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Estrategia para activar el cambio | Frente marítimo de West Palm Beach

Category: ⚐ ES+concursos+ecosistema urbano+sostenibilidad+urbanismo+work in progress

El proyecto Open Shore, del cual estamos actualmente desarrollando algunas partes, propone soluciones a algunos de los retos de la ciudad de West Palm Beach, Florida, desde varias perspectivas complementarias. Retos que, por otro lado, comparte con muchas otras ciudades costeras.

A continuación os contamos con más detalle nuestra estrategia para activar el cambio en el frente de la ciudad hacia la laguna.

Como se presenta en la página web del concurso Shore to Core, West Palm Beach es una ciudad joven en pleno crecimiento. La región se asocia generalmente con la importante comunidad de personas retiradas que se mudan allí en busca de un estilo de vida más relajado y un mejor clima, pero además hay una creciente población de jóvenes entre 20 y 30 años, así como una gran comunidad afroamericana e hispánica. El centro de la ciudad y las 10 millas de frente marítimo brindan una gran oportunidad para desarrollar nuevas actividades que conecten con diferentes sectores de la población.

Algunas de las preguntas planteadas por el concurso era: ¿Cómo re-imaginar el centro de la ciudad para hacerlo más atractivo y vibrante? ¿Cómo pueden las ciudades recabar información que alimente las estrategias adaptación y crecimiento? ¿Cómo podemos facilitar la interacción social entre grupos diversos? ¿Cómo podemos construir un ambiente que mejore la vida de los residentes física, mental y socialmente?

En este artículo os compartimos el análisis previo y la estrategia general que utilizamos para generar el diseño de cada área del proyecto.

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Banyan Hub | Un nuevo catalizador urbano en West Palm Beach

Category: ⚐ ES+arquitectura+ecosistema urbano+sostenibilidad


Tras ganar el concurso internacional Shore to Core,promovido por West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) y convocado por el Van Alen Institute in 2017, Ecosistema Urbano está desarrollando varias partes de la propuesta, entre ellas el visionario edificio Banyan Hub.

El proyecto Banyan Hub surge de la intuición de la ciudad de West Palm Beach y del CRA de transformar el actual Banyan Garage, un edificio de aparcamiento de los años 70 ubicado en el corazón de la ciudad, en una nueva oportunidad para activar la ciudad, un hub para decenas de nuevas actividades para residentes y visitantes.

Ecosistema Urbano ha finalizado el Schematic Design del proyecto que ha sido aprobado oficialmente por la Comisión de la Ciudad de West Palm Beach el pasado 22 de octubre. El proyecto se seguirá desarrollando en los próximos meses.

El Banyan Hub en el contexto urbano de West Palm Beach.      .

Un edificio híbrido y flexible, abierto día y noche
El Banyan Hub aglutina en un solo edificio un amplia gama de programas, desde espacios abiertos y públicos hasta áreas reservadas y privadas: tres plazas públicas con actividad comercial y un pabellón de eventos, dos plantas de centro de negocios y espacio coworking, un centro deportivo YMCA con espectaculares vistas sobre la laguna y un área residencial con diferentes tipologías de viviendas, que van desde unidades mínimas de 46 m2 hasta viviendas dúplex de 140 m2.

La gran variedad de posibilidades que ofrece el edificio tendrá un importante impacto en la forma de vivir en el centro de West Palm Beach. Los programas son complementarios entre sí, creando una red de servicios en la cual cada parte funciona de manera independiente, pero todos ellos contribuyen para ofrecer al usuario una experiencia única.
Además, el nuevo edificio no perderá su función como garaje, ya que incorporará un aparcamiento robotizado.
La sostenibilidad y el diseño bioclimático son ingredientes clave del Hub Banyan, que se caracteriza por su fachada permeable, dos patios y múltiples dispositivos climáticos activos y pasivos.

Banyan Hub | Un edificio de programa complejo rodeado por una piel verde y permeable.

