The new Marina del Prat Vermell neighbourhood, with its strategic location between the Green City, the Productive city and the Living City, has the potential to become a Sustainable Interface amid them, expanding the possibilities of living and working within the city.

 

The Green City

The existing streets, with their Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems (SUDS), are extended and become Green Fingers that reconnect the neighbourhood with the green lung of Montjuïc Mountain Metropolitan Park.

 

The Productive City

The city’s lack of adequate spaces for productive activities is tackled by introducing thick Robust Plinths that incorporate the adaptability and spatial generosity of the industrial warehouses nearby. Building on the neighbourhood’s strong manufacturing tradition, these plinths expand the range of possible uses that are compatible with housing, including light urban manufacturing, local production and other activities that make the city’s economy more resilient and sustainable.

 

The Living City

On top of these plinths, Living Toppings enable any desired lifestyle that encourages a low ecological footprint and seeks to build a strong community.

 

Sustainable Interface

As an example of the mixture of these cities, we propose The Workshop House for City Starters, a new social housing building typology that provides both affordable living and working spaces for individuals and collectives who are starting economic and social initiatives within the city. Between two Green Fingers, a Robust Plinth with workshops of all sizes accommodates work space for residents and neighbours, thus becoming a social focus. Over it, a Living Topping of lofts provides diverse spaces for living and working. On the roof, there’s a large collective and productive garden with views to Montjuïc Mountain, the harbour and the sea.