MADRID (SPAIN)
Client: Municipality of Madrid,
Date: 2004-2007
Status: Built
Program: Ecological Boulevard for a social and bioclimatically conditioned public space.
Area: 550x50m,
Scope: Design, construction document, Energy strategy, and construction follow up
Co-funded by the European Union (LIFE-2002 (ENV/E/000198)) and the EMVS.
The Eco-boulevard in Vallecas can be defined as an urban recycling operation consisting of the following actions: insertion of an air tree-social dynamizer over an existing urbanization area, densification of existing alignment trees and reduction and asymmetric arrangement of wheeled traffic circulation. Superficial interventions reconfiguring the existing urbanization (perforations, fillings, paint, etc.) that defaces the executed kerb development.
There are two main objectives: one of a social nature aimed to generate activity, and one of an environmental nature, the bioclimatic adaptation of outdoor space, achieved with a system of passive air conditioning based on chilling by evapotranspiration.
This system, commonly used in the green house industry, is capable of lowering temperature by around 10º C, depending on humidity conditions and temperature. The system goes into action when a temperature sensor detects temperatures above 27ºC in its surroundings. It is particularly effective with high temperatures and low relative humidity (typical conditions in Madrid during the summer).
The Air Trees are objects of an exportable nature, so they may be re-installed in similar locations or in other types of situations requiring an urban activity or reactivation.
