sarriguren The Fundacion Metropoli won the competition for the masterplan of this eco-city for which it identified potential areas of intervention, produced strategies for the reduction of green house gas e missions a nd p roposed i nnovative e cofeatures. The proposals were derived f rom the Proyecto Cities analysis of the components of excellence which characterised the attractiveness, specificity, current success and potential development opportunities of the site. Besides enhancing locational and natural assets, the Fundacion Me tropoli d evised i ts own e co-design criteria which it is applying to its conceptual as well as practical design of eco-cities. They encompass: • compactness and sustainability • shared mobility, public transport • responsive d ialogue w ith s urroundings • public realm, places of encounter • combining l iving, w orking a nd l eisure • architectural diversity • social c ohesion, c ommunal i nfrastructure • bio-climatic architecture and urban design • integration of new technologies • identity of place. The design philosophy of the Fundacion Metropoli is t o understand s ustainable d evelopment i n terms of a comprehensive physical, social and environmental eco-system of innovation. An ecocity is guided by integrated design, encompassing sustainable l andscaping based on indigenous
National Centre for Renewable Energies CENER
Central Park with bio-climatic housing
Green spaces in Sarriguren
Model of the Sarriguren ecocity competition by winner Fundacion Metropoli Aerial view of Sarriguren
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nature, ecological buildings, eco-corridors and open spaces, sustainable transportation, as well as citizen participation. This requires innovative understanding and sensitivity toward the natural topography, historic environment, existing settlement and cultural specificity of the site and its surroundings. Similarly, its innovative development potential can be derived f rom the known strengths and weaknesses of the local economy.
The Fundacion Metropoli devised ten principles for the design of the Sarriguren eco-city: nature as integral part of urban design, conservation of rural settlement structure, priority of public transport, cycling and walking, diversity of housing, integration between housing and work places, high quality and diversity of public realm, bioclimatic a rchitectural d esign, c ommitment t o innovation, a h igh quality natural environment, within a well confined physical framework for the eco-city.
An interactive analysis identified the components of excellence of the urban setting as follows: the historic centre, the universities, biotechnology, teaching hospitals and related applied research institutes, ample green areas, rural settlements, viable infrastructures connecting the city to the outside, high value added industrial specialisation and technological development capacity.
Masterplan of Sarriguren Green Structure
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In concrete terms, it proposed an extension to existing innovation corridors where the high tech production a nd s ervices a re l ocated, e coboulevards with sustainable public transport to connect the eco-city with the existing urban fabric, cycle lanes and footpaths to the surround-
ing nature. It used the eco-technological infrastructure as part of the landscape design. The housing built by the local housing corporation, encompasses a wide range of types and tenures to achieve a social balance. All were designed with active and passive energy efficiency features, renewable energy supply, complete water cycle and i nnovative c ommunication t echnologies. Moreover, they were submitted to a certification process to demonstrate evidence-based low energy consumption and c arbon e missions. The building programme included t he refurbished historic village, eco-city gates, viewing towers in the park, blocks of flats, single family houses and live-work premises. Similarly, a range of job opportunities and places of learning were foreseen t o l imit t ravel t o work. This includes t he
cubes of innovation located in the park as a feature of attraction which are being built at present. Land reserve and infrastructure connections enable the eco-city to grow in the future. The largely completed eco-city was designed as a concrete example of how to apply ecological design principles and convert them into performance specifications at an urban scale. In just a decade of innovative management Sarriguren turned a regional strategy of sustainable excellence into reality. Its good sustainable practice was recognised by UN Habitat in 2000 and when it obtained the European Prize of Urbanism in 2008 from the European Council of Spatial Planners (ECTP) for the best integrated sustainable urban project in Europe.
Innovation Cubes located in the central park providing light at night
Central park with public art
Park walkways with water feature
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8.1.2 ARTE, CASTILLA LA MANCHA
Spain, and in particular the Madrid region have no tradition of creating new towns on urban outskirts. However, Madrid is surrounded by a range of self contained historic cities beyond its conurbation. ARTE, conceived as a linear eco-city, will be situated in the Autonomous region of Castilla la Mancha in the southwest of this outer ring of cities . Located on a high plane confined by mountain chains, Madrid was originally created as an administrative capital. Since then it has spread into a metropolis of some 6.3 million population and is still growing. Under pressure from its demographic growth, d ifferent municipalities h ave approved small uncoordinated residential and industrial estates on its outskirts over the last decade. This resulted in chaotic urban sprawl, unconnected to public transport, without integrat ion b etween w ork p laces a nd h ousing. Well connected with Madrid, ARTE is positioned at the confluence of a system of motorways, regional railways and the high speed train. It w ill accommodate a b road range of future-oriented and creative economic activities, including a Logistic City, a Digital District, a City for the Arts, places for distance learning and the Quijote Space, while building on its varied and rich environment by creating new wine, olive and horticulture landscapes. Residential areas will provide a wide range of types and tenures, some integrated with workplaces, others designed as garden cities or as taller compact structures located in the urban park. ARTE took account of the components of excellence i dentified w ith t he Pr oyecto Ci ties methodology of the Fundacion Metropoli. The key components are a high quality environment, availability of land, proximity to the large market of Madrid a nd i ts i nnovative f acilities, e xcellent transportation connections, good links provided by the high speed train station and planned extension o f t he re gional t rain n etwork, w ater availability, spaces for recreation in a wine growing environment, and the synergetic advantage of
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being part of a ring-shaped polycentric network of independent complementary cities. The linear eco-design includes all the basic ecological features: eco-boulevards, cycle lanes and pedestrian paths, compact mixed developments, and e cological corridors which p enetrate t he urban fabric and converge in a central park with generous water features. The logistic functions and the digital activities provide innovative high value added jobs and training opportunities. ARTE wants to project a futuristic image by creating a museum of utopias. Naturally, all the buildings will b e c onstruct ed w ith t he l at est b iotechnologies. Housing is diverse and can accommodate working and leisure activities also in a low density garden city. A circular eco-boulevard with local public transport is conceived to contain informal urban sprawl and links the existing urban fabric to the new eco-designed parts. ARTE will be implemented as a public-private venture, combining work, living, recreation and learning into an e cologically s ound p lace o f n ew u rbanity.
Architecture of the Ecocity. Figure Ground.
Green structure and agricultural landscapes
Interaction between new urban fabric, eco-boulevards and ecological corridors related to waterways
Conceptual design: interaction of two linear urban structures for production and housing surrounded by agricultural landscapes
Location of the eco-city of Arte in the south west of Madrid
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8.1.3 CANRASO, ECO-CITY IN TUDELA, NAVARRA
The Ecotown company 'Ecociudades de Navarra' commissioned the Fundacion Metropoli to carry out a spatial analysis ofTudela and its surroundings in order to identify ecological strategic development p rojects f or t he F oral. The a im w as t o strengthen the development potential of Navarra by creating economic synergies with the wider region in compliance with the spatial development strategy approved by the regional government. Demographically Tudela is the second city of the Autonomous Region of Navarra and lies in an economically dynamic triangle between Pamplona (regional capital of Navarra), Logroño (regional capital of La Rioja) and Zaragoza.The high speed train w ill help Tudela t o e xploit i ts f avourable geographic position if Tudela manages to attract a station in the Ebro Valley.
The countryside around Tudela is endowed with fertile land and abundant agriculture, owing to its rich water resources and irrigation system which are precious assets of a future ecological development strategy. It has a polycentric structure of small rural settlements consisting mainly of agricultural markets, but in recent times some sprawl has diffused this structure. In contrast, Canraso in the outer area of Tudela is an industrial estate with outdated, polluting mineral extraction and uncompetitive production plants in need of economic restructuring. The eco-city of Canraso fits very well with the objective of the Navarra region to increase its share of renewable energy considerably. The Tudela area is already producing hydroelectricity and is well placed to build on its local potential of hydropower
Tudela and location of the planned eco-city
Urban image elements
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and renewable energy supply. It could specialise in environmental t echnologies and alternative energy R&D as a means to re-orientate its industry and build up a critical mass for a viable local economy which is currently missing.The Canraso eco-city aims to attract one of the major 'green' industries, RES, which specialises in renewable energy. It would operate from Canraso and supply the entire zero-carbon emission energy for the new neighbourhood from wind, hydro, solar thermal collectors, photovoltaic panels and bio-diesel supply. The overall proposal is t o use t he e co-city of Canraso as a catalyst to regenerate one of the most dilapidated outer areas of Tudela, with a disaffected quarry, adjacent to an industrial area with highly polluting factories, and a run down housing estate in need of regeneration. The design of the city is based on two ecological corridors and two hills of industrial spoil. Transformed i nto re creational a reas t hey w ould constitute the landmarks of a new topography.The aim is to establish new connections between the historic town centre for which rejuvenation projects are planned, other existing quarters, those in need
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of regeneration, and the eco-city.The eco-city itself would be located on an elevated plane with new, zero carbon, ecological neighbourhoods. It would benefit from optimum orientations and views and it would be entirely designed as bio-climatic architecture. High insulation, eco-heating and cooling systems and efficient energy flow management would s ave 75% o f t raditional energy needs of buildings. Full cycle water management and ecological technology for solid waste treatment would form part of the eco-design of the extension of Tudela. An eco-technological park and the Tudela business Campus would form the economic base of the eco-city. In t he longer term, a low carbon expansion for mixed activities would be added on the edge of the flood plane of the Ebro river. Navarra is t he most advanced region in Spain regarding a lt ernat ive e nergies a nd e cotechnologies. Tudela can draw on the extensive ecological expertise of designers, engineers, developers and contractors of Navarra which has already built the eco-city of Sarriguren near Pamplona. Canraso will form part of Navarra's ecocity experiments which it shares with its European networks of knowledge partners and eco-towns.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8.
Eco-Technological park Tudela Campus Bioclimatic housings Main Square Ecological corridors Park vantage point Santa Barbara hill Urban renovations. Virgen de la Cabeza 9. Historic center 10. Ebro river
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2 8 7 4 9
Masterplan for the Eco-city of Canraso
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8.1.4 SPORTS ECO-CITIES
On the initiative of the Territorios 21 Society the Fundacion Metropoli had started to conceptualise a new generation of eco-cities specifically geared towards sports.The design approach is integrating the principles of eco-urbanism with healthy living in a context of overall sustainability, capable of satisfying the aspiration of football clubs to own first class sports installations. The concept of 'sports eco-cities' responds to these ambitions and will be of use to a range of football clubs in Spain. Sports eco-cities are lived in, specifically designed for sports training and performance. The urban development strategy of such sports eco-cities is to bring new centrality to a region and existing urban environments by accommodating mixed and balanced activities with emphasis on innovative economies, enhanced by a state-of-the-art sports infrastructure to attract talent and create employment.
Metropolitan area of Sevilla and location of the sports eco-city
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From an 'eco-design' point of view, the eco-city of sport which will host the seat of the football club Sevilla FC is very green. The large scale sports installations, the mini-stadium and the training grounds provide a special opportunity to green the city. Some large sport structures are located within the built up area which converges onto a traditional, large scale public square, while open training fields are surrounding the sport eco-city like a green belt. The diverse areas of activities are connected by green corridors which run through the mixed development, including residential buildings, accommodation for sportsmen and women, live-work premises, workplaces and seed corn incubation spaces for emerging companies and SMEs. The green network is connected with the riverbed and its wide banks. In the tradition of Andalusian architecture there are also water gardens, orchards, olive groves interspersed with places for innovation and learning.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9. 10.
Olive groves Walkway in the round Innovation clusters Ecological corridor Water gardens Medina mansions Main square Market gardens Sports city Public sports facilities
Water system
Masterplan of the sports eco-city for Sevilla
Green network
Public spaces and walkway
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8.1.5 MEKNES AGROPOLIS, MOROCCO
Agropolis Eco-city of Meknes
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Region X, connectivity: airport,s ports railway and main roads (built and planned)
Typical landscapes of the countryside around Meknes
Connectivity analysis (Space Syntax)
Aerial photograph of the oueds, the main river basins
The Agropolis is an eco-city planned as an organic e xtension of t he h istoric c ity of Me knes i n Morocco. The ancient imperial c ity of Me knes which has just over half a million inhabitants was declared a world heritage site by UNESCO. The eco-city integrates modernised agriculture with urbanity. Located in one of the most fertile regions of Morocco, it is generating agricultural and horticultural produce of the highest quality. Meknes situated on inland hills belongs to a 'Y shaped super-region' which links it to Rabat and Casablanca i n one d irection a nd Tanger i n on t he opposite side. Access of Meknes by air and sea, especially from abroad, is via Casablanca or Tanger which are linked by rail and road to Meknes. A good road system interconnects Meknes with the Moroccan city network.
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Road network of the Meknes region
The design philosophy of the Meknes Agropolis89 rests on three outstanding components of excellence of this conurbation: its historic significance, its agricultural excellence and its agro-education of international standing.The Fundacion Metropoli which was brought in as the knowledge partner of MEDZ Development has identified a broad range of components of excellence with its Proyecto Cities methodology. It found that the most valuable assets of Meknes for a sustainable future are its outstanding natural landscape and abundance of water, its international reputation of its agricultural practices, its innovative agro-industry adding value to i ts high quality r aw m aterials, t he e fficient distribution of its products, and the educational institutions which combine teaching with experimentation, b ringing a cademic l earning, re al situations and products together into an integrated
Aerial photograph of typical agricultural land use pattern that inspired the design of the Agropolis
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Textures of the Agropolis
process. Its t echnical colleges and agricultural university have an international reputation and attract students from a wide range of countries. Its outstanding landscape and historic centres are attracting tourists which may add to the fame and innovative capacity of the Agropolis. The components of excellence were consolidated into clusters of excellence upon which the design of this ecocity was developed. The proposed Agropolis is situated at some distance from the historic Islamic and European towns. It is connected by Oueds, rivers which run from the hills through the region and meander around the bottom of the ancient twin cities. The eco-city, a form of expanded new town on the south eastern fringe of Meknes is surrounded by agriculture and is building on these activities.The Agropolis aims to expand the agricultural and horticultural capacities of the region and extend them into a w ider spectrum of experimental agricultural processes and research activities.The design of the eco-city is inspired by the strong formal patterns created by traditional agricultural practices to create a continuum with the surrounding agriculture. Due
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to its excellent regional connections the Agropolis is also well placed to accommodate a l ogistics platform from where it can export the agricultural products a nd o ther g oods f rom t he re gion. The eco-city is planned to accommodate a complete process, ranging from academic learning to R&D, product development, commercial production, m arketing a nd e xport i n t he f ield o f agriculture. Gre at e mphasis i s l aid o n a grotechnology and its export potential. The eco-city offers also areas of recreation and is providing attractions for tourism, an important part of the local economy. The design is strongly influenced by the star shaped agricultural landscape which characterises this region. The Agropolis The eco-city consists of two parts: the built up innovation node and the agro-park. The built up part of the eco-city is situated at the northern end with a symbolic gate oriented towards the historic town. It accommodates an expansion of the university, a c ampus building for t eaching and re searching a griculture a nd re lated b io-
1. Palm grove 2. Logistic platforms 3. Industrial park 4. Olive groves 5. Agricutural landscapes 6. Olive groves 7. Water plane 8. University campus 9. Agro-tech College 10. Digital agora 11. Agropole 12. Olive groves 13. Utilities
Masterplan of the Meknes Agropolis
technologies. Planned to accommodate a high increase in student numbers, incubating and attracting i nnovative c ompanies, i t i ncludes extensive laboratories, R&D incubators, spaces for innovation, service infrastructure and public spaces, interspersed with outdoor areas for experimental research with wheat, palm products, and especially olive oil for which Meknes is already reputed. The built up area also includes housing, accommodation for scholars and mixed development with work-living spaces, a convention centre and hotels. Some areas are allocated to more traditional artisan production of textiles. The AgroPark contains larger, open air, experimental sites for the agro-industry, a techno-park for agricultural and ancillary enterprises, industrial production, the logistic area of the Agropolis and recreational areas. The star shaped design, particularly apparent in the agro-park and the logistic node, integrates the Agropolis with the wider s urrounding a gricultural l andscape.
olive groves and palm groves. It leads to a future inter-modal rail station.The eco-boulevard forms the central spine of the eco-city. It connects the more urban area for learning and exchange with the agropark. An ecological corridor is landscaped along the river which runs across the whole site and links it with Meknes. Palm and olive groves are interspersed with buildings and the urban public realm. They contribute to the green character of the eco-city without weakening its urbanity.The flexibility of the spatial concept of the eco-city, based on generic and complementary hard, soft and green elements enable the eco-city to grow organically and in stages and to reorient itself in response to novel demands.
