recopilacion 1

Recopilaci贸n de materiales varios FASE 3a -3b

REFERENCIAS FASE 3a - Giving Pedestrians an Edge - A Fused Grid Neighbourhood in Caligary - The branding of Cities (document que debido a se extension no se adjunta al completo) - Jardín de Maravillas. Centro deportivo autogestionado - VdB Plan de barrio Virgen de Begoña - Proyecto URBAN. Barrios zona norte de Alicante

REFERENCIAS FASE 3a - Mercado Santa Caterina. Barcelona - Parque Olímpico Londres 2012 - Frei Otto: Pabellón Alemania, Expo 1976 Montreal - Frei Otto: Parque Olímpico Múnich 1972 - Frei Otto: Tuwaiq Palace. Arabia Saudi - Toyo Ito: Tokyo Nomad Woman - Sony Center. Postsdamer Platz, Berlín (Alemania). Helmut Jahn - WSSL Warner Shelter Systems Limited - Tensoestructuras

ALGUNAS ANOTACIONES PROPIAS

research highlight July 2008

Socio-economic Series 08-013

Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transportation Choice Introduction Transportation networks are a hotly debated topic, as municipalities and regional governments attempt to balance residents’ demands for traffic control and safety with public objectives of healthy activity, compact land-use patterns or better air quality, while maintaining traffic flows. To date, research on travel behaviour and urban form has not isolated the influence of variations in street network connectivity on different travel modes. This study seeks to fill this gap by evaluating the relative effect of pedestrian versus vehicular connectivity on the choice to walk.

In this study, the highest proportion of trips on foot (18%) is found in areas where a path is relatively more direct to nearby retail and recreational destinations on foot than by car. The lowest proportion (10%) of trips occur on foot in places where there is a low degree of pedestrian connectivity. By comparison, places with both high levels of pedestrian and vehicle connectivity have only about 14% mode share on foot. These results suggest that the relative connectivity of pedestrian and vehicular modes is an important predictor of the choice to walk.

Attention to the potential variation in connectivity across modes comes into focus through a variety of strategies to mitigate adverse traffic impacts in existing communities (see Figure 1). For example, traffic calming techniques, which include a variety of techniques that slow and limit travel by cars while making walking and biking easier and safer are designed to increase the relative utility of walking and biking in comparison to driving. However, to date, evidence is limited on the performance of specific design solutions that promote non-motorized while constraining vehicle based networks within newly developing and existing communities.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) recognized potential positive impacts of direct pedestrian movement between residential and commercial areas and between neighbouring subdivisions.

This has resulted in the development of the Fused Grid street network.

The Fused Grid is a combination of patterns currently in use that presents a proposed middle ground among street network types. It opens the possibility of more optimal solutions than currently exist in planning practice.

Figure 1 Traffic calming techniques–street closed to cars only The Fused Grid creates environments in which access between neighbourhoods is relatively easier on foot than by car (see Figure 2).

The hypothesis is that a Fused Grid neighbourhood, which has greater connectivity and continuity for pedestrian travel compared to a vehicular network, will likely encourage more walking. But will it?

In both cases—transforming existing neighbourhoods and applying a new layout model—the question of influence on travel choice remains open.

Research Highlight Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transpor tation Choice

The working hypothesis, that connectivity that favours pedestrians will result in more walking, was investigated using a quasiexperimental approach within a rational utility–behavioural framework.

This study1 contributes to the understanding of how street network design influences travel behaviour. The research applied detailed, parcel-level, land-use road network and pedestrian network databases and it accounted for socio-demographic factors. It builds upon an extensive literature of urban form and travel behaviour research; contributes to the evidence base; and provides some unique methods to understand the role of mode-specific street networks in shaping travel patterns.

It is apparent that differing street patterns could influence travel behaviour and mode choices: whether residents choose to travel by car, bicycle, foot or other means. A grid pattern, with its rectilinear network of intersections, provides more frequent street connections and more direct pathways between destinations.

A dendritic pattern of curvilinear streets and loops generally has more closed streets and indirect routing, with a design that favours more green space, larger lots and privacy. As most existing networks do not differentiate paths between modes, prior research has not been able to clarify how differences in connectivity across travel modes relate to or affect travel behaviour.

Figure 2 A Fused Grid neighbourhood: higher pedestrian connectivity than vehicular Purpose of the Study This study was prompted by the need for evidence of likely travel, environmental and health based outcomes from the Fused Grid.

This innovative street network design by CMHC attempts to find a balance between the benefits of street connectivity for transportation efficiency with the use of street space to enhance neighbourhood quality of life for local residents. (see Figure 3 and 7) Research to describe and test the relationship between the built environment and travel behaviour is needed, particularly with regard to street network design. Municipalities want to know the potential of street network design in supporting the attainment of various transportation and livability objectives.

Framing the Debate A review of the planning literature reveals a long-standing debate about street network design—especially about the functionality and impact of traditional, gridiron street network versus loops and cul-de-sac patterns.

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Figure 3 A Fused Grid district diagram showing residential neighbourhoods and zones of mixed use It is important to understand which street network characteristics will best support the optimal achievement of multiple urban planning objectives. One objective, making urban areas and new neighbourhoods more conducive to walking, has become more important as a result of increased awareness of the health and environmental benefits of walking and conversely the harm of extensive driving. Yet opinion is varied on how best to achieve improved walkability.

Lawrence Frank and Christopher Hawkins (2008). Fused Grid Assessment: Travel and environmental impacts of contrasting pedestrian and vehicular connectivity

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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Research Highlight Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transpor tation Choice

This study investigates how kilometres travelled, number of trips taken and modes chosen differ among residents of neighbourhoods with varying degrees of vehicular and pedestrian accessibility. It focuses on how observed differences between vehicular and pedestrian access to destinations from where people live predicts travel choice.

Understanding the performance (in terms of travel patterns) of the Fused Grid was enabled by separating out pedestrian and vehicular street networks for a sub-set of households in the Puget Sound Region that completed the 1999 Puget Sound Travel Survey. This allowed the evaluation of how access (directness) to destinations on each network predicted observed travel patterns when adjusting for demographic and other urban form factors (density and land use mix).

The Scale Factor A brief review of the evolution of street patterns (see Figure 4) reveals that the impacts of street network design are an issue of scale. Conventional suburban street design does address the desires for safety and livability for local residents. But in a neighbourhood and city-wide context, the results tend toward auto-dependency, traffic congestion—especially on the limited number of collector streets—and externalized costs of negative health and environmental outcomes.

Network Routing and Connectivity Over the past 20 years, research has attempted to uncover the effects of urban form on travel behaviour2, 3. It shows that the built environment most strongly correlates to distance and time travelled, whereas socio-economic factors are more strongly related to other travel behaviours (e.g. car ownership, and frequency of trips).

Research also has revealed that three factors—density, land-use mix and connectivity—strongly correlate with travel behaviour. These factors co-vary and so the challenge for developing a more precise understanding is to isolate connectivity from other urban design and land-use factors.

However, most of the research to date does not include detailed accounting of the pedestrian environment or network patterns when measuring connectivity. Therefore, “connectivity” usually refers to the road network only and often does not clearly specify what is actually experienced by pedestrians.

The most important difference among street network types is the kind of routing that each provides, usually evaluated with a measurement of circuitry or connectivity. Routing and connectivity strongly affect travel distance and as a result the comparative costs (in time and money) of various travel mode choices. This research focuses on empirical investigation of the outcomes from varying levels and disparities of travel network connectivity across modes.

Figure 4 The evolution of street network patterns (adapted from Southworth and Owens, 1993) Consequently, local governments are caught between competing objectives —improving connectivity for its transportation benefits, such as providing more transportation choices like walking and cycling—but retaining limited access streets for their benefits in improved safety and neighbourhood quality.

Many municipal planners have concluded that the car-oriented configurations of sparse suburban street networks are in need of retrofit and new designs are urgently needed 4. The Fused Grid provides a potential middle ground as a means of mitigating some of the most adverse safety, environmental, and health impacts of completely auto dependent design approaches.

Previous Research and Method Chosen The measurement and evaluation of street networks has generally been centered on motor vehicle movement and level of service. Little attention was paid to the accessibility and mobility of pedestrians, and to a lesser degree bicyclists, which have emerged as key topics of recent research.

Perhaps the most significant aspect of street designs that encourage more walking is the connectivity of the street both within neighbourhoods and to nearby destinations.

Research has descriptively (comparing different regions or areas with distinct characteristics) and experimentally investigated the relationship of urban form to travel behaviour. The evidence points to significant effects of land-use density and mix as well as neighbourhood design characteristics, particularly transit.

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Crane, Randall. 2000. The influence of urban form on travel: an interpretive review. Journal of Planning Literature. 15, 1: 4-23.

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Frank, L.D., T.L. Schmid, J.F. Sallis, J. Chapman, and B.E. Saelens. 2005. Linking objectively measured physical activity with objectively measured urban form. American Journal of Preventive Medicine. 28(2S2): 117-125

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Frumkin, Howard, Lawrence Frank, and Richard Jackson. 2004. Urban sprawl and public health. Washington, D.C.: Island Press

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Research Highlight Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transpor tation Choice

These studies have argued persuasively that variation of three main factors—density of residences or employment, mix of uses, and urban design (including transportation systems)—at a regional scale does relate to differences in travel behaviour. There have also been efforts to understand the impacts of urban design at a smaller scale.

In exploring the sub-neighbourhood scale, this research faced serious challenges: inadequacy of methods that is, not isolating one aspect of urban form from others; failure to account for residential self-selection; and other confounding factors, including urban form and non-environmental variables, that can affect travel behaviour.

In addition, travel survey data on non-motorized travel is very limited —systematic collection has only recently been done—and there is significant under-reporting on short trips, most of which are by non-motorized modes. Very localized data on the built environment is expensive and hard to collect, and protocols to clean the data to be more reliable are difficult to develop, and to date, have not been validated.

Behavioural Framework/Theory and Pedestrian Travel The most robust model for explaining travel behaviour is a rational-choice framework that posits travel demand derived from the need to get to and from activities and decisions affected primarily by costs (in time and money). This framework, and related micro-economic theory of travel demand, was adopted for this research.

Selection of Method and Scale for Current Study The current study is unique because it includes a fully detailed assessment of pedestrian and motorized vehicle networks in the Puget Sound Region around households for which data on travel patterns and demographics was available. The unit of analysis is the person, and urban form characteristics are evaluated within a 1 kilometer distance from each person’s home.

The study employs two complementary metrics of street connectivity: pedestrian and vehicular route directness and pedestrian and vehicular network density. Characteristics of each mode are directly compared, using a ratio to express relative connectivity and continuity between cars and pedestrians. Including separate measures of the distinct networks available for driving and walking, the research can more effectively and more broadly assess the effects on relative network connectivity to destinations on the choice to walk.

Analytical results were sought that would test the hypothesis that more direct pedestrian routing (relative to vehicular routing) results in higher walking mode share (increase in percentage of trips by pedestrian mode) and less automobile use (lower vehicle kilometers of travel, or VKT).