Plazas urbanas: ampliar las posibilidades del espacio público y multiplicarlas por 3
El corazón público del Banyan Hub late en las tres plazas públicas situadas en diferentes niveles:

  • Una plaza flexible y permeable a nivel de calle, con un vestíbulo abierto conectado a las calles circundantes y al passageway o calle de servicios, que integra actividades de comercio y restauración además de varios espacios de servicio.

Banyan Hub | Planta de la Plaza Pública a pie de calle.

  • Una plaza cubierta al aire libre en un nivel intermedio para eventos temporales y actividades culturales, con elementos arquitectónicos espectaculares como una cascada digital interactiva y un patio verde.

Varias actividades en la Plaza Pública elevada del Banyan Hub.    .

  • Una terraza que ofrece una vista panorámica del entorno natural único de Florida y de todo el centro de la ciudad. La terraza dispone de un pabellón para albergar eventos cívicos (reuniones públicas, proyecciones, actuaciones) así como eventos privados como bodas.

Eventos en el pabellón cívico de la terraza del Banyan Hub.

Espacios públicos interconectados
Los tres espacios públicos principales se conectan para ofrecer la experiencia de un viaje dinámico a través de los diferentes entornos. La ciudad está conectada con la plaza urbana elevada del nivel intermedio a través de una escalera mecánica exterior que dinamiza la fachada del Bulevar Banyan y permite detenerse en el anillo comercial de los dos primeros niveles. Desde la plaza elevada se puede acceder a la terraza por la impresionante rampa helicoidal que rodea el patio verde.

Banyan Hub | Diseño bioclimático del edificio.

Un edificio con un corazón verde
Otros usos en el bloque central del edificio son el Business Hub y el YMCA, cada uno de los cuales ocupa dos niveles. Ambas zonas se caracterizan por la presencia del patio verde central, un espacio natural al aire libre de múltiples niveles que da continuidad a las plazas urbanas ajardinadas del edificio. Además, el patio verde tiene una función bioclimática pasiva relevante, ya que ayudaría a reducir las temperaturas hasta 5ºF y regularía la ventilación, proporcionando unas condiciones ambientales agradables durante todo el año, reduciendo su impacto ambiental y los costes de operación y gestión.

Business Hub | Trabajar en el Banyan Hub en contacto directo con la naturaleza.

Una fachada que respira
La fachada actúa como uno de los principales sistemas de acondicionamiento climático del edificio, filtrando la radiación solar directa y regulando la ventilación. Está formada por un conjunto de elementos individuales que, según las condiciones climáticas medidas a tiempo real y las necesidades del edificio, modifica su configuración. Entre la fachada y el interior del edificio existe un espacio de transición, o buffer verde, compuesto por una estructura permeable en la que crece vegetación convirtiéndose en un espacio habitable y capaz de albergar programas. Este espacio intermedio actúa como un segundo filtro natural para la luz natural y la brisa y contribuye positivamente a la regulación de la temperatura interior por evaporación.

YMCA en Banyan Hub | Pista exterior a 34 metros de altura en el Banyan YMCA.

YMCA en Banyan Hub | Nadando en el cielo en Banyan YMCA.

Vivir con vistas a la laguna
El bloque superior del edificio está dedicado a la vivienda. Las unidades residenciales están orientadas al exterior, disfrutando de unas vistas privilegiadas de la ciudad y de la laguna. Un sistema modular permite la combinación de unidades de diferentes tamaños, que van desde 46 a 140 m2. La reducida dimensión de los micro apartamentos se compensa con instalaciones comunes interiores y exteriores, específicamente concebidas para fomentar el sentido de comunidad de los residentes. Las unidades residenciales están dispuestas en torno a un patio común, donde la vegetación ayudará a refrescar el microclima interior, manteniendo los niveles adecuados de temperatura y humedad para lograr el confort de los usuarios.

Vivir en Banyan Hub | Instalaciones comunes al aire libre para los residentes.