In terms of connections, the Innovation Avenue is lined on either side with laboratories and spaces for innovative agro-industries, including pilot
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8.1.6 ECO-LINEAR CITY: LOS CABOS, BAJA CALIFORNIA SUR, MEXICO
Los Cabos located on the southern coast of the Mexican peninsula of Baja California is one of the richest ecosystem of the planet, particularly the Mar de Cortes, with its nine hundred islands and unique submarine fauna and flora. Not surprisingly, it has become one of the most desirable tourist destination of the world. The favourable climatic conditions and outstanding landscapes, together with the vast tourist market of the United States have turned Los Cabos into a luxury tourist destination w hich h as a ttracted Me xicans i n search of work in a buoyant local economy.
Location of Los Cabos
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As a consequence the towns of San Lucas and San Jose on either end started to sprawl and the coastline was f illing up with intense high end tourism development, forming an almost continuous built up waterfront of hotels, condominiums, detached houses, golf courses and marinas. The developed coastline isolated the underdeveloped hinterland leaving it with insufficient infrastructure. Im migrant w orkers we re u nable t o f ind affordable accommodation and ended up living in precarious conditions in informal settlements up the hills above the t wo cities. This created social segregation and risked to undermine the tourist trade of Los Cabos.
The challenge was to turn this region into a sustainable and coherent urban ecosystem, building on local assets and global conditions on which it depends. The Fundacion Metropoli proposed a linear eco-city to provide a more balanced overall regional development. It a ims t o diversify t he international tourism on the coast by developing creative industries while a ccommodating t he indigenous and migrant Mexican working population in the hinterland off the coast. Connectivity had to be completely restructured, equipping the waterfront with sustainable public transport to ease congestion and making the hinterland accessible with a grid of spurs along the valleys up the hills. A corniche running along the slope of the hills and crossing the valleys is connecting three low cost eco-cities for the workforce built on cheaper l and in t he hills. Me xico's s ocial housing policy a pplied t o Acapulco, Ca ncun, Poerto Vallarta and other tourist places could be put into practice in Los Cabos as well.
Coastal landscape
Los Cabos Ecolinear City 1 2 3 4 5 6
coast line land sculptures ecological corridors San Jose San Lucas tourist corridor
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tourist villas and innovation corridors eco-boulevard of Los Cabos urban regeneration areas eco-communities eco-technical infrastructures highway connections
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green-blue system of connections airport and wider connectivity public transport footpaths and cycle lanes compact urban development nodes
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The Proyecto Cities analysis carried out by the Fundacion Metropoli came up with a number of components of excellence on which to base the design of the linear eco-city project and its inland development strategy. They include a favourable climate, an extensive sandy coastline with a rich wildlife, abundant water resources, forests and unspoilt nature, local food supply, small towns with historic centres, ample development land, an abundant l ocal w ork f orce a nd l ow c osts o f l iving.
The existing road parallel to the coast will be transformed into an eco-boulevard which will accommodate new innovation hubs and a diversified range of urban activities to constitute a more mixed and sustainable environment. Ecological corridors will be running off at right angle from the eco-boulevard into the hills along the rivers and streams which are flowing down from the mountainous hinterland above. These cross connections will integrate the natural landscape and create direct links between the hilly environment, t he c oast a nd t he s ea. Three n ew e cocommunities with all necessary services for the resident population will be created where t he urban s ystem a nd n ature m eet. These e cocommunities with integrated food production will be connected by a s econdary road in the hills running parallel to the coast. Opportunities for nature tourism, cycling and hiking will be incorporated into this network of connections.
The objective of the development strategy is to integrate the diverse needs of the region into a comprehensive spatial concept which encompasses t he c oast, t he e xisting t owns a nd t ourist infrastructure, as well as the natural resources of the hinterland and the local population. The dual linear eco-city consists of a tourism corridor running east-west between San Jose and San Lucas f rom one end of the southern t ip of the Peninsula to the other along the coast and making the two cities into self contained nodes which constitute the links between the waterfront and the more remote areas inland.
Los Cabos, eco-linear city
residential areas workplaces tourism, leisure and entertainment services
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The overall effect should result in more sustainable growth of an outstanding area to the benefit of the local population, the visitors and Mexico's economy.
Future connectivity of the Los Cabos urban region
Topographical features for integrated development and connections between the coast and the hinterland
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8.1.7 LANDSCAPES OF ALMANSA
Since the rapid urbanisation and industrialisation of Spain in the nineteen sixties, the region of Castilla La Mancha got depopulated as people moved to Madrid and other cities on the coast. Thus this region became one of Spain's l east populated areas. More recently, when La Mancha's infrastructure had improved and value and land availability had b ecome more i mportant f or a number of competitive activities, La Mancha perceived new development opportunities in closer cooperation with its neighbouring regions.Toledo and Guadalajara, for example, managed to grow and develop due to their proximity with ever expanding Madrid.
The eco-city of Almansa belongs to this overall development process, due to its supra-regional strategic location. The planned logistic node of Almansa in Castilla La Mancha, one of the largest Autonomous Region of Spain is situated between the Mediterranean coast and Madrid along strategic road and rail transportation connections. Almansa lies in a rural environment with an enormous land reserve in a favourable topography, at a major crossroads leading from Madrid, Spain's capital, to Valencia and Alicante on the coast. This coast is very densely populated and has the biggest concentration of marinas of the Spanish
Strategic location of Almansa for logistics
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Mediterranean. The conception of this 'eco-city' is original, in so far as it combines a potentially unsustainable central activity, a logistic node for supra-regional, national and international goods movements, with a series of traditional productive rural landscapes, transformed and diversified to suit demand and production technologies of the 21st century. As usual, the Fundacion Metropoli approached this project in a twofold manner. It carried out a topographical analysis by means of critical cartography t o i dentify b oth t he a pparent a nd underlying morphologies of this region. It a lso undertook a Proyecto Cities analysis to identify the components of excellence of the wider region, as well as of the area to be developed.
Parameters of locational advantages and disadvantages
The accessibility of supra-regional importance is the key factor for positioning a logistic platform of national i mportance in t his location. While assuming the traditional functions of a regional logistic node, it offers specialisation Multifunctional land use of Almansa Almansa landscapes: forests, agricultural landscapes, ecological corridors and marginal landscapes
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Almansa and its multi-modal supra-regional connections
Project phases
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Landscape inspired the design of the eco-village near Almansa
and a diversified range of symbiotic or complementary activities in this location.The availability of l arge quantities of development l and on a relatively flat site is another component of excellence. The logistic node is designed for the long term w ith i nbuilt c apability of e xpansion a nd adjustment to future as yet unknown demands and technological innovation of transportation, communication and distribution. The topography of the region is very varied. The flat plateau is surrounded by soft slopes which lend themselves to horticulture in this favourable climate.The project builds on traditional cultures, olive groves, almond trees and vineyards. It also exploits the slopes to build semi-buried buildings in the soil for protection from very hot summers and exposure to intense and almost continuous sunshine.
Sections of eco-villages
Innovative pedagogical wine landscape
Unlike mainly residential eco-cities in the outskirts of existing towns, the Almansa eco-city, built from scratch will combine high-tech logistics with landscapes created by long standing, autochthonous a gricultural a nd h or t icultural landscapes.The residential premises will be concentrated in three eco-villages which will melt into the landscape. They will be equipped with connections between them, as well as with the higher order workplaces. Using the spin-offs and multiplier effects of logistics activities, the project is proposing to set up a maintenance yard for yachts which will be transported annually f rom the marinas on the coast for refurbishment and upgrading. Considering that the annual cost of yacht maintenance amounts to about one tenth of capital costs, this activity grafted on the logistics infrastructure is economically sound and has development potential into ship building and provision of high tech maritime equipment for communication, robotic assistance of cruising, and other marine related technological services and products. These activities will be accommodated in phases on a purpose built t echno-park including a d isused quarry, which benefits from lying at the crossroads of an outstanding communication network.
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8.2. LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATIONS AND ECO-VILLAGES The concept of 'eco-village' stems from the increasing awareness of the value of the countryside and the needs to preserve rural landscapes. Spain, like many other countries with a large rural hinterland was confronted with rapid urbanisation accompanied by land flight. With population decline, the viability of the rural villages and hamlets was in jeopardy. Although agriculture remains an important sector of the Spanish economy,90 it is converting into agro-industry and its distribution networks have changed the relationship between town and country. Conversely, along the coasts tourism was encroaching on the countryside and draining the rural population towards seasonal jobs. More recently, some tourism retreated to the hinterland, seeking the solace of nature and unspoilt open space. Eco-tourism, action or health holidays, and t o some e xtent cultural historic tourism were also on the increase.
Eco-villages can provide a positive response to these changing trends while bringing new life to declining rural areas.Their small scale, integration into the landscape and newly provided services for leisure activities and meeting places makes them attractive for permanent residence, second homes and recreational tourism close to nature. Enhancing local resources and assets, eco-villages are endorsing ecological principles and excel in environmental management to create sustainable spaces f or urban a ctivities and t ourism in t he countryside.Their development follows well established sustainability criteria (elaborated for ecocities above). In a b roader context they become the new nodes of a modernised system of rural settlements, embedded in a hinterland which benefits from diversified higher value added activities. The comprehensive and integrated approach of the Fundacion Metropoli to regional development led to a re appraisal of rural life, its social and
Bordeaux, France
La Rioja
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cultural characteristics and its local economy. Deserted places and haphazard developments were a threat to the sustainability of the countryside, its livelihood and its built environment. The idea was to regenerate the characteristics of the landscapes of which t he v illages constituted places of residence, exchange and identity.There was also a l arge untapped cultural heritage in the countryside, such as historic monuments and archaeological remains, as well as diverse landscapes w ith t heir o wn s pecificities. Ha ving constituted the economic base of rural areas in the past and often until recently, the character of these landscapes is dominating large swathes of countryside. Vineyards, orchards, agricultural fields, forests, meadows and semi-wild or arid mountainous areas, water landscapes and even deserts still form a major part of Spain, as well as of many countries in Europe and elsewhere. Turning these landscapes into new opportunities for the local economy will improve the livelihood of the rural population and enable it to remain in places where people feel they belong, while attracting visitors and newcomers. Landscapes a s i nterpreted b y t he Fundacion Metropoli are building on the local topographies and the historic and cultural influences which have shaped these places and their uses over very long periods of time and imprinted unique
Tuscany, Italy
features onto whole regions. Landscape strategies o f t his k ind c an re generate p recarious monocultures in the countryside, by preserving, reinventing, building on them, and by diversifying them into innovative complementary and outward reaching activities or artefacts. It is conceivable that such large scale landscape strategies could also assist blighted landscapes after natural and man made disasters, volcano eruptions, tsunamis, earthquakes, flooding or draught, even nuclear fallout in hitherto no-go areas. In a globalising world where communication technology is penetrating even the remotest places the countryside is no longer confined to backwardness. Quite the reverse. It has resources which are scarce and desirable for the urban population. The strategy of the Fundacion Me tropoli is to transform t hese l andscapes and v illages into dynamic assets, capable of revitalising the local economy, attracting talent and evolving into sustainable regional entities.The landscape projects of the Fundacion Metropoli reflect the increased blurring between city and country. Its projects deal with a range of landscapes, including wine landscapes (e.g La Rioja), Tequila landscapes in Mexico, eco-agriculture landscapes (e.g. Meknes), water landscapes (e.g. Aranjuez), or even barren landscapes (e.g. Patagonia) or desert landscapes (e.g. Murcia, Morocco).
Napa Valley, California
Cape Town, South Africa
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8.2.1 TRANSFORMATION OF WINE LANDSCAPES
Wine growing is an important industry i n m any c ountries f acing increasing global competition. In abundance, a lot of wine production was rather mediocre, but the public refined its taste and became more demanding. Even the world's most prestigious w ine g rowing a reas were subjected to sharp competition and viticulture and oenology underwent a technological revolution. Where quantity was sufficient over centuries, quality became essential. A process of innovation was emerging with deep repercussions not only on the wines but also on the areas where grapes are grown and wines are produced, their local economies a nd c ultural h abits. In some regions, wine making has become part of a wider economic strategy and innovative activities h ave d iversified v iticulture i nto n ew economic and cultural pursuits. Such innovative wine regions have become genuine cultural landscapes, sometimes a lmost mythical places or spaces connected to certain emblematic name brands. A powerful complementary demand is emerging in the world of wine. It is generating a wide range of tourist activities and changing the character and economic development in these regions. In many famous regions around the world, such as Bordeaux,Tuscany, the Napa Valley, Cape Town and Australia, new wine-related activities are being developed and marketed aggressively throughout the world.
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Innovative Wine Landscapes of the World Bordeaux The wines of the Bordeaux region are arguably the finest wines in France. This region has a very sophisticated culture of wine cultivation, production and aging. The chateaux a re emblematic places of old wineries which have evolved over centuries. The wines of Bordeaux have achieved great international prestige for their high quality. Assailed by good quality and less costly wines from the new world, the local winegrowers, together with the municipality of Bordeaux had to act. Wine tourism is now established in the Bordeaux region consisting of visits to the chateaux, and towns like Saint Emilion with its broad wine collection and museum. Tourism extends to sophisticated h otels w ith s pa f acilities i n t he vineyard areas. An interesting initiative, "Golf du Médoc" includes strategic alliances between chateaux and golf courses. Meanwhile, the urban centre of Bordeaux is also capitalising on the tourist opportunities generated by the world of wine. Tuscany TheTuscany region in Italy has among the greatest wealth of monuments and historic heritage, with cities of great beauty, such as Florence, Areso, Siena, San Gimignano, etc. and their outstanding setting in natural and agricultural landscapes. The forests, together with the vineyards and the olive groves form an instantly identifiable regional character. Traditionally, Tuscany has been one of the great wine regions of It aly, with its unique Route of Cl assic Chianti, mythical w ines and
among the world's most prestigious wines. Tuscany innovated its wine strategy by linking it to the beauty of its landscapes and by regenerating its historic cities. It equipped them with infrastructure f or t ourism a nd culture, while c reating a sophisticated rural tourism sector. Napa Valley The Napa Valley, near San Francisco in California, is using its wine regions to generate wealth and attract tourism.The improved quality of California wines has attracted wine entrepreneurs from many parts of the world. Recently, wineries have resorted to architecture to differentiate themselves and increase their glamour. Diversification includes balloon tours to show off the beauty of the natural and cultivated landscapes, together with t rain tours, health tourism, and massage therapy. Sometimes though these strategies are based more on marketing than on the wine culture itself. Cape Town A great wine tradition surrounds Cape Town in South Africa with famous wineries and interesting landscapes. Cape Town was aware that it had to diversify its tourist attraction. It improved the airport, built a convention and exhibition centre, and tourist infrastructure in the port area in the heart of the city and made its exceptionally beautiful c oast m ore a ccessible. Di versification included golf courses and hotels to complement wine tourism. Synergies between the wine region, natural parks and wild animal reserves turned it into a world-class tourist destination. Australia Despite its peripheral position, Australia has a great wine tradition in certain regions and cont inues t o p roduce g reat w ines s old a nd appreciated a round t he w orld. Re cently i t launched tourist activities related to wine regions, similar to those in the Napa Valley, Cape Town and other wine regions. Melbourne, an innovative city with an important international airport and great urban quality is considered the wine capital of Australia. As part of the network of Wine Cities Melbourne has become the linchpin of Australian wine growing and is promoting the principal cities associated with wine regions, in particular those with the most attractive urban image and prestigious wine brand names in the global world.
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Landscapes and Architecture of Wine, Haro, La Rioja The 'wine landscape of Haro' is an initiative to revitalise this area of La Rioja on the Ebro river. This wine growing region has been under global competitive pressure, just like many wine regions in other parts of the world. Haro's surroundings consists of vineyards, connected to the ecological corridors of t he Tirón and Ebro r ivers and t he agricultural landscapes, characterised by a cluster of wine making places, the Bodegas, and its wine route, the ‘Meandro de las Viñas’ along the Ebro. Together they constitute the unique landscape structure of this part of La Rioja, closely connected to the historic centre of Haro.