Walking activity in particular has been shown to be influenced consistently by distance to destinations and by the quality of the built environment. Distance, then, becomes a main cost in this analysis.

Walkability has been summarized in indexes that attempt to capture the key dimensions of density, diversity and design. These factors attempt to encompass the whole of urban form, but the interest of this study is the effects of street configuration. In order to capture the effects of streets on travel behaviour, this study addresses some of the existing gaps in methods for measuring street networks.

Figure 5 Map showing Seattle, Bellevue and Redmond in Washington

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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Research Highlight Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transpor tation Choice

Research Study Area

Study Summary and Findings

The study presents a detailed research assessment of relative vehicle and pedestrian network connectivity within three cities’ Seattle, Bellevue, and Redmond, located in the central Puget Sound. The Seattle metropolitan region was chosen for the research because of extensive available urban form and travel behaviour data. The cities of Redmond (41 km2 [15 sq. mi.]), Bellevue (83 km2 [32 sq. mi.]), and Seattle (216 km2 [83 sq. mi.), encompass a land area of 340 km2 (131 sq. mi.)

The results assess the likely performance of the Fused Grid street design on several travel outcomes of interest to urban transportation and community planning. The assessment begins to answer the question of whether new layout configurations and street standards, in addition to the retrofit programs of traffic calming, will result in the desired outcomes of increased levels of walking and decreased reliance on automobiles.

The study attempts to deconstruct the fused grid into its component parts by focusing on the relative connectivity between vehicular and non-motorized modes of travel. It evaluates the relative connectivity to the nearest retail and recreational destination between these two modes of travel for a set of households and compares this to self reported travel patterns. The sample was drawn from three cities that possess considerable variation in their street patterns, and in the level of connectivity between vehicle and pedestrian modes of travel.

The current study concludes that there is significant relationship between local street networks configuration and travel behaviour, and that modifications to street patterns are associated with changes in levels of walking and driving for local travel.

Disparities between pedestrian and vehicle networks are found in areas with steep slopes resulting in dead end streets to cars but have pathways for pedestrians. (see Figure 6) These are also areas where pedestrian connections have been added to cul-de-sac networks increasing the relative connectivity for pedestrian over vehicles to nearby destinations. Conversely, areas exist where pedestrian connections are restricted due to lack of sidewalk provision, even on grid networks where driving is direct. In these areas vehicle based connectivity is higher than that encountered by pedestrians.

Key Findings This study examines two main measures: relative route directness and relative network density across walking and driving modes. Both measures have associations with odds of walking, odds of driving, distance walked, distance travelled by vehicle, and number of trips.

All else being equal, the results of this study suggest that increasing connectivity on foot relative to in-vehicle travel increases the likelihood that people will walk more and drive less. This result is consistent with the premise of the Fused Grid. (see Table 1)

Table 1 Disparate street connectivity and walk shares (by person to commercial) Pedestrian Connectivity

Low

Low

High

Southeast and Central Bellevue; Southwest Seattle— Loop and culs-de-sac

Queen Anne, Capital Hill (Seattle)— Modified grid with connectors

Mean walk share: 10% walking

Mean walk share: 18% walking

Vehicular Connectivity High

Figure 6 Example of pedestrian only connector Congruence between pedestrian and vehicle networks occurs in areas characterized by urban grids with sidewalks or on cul-de-sacs without sidewalks. This contrast of street connectivity is essential to the process of testing the research hypothesis.

n = 985

n = 66

North and South Bellevue, North Seattle—Grid and major streets w/o sidewalks

Downtown and older Seattle neighbourhoods— Gridiron

Mean walk share: 10% walking n = 59

Mean walk share: 14% walking n = 966

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Research Highlight Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transpor tation Choice

This study’s primary findings demonstrate that relative route directness is associated with increased levels of walking and decreased driving. As well, relative network density—a higher density of walking pathways than driveable streets—generates even greater increases in walking and reduction of driving.

This finding suggests that street designs that improve the directness of routes for pedestrians, relative to those enjoyed by other modes in the network, are associated with more walking. The Fused Grid street design provides a transportation network pattern that achieves a change in relative utility of walking. (see Figure 7) Certain traffic calming measures in exiting neighbourhoods would achieve similar results.

The study’s correlation and regression analysis indicate that the relative network density measure exhibits a significant relationship with the choice to walk. This suggests that more complete pedestrian pathways to destinations increase pedestrian travel. Directness of connections relates to more walking activity but less so than the density of pedestrian facilities or the presence of retail stores nearby.

Importantly, these two street network factors—the ratio of route directness and ratio of network density—are additive in their effects.

That is, designs that create improvement on both measures will generate even larger benefits on travel outcomes. The Fused Grid street design is characterized by a higher density of pedestrian pathways than vehicle pathways. Land use mix and density were held constant in this study as were demographic factors.

Figure 7 Axonometric of a Fused Grid Quadrant bounded by a mixed use zone. Pedestrian paths to common amenities are more direct than vehicular.

For the three Seattle neighbourhoods, the regression model demonstrated that a change from a pure small-block grid to a modified grid (that is, Fused Grid) can result in an increase in odds of a home-based trip being walked by 11.3 per cent.

The modified street pattern, like a Fused Grid, is also associated with a 25.9 per cent increase over street patterns with equivalent route directness for walking and driving, in the odds a person will meet the recommended level of physical activity through walking in their local travel. The same 10 per cent increase in relative pedestrian continuity (network density) associates with a 9.5 per cent increase in odds of walking, all other factors remaining the same.

Finally, the Fused Grid’s 10 per cent increase in relative connectivity for pedestrians is associated with a 23 per cent decrease in vehicles miles of local travel, and the improved continuity is associated with increases in both number of walking trips and total distance walked for local travel.

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Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Research Highlight Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transpor tation Choice

Community planning and design implications Both traffic calming and street layout options that offer increased directness of routing for pedestrians relative to motor vehicles can be used to help achieve increased levels of walking, reduced motor vehicle use, or both. Increasing the extent of sidewalk or other pedestrian pathways, by adding them as stand-alone projects or including a higher density of them relative to street length in plans for new neighbourhoods, is likely to be useful in achieving the same walkability outcomes.

These changes to travel network patterns are also associated with walking a sufficient amount to have a healthy level of physical activity. These kinds of measures will be particularly effective when they result in both reductions in the connectivity of the motor vehicle network (that is, street closures or other interruptions in the network for motorized vehicles) relative to the walking network and increase the pedestrian network’s extent relative to the vehicular network.

Emerging evidence about environmental impacts, livability and public health are setting the stage for new street network designs based in better understanding of travel behaviour. Past designs and retrofitting of newer streets, while part of the solution, may not provide the most satisfactory results.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Research Highlight Giving Pedestrians an Edge—Using Street Layout to Influence Transpor tation Choice

CMHC Project Manager: Fanis Grammenos Consultant: Dr Lawrence Frank, Bombardier Chair of Sustainable Transportation and Chris Hawkins, Masters Candidate

This project was funded (or partially funded) by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC) under the terms of the External Research Program (ERP), an annual research grant competition. The views expressed are the personal views of the author(s) and do not represent the official views of CMHC. For more information on the ERP, please visit the CMHC website at www.cmhc.ca or contact the Project Officer, Responsive Programs by e-mail at erp@cmhc-schl.gc.ca, or by regular mail: Project Officer, Responsive Programs, External Research Program, Policy and Research Division, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation, 700 Montreal Road, Ottawa ON K1A 0P7.

To find more Research Highlights plus a wide variety of information products, visit our website at

www.cmhc.ca or contact: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 700 Montreal Road Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P7 Phone: Fax:

1-800-668-2642 1-800-245-9274

66086

©2008, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Printed in Canada Produced by CMHC 04-07-08

Although this information product reflects housing experts’ current knowledge, it is provided for general information purposes only. Any reliance or action taken based on the information, materials and techniques described are the responsibility of the user. Readers are advised to consult appropriate professional resources to determine what is safe and suitable in their particular case. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation assumes no responsibility for any consequence arising from use of the information, materials and techniques described.

êÉëÉ~êÅÜ=ÜáÖÜäáÖÜí December 2008

Socio-economic Series 08-020

Breaking Ground: A Fused Grid Neighbourhood in Calgary áåíêçÇìÅíáçå CMHC began promoting the fused grid neighbourhood and district model to municipalities, developers and planners in 2003. In 2004, Calgary developer Genesis Land Development approached CMHC and requested collaboration on applying the model to a parcel of their land in northeast Calgary. The partnership resulted in a mutually satisfactory preliminary site plan that reflected fused grid principles.

In applying the fused grid model to a specific site, Genesis and CMHC expected that its benefits for the municipality, the homebuyers and the environment could be demonstrated in practice. Through this demonstration, other municipalities and developers could be assured of its positive impacts and proceed to apply the model in their own districts.

This Research Highlight looks at the model’s main characteristics; the design considerations and constraints in applying to a specific site; the process of reviews and approvals, the issues that emerge during the examination of innovative plans and the attributes of the final outcome in comparison to the original aims. (see figure 1)

qÜÉ=cìëÉÇ=dêáÇ=^ééêç~ÅÜ The fused grid model attempts to address contemporary issues that arise from street network patterns and the way they deal with cars and pedestrians.

Street patterns affect the environment and neighbourhood quality of life.

båîáêçåãÉåí=

Figure 1 Saddleton street network and land use plan In 2006, a planning consulting firm began preliminary design work on this 63 ha (160 acre) parcel, named “Saddleton,” that formed part of the Saddle Ridge development (see figure 2). A central intent of the design was to achieve the efficiency, quality and reduced environmental impact that the fused grid model had demonstrated through research.

Street patterns consume land (up to 35 per cent in right-of-way in a district) and up to 20 per cent of municipal infrastructure budget for their placement and maintenance They also use bitumen, a dwindling resource.

Local streets are the bulk—over 70 per cent—of the entire network kilometers of a region. They add to the impermeable surface area, which has a negative impact on water quality. They contribute to urban heat, which affects demand for cooling energy. Street patterns can impede or enable walking and bicycling, which influences energy use for transport. They can restrict or accommodate traffic flow, which affects generation of greenhouse gases (GHG).

Research Highlight B reaking Ground: A F use d G rid N e ig h b o u rh o o d in C a lg a r y

qÜÉ=cìëÉÇ=dêáÇ=oÉëéçåëÉ The Fused Grid combines the connectivity and ease of orientation of the common street grid with the efficiency, safety and tranquility of recent suburban cul-de-sac and loop street patterns.* Each of these existing street patterns has positive attributes yet neither satisfies the entire set of environmental and quality of life criteria. The answer lies in their combination, which is embodied in the fused grid. It uses a continuous grid of roads for district and regional connectivity and a discontinuous grid of streets for neighbourhood safety. The discontinuous grid is supplemented by footpaths that connect all streets, turning a neighbourhood into a fully connected pedestrian realm. This combination of continuous and discontinuous street grids:

Figure 2 Shading shows location of Saddleton

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Optimizes the use of land for streets;

nì~äáíó=çÑ=iáÑÉ==

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Secures tranquil and safe neighbourhoods;

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Increases the potential for social interaction;

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Reduces the amount of impermeable surfaces;

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Optimizes infrastructure;

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Assists district and regional traffic flow;

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Encourages walking while positively discouraging short-distance driving;

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Provides opportunities for rainwater management.

