Object / Green Infrastructure
Location / Ribarroja Del Turia, Spain
Architect / Lukas Senkus, Rūta Stankevičiūtė, Gizem Agirbas, Sofia Escriba, Angela Montilla Fenollosa
Assignment / 3th year 5th sem project
Year / 2014
Architect / Lukas Senkus, Rūta Stankevičiūtė, Gizem Agirbas, Sofia Escriba, Angela Montilla Fenollosa
Assignment / 3th year 5th sem project
Year / 2014
The task was to idetify the green infrastructures problem and propose the solution how to fix them, because now green infrastructure in the city is lost and doesnt have continuety and its identyti.
Analysis of the town, identifying the character of the area, maping the important points, analysing cities development, marking important facilieties, identyfiing potentials and conflicts and main circulations
As it is represented in the drawings, three different gorges go throught the city: barrancos de Porchinos, de las Monjas and de los Moros. Meanwhile the first one enjoys its natural condition and it is plenty of vegetation, the others find itself careless and abandoned: poor facades, uncontrolled parking lots, lack of vegetation and no continuity. Even though, all the gorges are potentials of the city that should be emphasized.
Reading the grid of the city, three areas are differentiated:
– the city center, situated between two gorges, has got an irregular urban planning. Most of the infrastructures and social buildings can be found here, like the Town hall, the castle, the main library or the health center.
– The high density housing, which is designed following a stronger grid. Here, buildings are higher and streets, wider.
– The low density housing is clearly distinguishable, located at the northwest part of the city.
However, the public and social facilities are situated in the surroundings, mainly the schools and educational institutions.
Another important point which has to be into account is the presence of the old train rail track. One train line
used to cross the city from east to west. Nowadays, just the building of the main station and a very small stretch
of the rail track have been preserved. The rest of the line has got many parks and empty spaces that should be more
attractive and useful.
– the city center, situated between two gorges, has got an irregular urban planning. Most of the infrastructures and social buildings can be found here, like the Town hall, the castle, the main library or the health center.
– The high density housing, which is designed following a stronger grid. Here, buildings are higher and streets, wider.
– The low density housing is clearly distinguishable, located at the northwest part of the city.
However, the public and social facilities are situated in the surroundings, mainly the schools and educational institutions.
Another important point which has to be into account is the presence of the old train rail track. One train line
used to cross the city from east to west. Nowadays, just the building of the main station and a very small stretch
of the rail track have been preserved. The rest of the line has got many parks and empty spaces that should be more
attractive and useful.
GLOBAL TARGETS
POTENTIALS:
After analyzing the city of Ribarroja del Túria, many conflicts and potentials can be summarized.
- We know that the city is located in a very exceptional topography because it is surrounded by the river, orchards, mediterranean forest and mountains. The big differences of this landscapes and its visual connections are strong potentials. In addition, the agriculture and the orchards are the lifestyle of many people.
- The hillside of the river Turia can be highly used with more connections. Its vegetation is also unique and needs to be preserved.
- Although small, there are many open spaces in the city. Some of theme can also have more uses or be improved.
- The city has got all the basic facilities: schools, health center, sport centers, library, … In addition, many of this buildings take part of its heritage.
After analyzing the city of Ribarroja del Túria, many conflicts and potentials can be summarized.
- We know that the city is located in a very exceptional topography because it is surrounded by the river, orchards, mediterranean forest and mountains. The big differences of this landscapes and its visual connections are strong potentials. In addition, the agriculture and the orchards are the lifestyle of many people.
- The hillside of the river Turia can be highly used with more connections. Its vegetation is also unique and needs to be preserved.
- Although small, there are many open spaces in the city. Some of theme can also have more uses or be improved.
- The city has got all the basic facilities: schools, health center, sport centers, library, … In addition, many of this buildings take part of its heritage.
CONFLICTS:
- In spite of its location, we can find poor connections with the river and the mountains. The importance of this landscape can be improved by creating new paths and opening the gorges.
- There is no continuity of the open spaces. It would be a good strategy to try to unify the existing ones and create new and bigger parks and squares which will help to make the city more active and attractive.
- The lack of connection with the surrounding ecology should be also be considerate.
- Vehicles prevailed over pedestrians. Uncontrolled parking lots are found everywhere and sidewalks are too narrow.
- The condition of the gorges decrease the general quality of the city. The gorges of los Moros and las Monjas are abandoned, even the city disengages the view to them.
- The liberty of construction of the south part, to the mountains, will make the city grow in that direction.