Land art programme
In some places, spectacular a rchitecture has come to symbolise a change in culture and new economic re alities. Yet, despite a m ore global open world, wine itself has remained a powerful symbol of identity.The objective of the eco-village and wine landscape project was to provide a new economic infrastructure for Haro and La Rioja a region with tremendous potential for high-end quality tourism - while strengthening the international i mage o f La Ri oja a nd i ts w ines. The Fundacion Metropoli is proposing a comprehensive remodelling of this distinctive landscape in need of renewal and diversification by enhancing its key features. The project includes the regeneration of the historic Haro, an adjacent design for new wine cellars and innovative infrastructure for wine tourism. Diversification takes place along the confluent river with agricultural landscapes, a free university for the environment and viticulture, together with walk and cycle lanes which link up with an ecovillage where new wine architectures are accommodating wine related and diversified activities. The 'Landscapes and Architectures of Wine' project consists of a bio-climatic eco-village, with ecological corridors, golf courses, and regenerated v ineyards. It i s s ituated i n a b roader w ine landscape into which new elements of architecture of wine are integrated. They are enhancing innovations linked to the world of wine and add to the diversification of the local economy, including new residential and non-residential areas,
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Haro Wine Landscape Masterplan
1. 2. 3. 4. 5. 6. 7. 8. 9.
Ebro river Historic center of Haro Agricultural landscapes University of wine Wine architectures Ecovillage Wine cellars district Eco Corridor Motorway
1
9
6 5 4
7 8
3
2
Landscapes and Architecture of Wine project
Masterplan for wine tourism adjacent to the historic core
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bio-climatic architecture for other buildings, public s quares a nd a re generated Hi gh St reet, a landscaped central Plaza, the Circular Walk, landscape sculptures and the 'fingers' branching out of the eco-village into the countryside. Together with a wide range of facilities for leisure, relaxation and learning, these interventions reflect a new integration of urban and natural landscapes.
among the vineyards, and along the golf course which surrounds the village and offers a variety of views and landscapes.The ecological corridors constitute the 'soft' framework of the development and connect i t t o t he w ine l andscape and t he other urban components of Haro.The 'Haro Landscapes and Architectures of Wine' are essentially a 'landscape project'.
The buildings are positioned in the more elevated areas and clustered to create a compact village. The differences of levels are used to create walls which strengthen the visual image of the design. The steep walls supporting the various levels on the edge of the village are stone clad, in the spirit of traditional urban settlements of La Rioja, usually located on the highest points in a landscape. The 'f ingers' are acting as a g reen network of squares and walkways, integrated into the stone based sculptural forms which mark the boundaries of the village. In the central part of the village, a l arge landscaped p ark i ncorporates v ineyards. Various 'architectures of wine' are located in the village, Haro, Wine City
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Green walkway
Green spaces
Green confines
The green heart consisting of vineyards
Wine Landscapes in Castillo de Monjardin, Navarra Quality wines have been produced in Castillo de Monjardin for many decades. In more recent times, new wine cellars- Bodegas - have been designed as emblematic architectures, while the wine landscapes were deliberately more integrated into the existing historic heritage of Navarra. In particular, a wine route has been turned into a p art of the pilgrimage w ay o f Sa ntiago d e Co mpostela. The Fundacion Metropoli proposed to incorporate a series of historic landmarks into the development p roject o f Monjardin’s w ine l andscape. Besides the existing wine cellars this includes the prominent castle of Monjardin, and a greater integration of the rural village of Villamayor into
a wider wine landscape.The recently built motorway connecting Monjardin to the regional capitals of Logrono and Pamplona provides the area with much better accessibility and brings it closer to Estella and the pilgrimage way of Santiago. This new proximity of half an hour's drive enhances the chances for rural tourism and visits of this wine culture. Many features are already present in this wine landscape, but the new design, including housing blotted into the natural slopes, is b inding t hem t ogether t o c reate a s ynergy between the castle, the various villages, the land sculptures, t he a ncient w ine c ellars, t he n ew Bodegas with their innovative architecture, while connecting these f eatures more closely to the forests, t he golf courses and t he agricultural landscapes, as well as with the pilgrimage way.
Spatial development strategy for the Monjardin area Landscapes of wine (1), forests (2), water (3), golf course (4), the castle landmark (5) and the pilgrim path leading to Santiago de Compostela (6).The built environment includes the village of Monjardin (7), land sculptures (8), new traditional village (9), housing blotted into the slopes (10) and wine architecture (11).
Monjardin in the four seasons
Housing blotted into the slopes
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8.2.2 QUARRY TRANSFORMATIONS
The Cuchia Quarry in Cantabria In cooperation with the Municipality of Miengo in Cantabria, the Fundacion Metropoli has carried out research to explore the possibilities of recuperating a disaffected quarry and transforming the site into a 21 st century place of innovation while increasing t he v alue of t he surrounding landscapes. The restoration of the ecosystem of the dunes forms a major part of this regeneration project. The area would be t ransformed into a large recreation park while the quarry itself would accommodate new activities, including housing, a science park for eco-technologies, a maritime village, a s ports marina and innovation cubes.
Regeneration project for the Cuchia Quarry
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The design is conceived to turn this disaffected quarry into a monumental land sculpture.
Spaces for innovation including Innovation Cubes in the Cuchia Quarry
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The Quarry in Sitges, Catalunya The Fundacion Metropoli has dedicated a lot of its research to the recuperation of derelict land and d isaffected s tructures. It s e xplorative projects have demonstrated the great potential of such abandoned sites. Quarries provide a great opportunity to reinstate areas which have been degraded by industrial exploitation into places of value and attractive landscapes. When such derelict structures are located near urban areas, they can be integrated with existing functions and provide new, special morphologies which can enrich such urban landscapes. Sitges on the coast of the Mediterranean sea in the south of Barcelona has a long tradition of high quality tourism. Within the municipality and, in particular, in t he surrounding Na tural Park of Garraf various quarries were installed to extract local stone. What distinguishes the quarry selected for this project is its proximity to the town of Sitges, and its location on the sea. The coastal motorway and the railway are running along the coast and linking up the many towns of Catalunya located on the seafront. They connect Sitges to Barcelona and the airport and are passing alongside the quarry.The quarry is extracting stones and producing cement while occupying a truly unique location. The proposal is to gradually transform this quarry into a living lab, a laboratory for living spaces of the future which integrate living, working, playing and learning functions. Restoring the damaged environment, providing activities for tourism and recreation, including a m arina f or pleasure boats, building cultural infrastructure and accommodating a wide range of creative activities would form part of such an exploration of environments suitable for the 21st century economy.The project itself would become a real life experiment. It would resort to advanced bio-climatic architecture and urbanism, new sources of renewable energy, provide complete water cycle management, and investigate and test other new technologies which would contribute to innovative and sustainable design solutions applicable t o Sitges and throughout Catalunya.
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Aerial view of the Sitges Quarry near the coast
Regenerated quarry and connections
Perspective of the transformed quarry and adjacent new marina
Masterplan for the quarry regeneration
Model of the quarry project
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8.2.3 ECO VILLAGE DAROCA, ALICANTE PROVINCE
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The eco-village Daroca aims to provide a variety of spaces for ecological tourism which favours interaction a nd r approchement w ith t he r ural environment. The objective of the eco-village is to create a small community which enhances the relation between a sustainable living environment, the surrounding rural l andscapes and natural spaces f urther apart. Although re latively we ll connected with local service towns and Alicante on the coast, Daroca and neighbouring Ibi are remote places, very well connected and nested into the slopes of hills and surrounded by fields and forests, as well as a natural park. Great attention is attached to the preservation of the natural landscape and its specific characteristics and ecological architecture will provide complementary and integrated features to this area. By incorporating sustainability principles and applying green technologies and environment management t echniques those who choose to live and work in this area will achieve a b etter balance between human activities and nature. The cohabitation between sustainable residential places and agriculture will be mutually beneficial and increase the attractiveness of both. Preserving traditional activities will stem the deterioration of valuable landscapes while revitalising the local economy and its particular culture, to the benefit of existing inhabitants and newcomers alike who are keen to experiment with sustainable buildings and activities. The planned eco-village is blotted into a slope with terraced buildings semi-buried in the ground. They a re covered w ith g reen r oofs a nd e njoy beautiful views over the agricultural landscape. Some court yard housing is also forming part of the village. A variety of activities are incorporated, including small scale individual retirement residences grouped a round s ervices. A place f or learning and skill training is forming a l ink between the buildings and open areas. Small scale horticulture consisting of traditional almond orchards, v ineyards a nd o live g roves i s w oven through the built up areas. On the steeper parts of the slopes terraced houses are increasing the density without losing quality of life. Conversely, small wooden cabins are built in the forest for more isolated living. An existing building on a high point will be converted into an inn with a restaurant. In t he centre of the village a public square is becoming the main meeting place, while the agricultural training school is located in the fields. Small lanes running along the terraces and through the slopes are creating necessary connectivity and links with larger roads outside the village.
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Rural setting of the eco-village Daroca and its surrounding region
Model of hill housing
Site plan of the Daroca eco-village project with new buildings and surrounding regenerated horticulture landscapes
Section through partially buried housing
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8 ‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES 8.2 LANDSCAPE TRANSFORMATIONS AND ECO-VILLAGES
8.2.4 ECO VILLAGE CASTILLO BARXELL, ALCOY, ALICANTE PROVINCE
The project of this eco-village is situated in the same region as the eco-village of Daroca. It i s located in the hills above the city of Alicante away from the coast. Castillo Barxell belongs to a set of eco-villages conceived like a cluster of landscapes taking advantage of their natural assets and their artistic and historic heritage. Each of the eco-villages has a distinctive character inspired by their specific rural and historic assets and unique features. The components of excellence of Castillo Barxell are its varied topography, ranging from rock formations to agriculture, Mediterranean forests, natural landscapes with a distinctive indigenous fauna and flora, as well as the prominent position of the ancient Castle of Barxell with its open vistas into the countryside. The conception of this ecovillage forms an integral part of a local ecosystem Barxell landscape with castle
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and provides a new support structure for the existing agriculture adapted to the character of the existing landscape. The eco-village acts as a catalyst t o g ive n ew v alue t o t he h istoric a nd architectural features of this remote hinterland, and in particular the castle. Restoration works are combined with the modernisation of the traditional a gricultural i nfrastructure a nd t he introduction of new economic activities to respond to contemporary requirements, including rural housing. For a long time, tourism had develop exclusively along the sea in the Alicante Province, but there exists a clear interest for the discovery of new places, including inland away f rom t he coast. These areas have great value and are capable of integrating tourist development and new economic activities into rural areas.
Hydraulic structure
Morphology of the site
Complete water system
Landscape characteristics of the slopes around the castle
Structure of landscape surrounding the castle of Barxell
Connectivities within the landscape
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8 ‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS
8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS When crossing dense urban areas existing t raffic c orridors a ct a s physical and social barriers, severing and alienating urban areas from each other. The aim is to transform such t raffic c orridors i nto e coboulevards to create cross connections b etween h itherto s evered urban activities and to encourage the regeneration of existing activities a long t hese c orridors. This includes the incorporation of new sustainable infill structures which act in synergy with the existing fabric. Wherever p ossible n ew a nd retrofitted bio-climatic architecture and building technology will be introduced, t ogether w ith e nergy saving appliances to make the ecoboulevards more sustainable as a whole. Some of the most innovative cities are transforming urban motorways into eco-boulevards step by step.
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Eco-boulevards are a design concept which transforms the single traffic function of existing roads into a n umber of d iverse a nd complementary urban functions, by turning them into ecological corridors, greening them, lining them with trees, taming car traffic, incorporating public transport infrastructure, cycle lanes and areas for pedestrians, and opening up transversal links to bring diverse urban a ctivities c loser t ogether. This encourages the regeneration of frontages, while preserving urban densities and mixed uses. They include street markets, spaces for artisans and many other activities which enrich the experience of passers by and introduce urbanity into a previously e xclusive space. Eco-boulevards a im t o become t he p ublic re alm o f t he 21 st c entury. Eco-boulevards are the future lifelines of urban areas.They bring new centrality to often run down areas and increase their value overall, enhancing buildings and places along noisy and polluting traffic corridors. They have the potential to bring diverse urban activities more closely together, provide an opportunity for spontaneous activities to emerge, encourage new connections between diverse urban functions and introduce new ways of life. Eco-boulevards are also expected to increase a wareness o f t he n eed f or m ore sustainable urban spaces and may change behaviour of their users.
Casablanca, Eco-Boulevard project
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8 ‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS
8.3.1 CASABLANCA ECO-BOULEVARD ONE
The research which the Fundacion Metropoli has carried out on Casablanca has uncovered a growing dilapidation of the city region and a fragmentation of the urban fabric which had accelerated during the nineteen eighties, after the introduction of radial roads through the city. The consequence was the deterioration of large parts of very densely populated areas. The establishment of urban motorways has exacerbated these processes even further and extended them to the outer areas, the suburbs, and especially the rapidly urbanising southern fringe of the city. Taking the historic boulevards of Casablanca as a reference structure, the Fundacion Metropoli proposed a new urban structure for the city, provided by eco-boulevards which would improve the quality of the urban environment and the living conditions in it. The establishment of such eco-boulevards in sensitive locations would enable the city to initiate other urban regeneration projects a long these transformed traffic arteries. Comprehensive urban transformation would give rise to the integration of severed parts of the city into a better connected urban continuum which would be more conducive to urban living conditions and alleviate segregation.
Existing situation of main road
This strategy of urban change consists of transforming existing urban highways into large boulevards which would change the character of the movements through the city and reinstate centrality to these traffic corridors and their adjacent quarters. Eco-Boulevard One is the first such proposal of urban transformation. It consists of removing a substantial amount of the main through-traffic of Casablanca onto a new motorway bypassing the densely built up area much further out while converting the existing highway into a convivial urban space. It would improve the conditions of those who currently live and work along this main road, create a b etter environment for the boulevard itself, create easy connections between the built up areas on either side of this main artery and provide opportunities for urban regeneration, infill and change of use into more urban and sustainable activities.The motorway which is bypassing the metropolitan area is also providing a more efficient long range connection between Casablanca and Rabat while the eco-boulevard would improve the quality of life of the inner city considerably and offer spaces for new, more rewarding, innovative and high value added activities along this new ecological connection.
New cross connections created by eco-boulevard
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Casablanca Eco-boulevard strategy
Step by step design evolution of the transformation of a busy traffic artery into an eco-boulevard
New green areas and public realm connected to the eco-boulevard
Areas of regeneration opportunities along the eco-boulevard
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8 ‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS
8.3.2 BM30 ECO-BOULEVARD, MADRID
The BM30 p roject was conceived towards the Madrid’s bid for the Olympic Games of 2012. The project was re-conceptualised as an Olympic ring for the 2016 bid, with a view to becoming a lasting legacy of the exposure and exceptional investment into an international sports event. The 34 km long M30 corridor encompasses 54km2 of land. Some 1.2 million people (30% of the total population of the City of Madrid) live inside the M30 ring road and are severed by the M30 from the expanding city. The Proyeto Cities research carried out by the Fundacion Metropoli found that that the M30 corridor h ad g reat d evelopment p otential a s a coherent urban project. It is surrounding the high density, almond shaped inner city, the most emblematic and symbolic space of Madrid which contains many of its components of excellence. Among them are its unique museums, its historic centre, night life, public transport, Real Madrid football club, and shopping premises of international standing. The 'Madrid Diamond' has a very dense network of public t ransport and is we ll connected to the whole city and the metropolitan area by public transport.