Street patterns can reduce or increase the risk of injuries or fatal accidents; particularly for children and seniors. They can help increase tranquility in a neighbourhood and support social networking and children’s play, which in turn reinforces a sense of security. They can reduce the noise intrusion and improve local air quality by managing traffic. They can make walking and biking pleasant or undesirable, which can favour or discourage an active lifestyle. Street patterns can support or undermine the viability of amenities required for daily routines by providing or denying convenient access to them.

In summary, a central problem faced by planners and municipal officials is that postwar street patterns inhibit walking and are disorienting and confusing to pedestrians as well as to drivers. They provide tranquility, safety and security at the expense of connectivity.

They manage traffic well but often create bottlenecks at peak times in predictable locations.

Conversely, gridiron street patterns and the inheritance of a strictly pedestrian era, provide connectivity but at the expense of tranquility, safety and security. Without intensive management they often cause traffic congestion, which intensifies GHG emissions, air impurity, noise and driver frustration. They are the most land-consumptive and, consequently, the least environmentally benign.

*

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See Previous Research Highlights related to the Fused Grid model on last page

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

In summary, the fused grid balances the needs of the pedestrian and the motorist. It responds to the quest for economic efficiency and to the need for environmental stewardship.

aÉëáÖå=`çåëáÇÉê~íáçåëI=dìáÇáåÖ mêáåÅáéäÉë=~åÇ=^ééäóáåÖ=qÜÉã Incorporating the attributes of the fused grid model was the overriding design direction for Saddleton. Translating to layout characteristics meant the following: I

Shifting most traffic to the perimeter of the 63 ha parcel and introducing internal collectors around the neighbourhoods leading directly to the surrounding major collectors;

Research Highlight Bre a k i n g G ro u n d : A F u s e d G r i d N e i g h b o u r hood i n C al gar y

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Protecting neighbourhoods from through traffic;

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Increasing pedestrian connectivity, and making these routes direct and pleasant;

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Creating focal points for each neighbourhood (analogous to village squares);

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Maintaining a low ratio of street area to total land area;

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Displacing asphalt with open space where possible, thus meeting or exceeding the municipal requirements for open space dedication;

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Increasing the overall density of the neighbourhood by taking advantage of the relief provided by the open spaces;

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Providing meaningful destinations for people to walk to at the perimeter of neighbourhoods; and

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Using opportunities and techniques to manage stormwater.

3. Use green infrastructure and buildings—Low-impact development (LID) stormwater management techniques incorporated in the Saddleton plan reduce pollutant-loading on downstream areas.

These techniques also reduce irrigation requirements and more closely replicate pre-development run-off regimes. The rain garden stormwater system also offers the opportunity to create interpretive signage and programs to educate area residents about the importance of water conservation and management.

This system has the cost advantage of combining three functions in one: open space / recreation, pathway system routes, and stormwater management. (see figure 3)

These site plan techniques merged seamlessly with the City of Calgary’s guiding principles for greenfield development.

dìáÇáåÖ=mêáåÅáéäÉë In addition to the fused grid model’s attributes, the Saddleton plan followed the sustainable guiding principles promoted by the City of Calgary and used in its evaluation of new suburban development.

These stem from the City’s intent to reduce the environmental impact of greenfield development and improve the quality of life for its residents: 1. Create walkable environments—The Saddleton plan provides enhanced walkability through the fused grid network to places such as the neighbourhood core and open spaces. A comprehensive local and district pathway program provides direct linkages to key destinations within the area and to neighbouring areas. The core is a pleasant five-minute walk from any corner of all four neighbourhoods of the plan. Open spaces are found practically at the end of each block. Such quiet spaces and the connections between them provides opportunities for social interaction.

2. Provide a variety of transportation options—Saddleton strives to achieve alternate forms of transportation through its fused grid design. Ultimately, two transit routes will be available within the neighbourhood. Future LRT (Light Rail Transit) is proposed in the Saddleton Centre located to the west.

Sidewalks, pathways, and walkways have been incorporated to promote pedestrian movement throughout the community.

Figure 3 An open space with a triple function: recreation, pathway node and rainwater filtration 4. Preserve open space, agricultural land, natural beauty and critical environmental areas—Saddleton has been designed to work with the natural contours of the land. Natural lows have become enhanced public open spaces. The plan incorporates LID techniques for rainwater and stormwater management. This mimics the natural water cycle of the land, using design features that store, infiltrate, evaporate and detain runoff and soil moisture.

This approach not only reduces the impact on the scale of the infrastructure needed within the proposed subdivision but also lessens the impact on downstream receiving systems. Further, it enhances those lands already set aside as green space by making use of surface runoff and improving the quality of the environment for future residents and visitors to the area. It may also reduce the amount of private garden irrigation because of the prolonged retention of soil moisture.

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Research Highlight B reaking Ground: A F use d G rid N e ig h b o u rh o o d in C a lg a r y

5. Create a range of housing opportunities and choices—The Saddleton plan consists of diverse housing types to meet various levels of affordability and creates housing opportunities for all age groups. Tenure is based on fee simple and condominium ownership. Low density areas may or may not have alleys.

Medium density areas are made up of apartments and townhouses. Secondary suites are encouraged throughout the low density areas.

6. Support compact development—Saddleton will support compact development. The proposed density is between 25.8 and 30 units per hectare (10.5 and 12.1 units per acre). These densities are about 50 per cent higher than the average of five to six units per acre in older conventional subdivisions. The higher density area is concentrated along the transit routes and within the neighbourhood core, all within the vicinity of community amenities and local commercial.

7. Mix land uses—The plan includes a broad mix of uses. Proposed general uses include local commercial, recreation, institutional and residential. Its overall density is expected to ensure the viability of the proposed community amenities.

Running across the south boundary of the plan area is 80th Avenue NE, which has limited road connections because of the intersection spacing required for this type of road standard. To the west, the existing infrastructure was limited to one collector road/future transit route, with shared sidewalks on each side. To the east, land not owned by Genesis1 created design inefficiencies. Road connectivity had to be on the Genesis property exclusively. As well, no road–pedestrian ties were permitted further east due to a future ring road—transportation and utility corridor. These site conditions limit the extent to which a district is connected to adjacent districts and, consequently, an optimal traffic flow management and freedom of pedestrian and bicycle movement.

Through the initial site reconnaissance, a Class II–III supporting wetland was identified in the north half of the plan area. Its location would have greatly constrained the application of the fused-grid model. Under the policies of the Calgary Wetland Conservation Plan, if a wetland is deemed less significant by its isolated state, options are available to the developer.

One is to create an emergent wetland in conjunction with the storm pond design, or provide monetary compensation based on an established ratio, or a combination of both. This was the option chosen in Saddleton. Consequently, the wetland aspect was combined with the stormwater design consideration, and therefore it became a layout advantage.

8. Foster distinct, attractive communities with a strong sense of place— The Saddleton district has been laid out as four distinct neighbourhoods (quadrants), all containing a centralized open space. There is excellent pedestrian access between each of the quadrants, which creates a walkable, attractive pedestrian environment. A centralized community core includes local commercial, higher densities, a storm pond and children’s playground. These amenities provide a gathering place and central hub for the community, which reinforces a sense of place and communal attachment.

mêçÅÉëë=~åÇ=iÉëëçåë

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An invitation was made to City staff on behalf of Genesis, to a presentation by Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation (CMHC), introducing the fused-grid model (March 2006).

páíÉ=`çåëíê~áåíë

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Preparation of a plan was started for the Saddleton property by Genesis and its consultants.

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A preliminary meeting was held with City officials to introduce the plan, in order to receive initial feedback (January 2007), that was followed by refinements to the plan.

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An official, pre-application meeting took place with City administration (March 2007), which was followed by further refinements based on written comments.

Constraints on site affected the optimal output of the fused grid model. Pre-development conditions to the north accommodated only one road connection, also a future transit route. Also in the north, additional land was required to complete the configuration of a joint school site.

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The following steps illustrate how the plan progressed from its inception to approval:

A shadow plan was required on this landowner’s property in order to prove that their land was not impeded by the Saddleton design.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Research Highlight Bre a k i n g G ro u n d : A F u s e d G r i d N e i g h b o u r hood i n C al gar y I

Official, full submission of the application was made to the City (June 2007), followed by a one-month review period.

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A public open house was held (September 2007).

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Resolution of outstanding issues occurred, resulting in additional refinements to the plan (fall 2007-winter 2008).

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Presentation was made at Calgary Planning Commission for a decision on the plan and a recommendation to City Council on its land uses (March 2008).

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Advertisement of the proposed land uses.

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Public hearing of City Council was held for a final decision (April 2008) that resulted in the approval of the development plan

`çããÉåíë=Ñêçã=`áíó=aÉé~êíãÉåíë ~åÇ=oÉëçäìíáçåë The City of Calgary is the designated approving authority in considering the Saddleton plan. While Calgary Planning Commission addresses the conditions of development, it is City Council that considers the proposed land uses, eventually creating the basis of the built-form envisioned by the design considerations.

Many comments were received by the City as a result of this proposal and a few, identified below, were seen as having challenged Genesis’ guiding principles.

Path connections to a future linear open space (68th Street NE) At the pre-application presentation of the plan to the City, three pedestrian linkages—two linear green spaces and a walkway—were proposed to provide connectivity to a future linear open space to the west.

The City (Parks) requested these be eliminated as part of the Parks’ policy to promote larger park spaces with multi-functional purposes.

Genesis chose to comply with this request in the official submission.

Another linear park was kept in the plan, linking two public roads, and was later deleted through the official circulation process. These linkages were consistent with the principle of maintaining high

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pedestrian connectivity and with the City’s guidelines for creating walkable communities. Parks, however saw the larger park policy as overriding the walkability guideline and could not accommodate the developer.

Transit Coverage Calgary’s Transit Friendly Design Guidelines specify that future residents should be located within specific2 distances from a transit service (bus or train). While these guidelines were met in the Saddleton plan, Calgary Transit indicated that another route would be required to improve coverage, in effect, increase the percentages beyond the guidelines.

In order to accommodate this requirement, an additional 650 m (2,100 feet) of a wider road standard would have to be constructed as bus service can only occur on roads that are collectors or larger. This issue was elevated to a higher decision-making body, with Genesis providing the argument that the guidelines had been met, and in fact exceeded. In this case, the additional transit route was eliminated and the road sizes remained as proposed. It is worth noting that, if the additional bus route (and widening) had occurred, it would have meant higher costs and lower density—both of which would have affected housing affordability.