Haciendo un aparcamiento invisible
El Banyan Hub continuará sirviendo como garaje municipal para las necesidades de la ciudad, ya que su funcionamiento es crucial para la gestión del estacionamiento del centro de West Palm Beach. Sin embargo, el estacionamiento será completamente modernizado incorporando un Aparcamiento Robotizado. Con este sistema, se mantiene el número de plazas existentes pero ocupando únicamente ⅔ del volumen utilizado en la actualidad. Además, siendo la ambición del Banyan Hub convertirse en una pieza activa de la ciudad que proyecte su vida hacia el contexto urbano, se ha diseñado una solución específica para asegurar que los usos ubicados en fachada reflejan el dinamismo del edificio. Los 4 niveles de aparcamiento están ubicados en el corazón del edificio, siendo imperceptibles desde el exterior, rodeado en sus 4 lados por dos niveles de comercio y restauración conectados por un recorrido público que da calidad arquitectónica a este espacio.

Banyan Hub | Sección transversal y alzado nocturno en Olive Ave.     .

Acerca de la Community Redevelopment Agency de West Palm Beach
Creada en 1984 y autorizada por la Florida’s Community Redevelopment Act de 1969 (F.S. 163, Parte III), la CRA de West Palm Beach es reconocida a nivel nacional como una de las Agencias de Desarrollo Comunitario (CRA) más innovadoras y efectivas del país y está estableciendo el estándar para la reurbanización. El centro de la ciudad ha experimentado un renacimiento con una inversión privada sustancial, incluyendo el desarrollo comercial y residencial. La inversión pública asciende a millones de dólares, con la construcción de una biblioteca de última generación, la revitalización del histórico Sunset Lounge, la mejora infraestructural del paisaje urbano y un frente marítimo mejorado. La CRA continúa coordinándose con la Ciudad y otras agencias para revitalizar el centro de la ciudad.

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Unveiling the latest images of the Banyan Hub | A project for a new Hybrid Building in West Palm Beach, Florida

Category: ⚐ EN+ecosistema urbano+mixed-use building+sustainability+work in progress


After winning the international competition Shore to Core, commissioned by the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (CRA) and organized by the Van Alen Institute in 2017, Ecosistema Urbano is developing several parts of the proposal, among them the visionary Banyan Hub building.

The Banyan Hub project arises from the intuition of the City of West Palm Beach and the CRA to transform the existing Banyan Garage, a car-devoted building from the 70s in the heart of the Downtown, into a new opportunity to activate the city, a hub for dozens of new activities for both residents and visitors.

Ecosistema Urbano has finalized the Schematic Design of the project that has been officially approved by the West Palm Beach City Commission on Oct. 22. The project will be further developed in the next months.

The Banyan Hub in the surrounding context of West Palm Beach.

A hybrid and flexible building open day and night
The Banyan Hub offers in a single building a wide range of different programs, from open and public spaces to reserved and private areas. The wide variety of possibilities that the building brings will have an important impact on the way of living in West Palm Beach Downtown. The programs collaborate with one another, creating a public facilities machine in which each part works separately, but all of them work together to offer the user a superb experience of public-private spaces. The program includes urban plazas, retail and catering, rooftop pavilion, YMCA, business hub, mobility hub, housing, and city support area.
Sustainability and bioclimatic design are key ingredients of the Banyan Hub, that is strongly characterized by its breathing façade, two courtyards, and multiple active and passive climatic devices.

Banyan Hub | A complex program building enveloped by a green permeable skin.

Urban bioclimatic plazas: expanding public space possibilities and multiplying them by 3
The public heart of the Banyan Hub beats on the three public plazas located on different levels:

  • A flexible and permeable plaza at ground level, with an open hall connected to the surrounding streets and to the rear passageway, that integrates retail, catering and several support spaces.

Banyan Hub | Ground Floor Plaza layout.

  • A covered open-air plaza at an intermediate level for temporary events, including spectacular features such as a digital interactive waterfall or a green courtyard, or local programs as the farmers market.

Enjoying urban life at Banyan Elevated Urban Plaza.     .

  • A top terrace, overlooking the lagoon offering a panoramic view of the unique Floridian natural environment and of the whole Downtown. The terrace accommodates a civic pavilion to host civic events (public meetings, projections, performances) as well as private events such as weddings.

Celebrating at the Banyan Hub Rooftop Terrace.