Madrid’s almond shaped core
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Space syntax studies of Madrid’s connectivity and accessibility
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Museums
8 ‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS
Theatres
High end hotels
The spatial concept was to convert the M30 into an ecological corridor accommodating a strategic section of t he public t ransportation n etwork, including inter-modal interchanges also with the high speed train. Radial green spikes would connect u p t he o uter r ing, t he M40, w hich w as becoming the main ring road for traffic of the cityregion. This eco-boulevard with its radials would constitute the green skeleton of Madrid and would link up the gates to the city. The daring BM30 project consists of a very large scale eco-boulevard, reconnecting the inner city, the 'Madrid Diamond', to its urban surroundings by converting the motorway ring into a generous public realm. Rejoining the fragmented city would rebalance the housing market and provide space for infrastructure and facilities of the 21st century. Greening the city with this eco-boulevard would include better access to Madrid's Manzanares river. The 200 ha area around Abroñigal Station at the southern end of the BM30 offers a unique opportunity f or a l arge s cale s trategic u rban project to accommodate the creative economy, a multimedia city and research institutes for biotechnology connected with the existing universities, a s we ll a s n ew s ports i nstallations a nd recreational facilities. The BM30 would consist of a 'necklace' of rings, each specialising in complementary functions. They would include the ring of metropolitan boulevards, r ing of public t ransport, green r ing of Madrid, setting for creative industries, gateways of Madrid, public realm for citizenship, place for new a rchitecture, m etropolitan infrastructure corridor, connectivity with the centre of Madrid, ring of sports facilities.
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Circular eco-boulevard with new gates of the city centre
Main radial connections and network of green spaces
High quality connectivity and accessibility of Madrid’s core
Madrid’s new heart with Olympic (sports) village Biopolis and Digital City
Eco-boulevard project towards Madrid’s bid for the Olympic games
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8.3.3 MEDITERRANEAN ECO-BOULEVARDS, ALICANTE PROVINCE
The spatial structure of the Alicante Province consists of a p olycentric network of c ities. A central metropolitan area is emerging between Alicante and El che, t ogether w ith a s eries of radial connections which follow the main communication infrastructures.The medium sized cities constitute the key functional areas of the region. During the last decades the Province underwent extraordinary urban growth which re sulted in rapid but unconnected urbanisation on green fields, especially on the coast and along the main transportation links. The concept of Mediterranean eco-boulevards presents a great opportunity to apply different transformation strategies to existing urban motor and highways. Their objective is t o re connect fragmented urban f abrics into a c oherent and integrated linear urban structure. To that effect a concerted effort is made to coordinate highway developments in the Alicante region to provide sustainable connections between t he diverse urban and rural environments of the Province. The old national roads has the vocation to turn into convivial spaces, establishing links between severed urban neighbourhoods and integrating the urban f abric into a b alanced metropolitan whole. They provide an opportune incentive for broader urban regeneration and diversification of existing and declining areas. Introducing a broad range of urban functions into spaces presently used for through movements with adverse environmental effects will convert these old roads into urban assets and introduce new centrality. Examples a re: t he i nnovation corridor l inking Elche to Alicante; the ‘blue’ eco-boulevard along the coast, and an eco-boulevard inland linking the small towns of Alcoy, Concentaina and Muro. They are incorporating different urban functions into the Alicante Province, while establishing connections within the suburbs, as well as between t he c ity a nd t he s urrounding n ature. Space Syntax analysis
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Ciudad A
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Integrating network of eco-boulevards for the Alicante-Elche area
Road network Red: Old Roads. Blue: New motorways
Major cities and opportunities for regeneration
Proposed Eco-boulevards
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8 ‘ECO-DEVELOPMENT’ STRATEGIES 8.3 ECO-BOULEVARDS
Innovation Corridor ‘Alicante - Elche’
'Ecoboulevar Alcoy - Co ncentaina - Mu ro'
The innovation corridor between the cities of Elche and Alicante i s a p owerful driver of e conomic regeneration of this metropolitan area.Transforming the national road into an eco-boulevard would constitute a m ajor s tructural change. The new motorway doubling up the road in the north provides an opportunity to link recently built large developments to the urban fabric and establish better connections between the two cities. Ecoboulevards a re proposed a s part of t his w ider system of communication to provide greater urbanity to this metropolitan area as a whole and integrate its diverse functions into an interactive, more efficient urban system. They will add value to existing spaces and activities by creating greater coherence between the urban environment and green areas to attract creative activities.
The construction of a new highway provides an opportunity to create better connections away from the main cities on the coast. It is proposed to transform the old national road into an ecoboulevard, connecting the three towns of Alcoy, Concentaina and Muro in the hilly hinterland of Alicante.This will provide an opportunity for more integrated and synergetic spatial development to the benefit of the region as a whole. The ecoboulevard will free spaces for new urban activities, i ncluding housing a nd s mall c lusters of innovative workplaces, while acting as a green corridor between them.
1. 2. 3. 4. 5.
Mediterranea Seafront ‘Explanada 21’ Node of innovation of Elche Techno industrial cluster Node of innovation of the university of Alicante 6. Health cluster
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'Ecobulevar Azul' Torrevieja The new motorway bypass has solved congestion problems and diverted through traffic of heavy goods vehicles from the roads on the coast.These changes provide a good opportunity to restructure the network of tourist installations on the coast of the Vega Baja area by converting the old national road into the 'blue eco-boulevard', linking these places with an area which has undergone rapid uncoordinated development in the past.The blue eco-boulevard would introduce coherence to these haphazard tourist estates. Introducing lacking s ervices a nd diversifying t he a rea by providing work places would increase the quality of life of this area. Such interventions are expected to transform second homes into permanent residences, d iversify t he l ocal e conomy f rom tourism dominance, offer new opportunities and lead to a more balanced demographic structure.
Inland eco-boulevard linking small towns Alcoy, Cocentaina and Muro
The ‘blue’ eco-boulevard rejuvenating the coast line from Torrevieja
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URBAN INNOVATION CLUSTERS 9.1 9.2 9.3 9.4 9.5 9.6 9.7 9.8
ALICANTE LIVING LAB BILBAO GUGGENHEIM ++ THE ISLAND OF INNOVATION, ASTURIAS PASAIA BAY, SAN SEBASTIAN THE MEDINA OF THE 21ST CENTURY, MARRAKECH MEDITERRANEA INNOVATION PARK GARRAF INNOVATION HUB QUALIA SITGES. ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES
INNOVATION, CREATIVITY, INVENTIVENESS ARE THE KEY ATTRIBUTES WHICH CITIES ARE CULTIVATING INTHEIR PURSUIT OF COMPETITIVENESS IN A GLOBALISING ECONOMY. CITIES HAVE BECOME THE KEY SI TES OF ECONOMIC OPPORTUNITY, DESPITE THE EROSION OF PLACE-BASED COMPETI TION BY TECHNOLOGICAL CHANGE, COMMUNICATION REVOLUTION, NEW INSTABILITY OF TASTE, STRUCTURAL CHANGE OFTHE INTERNATIONAL ECONOMIC ORDER, NEO-LIBERAL DEREGULATION AND ECONOMIC MEG A-CONCENTRATION. WHILE CI TIES ARE COMPETING IN A GLOBALISING WORLD THEY ALSO DEPEND TO A LARGE EXTENT ON THEIR LOCAL MARKETS AND, ESSENTIALLY ON THEIR LOCAL RESOURCES. 258
In the economic sphere, innovation is based on scientific discoveries transformed into new technologies capable of generating new products and services. Innovation is expected to assist cities in reforming and renewing themselves to increase their n ational a nd i nternational competitive edge. This is only possible i f c ities a re able t o spawn, attract and re tain t alent, t he key contributing factor of competitive economic innovation. The premise here is that this process is fostered by the urban milieu. Urban assets, such as abundance of skilled labour and technical expertise, business clusters and cultural as we ll as political capital form part of a competitive urban milieu. Emphasis is attached to the quality of the physical environment and, in particular, to urban projects aimed to accommoda t e i nnova t ive e conomic activities, together with places for indigenous and f oreign t alent t o live, work, learn and play.
Concept of 'Innovation Hub' Within the overall concept of urban ecosystems of innovation, the notion of 'innovation hub' has been coined t o characterise t he a ttributes of places favourable to enhance creativity in cities. In cooperation with its academic and city networks, the Fundacion Metropoli elaborated the concept of 'innovation hubs' further. It explored which location-specific contexts, components of excellence and interactions of spaces and places were generating conducive conditions for creative activities.91They found that besides socio-cultural diversity a high quality urban environment with convivial spaces for face to face encounters were essential to stimulate innovation. Translated into spatial development strategies, a high quality, sustainable urban setting includes internal and external connectivity and quality of place. Equally i mportant f or urban innovation i s t he incorporation of 'soft' components, in particular the artistic community and sustainability principles into an integrated and inclusive development strategy which offers talents from all walks of life opportunities to make positive contributions. Active participation of the local population in innovative transformations of their city and openness toward influxes from the outside are equally crucial for the harmonious evolution of a city into an innovation node. Economic and social cohesion and potential for social mobility, universal access to high tech communication networks and decisive g overnance a re o ther e ssential 's oft' components. An integral part of the implementation of urban innovation strategies are 'agencies zero'. The Fundacion Metropoli conceived these innovative institutions to overcome the inertia of traditional institutional settings by initiating urban innovation through strategic pilot projects, conceived as a kind of 'acupuncture nodes' of the existing urban environment.
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9. URBAN INNOVATION NODES
From its involvement in turning specific parts and even whole cities into innovation nodes the Fundacion Metropoli found that this process had to be driven by leaders committed to innovation and their ability to engage the entrepreneurs and the citizenry in their development strategies. To that effect, innovation is also required in the public institutional domain. Especially at the scale of the city region, institutional innovation is necessary to improve awareness-raising of options for the long term future. This implies the adoption of innovative technologies, such as digital interactive i nformation p rocesses, a s we ll a s t he invention of a new language of interactive communication to make what are often perceived as abstract development concepts more intelligible to those who will eventually be affected by them.
Boston, Casablanca, Cebu City, Curitiba, Dubai, Dublin, Fengxian, Golfo San Jorge Argentina, Granada, Hong Kong, Katutura, La Rioja, Madrid, Marrakech, Monterrey, Montevideo, Murcia, Pamplona, Philadelphia, Santiago de Chile, Santo Domingo, Shanghai, Singapore, Sitges, Toronto, and Valencia. Of ten, large scale areas such as derelict waterfronts or industrial estates offered opportunities for investment into urban regeneration. Combining innovative design with heritage generates the high quality built environment which is required to attract world class companies and creative economy on the most talented people.
Experimentation with Innnovation Hubs The Fundacion Metropoli has applied these findings t o s patial d evelopment s trategies i n cooperation with whole networks of cities, which include the 'Sevilla Global' international innovation hub network92 and the 'Inteli network'93 of small and medium sized technology innovation hub cities underwritten by the EU. It h as a lso produced innovative development strategies for individual cities and metropolitan areas. They include the 'living lab' approach based on innovation in science and technology initiated by the Malaga Valley Club of entrepreneurs; the Island of Innovation in Asturias, acting as the innovation hub of t he t ransformation of Aviles f rom a n industrial to a knowledge based city; the regeneration of a quarry to transform a landscape into an innovation hub in Catalonia; or the successive waves o f i nnovation i nitiatives f or Bi lbao. Invited by v arious municipalities and/or other institutions the Fundacion Metropoli has produced innovation node strategies or ideas for (in alphabetic order) Alicante, Aranjuez, AvilĂŠs, Bilbao,
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The Island of Innovation, AvilĂŠs, Asturias
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.1 ALICANTE 'LIVING LAB'
9.1 ALICANTE ‘LIVING LAB’ This project promotes innovation by regenerating derelict sites on the fringe of the city of Alicante. The Living Lab concept aims to modernise the existing plan for the area of Rabasa which is based on the urban design principles in use at the end of the 20th century.The areas regulated by the existing development plan are in a privileged position, as the cities of Alicante and Elche are growing into a wider metropolitan area which requires a broader, more contextual vision for its development strategy. The site earmarked for the Living Lab lies in an exceptional location with direct access to new urban infrastructures, which include connections to the motorway bypass and to the planned extensions of the public transportation network. ALICANTE LIVING LAB 1. University of Alicante 2. Scientific Park of the University 3. Eco-Boulevard A70 4. Eco comunities 5. Campus for eco-construction industries 6. Park with lagoons 7. Regenerated quarry 8. Logistics node 9. Ecological corridor 10. Green networks
Masterplan of the Living Lab Alicante
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The central feature of the Living Lab project is the transformation of the existing highway into an eco-boulevard which will generate cross-links, connections and synergies between new developments planned on either side of this existing traffic spine. Due to the Living Lab development the site will acquire a new centrality within the Alicante Province. The Space Syntax studies of connectivity and mobility corroborate this objective. The principles of sustainability underlying this development project provide it with greater inte-
gration into a coherent urban fabric and valuable environmental assets. The Living Lab development will incorporate the existing Campus of the University of Alicante, a f uture scientific park, the regenerated quarry site which will provide purpose-made spaces for innovative technology companies, a l ogistic node and a n ew campus specialising in ecological construction. Moreover, the site is surrounded by two new mixed developments, the Villa Universitaria and the Villa dels Galls, to provide residential accommodation for staff and students of the university and personnel of the surrounding industries.
Connectivity studies of Alicante and its links with the Living Lab
Park with lagoons left over from quarry extractions
Park with Lagoons
Topography
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Pedestrian network of the Alicante Living Lab Wide grid structure Living Lab to accommodate flexibility
The eco-boulevard will encompass the conversion of the existing highway, a park incorporating existing lagoons from previous extractive industries, and green corridors connecting the whole area with a network of footpaths and cycle lanes. The design concept of the final urban morphology of this new integrated area based on sustainability consists of an adaptation of the existing plan into a s tructure of urban cells. They constitute an urban grid of a larger scale which offers greater flexibility in integrating diverse urban elements, types of a rchitecture, public re alm a nd open spaces into a coherent whole allowing for local complexity.
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From zoning to fusion of uses in the superblocks of Alicante Living Lab
Linked to the Living Lab is the Barranco de la Ovejas site. It will be transformed into an ecological corridor connecting the Alicante Living Lab with the Mediterranean sea. The public transport network will secure the overall integration of this project at the metropolitan scale.
Urban design and connectors
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.2 BILBAO GUGGENHEIM ++
9.2 BILBAO GUGGENHEIM ++
The River of Bilbao connects the past with the future, the right banks with the left one, Art and Technology, residences with jobs, leisure with culture, universities with businesses and, of course, the different neighbourhoods in the city. Bilbao has undergone two revolutions, the industrial revolution and the urban revolution and it is now entering the knowledge age. Since its industrial decline the city of Bilbao has made enormous and persistent efforts to revitalise the city. What it calls 'Bilbao Guggenheim Plus' consists of 25 projects which the city has realised over 25 years. Bilbao Guggenhem ++ Projects 1. Rehabilitation of the historic centre, Casco Viejo 2. Enlargement of the Port of Bilbao, the “Abra Exterior” at the mouth of the estuary 3. Decontaminated port and industrial land freed up along the river for redevelopment 4. Setting up of Bilbao Ría 2000, a public-public partnership in charge of urban regeneration 5. Drainage of the river, a great environmental reclamation operation 6. Bilbao Faces the River', creating the river of renovation and innovation 7. Old and new bridges to improve connections within the city, in terms of physical and social links 8. Bilbao's underground system, creating metropolitan connectivity 9. Airport node of global connectivity 10. The Guggenheim Museum, symbol of Bilbao's transformation process 11. Museums and art institutions 12. The AbandoIbarra waterfront redevelopment and public access adjacent to the city centre 13. Transformations within the “Ensanche”, Bilbao's 19th century New Town 14. Elimination of railway barriers and industrial restructuring 15. A new tram, securing sustainable urban mobility 16. New large facilities: Euskalduna, BEC, Alhóndiga, Cruise Terminal 17. New high end hotels and other infrastructure projects to attract international tourism 18. The Zamudio Techno-Park 19. Micro-spaces for social activities to improve the quality of life in existing residential neighbourhoods 20. Bilbao la Vieja, the regeneration of a derelict area on the river 21. Restoration of traditional architecture 22. Bilbao's new architecture of international standing 23. Art in the City: public art projects 24. International Recognitions and outreach programmes to share experiences 25. Imagining the future: new economies and the knowledge society
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.2 BILBAO GUGGENHEIM ++
The 'Bilbao DC' project is the latest newcomer to Bilbao's third revolutions, following its energetic urban regeneration interventions to rescue the city from urban decline and make it competitive f or t he d igital f uture. Ma ny c ities a re preparing themselves to face the challenges of the 21 st century. Such initiatives offer also unprecedented n ew o pportunities t o i ndustry. Bilbao's development strategies and their successful implementation, sustained over more than a generation, have attracted the attention of many politicians, professionals, urbanists and the public at large. Based on mineral extraction, coal mining, steel production, power generation and other heavy industry, Bilbao was among the most important industrial towns with one of the busiest ports of Europe towards the end of the European industrial revolution. It enjoyed important economic growth during the nineteen sixties and seventies, but was hit by a d eep e conomic crisis during t he nineteen eighties. This was followed by an urban revolution and progressive transformation of its economic base into a service industry. The transformation of the banks of the River Nervion are illustrating this fundamental structural change. The next stage to ensure Bilbao's future was to transform it into a more sustainable economic base, capable of coping with the needs of the 21st information and knowledge society based on the creative sector. For Bilbao it meant to enter global competition to attract talent and retain it. Bilbao decided to play a leading role in this competition by providing the necessary infrastructure and projecting a promising urban image to secure a viable future for its population and existing institutions. The latest project, 'Bilbao Design and Digital City', constitutes a n ew effort to innovate and transform both t he e conomy and t he physical fabric of Bi lbao into a v iable and high quality environment. The project consists of identifying the existing spaces with the greatest innovation potential which could become t he key central places for the creative economy of a knowledge society in the making. As previously, Bilbao has used the Proyecto Cities methodology to highlight the components of excellence linked to the world of design and digital culture. Aspiring to become an increasingly cosmopolitan and open city, Bilbao aims to integrate a wide range of talent and small
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Images shown at the World Exhibition in Shanghai 2010
enterprises.This includes enabling the traditional sectors to make their idiosyncratic contribution to the transformation of the current local productive environment into a high value added innovation economy.
