The Proyecto Madrid Centro (Strategic Project for the Urban Core of Madrid) has been awarded at the eight Ibero-american Architecture and Urbanism Biennale (VIII BIAU) in the category for applied research.

The BIAU is led by the Infrastructure and Urban Development Ministry of the Spanish Government through its General Direction for Architecture, Housing and Land, awarding every two years innovative projects in the 22 countries composing the Ibero-american space, including Spanish and Portuguese speaking Americas and Spain and Portugal.

The proposal establishes a detailed diagnosis of the present condition of the urban core of Madrid to define a strategic vision aimed to guide its evolution towards a more sustainable urban development model. Substituting an expansive growth model with one set to recycle existing urban tissues, taking into account the complexity and potential of the existing city, is the declared goal. In an urban space of 50 sq km with a population of 1,07 million, included into the M30 orbital freeway, that in 2008 has about the same population as in 1940, the central issue is the meaning of urban centrality.

The consultant team has been directed by José María Ezquiaga, Juan Herreros and Salvador Pérez Arroyo, with a highly qualified group of specialists addressing different issues. I have been honored to work in the team coordination and defining proposals.

Link to the project in the municipal site of Madrid http://www.madrid.es/portales/munimadrid/es/Inicio/Ayuntamiento/Urbanismo-e-Infraestructuras/Proyecto-completo?vgnextfmt=default&vgnextoid=2ed4488f7c742310VgnVCM1000000b205a0aRCRD&vgnextchannel=8dba171c30036010VgnVCM100000dc0ca8c0RCRD&idioma=es&idiomaPrevio=es&rmColeccion=0b65488f7c742310VgnVCM1000000b205a0aRCRD

Additional details about the project in next posts.