EQUIP xavier claramunt: hotel arc del teatre

‘hotel arc del teatre’ by EQUIP xavier claramunt in barcelona, spain
all images courtesy EQUIP xavier claramunt
photographer: adria goula

spanish practice EQUIP xavier claramunt has completed ‘hotel arc del teatre’, a multi-storey
accommodation located in barcelona’s historical neighborhood of el raval. a conversion project
of a former theatre, the design preserves the original facade of the building – essentially conserving
the memory of the structure – by wrapping the expansive face with a translucent screen.

street facade

drawing from the high dynamism of the site’s streetlife, the project explores ways in which
the transference of energy can be established without losing the boundary of privacy,
exploring the notion of ‘exhibitionist’ architecture. featuring a recessed ground level entry,
a public plaza is generated which extends the street into the building and behind the hotel.
an outdoor area covered in gravel on the south side offers views into a buried courtyard.

street entrance

finished in a visually graphic treatment, the wrap lends a new identity to the theatre while
maintaining the characteristic outline of the facade underneath. the wrap reflects the changing
light of the day and season and alters its exterior expression through the illumination within.
constructed out of vinyl, views into the units are limited while outward views are established.

Japanese companies design “smart community” project in Spain

New Energy and Industrial Technology Development Organization, an association which undertakes the development of new energy and energy-conservation technologies in Japan, selected Mitsubishi Corporation, Mitsubishi Heavy Industries, Ltd., and Hitachi Ltd. to help build a Smart Community System Demonstration project in Spain this year.

A “smart community” comprehensively manages all of its energy use, which includes electricity, heat and waste energy, and incorporates transportation and infrastructure into its greening scheme. It will employ highly developed technology such as an advanced smart grid that will help control electricity supply and demand through the use of information and communication technologies.

The project will be done under the Japan-Spain Innovation Program which aims to promote, assist, and fund joint technological ventures that will economically benefit both countries. The smart community will be built in the surrounding area of Malaga City, Andalucía, in Southern Spain.

N.E.D.O. selected the companies because of what they can offer to the development of the project. M.C. will be contributing its global business knowledge, and M.H.I. will give its intelligent transport system which aids in the reduction of traffic congestion and delays, increase productivity, and reduce energy use and environmental damage.

Atrium House by Fran Silvestre Arquitectos in Valencia, Spain

 

Fran Silvestre Arquitectos designed an eco House in a urban area of Valencia, Spain, where the key aim was to maximize the feeling of spaciousness.

To perform that two strategies were used. The principal was to release the largest possible in the middle of the house allowing individuals to enjoy a private space with a height and volume incalculable. The concept enhances the perimeter of contact with the outside housing, where land and housing understood as a continuum. On the other hand the existing slope to the ravine has been used to illuminate the basement, which enables individuals to host the program.  

Almost 75% of new global PV installations were made in Europe in 2009

Image via Wikipedia

Europe remained one of the most promising markets for solar energy, as 5.8 GW of the 7.4 GW of newly installed photovoltaic systems globally, were installed in that region in 2009 according to the European Commission Joint Research Center reported.

Europe also accounted for 16 GW, or 70%, of the world’s 22 GW total installed photovoltaic capacity, which consists of existing and newly installed solar facilities. One GW of photovoltaic capacity can provide enough electricity for about 250,000 European households during one year.

Germany led the European nations with 3.8 GW of new solar capacity and 9.8 GW of cumulative capacity, of which 2.3 GW were linked to the power grid by the fourth quarter of last year. Italy ranked second in terms of new installed capacity with 0.73 GW, while Spain was second in terms of cumulative installed capacity with 3.5 GW.

However, the European photovoltaic market is still in its infancy stage. The commission estimated that only 0.4% of the total supplied electricity in the European Union came from photovoltaic power in 2009 – representing a mere 0.1% in the world’s total supplied electricity.

Why we can’t let bike sharing programs to fail – the example of Barcelona City

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In its early days, Barcelona’s Bicing seemed like an unparalleled success. With 400 stations and 3,000 of the squat, burly red-and-white bikes stationed around the city, Bicing quickly became part of Barcelona’s big city atmosphere and was enthusiastically received by inhabitants.

But after five years, something scary started to happen, in addition to the vandalism and abandonment that plagued Bicing and other big programs…ridership started to decline.