Nodes of special urban intensity and potential for innovation
Historic core
Ecological tram network
Aerial view of new connections
River walk with public art
New metro
Guggenheim effect
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9.3. THE ISLAND OF INNOVATION, ASTURIAS
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Location of Aviles in Asturias
Cities are constantly changing and require new development strategies adapted to their specific economic circumstances, social relations, quality of life and urban environment. Aviles ceased the opportunity to become an active part in the transformation of t he c entral m etropolitan a rea of Asturias, the 'central triangle' which is the driver of the modernisation and development of Asturias as a whole. Aviles on the Atlantic coast of Spain forms the western part of the triangular polycentric city network of complementary cities, together with ancient Oviedo, the capital of the Asturias region located inland, and Gijon, a historic town situated on the coast on the east. As happened with the regeneration of many old industrial towns in Europe, the Innovation Island constitutes an integrated project of urban renewal and economic transformation of Aviles, a declining steel and coal town situated on a tidal river. Much smaller than Bilbao, Aviles is using the 'Oscar Niemeyer effect', akin to the 'Guggenheim effect' to restructure its local economy. Endowed with a l arge amount of decontaminated l and, Aviles was able to attract the 'International Cultural Centre Oscar Niemeyer', a gift from Oscar Niemeyer, winner of the prestigious Prize of the Principality of Asturias, together with the support of Ni emeyer's international f oundation t o cofinance, build and run it. Aviles started construction of the cultural centre with great international exposure in a prominent position on the Innovation Island where it will become a new symbol
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Central Triangle in the Urban System of Asturias
of Aviles and Asturias. Aviles believed that this cultural anchor was offering it the opportunity to convert itself into an innovation hub. The Fundacion Metropoli was asked to conceive a spatial development strategy for a competitive city of the 21st century. The idea of an Innovation Island builds on the components of excellence of Aviles, integrating them with new opportunities and initiatives to create a new urban profile of excellence for the city. This innovative project provides a new, fascinating and commonly agreed strategic vision for the future of the city. Incorporating Niemeyer's designs and its open air space for performances, the project includes the Palace of the Americas, dedicated to Latin American culture and the future Spanish national centre for architecture and design, together with a museum of industrial archaeology and a maritime museum. A new inter-modal station will be located next t o t he island, providing access t o t he main nodes of activities of the central Asturian metropolitan triangle. A pedestrian route from the island will give direct access to the historic centre, which was the main mark of identity of Aviles before its industrial revolution. The strategy for the innovation island imagined by the Fundacion Metropoli for Aviles rests on key assets: ample land availability, a waterfront in an outstanding natural setting, proximity to a high quality historic centre and good connections to the new seaport and the unspoilt coastline.
New functions for the Innovation Island
Model of the Innovation Island with Niemeier project
Aviles Island of Innovation Masterplan
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The plan includes the regeneration of the railway, complemented by a new inter-modal station and a tramline. They will convert the river front into an eco-boulevard with footpaths and cycle lanes. It will connect the new workplaces on the island - accommodated in innovation cubes, other bioclimatically designed mixed spaces and life-work premises - to the city, the marinas and the coast. Bridges form links across the island between the old centre and the opposite bank of the river. The far end of the island will include a large park with sports facilities and spaces for recreation. Refurbishment of the historic buildings of the ancient town centre, a new media-library and a monastery converted into a hotel overlooking the central urban park have already improved the image of the city, but its innovation island, hopefully attracting t alent f rom i ts v ast d iaspora, w ill constitute the critical mass of Aviles' transformation into a creative city.
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.3 THE ISLAND OF INNOVATION, AVILÉS ASTURIAS
The innovation Island in and its surroundings
Site before
Section of the new multimodal station, the river and the innovation island
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Site after
Views of the new riverfront walk with tram and cycle lane
Site before
Site after
Site before
Site after
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9.4
Masterplan for the Bay of Pasaia, San Sebastian
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PASAIA BAY, SAN SEBASTIAN
Detail of the proposal for the Bay of Pasaia
This regeneration project aims to turn the whole of t he industrial Bay o f Pasaia, located in t he metropolitan area of San Sebastian, into an innovation node.The transformation concept is based on new port activities, which will include an international cruise terminal and a fishing harbour, a maritime and an energy museum, an innovative multi-media sector and creative industries. The refurbishment and extension of the regional rail network, equipped with a multimodal station linking sea, rail and road transport, will improve the connectivity between the Bay, San Sebastian and the wider region. All the spaces for innovative and creative a ctivities will be a ccommodated under a single, large, transparent roof structure, designed to incorporate photovoltaic panels to produce the necessary electricity for the entire local demand. Refurbished beaches and the preservation of the attractive coast line will contribute to the quality of the Bay's broader context.
Since the approval of the regional development plan for the Basque country fifteen years ago it has become clear t hat t he t wo areas with t he greatest potential for urban transformation are the banks of the tidal river of Bilbao and the Bay of Pasaia. Since then the Fundacion Metropoli has initiated a series of projects in cooperation with European schools of architecture, American business schools and the support of European development programmes, in cooperation with the municipality of the Bay of Pasaia. The aim of these studies was to discover the opportunities of this region and to mobilise the key actors to take part in the creative transformation of the Bay of Pasaia. The outcome was the development strategy presented here. The Bay and its surroundings turns out to be a very complex area to develop, due to the broad r ange of institutional competences, which include the European Union and governments at the levels of the Spanish nation state, the Basque country, the county, the districts and
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.4 PASAIA BAY, SAN SEBASTIAN
Pasaia Bay
municipalities located within and in the vicinity of the Bay, the port authority, the rail company and other organisations and agencies with direct interests in the future of this region. The spatial and economic development strategy focuses on the transformation of the port into a node of innovation, capable of accommodating sectors of advanced technologies and creative industries. A crucial part of the spatial transformation is the removal of physical barriers and deficient infrastructure, the restoration of the historic centres, and the improvement of the environment to attract innovative activities and a skilled work force to the restructured port and the Bay.The proposal rests on a functional balance between the port of Bilbao which will become the prime logistic port of the Cantabrian coast and the port of the Bay of Pasaia which will function as a 'digital port', essential for the urban regeneration of the waterfront and the introduction of the creative economy in this area.
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View from the bay to the hinterland with the project and existing high rise housing
Pasaia Bay
Perspective of the overarching photovoltaic roof supplying energy for all local needs
Ecological meta-roof structure of the project
Pasaia Bay
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.5 MARRAKECH, MEDINA OF THE 21ST CENTURY
9.5 MEDINA OF THE 21ST CENTURY, MARRAKECH Marrakech is a unique city of outstanding character a nd u niversal q uality. This s tudy w as undertaken by the Fundacion Metropoli for the Moroccan Caisse de D茅p么ts et de Gestion and the Wilaya of Marrakech (municipality). A design proposal was elaborated for an area of 600 hectares in the heart of the city, occupied at the time by military installations and informal settlements, or "douars". The design brief stipulated that the spatial development strategy should integrate traditional urban uses with innovation. The outcome i s a '21 st c entury Me dina', a s pace f or creativity with mixed uses intended to maintain the attractiveness of Marrakech. The project is based on comprehensive research undertaken with the Proyecto Cities methodology of t he Fu ndacion Me tropoli a nd e xperiences gained from other cities on the wider context of the whole metropolitan area of Marrakech. This study allowed to identify the components of excellence of the project area in Marrakech from which the key urban development opportunities were derived. The transformation of this urban site was structured by linking it up with a network of boulevards which had led to the growth of the city in stages. The connection of the redesigned site with the outside was secured by a r ailway station situated on its edge. A hill with a strong morphology is located at the heart of the site and visible from the whole city. A new Mosque, the religious and cultural centre of the project will be carved into the rock of this hill.
Contex of the Medina of the 21st Century with main transport connections
The urban morphology proposed for Marrakech's Medina of the 21st century has strong formal design f eatures. They are inspired by the organic character of traditional medinas as a reinterpretation of the juxtaposition of functional networks of flows, landscapes, water and architectures, as well as pedestrian footpaths.
Existing townscape
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New housing typologies
Mosque and Cultural Complex
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9. URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.5. MARRAKECH, MEDINA OF THE 21ST CENTURY
Masterplan for the regeneration of the Medina of Marrakech and its surroundings
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Scenes from Marrakech
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.6 MEDITERRANEA: INNOVATION PARK, ELCHE
9.6 MEDITERRANEA: INNOVATION PARK The innovation park 'Mediterranea' is specialising in health and aspire to be t he Hub of t he new He alth Cluster of Alicante. Situated in the metropolitan area which is encompassing the cities of Alicante and Elche, it is located near the coast and the international airport Altet. This project forms part of a wider regional strategy for the whole of the Alicante Province.94 Research using the Proyecto Cities methodology showed emerging economic clusters which gave rise to the 'Mediterranea Innovation Park' in the field of health.This strategic project is of relevance to the Alicante Province as a whole. The project combines the health techno-park with an eco-city of sport. In Alicante, there exists already a prominent health cluster. It includes health clinics which offer a variety of specialisms, a highly qualified professional class, the Faculty of Medicine, the Faculty of Pharmacy, nursing colleges, university teaching hospitals, pharmaceutical centres, mobile health care, emergency services, etc.This comprehensive health infrastructure has great potential for further development, related to the favourable climate, the location on the Mediterranean coast, the elaborate tourist infrastructure, ample hotel and catering facilities, as well as a broad offer of residences f or t ourism and s econdary homes, together with the general quality of life associated with the Province of Alicante. In the field of sports, Spain has achieved levels of international repute in athletics, tennis, football, car racing, motorbikes, basket ball, sailing, rowing and many more categories. This new image of Spain, in combination with its climate offer new openings for the provision of spaces for sports, training of the sports elite, places of competition
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and tourism related to sports. Moreover, the city of Elche is specialising in the production of sports equipment. By integrating a h ealth innovation park with a sports eco-city, the proposed project responds to the specificities and components of excellence of this metropolitan area. It contributes to the promotion of healthy l ifestyles in harmony with a specialised cluster of health care and training.The location is ideal for such a development which may have positive repercussions onto neighbouring areas and can assist the regeneration of neglected secondary homes and their deteriorated surroundings. The design of the project is inspired by the character of the landscape. It aims to regenerate the dunes and bring new value to the beaches and the abandoned areas of salt extraction.The design is based on the criteria of landscape urbanism, which follow the morphology and texture of the site as an inspiration to select the location and types of new activities so that they can work in synergy with the landscape renewal.
Spatial conception of Mediterranea
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.6 MEDITERRANEA: INNOVATION PARK, ELCHE
Health technology park
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Sports eco-city
Design inspiration from landscape characteristic
Landscape characteristics
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.7 GARRAF INNOVATION HUB
9.7 GARRAF INNOVATION HUB
Landscape vocations. Source: AA London - Eca Castro Studio on Sitges
The project for the Garraf innovation hub has been initiated by the Fundacion Metropoli in cooperation w ith t he c ity o f Si tges a nd t he international exchange project between Catalonia and Ca lifornia, a p rogramme which h as b een developed by the municipality with the Fundacion Metropoli. It consists of a dialogue between politicians and experts from these two regions who cooperate on concrete projects, comparing the two regions and learning from them.They focused on the transformation of traditional agriculture and tourism areas into advanced economic activities with a h igh creative content. This project forms part of the conceptual f ramework of the Fundacion Me tropoli which i t uses t o e xplore urban eco-systems of innovation.
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The design of the Innovation Park of Garraf is based on the study of the metropolitan area of Barcelona as an urban ecosystem of innovation. This consists of a new combination and exploitation of existing components of excellence. In this particular instance, it means the rediscovery of Mediterranean activities which have marked the landscapes of Catalonia, together with new components s uch a s n ew i nfrastructures, t he expanded international airport, the motorways and the railway network.The greatest asset is the quality of life which municipalities like Sitges can offer through its tourist infrastructure which relies on its cultural and artistic traditions. The concept of the Garraf Innovation Park emanates from these reflections, as well as the physical,
Urban Structure of Sitges
economic and cultural context which have the potential to attract innovative activities and talent to the park from the surrounding region.
the existing economy of Si tges into a s cience based creative economy with its focus on green technologies and low energy transportation.
The morphology of the selected site, the coast and the hinterland of the metropolitan region of Catalonia is very rich and contains a wide variety of features. It ranges from the forest landscapes of the Mediterranean to landscapes of wine, the sea and the beaches, encompassing golf landscapes, a s we ll a s s everal h istoric c entres situated in the cluster of municipalities which surrounds the Garraf nature park. After having identified the key components of excellence, the Fundacion Metropoli produced a brief for a design project which incorporates the necessary activities to achieve a critical mass needed to transform
An in-depth analysis of all these f eatures has pointed to particular areas with outstanding development potential. They have become apparent around the old race car track in the hills above Sitges.This place constitutes the centre of gravity between Sitges, San Pera de Ribas and Villabona. It has v ery special l andscape characteristics, including the racetrack itself which is the oldest in Europe after Monza. The key features of the project are the Avenue of the Arts, the Avenue ofTechnology, the ecological corridor of the Sitges landscape, the Arts Islands
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9. URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.7. GARRAF INNOVATION HUB
and the innovative districts, together with spaces which facilitate the integration of innovative activities, universities, research centres, artistic studios, as well as a wide variety of residential premises of different densities, tenures and mixed uses. All these built structures are integrated into an open public realm with places for encounters and recreation.The morphology of the project is adapted to the complex topography of the site. The close interaction between the built environment a nd t he v arious l andscapes i nto a n integrated innovation node is the key characteristic o f t his p roject w hich i s c onceived i n connection with the metropolitan area of Barcelona. Progress on this project is supported by a long standing cooperation between the municipality of Si tges a nd t he Fundacion Me tropoli which addresses many diverse aspects of the long term transformation of this traditional tourist area into a centre of excellence, capable of attracting and enhancing creative activities. Such a project could become a wider inspiration for the conception of spaces for the creative economy throughout the region of Catalonia.
Main connections between the innovation hub and the neighbouring cities
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Built up area of innovation hub
Landscapes and townscapes of the innovation hub
Excellence of Garraf connectivity
Location of old race track to be converted into an innovation hub
Spatial concept of innovaton hub and its context
Eco-boulevard
Concentrated development between coast and inland town
Garraf wine landscape
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URBAN INNOVATION NODES 9.8 QUALIA SITGES. ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
9.8 QUALIA SITGES, ARTS AND TECHNOLOGY
Qualia: Urban concept of Qualia Sitges, Arts and Technology
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The c oncept o f t he ‘SM ARTS’ project (Sitges Mediterranean Arts and Technology Salon) is to create a space for creative activities and events. It will grow organically when adopted by dynamic transient people attracted from all over the world who choose to spend a p eriod of their creative careers in this place which is also providing spaces for existing local creative activities to expand.
and dance, applied design, fashion, multimedia and gastronomy, building on activities already well represented in Sitges.