TARGETS:
- Create a stronger connection with the river and the mountains
- Give continuity to the open spaces
- Regenerate the river side
- Improve the condition of the gorges to give them back its beauty and usage. The creation of continuity
and connections with the mountains and the river will increase the quality of the spaces.
- Give a new usage to the railway line and its surroundings. Many empty spaces are found there
- Design more green parks and facilities
Old railway analysis
CONCEPT AND STRATEGIES OF THE NEW GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE
Before thinking about how to design such a linear area, we set the strategic objectives that we think that were necessary for this area. First of all, we noticed that vehicles prevailed over pedestrians. Uncontrolled parking lots were found everywhere and
sidewalks were to narrow. That is why our first target is making the people more important than the cars. For that, some roads
disappear and sidewalks are improved. A new commercial area is also created to reactivate the abandoned ground floors of the
housing, which used to be useless due to the closeness to the traffic roads. The old railway is part of the history of Ribarroja. We think it should be emphasized by creating not only a linear pedestrian road but also a visual continuity made of big trees. People now is able to walk properly through the green infrastructure, following a new, secure and more comfortable walking line from one extreme to the other. In addition, we have designed a way to move from the linear way to the surroundings as if it really works as a train: by creating expansive branchings, which also guide the pedestrians to the different areas of the project.
The empty spaces located around the linear design have got now a usage. For every one we have taken into account the situation, size, high difference with the surroundings and the particular needs. Summarizing, both endings of the infrastructure are now as natural as possible, where trees and shrubs are found everywhere. In particular, the west area has been replanting with platanus and pines and a new resting area has also been designed. The big empty smallholding located in the middle has been divided into two parts: one for new housing blocks, and the other for a big park where people can rest, walk, have fun and even enjoy occasional concerts or bazars. The new three buildings act like a transition from the preexisting small housing and the new social space. They also follow the three existing terraces which overcome the big difference of high. In addition, the new open space creates a connection between the swimming pool and the sport center thanks to the slopes. Continuing through the linear path people arrive to the old train station. Now it enjoys a bigger square just in front of it instead of looking at another parking lot. Later on we find a kind of bridge which it is
necessary to cross. Because of its massive volume, there is no connection between the health center and the schools and, also
important, no continuity of the gorge. Our proposal is to open two different tunnels: one to let the cars continue to the health center, and another one, much bigger, to prolong the gorge and improve its beauty and natural landscape.
sidewalks were to narrow. That is why our first target is making the people more important than the cars. For that, some roads
disappear and sidewalks are improved. A new commercial area is also created to reactivate the abandoned ground floors of the
housing, which used to be useless due to the closeness to the traffic roads. The old railway is part of the history of Ribarroja. We think it should be emphasized by creating not only a linear pedestrian road but also a visual continuity made of big trees. People now is able to walk properly through the green infrastructure, following a new, secure and more comfortable walking line from one extreme to the other. In addition, we have designed a way to move from the linear way to the surroundings as if it really works as a train: by creating expansive branchings, which also guide the pedestrians to the different areas of the project.
The empty spaces located around the linear design have got now a usage. For every one we have taken into account the situation, size, high difference with the surroundings and the particular needs. Summarizing, both endings of the infrastructure are now as natural as possible, where trees and shrubs are found everywhere. In particular, the west area has been replanting with platanus and pines and a new resting area has also been designed. The big empty smallholding located in the middle has been divided into two parts: one for new housing blocks, and the other for a big park where people can rest, walk, have fun and even enjoy occasional concerts or bazars. The new three buildings act like a transition from the preexisting small housing and the new social space. They also follow the three existing terraces which overcome the big difference of high. In addition, the new open space creates a connection between the swimming pool and the sport center thanks to the slopes. Continuing through the linear path people arrive to the old train station. Now it enjoys a bigger square just in front of it instead of looking at another parking lot. Later on we find a kind of bridge which it is
necessary to cross. Because of its massive volume, there is no connection between the health center and the schools and, also
important, no continuity of the gorge. Our proposal is to open two different tunnels: one to let the cars continue to the health center, and another one, much bigger, to prolong the gorge and improve its beauty and natural landscape.
LINEAR PARK DESIGN
concept for three main areas of the site
Old factory regeneration and activation plan
Linear park pavement plan
Linear park Tree plan
Scheme 1 Scheme 2 Scheme 3
Platanus Hispanica Pinus Pinea Jacaranda, Orange tree, Willow, Ash tree
Pavement concept