Interconnected public spaces
The three main public spaces will be connected to provide the experience of having a chameleonic journey through different environments. The Downtown is connected to the middle level elevated urban plaza through an exterior escalator that dynamizes the façade on Banyan Blvd., allowing to stop by the retail ring at the first two levels. From the elevated plaza, it will be possible to go up to the terrace using the breathtaking helical ramp around the green courtyard.

Banyan Hub Bioclimatic Design | A green living building.

A building green in the middle
Other uses in the central block of the building are the Business Hub and the YMCA, each of them occupying two levels. Both areas feature the presence of the central green courtyard, an open-air multi-level natural space that gives continuity to the landscaped urban plazas of the building. Moreover, the green courtyard has a relevant passive bioclimatic function as it would help to reduce temperatures by up to 5ºF and regulate ventilation, providing pleasant environmental conditions throughout the year while reducing environmental impact and management and operational costs.

Business Hub | Working at the Banyan Hub in close connection to nature.

A breathing skin
The façade acts as one of the main conditioning systems of the building, filtering the direct sunlight and regulating ventilation. It is formed by an array of individual elements that present a responsive behavior, autonomously sensing the climatic conditions and the needs of the building and changing their configuration. Protected by the external shading, there is a green buffer zone, mainly comprised of a permeable structure holding vegetation and supporting varied activities. This space acts as a second natural filter for light and breeze and contributes to the regulation of the internal temperature through evaporative cooling.

YMCA at Banyan Hub | Exterior running track at 113’ at Banyan YMCA.

YMCA at Banyan Hub | Swimming in the sky at Banyan YMCA.

Living overlooking the lagoon
The upper block of the building is dedicated to housing. The residential units face out to the exterior, enjoying privileged views of the city and the lagoon. A modular system allows for the combination of units of different sizes, ranging from 500 to 1500 sq.ft. Limited living spaces of micro-units are compensated by indoor and outdoor common facilities, specifically conceived to foster the sense of community of residents. Residential units are arranged around a shared courtyard, where vegetation will help to refresh the interior micro-climate, maintaining the appropriate temperature and humidity levels to achieve comfort for users.

Living at Banyan Hub | Outdoor common facilities for residents.

Banyan Hub | Cross section and night elevation in Olive Ave.     .

Making an invisible parking
The Banyan Hub will continue to serve as a municipal garage for the city’s needs, as its functioning is crucial to parking management of West Palm Beach Downtown. However, the parking will be completely upgraded using an Automated Parking System technology. With this system, the required 350 parking spots will occupy only the ⅔ of the volume currently used by the existing Banyan garage. Moreover, as the ambition of the Banyan Hub is to be an active piece of the city that projects its active life towards the surrounding context, a specific solution has been designed to ensure that the uses along the façades reflect the dynamism of the building. The 4 levels of parking are enclosed at the very core of the building, completely hidden from the outside; these are surrounded on 4 sides by two levels of retail and catering connected by a public corridor that gives architectural quality to this space while activates it.

About West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency
Created in 1984 and authorized by Florida’s Community Redevelopment Act of 1969 (F.S. 163, Part III), the West Palm Beach CRA is nationally recognized as one of the most innovative and effective Community Redevelopment Agencies (CRAs) in the country and is setting the standard for redevelopment. The downtown core has gone through a rebirth with substantial private investment including commercial and residential development. Public investment dollars total in the millions with a state-of-the-art library, revitalization of the historic Sunset Lounge, streetscape infrastructure, and an enhanced waterfront. The CRA continues to coordinate with the City and other agencies to market and revitalize the downtown.

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Ecosistema Urbano wins West Palm Beach Design Competition!

Category: ⚐ EN+⚐ ES+⚐ IT+architecture+city+competitions+design+ecosistema urbano+news+sustainability+urbanism+work in progress

We are very happy to announce that our project Open Shore is the winning proposal of Shore to Core, the international design competition to reimagine downtown West Palm Beach as a dynamic, resilient waterfront city! We are thrilled with the great reception that the project has had, and eager to continue its development side by side with the people and the institutions of West Palm Beach.