Sitges belongs to a wider region within the Southern European Diagonal, encompassing Barcelona which has become an established place of creative excellence in multimedia, design, fashion and other arts. Sitges itself was sought out by painters in the nineteenth century while it was used by people from Barcelona for leisure and recreation.Thanks to an open and forward looking municipality, Sitges has managed to develop artistic niches of international repute, such as horror film festivals, comic strip design and much more. Creative talent was attracted to visit and settle in Sitges, benefiting from its mild winters, beautiful historic setting, fine beaches, proximity to Barcelona and excellent international connections. One of the triggers for SMARTS was that Sitges managed to attract the southern outpost of the University of the Performing Arts inspired by Paul McCarthney, located on a site beyond the railway line which is f orming a d ifficult barrier t o t he extension of Sitges away from the sea. An adjacent narrow site of 90 by 700 m along the railway, forming part of the planned urban extension, was selected where t he Fundacion Me tropoli conceived a Mediterraneo_TEC. Its aim was to enable creative activities to expand organically out of the historic city centre into a material space which would turn into a cradle of creative experimentation w ith v irtual l inks t o s imilar a ctivities elsewhere. It could conceivably become a campus of the Open University of Catalunya (UOC) and provide spaces of incubation for start-up companies, combining the arts with technology in the fields of film, architecture and urban design, music
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With the aim to diversify activities from the historic core and the coast, came the idea to create a green wedge along the rail track which meant reinventing the topography of the site to shelter it from the railway. Spoils from a sunken space running through the site would be used as mounds with trees along the rail track.The inward looking space would become a Me diterranean Sa lon, accommodating the southern practice of ambling and watching the scene, akin to the Rambla in Barcelona, fostering encounters and exchange of ideas. It would form part of a soft green network which w ould c onnect t he e xisting c ity w ith planned growth. The architectural conception is following this idea with a set of innovation cubes placed t hroughout t he s ite a bove d ifferently shaped a ccess a reas. They include platforms overlooking court yards which could accommodat e m at-buildings u nderneath. A s et o f ecologically conceived, flexible, affordable buildings composed of energy efficient modules would be placed in the northern part for mixed uses, as people would l ive, work, play and l earn t here. These buildings would all have two south facing facades for ecological reasons and could be combined with different features depending on the wishes of their users who will remain transient.
Impressions of the Qualia Arts andTechnology Salon Spatial connections of the seven networks of arts and technologies: film, architecture and urban design, music and dance, applied design, fashion, multimedia and gastronomy
For that reason, none of the buildings would be sold a nd t he l and would re main i n t he public domain. The ambition is to create experimental building t ypes, ‘mark zero buildings’ acting as incubators t o bring products a nd s ervices t o market, using the latest eco-technologies, aiming at self—sufficiency in terms of renewable energy, zero waste, locally sourced materials, life-cycle water management and low pollution emissions. The character of the site which would become the first physical campus of the UOC providing the connection between the virtual and the material world would grow organically in phases. Construction would start at the access to its eastern end near the University for the Performing Arts for which an open air performance space could be
added against the backdrop of a wooded mound, sheltering it against railway noise. The development would evolve according to changing demands. It would include an experimental theatre enhanced by the multimedia facdade of an innovation cube. At the western end of the site along a main connection between the coast and the inland parts of the city a platform would be created with views onto the sea while the lower walkway would be more introvert and intimate, as part of a g reen wedge which runs from the railway station in the east to the golf course in the west.
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Section with elevated platform with views onto the sea, sheltering mat-buildings opening onto the salon
Organically evolving Mediterranean Salon for mixed uses, with two levels of connections running through the site, combining generic types of flexible buildings: cubes of innovation, living-work incubators and mat-buildings with diverse access platforms and links, combining places for encounters, interaction, recreation and reflection
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Eco-design components
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EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.1 LANDMARK ARCHITECTURES IN BUCHAREST 10.1.1 HEROES OF DEMOCRACY TOWERS 10.1.2 HOTEL H2O 10.2 INNOVATION CUBES 10.3 SUN SCULPTURES, LA MANGA, SECOND SKIN TOWERS 10.4 PLASTIC LANDSCAPES, MAZARRON 10.5 CAM SPACES FOR URBAN HAPPENINGS 10.6 BILBAO SHANGHAI 2010 PAVILION 10.7 THE AURA OF CORVIALE, ROME 10.8 THE TWIST, LONDON 10.9 ECOBOX
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE
THE KNO WLEDGE CREATION AND SHA RING MOTIVE PERMEATES ALLTHE ACTIVITIES OFTHE FUNDACION METROPOLI AND CONNECTS ITS MOST GLOB AL VISIONS WITH I TS MOST DETAILED INNO VATIVE ARCHITECTURAL PURSUITS. THERE IS A PERM ANENT INTERACTION BETWEEN ITS THREE KEY AREAS OF ACTIVITIES - INVESTIGATION, INNOVATION AND INCUBATION - AND THIS INCLUDES THE WORK ON EXPERIMENT AL ARCHITECTURE WHICH IS ALWAYS EM ANATING FROM A WIDER CONTEXT. SIMILARLY, THE NETWORKS OF COOPERATION AND INTERACTION FORM AN INTEGRA L P ART OF THE FUND ACION METROPOLI AND FEED INSPIRATION INTO ITS DESIGNS. I T EXPLORES I TS EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE IN CLOSE COOPERATION WITH ARTISTS AND TECHNOLOGICAL EXPERTS . EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE TAKES TWO FORMS, ONE AKIN TO A LA BORATORY EXPLORATION, THE OTHER INTIMATELY CONNECTED WITH A PHYSICAL LOCATION AND AN ENVIRONMENTAL-CULTURAL CONTEXT . ARCHITECTURAL DESIGNS ARE DEVELOPED AS EXPERIMENTS IN A DIALOGUE WITH FORWARD LOOKING LOCAL PROTAGONISTS. 302
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.1 LANDMARK ARCHITECTURES IN BUCHAREST
10.1 LANDMARK ARCHITECTURES IN BUCHAREST 'Heroes of Democracy' Towers
buildings which represent the war heroes. The location of these towers, at the crossroads of the two most e mblematic urban t horoughfares of Bucharest, with the best possible urban accessibility, on a t opographic highpoint provides the towers w ith a p articular u rban p rominence.
The experimental projects created by the Design LAAB of the Fundacion Metropoli for the city of Bucharest in Rumania we re designed a s new architectural symbols for the city.They are accompanied by cite-wide context analyses. Since the accession of Rumania to the European Union in January 2007 the country has been undergoing a d ifficult p eriod of t ransition f rom communism to a market economy, under precarious e conomic c onditions. The p roject o f t he 'Heroes of Democracy' towers originated as a homage of the city of Bucharest to the three million emigrants who are working abroad. They are considered the 'heroes of democracy' as their efforts are making a significant contribution to the societal, economic and political transformations of Rumania. The 'Heroes of Democracy' towers symbolise the image of a new, more modern and more transparent Rumania, contrasting t he e xisting s tocky Bucharest green network and ring road
Industrial areas
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Rail network
Urban structure
Heroes of Democracy Towers: facade
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Analysis of urban structure and location of towers
Impression of lobby
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.1 LANDMARK ARCHITECTURES IN BUCHAREST
Site plan
Illumination of towers
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Hotel H2O The Hotel H 2O is an architectural experiment conceived by the Design LAAB of the Fundacion Metropoli. Forming part of Bucharest's global modernisation strategy, the new hotel is inspired by water, more specifically by the dialogue between water and the city which is an essential feature of the townscape of Bucharest.The faรงade is designed with the intention to produce a seamless connection with the neighbouring river akin to a waterfall. The general aspect of the building symbolises the image of a w aterfall sprawling into the city next to the river with the aim to make a mark on the urban scene of Bucharest.
The H2O Tower Genesis The H 2O Hotel Tower s tands in t he Bucharest skyline as a re cognizable landmark both during day and nighttime. The proximity to the nearby river suggested the idea of water as an inspirational element for the project design as well as a distinguishable element in all design features, with the aim of enhancing the characteristic of the place and reinforcing the link between the building, it's shape and the urban context. The origin of the facade design lies in the intention of having a seamless continuous connection between the river and the building, almost as if the water i tself w ould f low u p a long t he f acade.
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H2O Hotel: section
H2O Hotel: typical floor plan
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H2O Hotel: axonometry of typical floor
Hotel Lobby
Site landscape
Bedroom
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10.2 INNOVATION CUBES
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Innovation cubes as generators of events
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Innovation cubes in snowscape
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10. EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.2 INNOVATION CUBES
Axonometry of cube structure
Proposal of innovation cube cluster for the eco-city of Sarriguren
The cubes of innovation are conceived by t he Fundacion Me tropoli as original l andmarks of sustainable cities. They are an essential feature of the Fundacion Metropoli's design strategies to animate eco-cities, eco-techno-parks, living labs and eco-boulevards. They manifest a n ew departure in eco-techno architecture and aim to fulfil a sculptural function of sustainable environments. Du e t o t heir t wo-way presence t o t he outside environment, e specially a t night, t hey become a component of excellence of eco-urban design. Their flexibility and adaptability enables them t o a ccommodate a w ide v ariety of uses. The innovation cubes can act as incubators for small start-up businesses and stimulate their creative seed corn activities, or they can accommodate e stablished re search l abs a nd R&D institutes w hich c an b enefit f rom t heir b ioclimatic design as a contribution to a high technology, knowledge based economy.The cubes can also be adapted to entertainment functions such as restaurants, small exhibition spaces, or tourist information centres, besides many other possibilities. All these activities would share a common advantage which is the closeness of the cubes to the environment.
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The idea of innovation cubes e manated f rom close cooperation between the designers of the Fundacion Metropoli with artists, as well as ecoengineers and environmental specialists. The sides of these small buildings are measuring 13 m and they are providing 400 m2 of useable floorspace space ranging over three storeys. They are conceived to enhance alternative lifestyles, new ways of working and living, and innovative activities which would also attract visitors. The facades are a unique feature of the cubes. The bio-climatic parts of the blinds enable the building to provide views to the outside during the d ay w hile a voiding g lare a nd d irect s olar radiation inside the building. By night the cubes are acting as screens of images visible from their surroundings and far into the distance. The Fundacion Metropoli has elaborated concrete applications of innovation cubes for the eco-city of Sarriguren in Navarra in cooperation with the Miyabi company. Fifteen innovation cubes a re planned t o t ake up a s trategic position in t he central park of Sarriguren and constitute a Museum of electronic art, merging arts with technology. Forming an integral part of the public realm their eco-technological design adds a u nique visual attraction to the open space of Sarriguren, especially at night when their double facades are lit up with images projected toward the outside.
Innovation cube plan
Section
Facade
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.3 SUN SCULPTURES, SECOND SKIN TOWERS IN LA MANGA
10.3 SUN SCULPTURES: SECOND SKIN TOWERS IN LA MANGA
Impression of second skin towers on the Mar Menor
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Mar Menor with existing towers
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.3 SUN SCULPTURES, SECOND SKIN TOWERS IN LA MANGA
The sandy beaches and the mild climate of La Manga have attracted early tourist developments in the Murcia region on the Mediterranean. However, f rom the outset the holiday resorts were functionally segregated from the existing villages and towns. Over the years this sandy coast was gradually filled with an almost continuous ribbon of urbanisation.The area consists of heterogeneous buildings of d ifferent h eights a nd v aried architectural quality, interspersed by f ew and often dilapidated public spaces. Lacking public transport and consisting of t all buildings with insufficient services and scant infrastructure these developments generated congestion problems. This intense process of urbanisation had only a very marginal effect on the economic dynamic of the region as the tourist season was confined to the summer. Moreover, due to excellent climatic conditions there is also a s trong presence of a more or less permanently settled retired population whose contribution to consumer expenditure is modest, and who exacerbate the reputation of La Manga as a l ow quality and little a ttractive holiday destination.
Mar Menor and its region with Cartagena and Murcia
Old towers and ‘sun towers’ converted with a second skin and extra stories for work spaces
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3,2 KW/hm2
5,2 KW/hm2
Average daily irradiance in Spain according to climate zones. Source: INN
A radical initiative was needed to transform this region into a buoyant 21st century community. The Sun Sculptures contributed to such an innovative idea. They are expected to transform La Manga del Mar Menor all around the Lagoon into a magical space where the arts, lighting and architecture are f lourishing, due to the conversion of these indifferent buildings from the second half of the 20th century into large providers of solar and photovoltaic energy. Conceptualised by outstanding architects and artists this design initiative consists of wrapping a second skin around some of the existing tall buildings. Capable of capturing energy the new skins are also turning the buildings into architectural sculptures. The a im of t his proposal is t o convert s econd homes and flats into primary residences and to connect these spaces which were originally produced for transient tourists to the main historic urban centres of the region. As a means to over-
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Image of old tower and added second skin lit at night
come obsolete architecture, stagnation and congestion t his i ntense c reative u ndertaking i s expected to turn a problem into an opportunity. The Sun Sculptures aim to bring creative formal and functional change to La Manga and the adjacent Mar Menor and thereby to become a beacon of sustainability for other tourist resorts in Europe in need of recycling redundant outdated buildings. It is proposed to proceed step by step, selecting specific existing buildings, adding new floors for economic activities and facilities and a second faรงade which gives them a new appearance. This improvement should attract new residential uses, economic activities and infrastructure provision. The new image of these artistic transformations should not only facilitate the conversion of second homes into principal residences. It should revive the self-esteem and feeling of belonging of existing residents and attract new dynamic entrepreneurial residents.
Section and typical floor plan of sun tower
Section and plan showing added spaces
Bioclimatic facilities
Photovoltaic panels
Second Skin
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10.4 PLASTIC LANDSCAPES, MAZARRON
Location of intense agriculture under plastic sheeting
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.4 PLASTIC LANDSCAPES, MAZARRON
Special lighting device conceived by artists
Various impressions of lit up ‘land art’
In Spain, agriculture is using plastic coverage at an industrial scale in many areas. This is also the case in the Murcia region where these 'plastic landscapes' are reaching as far as the sea, sometimes sharing the same coast with the tourist beaches. For that reason, the Fundacion Metropoli is proposing a programme of 'land-art' to improve these unsightly and unsustainable plastic landscapes which would give these coastal areas a new attractive appearance. From the hills and coastal areas of Aguilas, Lorca and Mazarron down to the plains of Cartagena enormous areas are covered with plastic sheeting to increase the productivity of the agro-industry in this region.These plastic landscapes constitute a dominant feature of this region and have transformed i ts n atural l andscape f undamentally.
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The Fundacion Metropoli took the initiative to turn the plastic landscapes into a challenge for artists w ho we re i nvited t o i nitiate l and-art projects to improve the visual appearance of these areas a nd t o m ake t he coast more e ndearing. Artists were given the opportunity to explore how they could encourage multiple uses of these agroindustrial spaces and thereby transform them into attractive features of this region. They proposed experiments with light-scapes as a means to overcoming the adverse impacts on the landscape, currently disfigured by enormous areas covered with plastic for agro-industrial expediency. Their lighting projects would fulfil a dual role of improving the working conditions under cover and transforming the area into a landscape of light and colour. They are expecting that their
Interior of accelerated agriculture spaces lit at night
artistic interventions would have a catalytic effect on residents and visitors, inducing them to change their mindsets and make them aware of the added value which t hese g lowing l andscapes would acquire during night time. By transforming a problem into an opportunity these spectacularly lit plastic tunnels would enrich the landscape, make residents and visitors appreciate their landscapes afresh and redress their self-esteem. In this sense, the arts can act as a cohesive force, and the creation and innovation of artistic interventions can contribute greatly to the international visibility of this area. Placing the lighting sources
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Experimentation with lighting devices
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.4 PLASTIC LANDSCAPES, MAZARRON
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.5 CAM SPACES FOR URBAN HAPPENINGS
10.5 CAM SPACES FOR URBAN HAPPENINGS
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10. EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.5 CAM SPACES FOR URBAN HAPPENINGS
Design of a CAM space in front of the Reina Sofia Museum in Madrid
CAM - Ca ja Mediterraneo - a Sp anish savings bank, is one of the most innovative financial institutions o f Sp ain, d eeply c ommitted t o i ts customers and their environment. Among its cultural activities it has launched the 'CAM Spaces'. These spaces for urban happenings are a project which enables the Bank to express the guiding philosophy of its financial and social activities. CAM Spaces are planned in places and cities where the bank intends to strengthen its relations with its client base. The CAM Spaces will consist of transient architectural elements whose concepts are inspired by the corporate identity of CAM. An initial project is planned for the square adjacent to the Museum Reina Sofia in the centre of Madrid. Yet the same concept of CAM spaces is applicable to many other urban spaces in Spain and elsewhere in the world.