Table 1 Comparative values for land use elements in similar Calgary developments. (GDA=Gross Development Area and UPA=Units per Acre) Saddleton Mahogany

Walden

New subdivisions

Garrison Woods Built up

Open space (per cent of GDA)

11

9.4

12.3

10

Commercial (per cent of GDA)

1

3.2

3.1

3

10.5–12.1

10.1–11.1

8.6–9.4

11.1–13. 1

Residential density (UPArange)

70 per cent of all residents to be located within 300 m (984 ft.) and 95 per cent to be located within 400 m (1,300 ft.) walking distance of a transit stop

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Research Highlight B reaking Ground: A F use d G rid N e ig h b o u rh o o d in C a lg a r y

Wayfinding (Calgary Planning Commission) A comment was made by a Planning Commission member about the impact of the Saddleton layout on wayfinding, that is, locating an address.3 The road design appeared circuitous and could lead to difficulty in locating an address. One suggestion was to convert a linear open space into a public road to provide more direct vehicular movement. This would have defeated the design principle of providing excellent pedestrian connectivity by using linear parks.

Municipal service providers such as fire, police and emergency medical services had no concerns.

cáå~ä=mä~å=^ííêáÄìíÉë=~åÇ=_ÉåÉÑáíë Despite the changes during the reviews, the plan kept most of its original design intentions intact, barring the site limitations and their effect.

A plethora of connections through linear parks, walkways and street sidewalks was intended and realized to create an exceptional, walkable matrix for the neighbourhood, not just internally but externally to existing developments in the north, south and west.

A healthy range of housing choice was a strong factor in the design of Saddleton.

Existing retail to the south provided the impetus to encompass it with medium-density (apartments) residential located along the south portion of the neighbourhood. Higher density housing, including townhouses and apartments, was introduced along the transit routes and surrounding the large public park spaces. The overall density for Saddleton remained in the range of between 25.8 and 30 units per ha (10.5 and 12.1 units per acre). (Table 1) A neighbourhood core area comprising some local retail, public open space, a roundabout, the convergence of multiple transit routes and a storm pond also afforded the opportunity for higher density residential buildings.

Low Impact Development fit well with the model layout, which included open spaces as essential components of LIDs: I

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Rain gardens were introduced in the two larger parks in the southern half of the plan. These are designed to receive, capture,

Figure 4 Network of paths to which pedestrians have access and store rainfall and surface runoff from surrounding areas.

Plants are allowed to thrive where a greater organic soil mix is concentrated.

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New road design features were developed to augment the rain garden concept, whereby asphalt runoff was chanelled to the rain gardens through a combination of depressed curbs and turf-drainage swales.

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Innovative rear yard drainage, where site grading permits, allowed each residential lot to contain an increased root zone profile by providing extra depths of loam and topsoil. Storm runoff then permeates the subsurface more rapidly, which reduces the size needed for storm pipes and potentially eliminates some.

Green streets, essentially houses fronting onto linear park spaces, were introduced not only to offer up another housing type, but to improve on walkability opportunities.

“Wayfinding” is a term coined by urban planner Kevin A. Lynch, who defined wayfinding as “a consistent use and organization of definite sensory cues from the external environment.” Environmental psychologist Romedi Passini expanded the concept to include signage and other graphic communication, clues inherent in the building's spatial grammar, logical space planning, audible communication, tactile elements, and provision for special-needs users.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

Research Highlight Bre a k i n g G ro u n d : A F u s e d G r i d N e i g h b o u r hood i n C al gar y

Table 2 Fused grid elements in Saddleton and how they respond to issues Initiative or Solution

Figure 5 Parks as neighbourhood nodes and a five-minute walk radius from each _ÉåÉÑáíë Economics play a significant role in community design, as municipalities strive to maintain low taxes. (Calgary has one of the lowest tax rates in Canada.).

Specifically, road configurations and designs need to be rethought in order to reduce their footprint within the community and their costs.

A more customized approach to roads would evaluate the functional purpose of each street and then design them accordingly.

As well, in order to make neighbourhoods attractive places, a pleasant walking environment might include “greening up” the space. Devising ways to separate the pedestrian from the automobile will increase the appeal of the area and entice people to walk more. These need not be limited to separate walks but may include pathways within green spaces. The combination of functions, such as is achieved by the open spaces in Saddleton, offers economies worth achieving. (see figure 4) For a walkable neighbourhood or community to function properly, network connections are necessary with local destinations being a prerequisite. Whether it is to shop, work, or play, paths to these destinations need to be available for each purpose. In its design, Saddleton has many local destination points—the neighbourhood core with retail shops and services, neighbourhood parks in each quadrant including a future school site, and the larger shopping area located to the south.

Addresses

Traffic control and calming

Noise pollution Air quality Stress (for both drivers and pedestrians)

Alternative street design (Fused Grid)

Pedestrian and cyclist safety Noise pollution Air quality Water quality (more permeable area) Physical health (encourages walking) Mental health/social development

Green space, water retention

Noise pollution Air quality Water quality Stress and mental health

Optimal development density and mixed use

Air quality Fewer car trips Physical health Encourages walking

Bicycle/pedestrian infrastructure

Air quality (fewer car tips) Pedestrian and cyclist safety Noise pollution (traffic reduction) Physical and mental health

While the Saddleton fused grid plan can only be evaluated from the desktop at this time, its attributes are known, from other research, to be of value to homebuyers. Once built, the long-term benefits to the neighbourhood will be noticed through healthier choices, such as walking, jogging, or cycling. Providing densities and a variety of land uses will create the synergy to encourage a lifestyle that is more sustainable and pleasurable. It can be viewed as a pioneering application that can generate additional knowledge about society’s response to new configurations of their familiar daily settings. (see figure 5)

`çåÅäìëáçåÔtÜó=íÜÉ=cìëÉÇ=dêáÇ áå=p~ÇÇäÉíçå\ Planners and municipal officials today face the daunting challenge of reducing the impact of development on the environment while maintaining or increasing the quality of life for residents. With an economy running almost entirely on carbon-based fuels and demanding an efficient transportation system, the challenge of reducing emissions appears almost unmanageable.

Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation

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Research Highlight B reaking Ground: A F use d G rid N e ig h b o u rh o o d in C a lga r y

However, solutions continue to emerge in every field that achieve incremental efficiencies that do not require changes in lifestyle. (For example, hybrid cars, and fluorescent bulbs.)

One such solution in planning neighbourhoods and districts is the fused grid model. As Table 2 shows, its elements that have been incorporated into the Saddleton plan respond to a number of concerns. The model intrinsically gives priority to pedestrians while creating a pleasant milieu for daily living. This emphasis on active transportation along with the infrastructure economies and the natural way of handling storm water makes it a fitting response to current environmental and health issues.

CMHC Project Manager: Fanis Grammenos Consultant: Darrell Grant, Brown and Associates

Housing Research at CMHC Under Part IX of the National Housing Act, the Government of Canada provides funds to CMHC to conduct research into the social, economic and technical aspects of housing and related fields, and to undertake the publishing and distribution of the results of this research.

This fact sheet is one of a series intended to inform you of the nature and scope of CMHC’s research.

mêÉîáçìë=oÉëÉ~êÅÜ=eáÖÜäáÖÜíë êÉä~íÉÇ=íç=íÜÉ=cìëÉÇ=dêáÇ=ãçÇÉä Residential Street Pattern Design (order #64286) Applying the Fused Grid in Stratford, Ontario (order #63760) Giving Pedestrians an Edge - Using Street layout to influence Transportation Choice (order #66086) Taming the flow: Better Traffic and Safer Neighbourhoods (order #66071) A Plan for Rainy Days: Water Runoff and Site Planning (order #65658)

To find more Research Highlights plus a wide variety of information products, visit our website at

www.cmhc.ca or contact: Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation 700 Montreal Road Ottawa, Ontario K1A 0P7 Phone: Fax:

1-800-668-2642 1-800-245-9274

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©2008, Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation Printed in Canada Produced by CMHC 24-12-08

Although this information product reflects housing experts’ current knowledge, it is provided for general information purposes only. Any reliance or action taken based on the information, materials and techniques described are the responsibility of the user. Readers are advised to consult appropriate professional resources to determine what is safe and suitable in their particular case. Canada Mortgage and Housing Corporation assumes no responsibility for any consequence arising from use of the information, materials and techniques described.

THE BRANDING OF CITIES Ex p l oring City B r anding and the Importance of Brand Image

MASTERS THESIS Submitted in partial fulfillment of the requirements for the degree in Master of Arts in Advertising Design at the Graduate School of Syracuse University.

August 2005 by Julia Winfield-Pfefferkorn

JARDIN DE M ARAVILLAS CENT RO DEPORTIVO AUT OGESTIONADO Proyecto de autogestión vecinal del solar urbano de la Jardín de Maravillas Antonio Grilo Nº 8

1. JARDIN DE M ARAVILLAS CENT RO DEPORTIVO AUT OGESTIONADO ANTONIO GRIL O 8 1.1 Antecedentes históricos 1.2 El proyecto “Jardín de Maravillas” 1.3 Finalidad y objetivos a corto plazo 1.4 Destinatarios 1.5 Gestión y organización del proyecto 1.6 Fases 1.7 Actuaciones Programadas 1.8 Apoyos 2. ANEXOS 2.1Otras experiencias similares 2.2 Convenios Similares

EL jardín de M aravillas Proyecto vecinal de activación del solar de C/ Antonio Grilo 8 1. Antecedentes históricos

Plano de Texeira (1656) A mediados del siglo XV, reinando Enrique IV, el límite norte de M adrid estaba en la p laza de Santo Domin go. Mas allá de la Puerta del mismo nombre sólo había bosques y cursos de agua que regab an los fértiles terrenos. Y así fue hasta finales d el siglo XVI, cuando Felip e II estableció la cap italidad en la Villa.

Por entonces comenzaron a ap arecer pequeños núcleos de edificaciones fuera d e la cerca, llamados “pueblas”, p ero no fue hasta el siglo XVII cuando se p rodujo un gran crecimiento de p oblación, y bajo el reinado de Felip e IV se construy ó una nueva Cerca y se llevó a cabo la urbanización y deforestación d e toda esta zona. La Puerta de salida d e la villa por el norte p asó a situarse en la actual glorieta de San B ernardo, era la Puerta de Fuen carral.

Entre ambas p uertas, sobre un antiguo camino, surgió la calle d e los Convalecientes de San Bernardo, alrededor de la cual se trazaron las nuevas calles, una de ellas fue la Calle de las Beatas, que recibió este nombre p or el cercano B eaterio, llamado d e Santa Catalina de Siena, que se encontraba junto al Conv ento de Santo Domin go.

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Fue en 1887 cuando p asó a denominarse calle de Antonio Grilo, dedicada al p oeta cordobés miembro d e la R eal Academia de la Len gua.En el in icio del año 2004, un edificio en el nú mero 8 de esta calle, creada sobre aquellos terrenos boscosos históricos, fue el p rotagonista de una noticia sin gular.