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Rain Plaza

Here we share the press release from Van Alen Institute:

Van Alen Institute and the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency (WPB CRA) today announced Open Shore by Ecosistema Urbano as the winning proposal for the Shore to Core waterfront design competition. The Shore to Core competition invited international designers, planners and architects to envision what the future of the West Palm Beach waterfront could look like over the next 20 to 30 years, taking factors including populations, economies and the environment into account. The winning proposal will serve as a “vision board” for the city’s future, providing a starting point and framework to help the city adapt and make the most of the waterfront.

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Rain Plaza

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Plan

Selected from a pool of over 40 international teams and two finalists, Ecosistema Urbano’s winning proposal envisions a healthier and more resilient downtown and waterfront for West Palm Beach—a keystone city in southern Florida with a growing population of people in their 20s and 30s, as well as large Black and Hispanic populations. The competition proposals imagine new amenities that reflect the city’s emerging populations, and Shore to Core’s organizers believe that design is a crucial tool for tackling these evolving needs. The initiative included public consultation, and this input played a role in the jury’s decision-making process.

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Strolling on the Waterfront

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Aerial View

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Flagler Drive and the Cloud Forest Habitat Plaza

Ecosistema Urbano’s winning design answers Shore to Core’s call for a comprehensive, forward-thinking urban plan to make West Palm Beach’s waterfront a year-round destination for locals and visitors alike. The proposal includes what could be the first public bioclimatic domes in the U.S. adorned with hanging gardens. These domes create climatically comfortable spaces 365 days a year, thereby supporting a more socially cohesive city.

The proposal also illustrates how the city’s Banyan Garage could be upcycled into a mixed-use building with both public- and private-sector roles featuring adaptive climates suitable for a range of activities, including a farmers market, coworking spaces, and skyline viewing platforms. Additional amenities include vibrant thematic alleyways—with such features as a rock climbing wall, interactive exhibition space, and immersive foliage—that harness the cultural values and experiences unique to West Palm Beach, while also providing shade and introducing new elevated programming spaces

 

 

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Level 4 Open Air Plaza at Banyan Hub

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Farmers Market day at Banyan’s ground floor

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Social green space at Banyan Hub overlooking the downtown

Ecosistema Urbano | Open Shore | Banyan Hub | Section

Ecosistema Urbano will present their proposal to the WPB CRA board in May 2017. The CRA board will identify priority projects within the Banyan Garage and downtown alleyways, and then contract with Ecosistema Urbano. This process will be followed by outreach to the community about the individual elements that are scheduled for possible implementation in late 2017 or early 2018.

“The Shore to Core competition and resulting proposals truly offered insights into how we can plan a strong and vibrant future for our city,” said Jeri Muoio, Mayor of the City of West Palm Beach. “Ecosistema Urbano’s design was applauded by all as enhancing the waterfront and creating new, iconic experiences that incorporate our natural resources, cultural spaces, and inclusive urban atmospheres.”

“Ecosistema Urbano’s proposal addresses social cohesion in a compelling way by integrating locally responsive systems with a welcoming public space that will further diversify the city,” said David van der Leer, Executive Director of Van Alen Institute. “We’re thrilled that West Palm Beach is looking to the future and rethinking how to create a downtown that is uniquely theirs— a downtown that enhances the wellbeing of residents and visitors alike.

The runner-up design finalist, Perkins + Will, created a proposal focusing on community-building with a continuous waterfront park, extended Great Lawn, and the Banyan Garage revitalized as a multi-use civic space. Van Alen has synthesized the work of the finalist teams into a key findings document, “A Shore Thing: Key Findings from the Shore to Core Competition,” that summarizes the shared insights from all three proposals.

The Shore to Core competition has parallel research and design tracks: The aim of this structure is to understand how waterfront cities like West Palm Beach can become healthier, and to create design strategies that will make them more responsive to rising sea levels. The winning research team, Happier by Design, focused on how specific types of public spaces may increase the wellbeing of people who use them, and conducted a pilot study analyzing the health benefits of more complex and engaging urban landscapes.