Concepts like light, colour, transparency, innovation, sustainability, culture, social compact, etc. form constituent parts of the CAM spaces and contribute to the exploration of a new dialogue between historic cities and experimental archit ecture. The p urpose o f t hese e phemeral installations is to enrich urban activities and invite the urban population to take an active part in playful recreational and cultural activities generated by creative designs and surprise performances. The CAM Spaces are a 21st century expression of an interactive public realm enhanced by artistic and architectural imagination and progressive corporate invention.
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.6 BILBAO PAVILION DISPLAYED AT THE SHANGHAI WORLD EXHIBITION 2010
10.6 BILBAO PAVILION DISPLAYED AT THE SHANGHAI WORLD EXHIBITION 2010
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10. EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.6 BILBAO PAVILION DISPLAYED AT THE SHANGHAI WORLD EXHIBITION 2010
Esther Pizarro collaborated with the Fundacion Metropoli in the design of Bilbao Sculpture.
The Bilbao Sculpture at the Ecobox
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Bilbao Pavilion at the Shanghai World Exhibition 2010
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10. EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.6 BILBAO PAVILION DISPLAYED AT THE SHANGHAI WORLD EXHIBITION 2010
The exhibition illustrates how the leaders together with the citizens of Bilbao in the Basque Country have initiated physical t ransformations which have improved and continue to improve the quality of life of the people of Bilbao.
mountains which are perceived as the origin of the Basque people.
The model offers the visitors a j ourney across the two past revolutions of the city, the industrial revolution and the urban revolution which took place over the last two decades, and invites them to participate virtually in the third revolution - the knowledge revolution - which is taking place in Bilbao at present.
Bilbao becomes alive through the light sculpture. The various quarters of the city are displayed by pieces of p erspex covered w ith p araffin w ax. LEDs i nserted i n t he i nterior of t he quarters highlight architectural landmarks and reveal the true urban evolution of Bilbao through three successive revolutions.
A light sculpture presents the urban structure of Bilbao. The sculpture recreates the topography of Bilbao which characterises the city. By means of LED t echnology, a wide range of multimedia elements organised in thematic sequences shows and expresses the urban changes associated with the three revolutions. Two multimedia panels related to the mountain and the sea respectively f rame the model and reflect the situation of the 'Villa de Bilbao', the way it opens itself to the world across the sea, and how the tidal river is connecting it with the
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The mayor of Bilbao I単aki Azkuna (left) has been the main driver of the urban and the knowledge revolution of Bilbao
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10 EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.7 THE AURA OF CORVIALE, ROME
10.7 THE AURA OF CORVIALE, ROME
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10. EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.7 THE AURA OF CORVIALE, ROME
Corviale was conceived as a satellite city in the southwestern periphery of Rome. The housing typology of this large mixed residential suburb is overwhelmed by a 1km long concrete block of flats of ten stories with over a t housand dwellings. Locating it on a c rest was to prevent this suburban growth from spreading into green fields in the west. The various housing clusters are physically separated by an empty piece of land where a n ew public realm has been established, accessible from all its built up surroundings. The topography of this open space consists of thirteen hills which are linked by a series of follies, lakes and gardens. They create a path, a Via Crucis, from where to reach the centre, a neutral space for contemplation, a temple.
petal made of alabaster in the inner south which transforms the natural light into an orange aura filling the main space. The mystic path through the building is guided by the gradual changes of light and materiality to turn time into a personal experience of space, a journey from urban life to an individual connection to the sky.
Following views and light conditions, the landscape of this Romantic Garden is preparing the passerby t o experience a s ensorial journey t o interior space. The spiritual building in the centre of the garden is entered from the north. A dark and cold entrance is progressively changing to a bright and warm interior. Although made of concrete the structural shells and petals forming the ceiling appear weightless as they are reaching towards each other without touching. The light is penetrating between their tips and melting down along their modulated surface, guiding the path of v isitors and a ttracting t heir v iew t o a m ain Site plan: the temple forms the centre of a hilly public realm landscaped with lakes and follies
Model of the aura and the surrounding park preparing visitors for their mystical journey
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Ceiling view of the ‘aura’ creating a sensation of weightlessness and infinity towards the sky
Spatial studies of the ‘aura’
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10.8 THE TWIST, LONDON
This pavilion has been conceived as a temporary shelter f or t he s outh we st c orner of Be dford Square, a h istoric area of the Georgian era in central London. Its design is conceived as a movement from street life to the tranquility of the park. A simple geometrical element in the shape of a 'twist' aims to create an awareness of the central green space. Entering through two opaque walls the internal geometry opens up sequentially and twists until it becomes a lighter structure, a ceiling that cantilevers towards the park. The material progression f rom a c losed to an open space and from wall to ceiling generates conditions for the light to end up in shadow pattern o n t he f loor w hich b ecomes p art o f t he sheltering atmosphere.
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10. EXPERIMENTAL ARCHITECTURE 10.8 THE TWIST, LONDON
Process of experimentation
West elevation
East elevation
South elevation
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10.9 ECOBOX
The Ecobox building where the Fund a c i on M e t r opo l i h a s i t s headquarters was conceived with two basic criteria in mind: the creation of a place for innovation and creativity, and the commitment to bioclimatic principles. The Ecobox is t he place where t he Fundacion Metropoli is e xploring new a reas of re search, including green technologies, bio-climatic architecture a nd e co-urbanism. De signed a s a n experiment it remains a living lab to test all aspects of sustainability principles. Conceived as a space of innovation and creativity, the building was inspired by the latest state of the art of ecological architecture and urban design. Ahead of growing awareness about the adverse effects of climate change, the Fundacion Metropoli engaged in combining a ll t he known t echnological and economic principles of sustainability in the design of its building. The local climate of Madrid with its strong fluctuations between very hot summers and cold winters and its large number of sunshine hours presented both an opportunity and a challenge. In a pplying t he l atest t echnologies i n sustainable design, energy efficiency, bioclimatic facilities and construction systems, the Ecobox became a truly pioneering building to carry out creative activities and to host artistic events. The Ecobox is located north of Madrid in Alcobendas, a r apidly expanding town. Its dynamic and entrepreneurial mayor saw an advantage in attracting a pioneering institution like the Fundacion Metropoli to a new development near an exit of t he m ain motorway l eading t o t he north of Spain. With back offices for banks, insurances, pharmaceutical and motorcar companies, business parks, multiplex cinemas, an entertainment complex with restaurants, fitness facilities and shopping malls in the vicinity, the area is a typical
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urban f ringe environment of t he 20 th c entury. Although now accessible by the metro most workplaces a re s till re ached b y c ar. Lo cating a n ecological building in its midst with art exhibitions open to the public was a smart move of the mayor whose ambition was to make his fast growing city fit for the 21st century. Designed by architect Angel de Diego, the Ecobox is an innovative building which brings human beings close together. It represents a new generation of pioneering buildings where integrated architectural and bioclimatic concepts combine innovation and sustainability.
Atrium: heart of the Ecobox
South facing entrance facade with photovoltaic panel and indigenous vegetation
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Bioclimatic Co mponents o f t he Ec obox The overall concept of the building, its orientation on the plot of land between the motorway and the high street and its f aรงade openings have been chosen for optimum exposure to solar radiation. Sun scoops are designed to let light and heat enter the building during the winter months but their carefully calculated overhangs block direct sun p enetration d uring t he s ummer m onths. Following passive solar principles thermal energy stores are located underneath the building, within the walls and on t he roof. Gr avel and crushed stone are used as storage material to help maintain optimal comfort by absorbing thermal energy heat or cold, depending on the season- and releasing it slowly to the internal spaces. Ventilation and geothermic energy flows are captured by cylindrical a ir intakes located in t he exterior of the building from where the outside air passes through serpentine ducts located underneath the building. This is where the outside air is exchanging thermal energy with the building's m ain t hermal s torage m ass, n aturally maintained a t a c onstant 15 d egrees Ce lsius temperature throughout the year. During the summer months, this naturally cooled air is introduced via a d edicated s et of v entilation ducts (blue system) to 'recharge' the thermal storage material, which consists of gravel located within the walls. A different set of ventilation ducts (green system) introduces the naturally treated air into the spaces inside the building at a comfortable temperature the whole year round. The volumetric design of the building with its large atrium and automatic windows produces a stack effect. Ventilated by either naturally cooled or warmed air by thermal exchange below ground, the air in the upper part of the atrium heats up during t he summer when t he a trium w indows open automatically.This generates a stack effect which assists in maintaining thermal comfort and provides o verall v entilation o f t he b uilding.
Principles of natural ventilation applied to suit diverse seasons
Electrically adjustable louvers are placed in such a way as to regulate the level of light entering the building according to the seasons.They are tailor made for each zone of the building. Thus direct sun penetration into the building can be avoided in the summer and solar energy captured in the winter. Photovoltaic panels are integrated into the f aรงade design. 24 m odules of glass-glass poly-crystalline photovoltaic panels are placed
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on the south facing faรงade.They have the capacity of producing e lectric energy t o power diverse uses in the building. Moreover, solar panels and vapour absorption chillers are placed on the roof. 72 m2 of high-tech Vitisol 200 vacuum tube solar collectors are installed on the roof.Their purpose is t o heat water which is s tored in l arge, we ll insulated tanks of 6000-litre capacity. In the summer months when outside temperatures can reach well over 40 degrees Celsius the vapour absorption chiller uses the latent energy from the water heated by the solar collectors to generate cold water. Thus the solar panels f unction usefully throughout the whole year.
Cooling the different zones of the building in the summer is achieved by circulating cold water at the roof and the ceiling levels. The cold water is produced by the vapour absorption chiller and stored in two large tanks. The water temperature is not allowed to fall below the dew point in order to avoid condensation. Ceiling fans powered by photovoltaic energy help to spread the cooler air to i mprove t hermal c omfort i n t he s ummer.
Internally, t he f loors a re r adiating during t he winter. A t raditional s ystem of r adiant f loors, using tubes buried under the floor screed, ensures an even temperature distribution throughout the entire building. The s ame s et o f t ubes w hich warms t he b uilding i n t he w inter i s u sed f or cooling in the summer, with cool water generated by the vapour absorption chiller. The f loor and ceiling systems are activated differently in the winter and in the summer to optimise the circulation of air within the building.
Ecological landscaping
A sophisticated system of building monitoring and management designed by Siemens has been installed at the outset. It is publicly visible on a digital panel. It monitors previous demand, external t hermal c onditions a nd t he s olar e nergy accumulated in the water tanks located on the roof. It shows that energy savings are 70% over traditional consumption. The system is designed to make necessary adjustments to optimise comfort l evels a nd t o m inimise t he u se o f n onrenewable fossil fuels which are also installed in t he building t o complement t he e cological system and to bridge the most extreme fluctuations of outside temperatures. Ecological data of the use of the building collected from the outset constitutes a precious asset from which to learn about, and refine bio-climatic building design.
Facade overlooking outdoor recreation space and sheltered car port
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Sun scoops on roof designed to shelter from the sun in the summer and letting it penetrate into the atrium in the winter
Car port roof made of metal frames with timber louvres
Locally adapated louvre system
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Entrance with local materials and photovoltaic panel
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Interior showing panels storing or releasing heat
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Architectural Characteristics All these climatic and biotechnological measures have influenced the design of the building, the layout and the volumetric arrangement of its internal spaces, as well as the choice of materials capable of absorbing heat or cooling and releasing it by convection. As the building acts as a whole in terms of a s ingle thermal entity, the internal spaces are interconnected. The result is a functional design conceived to respond to the concept of experimental bio-climatic architecture. Each bioclimatic component is expressed clearly and with honesty, akin to the structural elements of the building. Together they give the Ecobox its distinctive design character. The building consists of a simple modular layout with spatial arrangements adaptable to different uses.This original concept stems from the conviction that innovation occurs at the intersection of different disciplines to bring about the confluence of distinct ideas.The common areas and the central open space constitute the architectural response to these requirements. As the building is modular its interior space is flexible and can be compartmented to accommodate different uses. The Atrium is the heart of the building. It i s a place for meetings, celebrations, communication and exchange. Its essential qualities are its scale, its generous space, its transparency and its quality of light. It provides a central function in the lighting and energy flows of the building. Light is the central f eature of the building. The skylights over the atrium which function as sun scoops let filtered light penetrate into the heart of the building and bring natural light to the different w ork s paces. The v arious b ioclimatic elements of the f aรงade also act as light f ilters and can be individually adjusted to produce a wide variety of lighting conditions. The skin of the building is designed as a deliberate dialogue between the interior and the exterior spaces. Openings are strategically placed where it i s necessary t o introduce l ight or t o have a visual connection with the exterior. Overall the ecological design philosophy adopted for the building design rests on several bioclimatic solutions of traditional architecture, especially those related to thermal inertia, building orientation, natural v entilation and cooling s ystems. These are integrated with the latest energy effi-
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Multipurpose use of atrium open to surrounding spaces
ciency t echnologies and the use of renewable energies. The materials of the building were selected to concur with the bioclimatic principles. They do not contaminate the environment, required little energy for their fabrication, and were produced locally whenever possible. Recycling was a consideration in the selection of the materials and the construction method. The building was designed to be dismantled easily with the possibility to reuse the materials.
What distinguishes the Ecobox is its unadorned architecture, its simplicity and transparent conception, its naked skin, the purity of its materials and how the light is penetrating the building and enriching its fabric. It will remain an inspiration for i ts i mmediate surrounding and encourage innovation, creativity and sustainability well beyond. The Ecobox is a t rue contribution toward building a sustainable future.
In the dialogue between the building interior and its surroundings landscaping of the external areas played an important role. Multi-toned gravel chips are used in order to let the water filter through to the ground. Indigenous plants were selected which require little water, permeable paving has been used for the parking area which is covered with natural materials. The retaining walls are made of crushed stones cast off from quarries.
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The ecobox combines work places equipped with latest technology, spaces for encounters and exchange and spaces for reflection
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END NOTES 1 R+D+C (I - investigacion, D - desarollo, C - capital) [research - development - capital] 2 For demographic statistics see: UN Habitat. 2009. Global Report on Human Settlements 2009. Planning Sustainable Cities.
UN Human Settlements Programme. 3 Four in ten non-permanent houses are located in the developing world, op. cit. 4 see, for example, Herbert Girardet. (2004/2008). Cities People Planet. Wiley Academy. 5 David Sattersthwaite. (2008). Cities' contribution to global warming: Notes on the allocation of greenhouse gas emissions,
Environment and Urbanisation, vol 20, no 2, pp539-549. 6 e.g. by The Hong Kong Guangdong Cooperation Joint Conference 7 'Loi Chevenement' 2000. Solidarite et Renouvellement Urbains. 15/11/2000, introducing SCoT, Schema de CohesionTerritoriale. 8 see Part II, Ch 7. Judith Ryser (ed). 2008. Building the European Diagonal. Fundacion Metropoli. 9 Tony Da vila, Ma rc J Ep stein, Robert D Sh elton (eds). 2007. The Cre ative Enterprise: St rategy, Managing Innovative
Organizations and People. In: Strategy. Praeger Perspective; defining innovation strategies; improving innovation through people and culture. 10 Judith Ryser (ed). 2007. In novation Hubs and Spaces for Cre ativity. The innovative case studies driven by advanced
technology, the arts and sustainability were Dublin, Singapore, Helsinki, Linz, Marseille, San Jose, Melbourne and Dongtan. Fundacion Metropoli research report. 11 UN (Brundtland) World Commission on Environment and Development.1987. Our Common Future. Oxford University Press. 12 Club of Rome (Meadows, et al. (1972). Limits to Growth. Earth Island. 13 Peter Hall, Ulrich Pfeiffer. 2000. Urban Future 21, a global agenda for twenty-first century cities. Spon. Presented at a global
conference on the urban future in Berlin 2000. 14 Herbert Girardet. 1993. The GAIA Atlas of Cities. New Directions for Sustainable Urban Living. Gaia Books. 2004/2008.