La casa estaba en ruinas y a p unto de desap arecer, había sido exp rop iada a sus dueños para construir un ambulatorio. Pero lo más curioso de todo era qu e una gran p arra que había nacido en su interior hacía más de sesenta años, salía del portal, recorría toda la fachada y se adentraba en los balcones de las viviendas. Poco después el edificio fue d erribado, la vid desap areció, nunca se construy ó el ambulatorio y el solar ha perman ecido abandonado durante años.

2. El proyecto “El Jardín de M aravillas” Antonio Grilo 12 Es una iniciativa vecinal para la reactivación temporal del espacio urbano que ocupa el solar de Antonio Grilo, en el Distrito Centro, llevada a cabo por diferentes colectivos y asociaciones implicadas en el proyecto.”. Se plantea como alternativa temporal para la reactivación del solar, actualmente cerrado y abandonado, sólo durante el tiempo en el que las obras previstas para su nuevo uso no se lleven a cabo. Ya que se prevé que pasen años antes de que esto ocurra, y siendo un espacio tan singular y necesario dentro del esquema urbano de la ciudad, proponemos aprovechar esta oportunidad, evitando que el solar permanezca como un espacio vacío y abandonado en el centro de Madrid. Mientras esta situación exista, se plantean otras posibilidades de experiencias ciudadanas, colectivas, libres y públicas.

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El proyecto “Jardin de Maravillas” generara un espacio que esta destinado satis facer las necesidades de la población del barrio de Malasaña ofreciendo actividades alternativas al ocio de consumo siendo un espacio que ponga en valor los recursos locales, tejiendo relaciones entre asociaciones y el tejido vecinal del barrio.

Se proponen fundamentalmente el desarrollo de dos actividades principales aunque se plantea la existencia de más actividades complementarias ya que se plantea la definición de un espacio flexible y polivalente. Las actividades principalmente se vincularan a un huerto comunitario cuyo cultivo se basa en la autoorganización el trabajo ente los habitantes del barrio. Se cultivarán verduras de temporada sin pesticidas ni abonos químicos. Por otro lado se plantea la implantación de una cancha deportiva en la que se plantea el desarrollo del baloncesto no reglado. A pesar de de ser una cancha homologada per mite implementar los escasos espacios destinados para la practica deportiva que existen ene el barrio. Esta cancha tendra un uso polivalente pudiendo utilizarse como cine al aire libre, lugar de asambleas etc…

Además se plantea la urbanización del resto del solar con mobiliario per mitiendo crean zonas de estancia y esparcimiento siendo estos espacios de encuentro y relaccion dentro del Jardin de Maravillas.

3. Finalidad y objetivos.

El barrio adolece de un espacio abierto al ocio no consumista y de disposición vecinal, enfocado hacia la socialización y relaciones entre todos. Niños y adolescentes de la zona, así como el resto de vecinos y vecinas se ven privados de un lugar donde reunirse y disfrutar. Hay una gran demanda ciudadana de espacios públicos y espacios verdes donde se puedan desarrollar actividades lúdicas, culturales, educativas y ambientales, que ayuden a la interacción y, por tanto, a la mejor comprensión de los vecinos con los que se comparte barrio.

La finalidad última del proyecto es facilitar los procesos de ciudadanía activa, mediante la partic ipación activa y consciente de los vecinos en la gestión de espacios públicos del barrio, un lugar de encuentro donde la vecindad pueda dialogar acerca del barrio y sus situaciones problemáticas, buscando, a través de propuestas, soluciones para ello 4. Destinatarios Todos los vecinos del barrio y todas las personas que deseen un nuevo espacio público en el que se propicie el encuentro, el dialogo social y donde se gestan proyectos y propuestas de tipo cultural, social, deportivo... en Madrid. También está destinado a ser un espacio de libre uso para aquellos que quieran dis frutar de sus instalaciones como usuarios, provenientes del barrio y de toda la ciudad, teniendo en cuenta que el centro de Madrid es un espacio del que disfruta toda la ciudad.

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5. Gestión y organización del proyecto Autogestión vecinal del solar con carácter temporal: Dado que creemos en los procesos de ciudadanía activa mediante la participación colectiva, seremos los vecinos y las dif erentes asociaciones los que participemos en la toma de decisiones respecto a las actividades y proyectos a desarrollar, gestionando con responsabilidad el uso de este espacio público y fomentando las relaciones sociales entre todos. La participación y la toma de decisiones se plantean de manera asamblear ia teniendo una reunión semanal con los grupos de trabajo y una asamblea general un día de cada mes Desde la asamblea se trabajará en el proceso de organización de horarios, fechas y actividades pactadas entre las partes, así como de apertura o cierre del solar, garantizando la realiz ación, en la medida de lo posible, de las propuestas procedentes de la voluntad y necesidad de los vecinos.

Todo el espacio está a disposición de todos; cada uno será responsable del cuidado del espacio evitando que las actividades desarrolladas molesten a los vecinos; todas las actividades son gratuitas; cada vecino pone a disposición de los demás una parte de su tiempo para desarrollar y mantener vivo el proyecto. Ya que la pretensión del proyecto es primordialmente dotar a Malasaña de un equipamiento flexible y lúdico a disposición vecinal.

6. Actuaciones program adas Fases.

Una de las primeras actividades que nacerán en el proceso de constitución consistirá fundamentalmente en alimentar el canal de comunicación y participación entre los vecinos del barrio para dar a conocer las nuevas posibilidades de vivencia de este espacio compartido. El objetivo es enfatizar el carácter participativo y propositivo del proyecto.

De esta forma, desde la asamblea del Jardín de Maravillas se recogerán, pactarán y canalizarán las propuestas vecinales, siendo los vecinos que lo deseen los propios organizadores y responsables de los procesos de reactiv ación urbana pactados.

En una segunda fase se realizara la adecuación de los espacios para el fácil acceso de todos los usuarios, mediante labores de limpieza y acondicionado del solar. Posteriormente se ejecutaran las instalaciones preestablecidas. Por un lado el huerto y por otro las pistas deportivas. Una pis ta de baloncesto polivalente de 10x12m Para cualificara el espacio se plantea también la construcción de unas gradas con capacidad de unas 50 personas realizadas

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con baldas de andamio reciclado. Estas baldas tendrá un uso polivalente se plantean como anfiteatro publico que será utilizado para el cine al aire libre, lugar de encuentro etc También se plantea la construcción de una sede que se ubica en el un contenedor de barco. Este se encuentra levantado del suelo sobre un estructura de andamio RH, este espacio tendrá adosado un espacio aterrazado destinado al uso de actividades al aire libre. Debajo del contenedor se dispone de un espacio libre, que per mite tener un espacio cubierto para el desarrollo de actividades lúdicas al aire libre. Se establecerán talleres de autoconstrucción de mobiliario a través del reciclaje de materiales estableciéndose así un grupo de trabajo que destinado a la adecuación del solar.

8. Apoyos ACIBU AMPA deL Colegio Pi Margall Patio Maravillas Todo Por la praxis Consejo Superior de Deportes Idensitat.

9. Financiación.

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10. Documentaci贸n Grafica.

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VdB PLAN DE BARRIO

Virgen de Begoña

Propuestas: Asociación de Vecinos de Begoña.

(1) Introducción.

(2) Propuestas para el Plan de Barrio.

(1) INTRODUCCIÓN. Los vecinos del barrio Virgen de Begoña consideramos importante recalcar que Begoña es un barrio que tuvo vida pero que hoy se encuentra moribundo por varias razones: La gente pionera se ha hecho muy mayor y los nuevos, sobre todo inmigrantes y los jóvenes, no se han integrado constituyendo un nuevo tejido asociativo. En consecuencia, se han perdido los niveles culturales de vida popular de sus primeros tiempos. A su vez, el barrio se ha deteriorado físicamente sin que ninguna actuación municipal haya venido a recuperarle.

Frente a estas razones negativas existen hoy elementos nuevos muy positivos para iniciar la transformación: 1) El Proyecto VdB, que ha sido capaz de un inicio de dinamización del barrio y sus gentes.

2) Una nueva Asociación de Vecinos muy dinámica, en buena parte fruto del trabajo VdB. 3) Una nueva generación de mayores ‐no tan mayores‐ y mucho más preparados.

De esta manera, el marco de referencia del Proyecto VdB permite llevar a cabo actuaciones coordinadas y coherentes, encaminadas hacia el objetivo de la recuperación del barrio, tanto en sus planteamientos urbanísticos, como en los que se refieren al desarrollo del nuevo tejido humano y asociativo, correspondientes a la situación actual. Por lo tanto la propuesta de VdB es el marco bajo el que deseamos encuadrar las actuaciones del Plan de Barrio.

PERTINENCIA. El plan de Barrio se consigue gracias al esfuerzo realizado por los vecinos de Begoña para impulsar un proyecto de regeneración integral participativo: VdB. Durante algo más de un año se han desarrollado actividades enmarcadas en el proyecto VdB, facilitadas por el equipo profesional Paisaje Transversal, a partir de las cuales se ha comenzado a generar propuestas.

El proyecto VdB, en base a su lógica de alcanzar la regeneración integral del barrio, plantea una estrategia intersectorial dirigida a conseguir proyectos a través de las distintas competencias de cada una de las Áreas de Gobierno. El Plan de Barrio responde a uno de lo proyectos que se han negociado a través de VdB, de ahí que el objetivo de la Asociación de Vecinos con el Plan de Barrio sea conseguir que las propuestas que finalmente se aprueben en este Plan, estén en diálogo con el proyecto integral VdB. El fin último será poder alcanzar con ello mayores beneficios para todos los vecinos de Begoña.

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LÍNEAS ESTRATÉGICAS INTEGRALES. A partir de los indicadores cuantitativos del barrio y de las necesidades recogidas a través las actividades realizadas hasta la fecha, se extraen las estrategias generales de regeneración integral del barrio.

‐ Acondicionamiento del entorno físico del barrio con el fin de frenar su deterioro – existen problemas de accesibilidad, vulnerabilidad del espacio público, ruido y confort– para alcanzar un nivel infraestructural, paisajístico y ambiental de calidad para sus residentes, usuarios y trabajadores.

‐ Reactivación sociocultural a través de la puesta en valor de la identidad local y la introducción de recursos creativos e infraestructura que faciliten el acceso a la cultura y fomenten la dinamización social entre los distintos grupos sociales del barrio.

‐ Promoción de diversidad socioeconómica para atraer a residentes jóvenes y generar nuevos tejidos productivos innovadores, generadores de empleo, que aprovechen los recursos existentes, las TIC y la eficiencia energética.

EJES DIRECTORES DEL PLAN DE BARRIO. Con el objetivo de llevar a cabo las estrategias generales se plantean los ejes directores del Plan de Barrio de Begoña:

‐ Fomentar y asegurar la participación ciudadana en los proyectos que lleven a cabo otras por otras Áreas de Gobierno en el barrio en el marco de VdB.

‐ Fortalecer la identidad local apoyando el asociacionismo, la integración cultural entre inmigrantes y autóctonos, y la perspectiva intergeneracional.

