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The BMW Welt was designed by architects Coop Himmelb[l]au in five thematic blocks: Hall, Premiere, Forum, Tower, and Double Cone, where areas have been reserved for car production, exhibition space, restaurants, shops, and even a business center. Coop Himmelb[l]au, not unfamiliar with designing large and complex spaces, developed a totally integrated and ecologically friendly air system combining both low and high tech methods to create optimal air circulation.

The multifunctional Hall, which sits as the centre point of the complex, was designed as a solar-heated, naturally ventilated sub-climatic area, removing the normal requirements for building heating and ventilation. Instead, a natural air supply is generated by thermal currents, wind pressure and turbulences when air accumulates in the area of the façade and roof projection. Air intake and outflow take place through automatically controlled and strategically placed vents providing the Hall with all its air needs.

The system proves to be especially beneficial to the Premiere section where BMW Welt produces its cars, and which directly opens up to the Hall. Because of the intensive exhaust gases that are released during the delivery process, and the subsequent energy heavy regulation typically required for air cleanup, the system was further fine-tuned to adjust the volume of air intake and outflow and to extract the exhaust fumes directly and pump in fresh air. A considerable feat given that BMW assumes a turnover of about 40 cars per hour, for a total of 250 cars per day.

On top of all this, the Forum, Tower and Double Cone are definitively public spaces, and have specially incorporated air systems to meet the comfort needs of their occupants while utilizing natural ventilation when possible.

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Among the project’s capacities, the substantial savings in drinking water consumption stand out. This is thanks to the LIMA Project’s collection of rainwater for the sprinkling system and the washing machine, the use of the shower’s gray waters for the toilet, the biological treatment of black waters, and the installation of low-consumption electrical appliances and faucets. All of this allows the daily average of 115 litres per person to be reduced to only 57.

Additionally, the concrete, steel and contaminating substances like varnish have been substituted with renewable materials in about 63%. The majority of them are of vegetable origins, such as wood or bamboo, or are recycled (compost, earth or gravel). LIMA also controls room temperature and radiation, while it limits the emissions of volatile organic compounds (VOCs) and the magnetic and electromagnetic fields.

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The creators of the initiative have included a small ecological garden. The LIMA prototype dwelling will be working for two years, during which data like the real conditions of comfort, energy demand and consumption, technical and photovoltaic solar production and water consumption will be measured in real time.

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The characteristics of Green Box housing are a drop in energy consumption, the use of renewable energy, the planification and control of waste generation and, above all, respect towards the environment.

I114IBesides being ecological, Green Box housing is also economical, as its construction costs half of what a conventional home would cost (about 550 euros per square meter). That’s why it’s predicted that it could turn into the construction model for the new social and economic system.

For these reasons, ACTIU was first awarded the recognition of Best 2008 Work by the Federation of Public Works of the Province of Alicante (FOPA) and then the Construye (“construct”) prize for the architecture of its installations. This last prize was organized by the firm Napisa and the Madrid School of Architecture, with the support of the College of Architects.

The contest had two categories: the first consisted of projects developed by architecture students, and the second by practicing professionals. On June 4, Luis Maldonado, the director of the Madrid School of Architecture, presented the award to Vicente Berbegal, the president of ACTIU. Numerous representatives from the construction, architecture and engineering sectors and some of Valencia’s government officials attended the event.
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Participants must create their designs with the program “Google SketchUp”, but first, they must set their project in any place in the planet by using Google Earth application.

The due date for submitting projects is the 23rd of August 2009. The results will be published the 21st of October. One winner will be awarded by a jury of experts and another one by internet voters. One of the awards will be a trip to New York for two people all expenses covered.

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Each module of the vertical park can be configured to provide space for public and private use, water and solar collection, and urban farming.

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This allows for flexibility in design, size, and location, including the potential for relocation throughout the city or the world. The Vertical Park’s steel frame will support solar panels used to power the building’s diverse functions and allow wind to pass through structure on warm days.

The foundation qualified Foster as an “architect of the global era” whose works have a “universal reach” with an “original dominion of space, light and matter”: “His work stands out because of his constant commitment toward the most noble values of architecture, his open attitude toward innovation, his orientation toward quality in all of the development phases of a project, his interest in applying technology’s advances, the global dimension of his professional activity and his sensitivity toward the principles of sustainable development.” I76I

The architect said it was a huge honor to receive the Prince of Asturias prize and a marvellous recognition of the importance of design as a catalyst for improving the quality of life.I77I

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Hotel Luna Salada was built in 1993 by a salt extraction dealer who observed the growing number of tourists to the area. The hotel is made of salt blocks joined by cement, with concrete-reinforced foundations to withstand the weather, especially rain. The only part of the structure made of a different material is the ceiling, which is made of straw.

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The Uyuni Salt Flats have an extension of 10,582 square kilometers and are found 3,650 meters above sea level in the Andes, in southwest Bolivia. They were part of Lake Minchin 40,000 years ago, but when it dried up, two lakes were formed, the Poopó and the Uru Uru, and two salt deposits, the Coipasa Salt Flats and Uyuni. This hidden area in the Bolivian lithium reserves is awakening the curiosity of many backpackers, while the Bolivian government is beginning to see the area as a great opportunity for tourism.

A spokesman for the mayor declared that “he has high ambitions to improve the urban realm and quality of life” and foment the city’s economy in light of the economic crisis through the sale of properties. These properties would span the river between the Waterloo and Blackfriars bridges to South Bank’s museum and theatre complex.

The £80 million budget is being backed by the financial group London First. The idea for the project originated in 1996 when the French architect Antoine Grumbach won the Royal Academy of Arts contest by proposing a similar living bridge, which did not end up getting built because of election results.

It wouldn’t be the first time for London to have a bridge with these characteristics. London Bridge, finished in 1209, had commercial and residential buildings, but these were torn down at the beginning of the 19th century.

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