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Ecosistema Urbano prequalifies for a planning competition in Kiruna, Sweden

Category: ⚐ EN+competitions+ecosistema urbano+news+urbanism

Ecosistema Urbano has, together with the Norwegian architecture office 70°N arkitektur, the Danish landscape studio Kristine Jensen, the Swedish lighting firm Ljusarkitektur and Atkins engineers, been prequalified for the planning competition in Kiruna, Sweden.

Kiruna kommune has shortlisted 10 international teams —out of 56 that were applying— for the next phase of the competition.

Kiruna Center from the southwest, with the LKAB facilities in the foreground

It’s an unusual, but very interesting challenge the Municipality of Kiruna is facing after more than a century of mining by the LKAB company. The ground is becoming unstable as some of the main tunnels are localised right underneath the city, so the city centre and all other areas affected will have to be relocated. In a time frame of approximately 20 to 25 years, some 400,000 sq. m. of housing and non-housing development will need to be replaced within the forecasting line of LKAB’s next main level, 1,365 metres below ground.

Map of Kiruna

The aim for the competition is to create a sustainable, distinctive and pleasant urban environment, a city centre linking together surrounding housing and industrial areas with the whole city and constituting the natural hub of the new Kiruna. This is an opportunity for creating something completely new, emanating from Kiruna’s unique history, to accommodate future needs and the desire for good living in an Arctic climate.

Kiruna, view of the city centre

We are very excited to start working with the other firms in our team in this competition, and we look forward to develop the future Kiruna during autumn 2012.

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Cáceres: strategic planning for innovation and creativity

Category: ⚐ EN+urbanism

In the context of the extensive process to develop the Innovative and Creative Urban Strategic Plan (Plan Estratégico de Innovación y Creatividad Urbana), Cacéres City Council is calling INTA to help make its project a national and international reference.

The panel is intervening between the participatory and the design phases. INTA will involve its membership network in this challenging participatory process leading to an Innovative and Creative Urban Strategic Plan. INTA will expand on the proposals already made by several local working groups and comments received from external observers, providing a wider international input to the process.

Ecosistema Urbano, represented by Belinda Tato, will take part in this event. continue reading