‐ Introducir actividades, recursos culturales y deportivos tanto a la escala del distrito como a la escala del barrio principalmente para niños, jóvenes y padres, facilitándoles tanto la creación como el acceso a la cultura y al ocio.

‐ Formación y promoción de empleo entre jóvenes e inmigrantes, con el fin de poner en activo los recursos del barrio y atraer a nuevos puestos de trabajo y residentes.

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(2) PROPUESTAS PARA EL PLAN DE BARRIO

Las propuestas de la Asociación de Vecinos de Begoña para el Plan de Barrio, encaminadas a alcanzar la regeneración integral, están sujetas a una necesidad fundamental, disponer de un espacio de encuentro vecinal, una dotación sociocultural.

La colonia únicamente dispone de dos Colegios, el Centro de Mayores, el Ambulatorio y la Iglesia para los más de 8.500 habitantes del barrio. La Asociación de Vecinos hasta la fecha ha estado realizando su actividad solicitando salas en estos equipamientos o celebrando reuniones en el espacio público, sin embargo la envergadura que están tomando su acciones, sumadas a las iniciativas de otros colectivos, y la necesidad de introducir contenido cultural en el barrio hace necesario disponer de un espacio de forma permanente. Esperamos que el Plan de Barrio pueda ayudar a buscar una solución a este problema, es por ello que una de las propuestas de la Asociación para el Plan se centra en este hecho.

PARTICIPACIÓN, ASOCIACIONISMO, ENTORNO URBANO.

1. Facilitar un espacio o local sociocultural que a su vez sirva de espacio de encuentro para las asociaciones del barrio. Se plantean diversas posibilidades: la cesión de un local o bajo comercial del barrio a través de un convenio que establezca el ayuntamiento con los propietarios del mismo, cesión de una sala de uno de los equipamiento públicos o acondicionamiento del solar calificado como dotación para introducir unos módulos prefabricados que hagan la función de equipamiento sociocultural.

2. Campaña de difusión creativa para ampliar el número de socios de la Asociación de Vecinos y fomentar la participación activa.

3. Talleres participativos y pedagógicos sobre movilidad, con enfoque ecológico y de género. Estarán dirigidos principalmente a mayores (con apoyo del centro de mayores), niños y padres en relación a las escuelas infantiles y colegios, y a vecinos con movilidad reducida.

El objetivo de las actividades será a través de dinámicas participativas determinar la percepción de los distintos colectivos de los recorridos peatonales prioritarios a mejorar, las posibilidades de reordenación del aparcamiento en superficie y a la sensibilización sobre el impacto ambiental del vehículo motorizado.

(Esta actividad es complementaria al proyecto a desarrollar por el Área de Movilidad y Medio Ambiente).

4. Actividades participativas sobre el paisaje y el espacio libre más afectado del barrio con el objetivo de detener su proceso de deterioro. Las actividades van dirigidas a todos los colectivos vulnerables del barrio (mayores, niños, jóvenes e inmigrantes) con el fin de que se apropien del espacio público, de tal modo que lo cuiden y lo valoren.

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El contenido estará relacionado con el arte urbano participativo, potenciador de la creatividad y la convivencia (instalaciones, concursos de grafiti, juegos urbanos…).

(Esta actividad es complementaria al proyecto a desarrollar por el Área de Artes).

5. Escuela taller y cursos de jardinería, huertos urbanos y cuidados de espacios verdes, para capacitar al colectivo desempleado. Además de formación se realizarán prácticas para mejorar el estado de los espacios verdes del barrio y fomentar la autogestión de los espacios libres.

INTEGRACIÓN Y APOYO SOCIAL

6. Programa de actividades lúdicas, pedagógicas y creativas intergeneracionales asociado al centro de mayores, dirigido a niños y mayores, con el fin de generar espacios de encuentro en el que los mayores puedan enseñar a los niños y viceversa.

Este programa se realizará en los huertos pedagógicos que se van a implantar en el barrio asociados a los colegios. En un futuro se extenderá a otras localizaciones.

(Esta actividad es complementaria al proyecto a desarrollar por el Área de Movilidad y Medio Ambiente).

7. Actividades participativas y culturales dirigidas a fomentar las relaciones de la población inmigrante con los autóctonos. Actividades de intercambio cultural, de confraternización e integración (talleres de cocina del mundo, bailes latinos, músicas del mundo…). Según los resultados y las demandas se complementará con asesoramiento al colectivo para constituir una asociación.

8. Proceso participativo para conocer las necesidades del barrio desde la perspectiva de género. Según los resultados bien se fomentará el potencial del colectivo de viudas o se realizarán programas de apoyo a las madres o cualquier otra.

9. Desarrollar un programa social “quedamos después de clase”, “la tarde más joven” o clases de apoyo, para ampliar el horario escolar de los niños con menores recursos económicos y facilitar con ello la conciliación laboral.

10. Programa de mayores voluntarios con el barrio. Impulsar a través del centro de mayores un programa para poner en activo las capacidades manuales e intelectuales de los mayores del barrio y revertir en el beneficio de todos. Dirigida a apoyar a los mayores con más dificultades y a padres que requieran apoyo familiar.

11. Actividades dirigidas a conocer las necesidades del colectivo de padres adolescentes del barrio para incluir en proyectos de formación, asesorarles en la búsqueda de empleo, o cualquier necesidad que se detecte.

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12. Campaña de información y asesoramiento a todas las comunidades de vecinos sobre las subvenciones para introducir ascensores, prioritariamente a todos los edificios en los que residan personas con movilidad reducida. Se complementará con información sobre las subvenciones y ahorros a alcanzar con la rehabilitación energética de viviendas.

(Esta actividad es complementaria al proyecto a desarrollar por el Área de Urbanismo y Vivienda).

IDENTIDAD Y CULTURA

13. Plan de Identidad: el pasado, el presente y el futuro del barrio. Actividades participativas dirigidas a todos los colectivos, apoyadas en el Centro de Mayores y los Colegios con el fin de poner en valor el barrio y despertar el interés cultural.

Se desarrollarán actividades participativas para recopilar información a través de fotos, grabaciones, textos, sobre el pasado y el presente del barrio. Este material se editaría y difundiría posteriormente mediante periódicos digitales, fanzines vecinales u otros.

14. Proceso participativo a través del cual detectar las actividades culturales más demandadas y potenciar actividades que puedan ser desarrolladas por los vecinos del barrio. Estarán dirigidas principalmente a niños y jóvenes, dado que no disponen de ningún tipo de oferta en el barrio.

Se propone la creación de una agenda cultural que incluya temas de formación, exhibición (exposiciones) y difusión (charlas): constitución de grupos de teatro, música, danza, lectura, deportes, artesanía, corte y confección, etc. Como actividad complementaria e importante se propone promocionar un banco del tiempo.

15.Promoción de actividades deportivas para niños y sus familias en las pistas existentes, el parque y los espacios libres. Para su correcto desarrollo será necesario adecuar los espacios con mobiliario deportivo: mesas de ping‐pong, petanca, juegos de niños... En caso de nos ser posible introducir este equipamiento se propone llevar a cabo procesos de diseño colaborativo y autoconstrucción asociado a universidades y Fab‐Lab para ejecutar el equipamiento.

16.Poner en marcha en el barrio una actividad cultural o socioeconómica a escala de distrito con el fin de posicionarlo en el mismo.

Para ello se propone impulsar un proceso de negociación y dinamización participativa para poner en contacto agentes del barrio interesados , con agentes externos de otros barrios del distrito y de Madrid en general, con el fin de detectar la actividad más potencial y ponerla en marcha. La actividad necesariamente tendrá que poner en valor las riquezas del barrio y generar posibilidades de autoempleo al colectivo de desempleados.

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17. Solicitar a los centros culturales, centros sociales y bibliotecas públicas más cercanas, como Rafael Alberti, que desplacen algunos de sus cursos y actividades al barrio de Begoña, tanto actividades interiores como que puedan desarrollarse en el espacio público.

18. Dinamizar la creación de una red de préstamo de recursos culturares entre los centros y bibliotecas del distrito con el fin de que las distintas asociaciones del distrito puedan tener acceso a recursos culturales humanos y técnicos para desarrollar actividades culturales (monitores, proyectores, equipos de música, cámaras, gradas…).

EMPLEO E INNOVACIÓN

19. Se propone la creación de una plataforma que fomente la marca VdB , para apoyar a los empresarios y comerciantes del barrio y generar empleo.

La plataforma incluye a los comerciantes, las empresas del polígono industrial y las empresas de los edificios terciarios de Llano Castellano y promoverá encuentros para generar colaboraciones entre ellos. A su vez se propone llegar a acuerdos en los que se demande a las empresas ubicadas próximas al barrio la contratación de residentes del barrio.

20. Crear una bolsa de empleo dirigida a los desempleados del barrio que esté directamente relacionada con la plataforma de empresarios y comerciantes, llegando a acuerdos para facilitar la contratación de residentes de Begoña.

21. Cursos de formación en nuevas tecnologías para fomentar el empleo entre el colectivo de desempleados. Se proponen desarrollar cursos teóricos sobre TIC, redes sociales e informática general, combinados con trabajos prácticos para generar y fomentar las plataformas digitales del barrio y así mejorar la identidad e inteligencia digital del mismo.

(Esta propuesta se quiere combinar con empresas privadas, con el fin de incluir un espacio libre wifi en el barrio y fomentar la inteligencia ciudadana como smartcity)

22. Programa para atraer a jóvenes emprendedores a instalarse en los bajos comerciales vacíos, a través de reducciones de impuestos y alquileres bajos o gratuitos. A cambio de estas ventajas se demandará que realicen trabajos para el barrio, asociarse, cuidar de espacios verdes, desarrollar cursos formativos, etc.

Esta propuesta también puede dirigirse a desarrollar acuerdos con centros de enseñanza para adultos para instalarse en el barrio a través de reducciones de impuestos y alquileres bajos o gratuitos a cambio de formar a bajo coste o formar gratuitamente a un porcentaje de sus alumnos que sean habitantes del barrio.

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MERCADO SANTA CATERINA

ARQUITECTO: Enric Miralles, Benedetta Tagliabue LUGAR: España, Barcelona FECHA: 2005 Esta reconstrucción del antiguo mercado conserva únicamente la fachada y las puertas de entrada.

La cubierta se transforma en la fachada más importante del edificio, con el inconveniente de que solamente es visible desde la altura y, por ahora, no está prevista la posibilidad de que exista un mirador que permita contemplarla.

La estructura del mercado de Santa Caterina está formada por un conjunto de bóvedas de madera irregulares, unas biarticuladas otras triarticuladas, que se apoyan en vigas de acero de sección y directriz variable sustentadas, a su vez, en vigas y pilares de hormigón. Un conjunto de tres grandes arcos de 42 metros de luz sujetan centralmente las vigas de acero.

Enric Miralles murió antes de finalizar la construcción de la obra.

Wimbledon Centre Court

The new roof and expanded seating at Centre Court at Wimbledon is seeing the last of finishing touches - this will allow games to continue when rain starts.