By testing environmental psychology principals with tactical urban interventions, Happier by Design found that public space designs that boost feelings of fascination foster wellbeing. The research team also recommended that designers focus individuals’ attention on nature and create spaces that are both comfortable and interactive, including such features as movable seating and adjustable lookouts that frame the landscape. The team’s recommendations affirm the dynamic and engaging designs proposed by Ecosistema Urbano. The combination of innovative research and original design in Shore to Core reflects Van Alen’s mission to use research and design to inform the planning of new civic spaces.

 

To read the final reports, see:

Key Findings | Van Alen Institute
Open Shore | Ecosistema Urbano (Design Winner)


Happier by Design | Happy City, University of Virginia, StreetPlans and Space Syntax (Research Winner)
Adapt to Thrive | Perkins + Will (Design Finalist)

 

Competition Jury:

Raphael Clemente, Executive Director, Downtown West Palm Beach
Colin Ellard, Associate Professor, University of Waterloo, Department of Psychology
Patrick Franklin, President and CEO, Urban League of Palm Beach County
David van der Leer (Jury Chair), Executive Director, Van Alen Institute
Jeri Muoio, Mayor, City of West Palm Beach
Penni Redford, Sustainability Manager, City of West Palm Beach
Manuel Clavel Rojo, Clavel Arquitectos (substitute for Terry Riley, K/R Architects)
Jon Ward, Executive Director, West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency
Lilly Weinberg, Director of Community Foundations, Knight Foundation
Claire Weisz, Founding Principal, WXY Studio
Nancy Wells, Professor, Cornell University, College of Human Ecology, Design and Environmental Analysis Department

Ecosistema Urbano Team:

A multidisciplinary Madrid and Boston-based team comprised of principals Belinda Tato and Jose Luis Vallejo; Marco Rizzetto, Carlos León, Antonella Marlene Milano, Luisa Zancada, Jorge Toledo, Marta Muñoz, Pablo Santacana, Lola Pouchin, Maria Vittoria Tesei, Andrea Bertrán, Ana Patricia Maté, Lucía De Retes Cascales, Cristina Rodríguez, Elizabeth Kelleher, Lorena Tselemegkou, Luana Scarpel, Silvia Sangriso, Daniela Menendez, Julia Casado, Constantino Hurtado, Andrés Walliser.

 

To view high-resolution images for this project, including work by the winning team, click here

To view animated images of Ecosistema Urbano’s proposal, have a look here

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Ecosistema Urbano’s proposal for West Palm Beach… now published!

Category: ⚐ EN+architecture+city+competitions+design+landscape+sustainability+technologies+urbanism

We are very excited to share with all of you the final document of our proposal for West Palm Beach, Florida, U.S.A.

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Ecosistema Urbano, design finalist of ‘Shore to Core’ competition in West Palm Beach

Category: ⚐ EN+architecture+city+news+urbanism

Flagler Drive, West Palm Beach waterfront

West Palm Beach waterfront – Photo by Ecosistema Urbano

Today we are excited to share with you that we have been selected as finalists for the ‘Shore to Core‘ design competition in West Palm Beach, Florida.

This competition, commissioned by the West Palm Beach Community Redevelopment Agency and organized by the Van Alen Institute, was launched in order to gather innovative visions and develop forward-looking proposals for the future of the city’s downtown and waterfront area. Participants were asked to address in their projects, general issues that affect the area, from social transformation to rising sea levels, but also to deliver site-specific proposals for several locations: Flagler Drive —the waterfront—, some of the narrow alleyways, the Great Lawn and the city’s Banyan parking garage building.

We are to be one of the 2 teams selected among 41 teams —comprising 159 participants from 13 countries— to further develop our proposals. For us this is another great opportunity to rethink the way urban environment is connected —and responds— to society, culture, economy and the environment.

You can read other news about it and have a look at the official website:

Shore to Core | Van Alen Institute

We are now focused and working for the second stage of the competition, looking deeper into the urban challenges the city faces and transforming them into unique opportunities of improvement of public space and social life.