Building the future – sustainably!

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$Producerea [i punerea ^n oper\ a betonului pe timp friguros$

The team determined that the most urgent need in San Rafael- Unido was better access to the houses. They designed a new circulation system with a main street uphill and many stairways connecting the walkways through the district. Their plan is a combination of many small improvements. It includes social spaces, shops, multifunctional spaces, and new homes. And it makes use of every last bit of available space. Even more important than the individual sub-projects is the involvement of the residents. This ensures that the concept answers the true needs, and it encourages the people to undertake further initiatives. Once a sub-project is designed, it is presented to the residents it affects; it may be carried out only with the approval of at least 75 percent of them. Why have the architects been working for years on this project in a district that most people choose to ignore? Isabel Pocaterra retorts: “If I can’t help solve the problems of this multitude – then why am I an architect?” “Upgrading San Rafael-Unido, Urban Integration Project, Caracas, Venezuela”, by Proyectos Arqui 5, Caracas, Venezuela Silvia Soonets and Isabel and Maria Ines Pocaterra (from left) jointly run the architecture office Proyectos Arqui 5. They design houses, residential developments, office buildings and urban development projects for public and private clients – with such success that they now have a staff of several employees. One is Victor Gastier, an architect who was also significantly involved in the Award-winning project. Assessment by Kaarin Taipale: “This project presents an ethically open and ecologically sensible approach to minimizing extreme socioeconomic need. As a globally significant example it impressively shows how living conditions in such districts can be improved through low-cost, sustainable tech- nologies and use of materials. By encouraging the users to participate in the planning and realization of the work, it also promotes local resourcefulness.” 41 Kaarin Taipale (Finland), visiting professor at several universities in Finland and Sweden, was a member of the jury for the global Holcim Awards 2006.
62 Preservation and innovation With inventiveness and water power, Luigi Centola and over 150 further project participants are making sure that the cultural heritage of one of the most beautiful places in the world will be preserved. For this work they received the global Holcim Award Silver. Amalfi is a highly popular tourist destination in Italy. This small town, which today counts 5,500 residents, was once a marine republic. In the 12th century traders brought to Amalfi lemons and papermaking know-how. From that time on, terraced lemon groves imprinted the landscape and paper drove the economy, as dozens of small paper factories arose along the banks of the Canneto River in the valley behind the town – the “valley of mills”. Today paper is produced in large industrial factories, and the mills of Amalfi are no more than impressive ruins in an abandoned valley. Besides tourism, there is hardly any industry in the region that offers the people jobs and income. Young people move to the cities – Amalfi is threatened with losing its roots. In response, the University of Salerno began a few years ago to register the endangered buildings of cultural significance, and designated the ruins of 15 structures in the valley as important historic buildings. It was decided to launch a large pilot project; architect Luigi Centola from Salerno was commissioned to develop the master plan. Luigi Centola’s plan calls for complete revitalization of the valley through modern and sustainable tourism.The master plan comprises 11 sub-projects. From the ruins of
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Building the future – sustainably!

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