Presentation of the site – 22@ Innovation District, Barcelona, Spain
It is a district area with scattered housing in the middle of industrial areas. It is in one of the most economically dynamic areas of the metropolitan area of Barcelona. After 20 years, most of the economic development objectives of the area have been achieved, but some issues remain. These are being addressed through the new planning framework approved in September 2020. This framework seeks to rebalance the neighborhood from an urban, social, economic and environmental point of view, achieving an inclusive and sustainable neighborhood with mixed uses.
For this, the percentage of buildable area dedicated to economic activity and housing (which must be mainly affordable) have been modified. Alongside this, mandatory sustainability criteria have been established for buildings and public spaces, and the green corridors program, that structures the neighborhood, is introduced in accordance with the general scheme of green corridors for the entire City.
With this competition, the City expects to receive redevelopment projects that could serve as a model for a low-carbon, sustainable and inclusive city and that will provide new fresh ideas and solutions to help the City face the post-pandemic environmental, housing, health, and economic crisis.
The proposal – 22@ a time
“22@ a Time” is based on innovative solutions, urban transformation, self sustainable urbanization and placemaking. The objective is to build the foundation for a transformative process by means of infrastructural hubs and programs to reduce the use of both energy and greenhouse gas emissions.
The transitional model requires that some hubs generate dynamic transformation and co-management between various stakeholders (the municipality, citizens, stakeholders). Each hub is capable of functioning independently, but the collaboration between hubs permits the activation of a circular system which forms the foundation of a sustainable community. Different solutions are implemented to manage energy, waste and boost sustainable mobility. The project proposes among others a manufacturing athenaeum, a distribution and storage centre for trucks, social housing units always reusing pre-existing buildings and materials. An innovative proposal that poses urban planning as a dynamic, adaptive and open process, proposing progressive colonization and activation of the area. It also incorporates participation and co-governance mechanisms.
Key components of 22@ a time
- This proposal generates a new city model focused on co-design and co-management, which boosts citizen involvement in the transformation and management of their own community.
- Activate six hubs – CoCo House (Centro de Co-diseño y Co-gestión), Athenaeum of Fabrication, micro platform for the distribution of goods from trucks, shared storage facility, green hub and the in-sitio construction fabrication – to start promoting the assets of the area and start building a more sustainable community.
- The benefit of this model is the growing unification of the different hubs.
The winning team
Team members: Riccardo Palazzolo Henkes, Alvaro Cerezo Carrizo, Marta Galdys, Íñigo Estaban Marina, Leyla Saadi, Nadh Ha Naseer – IAAC, Master in City & Technology (MaCT)
Mahsa Nikoufar – IAAC MaCT Alumni & current PhD student at Edinburgh Napier University
Advisor: Mathilde Marengo – MaCT Faculty
Check out the TEDxCountdown talk of our winning team!