Colchester Stadium, 10,000 Due north-east of London on the A12/Great Easter Main Line is Colchester - a large commuter town of London. The local football team has left its old site and is moving to a new stadium that has a 10,000 seated capacity.

Silverstone F1 Race Track The home to the British Grand Prix, Silverstone has also seen plans approved that will see its facilities greatly improved.

The substantial redevelopment programme will see an all-new paddock constructed on the straight between Club and Abbey corners, both of which will be realigned.

It will be the first time in Silverstone's history that the pit lane has been relocated from the straight between Woodcote and Copse.

The work is considered vital to secure the future of the British Grand Prix, which has been in doubt for many years amid continued criticism of the circuit from Bernie Ecclestone.

The council's deputy leader Michael Edmonds said the area was very supportive of Silverstone and keen to help the circuit maintain its Formula 1 status.

"This is an exciting project that will help Silverstone retain the British Grand Prix and strengthen its international role as a world-class motorsport facility," he said.

London 2012 Olympic Stadium, 80,000 Some pictures from the planning documents for the 2012 Olympic Stadium 80,000 capacity.

And an idea of the area at the moment - note the retention of the bridge in the foreground

Five firms have been lined up to bid for the deal to build the rowing facilities for the 2012 Olympic Games.

The rowing regatta – which saw Britain top the medal table at last month's Beijing Olympics with half a dozen medals including two golds – will be held at the rowing centre of Eton College on Dorney Lake at Windsor in Berkshire.

Flatwater canoeing, which saw Team GB secure a gold last month as well, will also be held at the lake.

Big hitters Balfour Beatty and Carillion, which are building the aquatics centre and media centre respectively, have been joined by the two firms responsible for the clear-up of the main Olympic Park site in east London – Nuttall and Morrison. The fifth bidder is Norwest Holst.

Work will include building a 50 m span bridge for cars and pedestrians over an entrance to the warm-up lake as well as a cut-through to both the rowing and warm-up lakes.

The contract is due to be awarded early in 2009 with the work due to start later that year. * Author: David Rogers. News Editor

Designs for the London 2012 Olympics Velodrome have been unveiled

Looking North

Looking South-East

Looking South

Five outdoor gyms to be built in Olympic boroughs Anna Davis 11.09.08 A ÂŁ1 million Olympic project designed to boost the health of a generation of children was unveiled today.

A chain of outdoor gyms aimed at cutting obesity is opening across London to bring the benefits of the 2012 Games to everyone living in the Olympic boroughs.

The "adiZones", built by Olympic sponsor adidas, are expected to last for 20 years.

The move is supported by Olympic gold medal winner Christine Ohuruogu. The 400m runner said: "The adiZones are wonderful spaces where young people can meet up, hang out and get involved in sport.

"The Standard's legacy campaign is so important. I grew up in Stratford and the sports facilities when I was a kid always needed to be continually developed to attract more youngsters to them.

"We've got a once in a lifetime opportunity with the Games coming to London and

I fully support what the Standard is doing in helping to make sure that the promises made when we won the Olympics are achieved."

Nick Craggs, director of marketing at adidas, said: "Our commitment is to help to provide a legacy of increased sports participation which has to last longer than the Games.

"Adidas is highly involved with supporting the sporting elite, but we also want to support the grass roots end.

"We want to get the community involved in the Olympics in the broader sense.

Adidas wholeheartedly supports the Evening Standard's charter to deliver an Olympic legacy." Each of the five 625m square gyms will contain "safe"' machines, which use a person's body weight as resistance rather than free weights.

The first "adiZone", which opened in Tower Hamlets this week, also contains a tennis wall, basketball nets, and a dance area. Waltham Forest, Greenwich, Hackney, and Newham will all get their own gyms by the end of next month.

The gyms are designed to help children find out what sports they are good at. If they enjoy using a particular-exercise machine they can find out what sport uses those muscles.

Mr Craggs said: "The vast majority of sport that children are exposed to is team sport such as football. This will show boys and girls of all ages that there are other sports out there.

"On each piece of equipment there are details of what sport they can use the exercises for and the name of a local club they can join.

"So on a fitness bike there will be the details of the local cycling club."

The outdoor gyms will be built on land belonging to local authorities.

Mr Craggs said: "This is a direct investment from adidas to local authorities which wouldn't have the cash to spend on this themselves.

"We hope this makes a difference to the health of a generation. Getting the nation healthier is at the top of everyone's agenda. The five zones are in the host boroughs because of the high levels of inactivity there and because the investment they get are not very high."

The Evening Standard is campaigning for a lasting 2012 Olympic legacy, including access to top-class sporting facilities for all and a system of "Olympic Champions" with top athletes going into schools to inspire children.

The campaign has already been backed by sports stars including Olympic swimmer Michael Phelps and boxer James DeGale from Harlesden, who won gold in Beijing.

New 60,000 Stadium for London

Dubai builds its super-talls. London builds its stadiums.

Below are the first images of Tottenham Hotspurs new 60,000 capacity stadium to replace White Hart Lane their current stadium (capacity of 36,000). Spurs are looking for a new stadium to compete (fan and revenue wise) with their arch-rivals Arsenal who recently built a 60,000 (Emirates) stadium 4 miles down the road.

There are at present three stadiums over 60,000 in London: - Wembley - 90,000 - Twickenham - 82,500

- Emirates Stadium - 60,000 The Olympic Stadium (80,000 capacity) is under construction, as are other supporting Olympic venues.

West Ham and Chelsea (two other Premiership temas) have plans for 60,000 capacity stadiums which would bring the number of stadiums over 60,000 capacity to 6! No other city can compare for sport.

A - Panorama of the entire Olympic construction site.

8 - Another impressive panorama from the Olympic Stadium to Stratford Station.

Olympic Park/Stratford City post London 2012 A few excellent pics of the post-2012 London Olympics site.

1 - Looking south roughly along the GMT line (02 in the background, Canary Wharf just to the right). South Stratford City is the area with towers and the golden structure. North Stratford City (or the Olympic Village during the games) is to the left next door to the Velodrome.

2 - Closer view of the River Lea, and the Olympic Park in legacy mode, Olympic Stadium with Canary Wharf are visible.

3 - Similar as above, but further out - the Olympic Park will for comparisons sake be slightly larger than Central Park, New York.

4 - Another view of the park - all the residential and commercial development around the park steps down so as to give the impression that the park is more wilderness, than slap bang in East London.

New White Hart Lane, 58,237 - Proposed Tottenham Hotspurs (or Spurs for short) have officially announced their plans for rebuilding their stadium in North London. It will be built on the current stadium site, with an all-seated capacity of 58,237 spread across four tiers.

Spurs have a large fan base, but have in recent seasons been under performing, and while construction costs have fallen, financing is a big hurdle to be crossed.

Another issue that the owners face is that unlike their bitter rivals Arsenal who built the 60,000 Emirates Stadium a few years ago - White Hart Lane lacks the numerous train lines to allow fans to easily leave the stadium and surrounding area. There are four (three of which are tube) stations surrounding the Emirates, compared to two (none are tube) stations for White Hart Lane.

Also like the Emirates, White Hart Lane is located in an urban area and parking is not a serious consideration, unlike most North American stadia. The great bonus of this is that the communities are tight-knit with business and residential premises right up against the stadiums, creating an eccentric neighbourhood atmopshere absent in the US and Canada (ie no swathes of car park).

Being so close to the community also means that the new stadium will incorporate new facilites for the community including a new public square, new housing, a hotel, a museum, and shops.

The new White Hart Lane would become London's fifth largest stadium (Wembley: 90,000, Twickenham: 82,000, 2012 Stadium: 80,000, Emirates: 60,000), but it could be London's 7th largest stadium if West Ham (60,000) and Chelsea (60,000) manage to officially announce, finance and build their stadiums.

Pictures sourced by Jim B at SSC.

Wimbledon Centre Court, Retractable Roof Work is coming to a close on an expanded Centre Court (15,000 capacity) with a new retractable roof.

Aquatics Centre Update of the 2012 Aquatic Centre from the ODA. Images and tex sourced by DarJoLe from SSC. New images released by the Olympic Delivery Authority (ODA) show that the wave-shaped roof of the London 2012 Aquatics Centre has reached its halfway point.

The lift of the 160m long 2,800 tonne roof started just three months ago and is considered one of the most complex engineering and construction challenges of the Olympic Park ‘big build’. The roof frame, built with steel fabricated in Newport and assembled on site on just three concrete supports, is on track to be completed this summer.

The Zaha Hadid designed Aquatics Centre will be the gateway to the Park and in legacy will provide two 50m swimming pools, a diving pool and dry diving area facilities London does not have at present.

ODA Chief Executive David Higgins said: 'Work on the Aquatics Centre is on track and the sweeping roof that will form the ‘Gateway to the Games’ is taking shape in the skyline alongside the Olympic Stadium.

'The big lift one of the toughest construction and engineering challenges on the Olympic Park. It is showcasing the world class expertise delivering the venues and infrastructure for London 2012 and regenerating east London for future generations.'

Chairman of the London 2012 Organising Committee Sebastian Coe said: 'The Aquatics Centre is going to be a spectacular venue for the Games in 2012 and its iconic roof will be a fantastic addition to the east London skyline. At Gamestime, I personally hope it will be the scene of further success for Team GB, but just as importantly I look forward to London at last having a state of the art aquatics facility for elite and community use for decades to come. Progress has been impressive, but the long term significance of this venue is something really quite special.'

Raising the roof When complete the 160m long column-free and up to 90m wide roof will rest on two concrete supports at the northern end and a 28m long and 5m wide, supporting ‘wall’ at its southern end.

A huge 30m steel truss weighing over 70 tonnes has been lifted into place on top of the southern wall and this been connected to ten steel trusses which will span up to 120m to the two northern roof supports.

Steel trusses fabricated in Newport from plate rolled in Gateshead, Motherwell and Scunthorpe, are being assembled on the Aquatics Centre site and connected together 20m off the ground on three rows of temporary support trestles.

Twenty five trusses are in place and once the huge steel roof frame is complete this summer it will be lifted up to two metres at its southern end, turning on complex rotating joints in the northern roof supports. The temporary trestles will be removed and the 160m long roof frame lowered on to its three permanent roof supports, which have been built with over 20,000 tonnes of concrete.

As the full weight of the roof rests on its supports it will slide approximately 20cm into its joints on the southern wall. The roof has been designed, through wind tunnel testing and computer modelling, to stretch, twist and contract in response to the effects of snow, wind and changing temperatures.

Once the steel roof is in place this summer work will begin on the aluminium roof covering. Installation will then start next year on the timber cladding of the ceiling which will sweep outside to cover the northern roof supports.

The foundations of the permanent venue are complete and work will begin on the pool structure once the steel roof is complete.

