Green Neighborhood (Manzana Verde) architectural innovation contest - Malaga

The "Manzana verde" is a new mixed-use district in a former industrial area in the city of Málaga in southern Spain that is being constructed following sustainability and social cohesion principles. In 2017, the city of Málaga in Southern Spain published an architectural innovation contest focused on creating accessible green spaces to increase social cohesion and local biodiversity while contributing to climate mitigation and adaptation. In 2019, winning architectural firms were awarded the project. The construction is based on four urban and social vectors: urban complexity, urban metabolism, urban biodiversity and social cohesion, habitability of the public space and sustainable mobility. Configured as a polygon of more than 90,000 square meters, the district builds on elements of the traditional Mediterranean city. This means that the district will be compact in construction, complex in the mix of uses, and close to basic citizen services, incorporating resources saving and efficiency systems. As an eco-neighborhood, the 'Manzana verde" disctrict will use ecological certification criteria in the treatment of materials and waste originating from earthworks, urbanization of land and construction, contributing to the creation of a circular economy.

Overview

Type of instrument:

Knowledge, communication and innovation instruments›Knowledge and/or innovation

Challenges addressed

Ecologic connectivity
Water management (e.g. reuse)
Green space management (e.g. accessibility)
Heat stress and heat island effect
Air quality
Noise
Social cohesion
Social equity
Nature appropriation / stewardship
Reconnection to the biosphere / environmental education
Human health, comfort and well-being

Consideration of nature-based solutions:

The winning proposal by Langarita–Navarro pursues an integrated and holistic approach to developing the Manzana verde disctrict and is centered around creating multifunctional green spaces. The general project proposes the construction of 963 apartments. In order to ensure that these apartments stay affordable and do not increase social inequity despite being energy efficient and attractive to potential buyers, the concept is organised along four vectors that guide the sustainability of all actions: urban complexity, urban metabolism, urban biodiversity and social cohesion, habitability of the public space and sustainable mobility. The inclusion of a vector on urban biodiversity and social cohesion underlines that a multifunctional nature-based solution approach is embodied in the project. The district will mainly include a bike lane network that connects with neighboring streets, and a pedestrian network with main and secondary paths. Some of the green areas have a reticular layout, based on the Arab garden, which allows the creation of green spaces for multiple uses.

Targeted (peri-)urban areas:

Parks and (semi)natural urban green areas

Allotments, community gardens or agricultural areas

Green areas for water management

External building greens

Urban green space connected to grey infrastructure

Good practice characteristics:

Support multifunctional NBS

Locally appropriate

Innovative

Governance

Government body/bodies

Initiating body:

City of Malaga

Instrument design:

Details about how the instrument was designed:

The City Council of Malaga (Ayuntamiento de Malaga) hosted the "New ways of living- the Green Neighborhood" (Nuevos Modos de Habitar-Manzana Verde) architectural innovation contest. The Official Association of Architects of Malaga and Madrid supported this process as a collaborator. The Observatorio de Medio Ambiente Urbano Ayuntamiento de Málaga (OMAU) promoted the contests. Various architects submitted proposals for the design of the district. In total, more than 100 proposals were submitted.

Involvement of non-governmental actors:

Public sector institution (e.g. school or hospital)

Private sector, corporate, business

Type of actor involvement:

Co-planning or co-design of instrument (e.g. boards, advisory role)

Instrument implementation:

Type of involvement:

In November 2019, the city of Málaga awarded the realization of the 'Manzana Verde' district to five different architecture firms, each of which will be in charge of designing five housing blocks that are proposed in the first phase of the project, as well as their urban environment. These firms are now realizing the implementation of the eco-district in close cooperation with officials from the city's planning department and other experts.

Type of non-governmental actors involved:

Implementation of NBS (e.g. with government funds)

Targeted actors:

Private: household, real estate developer, business , financial

Financing

Sources of funding:

Public local authority’s budget

In addition to city funds, the project is sponsored by EU funds.

Budget:

Above 10 000 000€

Details about instrument financing:

The budget foreseen for the development of the district is more than €115 million.

Monitoring, evaluation and impacts

Is a monitoring framework in place?:

Yes

Monitoring in place but no details were able to be found in public records.

Achieved outcomes and impacts:

In November 2019, the city of Málaga awarded the realization of the 'Manzana Verde' district to different architecture firms. Further impacts are have not yet been assessed.

Success factors and lessons learned:

The Manzana verde project represents an innovative type of urban planning that aims at converting a central area of Malaga with already obsolete uses into a green and socially cohesive multi-use area. The incorporation of aspects of traditional Mediterranean cities in the planning of the new district is an interesting aspect that can potentially be replicated in other cities of the region.

Sources and further information

References

List of references:

ArchDaily. (2017). Concurso ‘Nuevos Modeos de Habitar-Manzana Verde’ en Malaga, Espana. Available at: https://www.archdaily.cl/cl/804497/concurso-nuevos-modos-de-habitar-manzana-verde-en-malaga-espana (Accessed: 23 August 2021).

Europapress.es. (2019). Urbanismo de Málaga adjudica la redacción de los proyectos de cinco edificios y de la urbanización de la 'Manzana Verde'. Available at: https://www.europapress.es/andalucia/malaga-00356/noticia-urbanismo-malaga-adjudica-redaccion-proyectos-cinco-edificios-urbanizacion-manzana-verde-20191122122303.html (Accessed: 23 August 2022).

Urban Nature Atlas. (2021). Ecomembrana. Available at: https://www.archdaily.cl/cl/804497/concurso-nuevos-modos-de-habitar-manzana-verde-en-malaga-espana (Accessed: 23 August 2022).

La Opinión de Málaga. (2018). Brota la Manzana Verde. Available at: https://www.laopiniondemalaga.es/malaga/2017/11/18/brota-manzana-verde-28116882.html (Accessed: 23 August 2022).

OMAU. (2018). La Manzana Verde, nuevas formas de habitar. Available at: https://static.omau-malaga.com/omau/subidas/archivos/5/6/arc_7965.pdf (Accessed: 23 August 2022).

Photos

@Langarita-Navarro