Dordrecht Energy Carousel / Ecosistema Urbano
The Centre for Visual Arts and Amsterdam design bureau Carve recently invited ten European design firms to develop unconventional, inventive, and playful objects for a new public space in the western Netherlands city of Dordrecht. Responding to the challenge, Spanish architecture firm Ecosistema Urbano designed the Dordrecht Energy Carousel - an energy-generating chandelier of hanging ropes meant to engage kids of all ages in the densely populated suburbs surrounding Governeusplein Square.
Read more about Dordrecht Energy Carousel after the break!
Venice Biennale 2012: SPAINLab / Spain Pavilion
During the 13th Venice Architecture Biennale opening, we had the chance to interview Débora Mesa, curator of the Spain Pavilion together with Antón García-Abril, partners at Ensamble Studio.
SPAINLab, the name of the exhibit, looks to expose the research process behind the works of contemporary Spanish Architects:
- RCR Arquitectes (Rafael Aranda, Carme Pigem, Ramón Vilalta)
- Selgascano (Lucía Cano, José Selgas)
- Urban Habitat / Barcelona City Council (Vicente Guallart)
- SMAO — Sancho-Madridejos Archiecture Office (Sol Madridejos, Juan Carlos Sancho)
- Menis Arquitectos (Fernando Menis)
- Cloud 9 (Enric Ruiz-Geli)
- Ecosistema Urbano (Belinda Tato, José Luis Vallejo)
More photos about the pavilion and description from Anton and Débora after the break:
Citizens Redesign Their City in Dreamhamar / Ecosistema Urbano
Hamar’s Kommune decided to take a pioneer approach to the construction of the new Stortorget Square, now just a parking lot. In an effort to bring democracy back to public spaces, citizens are invited to join the free on-site workshops that will take place from September to November, to question themselves about their city and work together to improve it. The workshops follow a horizontal and participative methodology, led by Ecosistema Urbano that will determine Stortorget’s new configuration, which is known as Dreamhamar. More images and project description after the break.
Ecopolis Plaza / Ecosistema Urbano
Architects: Ecosistema Urbano
Location: Rivas Vaciamadrid, Madrid, Spain
Client: City Council of Rivas-Vaciamadrid
Building floor Area: 3,000 sqm
Public space: 7,500 sqm
Construction cost: 2,700,000 €
Building cost per sqm: 700 €/sqm
Project Year: 2009-2010
Photographs: Mark Bentley, Emilio P. Doiztua