Aquatics Centre factfile 1. The Zaha Hadid designed Aquatics Centre is located in the south of the Olympic Park and will be the main ‘Gateway into the Games', hosting swimming, diving, synchronised swimming, water polo finals and the swimming discipline of the Modern Pentathlon 2. The Aquatics Centre will have a capacity of 17,500 during the Games, reducing to a maximum of 2,500 in legacy, with the ability to add 1,000 for major events, and provide two 50m swimming pools, a diving pool and dry diving area - facilities London does not have at present 3. Eleven industrial buildings have been demolished on the 55,000 m2 site.

4. Around 160,000 tonnes of soil have been dug out on of what was one of the more challenging and complex areas of the Olympic Park, contaminated with pollutants including petrol, oil, tar, solvents and heavy metals such as arsenic and lead 5. Four skeletons were discovered and removed from a prehistoric settlement discovered on the site of the Aquatics Centre.

6. 140,000 tonnes of clean soil has been brought from other areas of the Olympic Park to prepare for construction to start.

7. Balfour Beatty is building the Aquatics Centre and huge land-bridge that forms the roof of the training pool and the main pedestrian access to the Olympic Park.

Construction work will be complete in 2011 for test events ahead of the Games.

8. The sweeping roof, which is 160m long and 80m at its widest point, is an innovative 2,800 tonne steel structure with a striking and robust aluminium covering resting on three supports.

9. 25 steel trusses are already in place with the roof starting to take shape in the skyline.

10. The roof will be internally and externally clad with timber. The team is currently finalising its selection of the most appropriate timber both for the Games and in legacy before installation in 2010.

11. The river that runs alongside the venue has been widened by eight metre by building 550m of new river walls.

12. The huge completed southern roof support is nine metre high, 28m long, over 5 metres wide, using 850mÂł of concrete

13. A 3,000 tonne concrete ‘bridge’ has been built spanning and protecting the tunnels which have been dug to run powerlines beneath the site. The northwest roof support has been built on top of this base.

14. Construction is complete on both the 18.5m tall north east and north west roof supports.

15. The foundations are complete for the huge landbridge that forms the main pedestrian entrance to the Olympic Park and the roof of the training pool in the Aquatics Centre and work is underway on all of the bridge supports.

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London 2012 Olympics Pictures of the Olympic Village and new renders have been released

Otto, Frei Paul

Frei Paul Otto – Atelier Frei Otto Warmbronn Engineering Specialties: (1) Architectural Design Branched Construction Convertible Construction Net Construction Pneumatic Construction Suspended Construction Tensile Fabric Construction Space Frames Structural Efficiency Energy Efficient Habitats Spotlight: Frei Paul Otto Frei Otto is an architect, architectural theorist, and engineer. (1) He was born in Siegmar, currently part of Chemitz, in 1925. Before Otto was drafted into WWII as a fighter pilot, he studied Architecture in Berlin. He was then held in a French POW camp where he started experimenting with tents for shelter. Otto studied engineering at the Technische Unversitat in Berlin from 1948 to 1950. He then earned his doctorate in tensioned construction in 1954. (2) Otto founded the famous Institute for Lightweight Structures at the University of Stuttgart in 1964 and led the Institute till his retirement. He is a noted designer for the revival and design of the tent as a structural form and for exploring complex shapes through models such as soap films and wire models. (3) Otto is still active as an architect and engineer and is an honorary member of American Institute of Architects (AIA) and Royal British Institue of Architects (RIBA). (1) Selected Projects:

German Pavillion – Montreal, Canada

Olympiapark Roof – Munich, Germany

Tuwaiq Palace – Saudi Arabia

Japan Pavilion, EXPO 2000 – Hannover, Germany

Stuttgart Highspeed Railway Station – Stuttgart, Germany References: (1) “Frei Otto,” Architectural Engineers of the 20th and 21st Century: The University of Texas at Austin, research by Cynthia Hua. (2) Archinform – Prof. Dr.-Ing. Frei Otto (3) Art Encyclopedia – Oxford Grove Art: Frei Otto

Pao for the Tokyo nomad girl.

Toyo Ito.

El desvanecimiento del sujeto tradicional, y de su propia ligazón a un lugar o a un linaje especifico, en favor de pautas vitales mucho más diversas y multi-articuladas, conlleva también la conversión de los modos de habitar tradicionales en prácticas mucho más “borrosas”.

Toyo Ito hace explícita estas nuevas “prácticas del habitar” en Pao 1 y Pao 2.

La casa de la chica nómada parasita la ciudad de Tokyo, estalla sobre ella, apropiándose de su infraestructura de ocio y trabajo, y reduciendo el lugar de la intimidad a elementos tenues y mínimos, livianos y móviles, en los que realizar las funciones más ligadas a la existencia inmediata de su dueña: información, descanso y embellecimiento.

La chica nómada y su casa-crisálida se disuelven en el medio urbano de Tokyo: “navegan” por la ciudad, sin resistirse a su movimiento, sus ideas y sus acciones.

Potsdamer Platz - Berlin Atracciones turísticas

Es la representación del nuevo Berlín, singular y como siempre dinámico, lo que se espera de una metrópoli moderna en el centro de Europa, por lo tanto Potsdamer Platz es uno de los lugares más concurridos de la ciudad.

Después de la inauguración de la estación del metro Potsdamer Bahnhof en 1838, el lugar tranquilo y algo provincial aun llamado Platz vor dem Potsdamer Thor, vivió un desarrollo rasante y se convirtió en uno de los lugares más concurridos de Europa. Después de la fundación del Imperio Alemán en 1871, el apogeo económico de Berlín incentivó la industria de la construcción y afianzó su carácter comercial y cultural.

Antes de terminar el siglo, hoteles de lujo como el Grand-Hotel Bellevue y el Palast-Hotel abrieron sus puertas frente a la Plaza. El Fürstenhof fue inaugurado en 1907, y el Esplanade un año después.

En la década de 1920, la Plaza con una red de metro (U-Bahn), tren urbano (S-Bahn), 26 lineas de tranvías (Tram) y 5 lines de buses, era la más transitada de Europa. Se contaron hasta 20,000 autos y 83,000 personas que pasaban diariamente por la Plaza. El 1. de octubre de 1926 la Plaza fue testigo de la instalación del primer semáforo en Europa, remarcando así el toque moderno y futurista de la metrópoli.

Así como la ciudad que la alberga la Plaza tiene un dinamismo y estilo singular, al lado de lo clásico como las Torhäuser diseñadas por Karl Friedrich Schinkel en 1824, también se habilitó el espacio necesario para lo moderno como la Columbushaus de Erich Mendelsohn, construída en 1932.

En los años 20 del siglo pasado, muchos establecimientos legendarios marcaron la imagen de la ciudad hasta nuestros días. Los más famosos fueron el Europa-Tanz-Pavillon, Ufa-Filmpalas, Meisel-PschorrBräuhaus, Café Josty (punto de reunión de la literatura y el arte), pero el favorito de todos (hasta comienzos de la Primera Guerra Mundial en 1914 conocido como Café Piccadilly, luego Kaffee Vaterland), en 1928 ampliado y rebautizado fue el Haus Vaterland. Bajo la dirección la familia Kempinski era indudablemente el Palacio de la Diversión del País. Célebres también fueron Wiener Café, Weinlokal Grinzing, Bierstube Löwenbräu, así como Rheinterrassen (uno de los Restaurants en Vaterland), donde la atracción principal se repetía varias veces al día, una tormenta simulada con truenos y relámpagos incluidos.

Potsdamer Platz fue casi totalmente destruida en la Segunda Guerra Mundial, sólo la antigua Weinhaus Huth y la ruina del Hotel Esplanade sobrevivieron los bombardeos... y la post guerra también. Al terminar la guerra, Potsdamer Platz fue frontera de tres sectores de administración de los aliados, el sector americano, británico y soviético. Posición estratégica que permitió el florecimiento del mercado negro.

Algunos establecimientos famosos reabrieron sus puertas modestamente, sin la gloria y el lujo de tiempos pasados, como Haus Vaterland que instaló un restaurant en el antiguo Palacio de la Diversión, pero en la Sublevación del Pueblo el 17 de junio de 1953, con demostraciones violentas de protesta, se incendiaron nuevamente. En los años siguientes las tensiones políticas empeoraron la situación, la zona no era interesante para los inversionistas y las ruinas sobrevivientes de la guerra fueron cayendo en el abandono.

La construcción del Muro de Berlín en 1961, que cruzaba el área en la parte oeste, atrajo nuevamente la atención mundial pero empeoró aun más el potencial comercial de la zona. Hasta mediados de los años 70 las ruinas vacías fueron demolidas, convirtiendo al área entre Pariser Platz y Potsdamer Platz en "zona de nadie". En ninguna otra parte del Muro era tan ancho el "corredor de la muerte". La Caída del Muro de Berlín, el 9 de noviembre de 1989, cambió la situación repentinamente, el corredor se convirtió en el terreno más caro y codiciado de la ciudad. Poco después, en 1990, la "zona de nadie" fue lugar del

concierto de rock más grande en la historia conocida hasta ese momento, Roger Waters dirigiendo The Wall.

Muy pronto el Senado de Berlín vendió el terreno al Consorcio Automotriz Daimler-Benz AG. El negocio se ganó la crítica de varios sectores, por un lado la rapidez del acuerdo y el precio, y por otro el diseño arquitectónico a realizarse. El Senado prefería una Reconstrucción Crítica, proyecto diseñado por los arquitectos Hilmer und Sattler, de estilo arquitectónico post moderno orientado tradicionalmente con aleros y bloques estructurales. Los inversionistas descontentos con los planes del Senado, salieron a la ofensiva presentando un proyecto alternativo del famoso arquitecto Richard Rogers, y lograron imponerlo.

El arquitecto Rem Koolhaas, miembro del Jurado del Concurso Arquitectónico, renunció a su cargo en 1991 alegando que la opción elegida representaba el carácter diletante de la ciudad.

Potsdamer Platz fue la obra de construcción más grande de los años 90. Sony Center, con 27,000 m², fue diseñado por el arquitecto norteamericano-alemán Helmut Jahn. Atracción principal aquí es el techo ovalado en forma de paraguas que parece estar flotando sobre las estructuras. El diseño de Quartier Daimler (70,000 m²) fue encargado al famoso arquitecto italiano Renzo Piano. El punto central de Quartier Daimler es la Plaza Marlene Dietrich, donde todos los años se realiza El Festival de Cine de Berlín, más conocido como la Berlinale.

En Berlín se recuerda con mucha satisfacción uno de los momentos más espectaculares durante la construcción del Sony Center, una de las dos ruinas sobrevivientes del pasado, el Hotel Esplanade fue movido 75 m para integrarlo al conjunto arquitectónico ahora existente. Los ingenieros del proyecto demostraron su habilidad colocando rodillos hidráulicos en la base. Los históricos restos de la Sala del Kaiser, la Sala del Desayuno, así como el Patio de las Palmeras sirvieron de escenario en 1987 para la

filmación de la pelicula "el cielo sobre Berlín" de Wim Wenders. Otro de los tantos momentos históricos es cuando la segunda ruina, das Weinhaus Huth fue levantada para construír un sótano nuevo. Ahora es un restaurante.

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