Cities People Planet. Wiley Academy. 15 Judith Ryser. 1995. The Knowledge Based City in Europe, synergy or conflict between knowledge from above and knowledge
from below in the competition for European primacy. Paper presented at the international conference of the Interdisciplinary Centre for Comparative Research in the Social Sciences, Vienna on the role of cities in Europe. 16 International key note speakers in 2008 (Vitoria) included:
Jaarmo Elukka Eskelinen Forum Virium; David Satterthwaite International Institute of Environment and Development; JeanClaude Tourret, Institut Mediterranee, Marseille; Catherine Feore European Commission; Charles Lambert DEXUS; Jan Inghe Hagstrom, Hammerby Sjostad; Kevin Reid, City of London; Pierre Laconte, Foundation of the Built Environment; Cleon Ricoardo dos Santos, UniLivre; Peter Mehlbye, ESPON; J an Vogelij, ECTP; Mi chel Rivoire, Trans Alpes / Bi omerieux. 17 Participants in Sitges:
Josep Huguet, Catalonian Ministry of Tourism and Commerce; Isabel Galobares, Catalunya Tourism; Jordi Baijet, Mayor of Sitges; Raul Alvarin, City of Sitges; Mark Pisano, Southern California Association of Governments; Richard Bruckner, City of Pasadena; John Montgomery, City of Laguna Beach; Lisa Young, Wilbur Smith Associates; Jose Farran, Wilbur Smith Associates. 18 Isocarp Istanbul congress 2006, Mayors’ summit participants:
Kadir Topbas, Mayor of Istanbul; Wolfgang Schuster, Mayor of Stuttgart, Germany; Cllr. Andrew Arnold, Dep. Mayor Cape Town/ Mr Achmat Ebrahim, City Manager Cape Town, South Africa; Klaas de Boer, Managing Director Physical Planning Dept., Amsterdam, Netherlands 19Isocarp Bilbao congress 2005, Mayors' summit participants:
Bilbao: Inaki Azkuna, Mayor; Cancun: Francisco Alor Quezada, Mayor; Durban: Mthembeni Mhkize, Cities Hub Africa; Helsinki: Pekka Sauri, Mayor for Public Works; Lisbon: Joao Pessoa e Costa, President of Ambelis, Sitges: Jordi Baijet I; Vidal, Mayor. 20 Isocarp Geneva congress 2004, Mayors’ summit participants:
Antwerp: Patrick Janssens, Mayor; Bilbao:Iñaki Azkuna, Mayor; Bordeaux: Alain Juppe, Mayor and Regional President; Casablanca: Mohamed Sajid, Mayor; Curitiba: Jaime Lerner, Former Mayor and Governor; Dakar: Saydou Sy Sall, Minister of Urbanism; Dublin: John Fitzgerald, City Manager; Geneva: Pierre Muller, Lord Mayor, Christian Ferrazino, Mayor for Planning
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21 Judith Ryser and Waikeen Ng (eds). 2005. Isocarp Mayors' Summit: Learning from Cities and Mayors. Isocarp and Fundacion
Metropoli. 22 Zaragoza 2002, Mayors' summit participants:
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Aragon: Marcelio Iglesias, President, Eduardo Beandres, Vice-President; Casablanca Region: Mohammed Labsir, President; Curitiba: Jaime Lerner, Former Mayor and Governor; Dublin: John Fitzgerald, City Manager; Durban: Mthembeni Mhkize, TCI Holdings; Indianopolis: William Hudnut III, Former Mayor; Kuala Lumpur: Mohd Arif Nun, Multimedia DevelopmentCorporation; Madrid: Javier de Mesones, Asociacion Espanola deTecnicos Urbanistas; New South Wales: Andrew Refshauge, Deputy Premier; New York: Kimball Chen, Energy Transport Group, Paris: Claude Henrion, Institute of Strategic Deployment; Philadelphia: Gary Hack, City Planning Commission; Santiago de Chile: Eduardo San Martin, Former Mayor of La Reina; Santo Domingo: Alma Fernandez, Vice Mor; Toronto: Paul Bedford, Chief Planner; Tokyo: Kisho Kurokawa, Architect and Planner; Washington: Robert NcNulty, Partner for Liveable Communities, Windhoek: Martin Shipanga, Chief Executive. Alfonso Vegara, Juan Luis de la Rivas. 2004. Territorios Inteligentes. Fundacion Metropoli Judith Ryser (ed). 2008. Building the European Diagonal. Fundacion Metropoli Alfonso Vegara, Juan Luis de la Rivas. 2004. Territorios Inteligentes. Fundacion Metropoli Jaime Lerner was three times Mayor of Curitiba and twice Governor of the Parana State when he introduced sustainable mass transport and ecological learning institutions. He w as President of the International Union of Architects (UIA). Alfonso Vegara, Juan Luis de la Rivas. 2004. Territorios Inteligentes. Fundacion Metropoli Judith Ryser (ed). Innovation Hubs and Spaces for Creativity: Dublin, Helsinki, Marseille, Linz, Singapore, San Jose, Melbourne and Dongtan. Fundacion Metropoli research report. according to Arthur Roy Clapham who has coined this expression in the 1930s: 'ecosystem' is “the physical and biological components of an environment considered in relation to each other as a unit�. E.g. Karl Ludwig von Bertalanffy. 1968. General System Theory: Foundations, Developments, Applications. George Braziller. Manuel Castells. 1996-1998. Trilogy: The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. The Rise of the Network Society (Vol I) The Power of Identity (Vol II), the End of the Millennium (Vol III). Blackwell. Manuel Castells. Op.cit Volume II. Judith Ryser (ed). 2008. Building the European Diagonal. Fundacion Metropoli Judith Ryser (ed). 2008.Buidling the European Diagonal. Fundacion Metropoli European Spatial Development Perspective. A concept developed by Manual Castells in his Trilogy: The Information Age: Economy, Society and Culture. Manuel Castells 2000, End of Millennium; 2000, The rise of the Network Society; 1996, The Power of Identity, Blackwell. an example among many is the ecological Green Wheel strategy for Greater Milan. Euromed, the Euro-Mediterranean Partnership was agreed a t the Euromed summit 13 July 2008 i n Paris following the Barcelona process (1995) to form a Union for the Mediterranean within the existing EU cooperation framework; co-chairs Egypt and France. Biennial from 2008. It aims at a single 'European Mediterranean Policy' and seeks co-responsibility through concrete project cooperation (pollution of the Mediterranean Sea; establishment of maritime and land highways, civil protection iniatives to combat natural and man-made disasters; a Mediterranean solar energy plan; the Euro-Mediterranean university in Slovenia; the Mediterranean Business Development Initiative with focus on SMEs. Euromed should lead to regional integration and reduce disparities of wealth between the nations bordering on the Mediterranean (27 member states, 16 in the south). ENPI Info Centre. Also the GO-EuroMed project furthering institutional design and management strategies under the Citizens and Governance in a Knowledge based Society. Secretariat in Barcelona. The EU 'Barcelona Process' had established political and security, economic and financial, and social cultural partnerships with 16 countries across the Mediterranean in 1995 (Barcelona Declaration). This included a free trade area and cooperation on migration. e.g. paisaje de vino in La Ri oja, paisaje de arena Southern Spain, paisaje de hielo in Patagonia (wine, desert and ice landscapes). The Lincoln Institute of Land Policy; Regional Plan Association;The University of Pennsylvania School of Design. 2004,Towards an American Spatial Development Perspective; 2005, Reinventing Megalopolis: the North East Megaregion; 2006, Uniting People, Pl aces & Sy stems: Me gapolis Unbound; 2007, Im agining t he Di agonal: a Ne w Vision f or Southern Eu rope. European Spatial Development Perspective (ESDP). 1999. Co uncil of Europe, Council of Ministers of spatial/regional planning. Sevilla Global & Fundacion Metropoli. 2004. Creating Competitive Business Places in the MEDOCC region. INTERREG IIIC. C2M Cooperation Metropoles Mediterranee. ProyectoCities. Cities Hubs 2002. Fundacion Metropoli. ProyectoCities, In: Fundacion Metropoli, Building a Sustainable Future. 2006. Sevilla, Malaga, Barcelona, Marseille, Lyon and Genoa. ESPON project 3.2 Spatial Scenarios and Orientations in relation to the ESDP and Cohesion Policy. Final Report. 2006/2007. Fabio Casiroli's Systematica has researched the impact of High Speed Train connections in the Diagonal.
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48 Eg. Frank Moulaert, Arantxa Rodriguez, Eric Swyngedouw (eds). 2005. Globalised City, economic restructuring and social
polarisation in European cities. Oxford University Press (large scale urban development projects).
49 OECD (Organisation of Economic Cooperation and Development), Municipality of Madrid, Club of Madrid. 2007. What
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policies for globalising cities, rethinking the urban policy agenda. Proceedings. OECD; OECD and Municipality of Milan. 2008. Competitive Cities and Climate Change. Proceedings. OECD; Tetsuya Shimomura & Tadashi Matsumoto (ed). 2010. Policies to Enhance the Physical Urban Environment for Competitiveness. OECD; Regional Innovation and Competitiveness. 2010. OECD Paris; Mayors' and Ministers' Round Table. 2010. Cities and Green Growth. OECD Paris Fifth EU framework programme of research, technological development and pilot projects: competitive metropolis, economic transformation, labour market and competition in European agglomerations 2001-2004, the future of cities. Willem Salet, Enrico Giuliani (eds). 2004. Framing Strategic Urban Projects. Routledge (Barcelona, Amsterdam, Copenhagen, Berlin, Brussels, Strasburg, Vienna) Club Ville Amenagement. 2007. F abriquer l a v ille, nouvelles a ttentes, nouvelle cultures. Proceedings f rom Marseille symposium. Christian Lefevre (ed). 2007. Entre projets et strategies, le pari economique de six metropoles europeennes. Barcelona, Venise, Milan, Amsterdam, Berlin, Thames Gateway London). IAURIF. 2007. La rge Scale Urban Development Project in Europe. Drivers of change in city regions. In: Les Cahiers de l'institut d'amenagement et d'urbanisme de la region Isle de France (Barcelona, Milan, Amsterdam, Rotterdam, Malmo, Orestad, Glasgow, Thames Gateway London). Judith Ryser (ed). 2008. Buidling the European Diagonal. Fundacion Metropoli Fabio Casiroli's studies of the impact of high speed connections on connectivity, accessibility and changing catchment areas are relevant here. After the London Docklands Development Corporation which has kick-started the transformation of London's Docklands, new institutions are devised to deliver the largest urban development project in Europe, the 60 km long Thames Gateway up the Lea Valley for the 2012 Olympic games and along the Thames Estuary. The city of Antwerp has devised a trialogue approach combining a vision with strategic urban projects and co-production. see Proceedings of 2007 Isocarp congress on urban trialogues, co-productive ways to relate visioning and strategic urban projects. Isocarp see for example: OECD Conference on strategic planning and evaluation for regional and local development 17/06/08. see: Euskal Hiria, Proyecto Cities. 2002. Fundacion Metropoli with the Basque Government. for a c omprehensive account of t his project s ee: Golfo San Jorge. 2007. Fu ndacion Me tropoli with Fundacion Fines. The a nalysis a nd t he d evelopment s trategies a re p resented i n: Re gion d e Mu rcia. 2007. Fu ndacion Me tropoli The publication 'Malaga, Ecosistema de la Innovacion'. 2009. Fundacion Metropoli, gives a detailed account of the regional spatial strategy and its constituent projects. for an overview of climate change arguments, see UN Habitat. 2009. Climate Change and Cities. UN Habitat see for example Cities and Climate Change Initiative, Oslo conference report 2009. And ECF (European Cl imate Forum). Proceedings of conference. 2008. Judith Ryser and Gabriel Escobar. 2008. Climate Change and the Cities. see, for example, papers of the Isocarp congress on Low Carbon Cities, Porto 2009. e.g. Judith Ryser and Teresa Franchini. 2009. Towards Low Carbon Cities, Madrid and London See UN statistical collections of cities and population. UN Habitat E.g. conference of the Commission of Architecture and the Built Environment on Sustainable Cities, 27 November 2007. Fundacion Metropoli. Ecocities de la A a la Z. La cultural ecocities en 100 palabras. Amos Rappoport. 1969. House Form and Culture. Prentice Hall Amos Rappoport. 1981. Some Thoughts on Units of Settlement. Ekistics 48. 291: 447-453. Ivan Illich. 1973. Energy and Equity. Marion Boyars. e.g. Hassan Fathi. 1986. Natural Energy and Vernacular Architecture. Principles and examples, with reference to hot arid climates. University of Chicago Press. Limits to Growth. Club of Rome 1972. UN Stockholm conference 1972. Commission on the Environment 1983. Brundtland Report 1987. Rio Convention 1992. OECD. 13 Oc tober 2008, Mi lan, round table on urban strategy of mayors and ministers on competitive city and climate change. OECD. 11-12 June 2009, Las Palmas, workshop on green cities: new approaches to confronting climate change. OECD. e.g. the urban village approach of 'Oil Free Oakland by 2020', California, or the GreenCityBlueLake ecocity in Cleveland Ohio i n c ooperation w ith t he Re gional Su stainability Ce nter o f t he Cl eveland Mu seum o f Na tural Hi story. Register's views on eco-cities are expressed in the magazine Eco-cities Emerging, to support humanity's transition into the Ecozoic Era. Jane Jacobs. 1985. Cities and the Wealth of Nations. Vintage Books. The Spanish government has adopted strategies for sustainable development (23/11/2007) but withdrawn those on sustainable urban development on 23 November 2007.
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79 The European Union has devised programmes such as URBACT to support urban sustainable development and the OECD
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is holding annual meetings on sustainable development and has proposed tools for statistical measures and assessment of sustainable development. e.g. Hammerby near Stockholm e.g. Vauban in Freiburg im Breisgau. e.g. floating eco-homes to cope with rising sea levels, for example at Maasbommel, cycle cities, and mine water geothermal power stations in Heerlen. Eco-towns Prospectus. 2007. Department of Communities and Local Government.They promote the application of all bespoke eco-tecnologies, combined heat and power district heating and cooling systems, aquifer thermal energy, ground source heat pumps, passive heating, solar and wind energy, photovoltaic cells, etc. e.g. large scale solar panel installations in Logrono Montecorvo ecotopia and some 10% electricity generated by wind power. inter alia: the Aalborg Charter on European Sustainable Cities; the Ahwahnee Principles; the Charter of New Urbanism; the Shenzen Declaration on Ecocity Development; as well as various EU guidelines: ESDP, New Athens Charter, Green Paper on the Urban Environment 1990; Local Agenda 21 (1992); European Sustainable Cities Project (1993), Sustainable Urban Development in the European Union, a Framewok for Action (1998); Towards a Local Sustainability Profile, European Common Indicators (2000). Richard Register. 1987. Ecocity Berkeley. Building cities for a healthy future. North Atlantic Books. Paul Downton et.al. Akhtar Chauhan. The quest for humane architecture in a sustainable living environment. In: international symposium on appropriateness of means. Haus der Architektur Graz Austria.1994. L'Agropolis de Meknes. 2002009. Fundacion Metropoli agriculture accounts for 3.6% of GDP, well above EU average Judith Ryser (ed). 2007. Innovation Hubs and Spaces for Creativity. Comparartive Case Studies, Helsinki, Linz, Dublin, Marseille, Dongtan, Melbourne, San Jose and Singapore. Fundacion Metropoli research report. Sevilla Global and Fundacion Metropoli (ed). 2004. Creating Competitive Business Places in the MEDOCC Region. Sevilla Global and Fundacion Metropoli. Catarina Selada. 2007. Intelligent Cities, international seminar, Faro, Creative Urban Places for Competitiveness. Inteli Fundacion Metropoli. 2009. Alicante, Innovacion y Territorio. Fundacion Metropoli.
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