La Pinada (Valencia), the only Spanish project selected among the most innovative neighbourhoods in Europe fighting climate change

Eco-barrio La Pinada

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La Pinada (Paterna – Valencia) will share this week in London its best practices in co-creation processes as part of EIT Climate-KIC’s Smart Sustainable Districts program, EU’s main initiative focused on innovation to mitigate climate change.

 “Client’s involvement from the beginning in the urban design process –the design of the house itself as well as its surroundings- will go from being an option to a requirement” explains Iker Marcaide, founder of La Pinada.

Paterna (Valencia), November 28, 2017

The housing market in Spain will close the year with the construction of around 85,000 new homes. Although we can see a recovery, supported mainly by the increase in demand for new construction housing, at a general level there aren’t real substantial changes in the process of creating these homes, from the zoning to the promotion and off-plan sales.

Somewhat more advanced projects do try to integrate users at some stage of the process, and try to provide a certain level of customization. At a much more innovative level, and similarly to how it is done in other sectors, we can find projects with co-creation processes where the future resident is part of the design process from the beginning.

In the future, establishing co-creation processes for the design of urban environments will go from being an exception to a fundamental requirement of future residents along with variables such as sustainability and technology: key elements when it comes to make a decision about where to live as they have a great impact on the way and quality of life. After all, choosing a place of residence continues to be the most important decision at a vital and economic level for many families throughout their lives.

Between November 29 and December 1, Iker Marcaide, founder of La Pinada (Paterna) will be in London presenting the best practices in the process of co-creation of his project along with 18 other leaders of districts coming from cities such as Berlin, London, Paris and Utrecht.

La Pinada is the only Spanish project taking part in EIT-Climate KIC’s leading program Smart Sustainable Districts, a program that aims to bring together the most pioneering neighbourhoods in Europe in the fight against climate change.

La Pinada became a reference thanks to the great diversity of actors involved in the design process. The project integrates future inhabitants as well as companies that seek to generate a social and environmental impact, public institutions, and all agents of local, regional, national and international level who share the goal of a healthy, inclusive, dynamic, resilient, socially cohesive environment with technology at the service of the people.

“It is clear for us that working on the basis of the needs of the future inhabitant from the beginning allows us to configure a solution that provides much more value, and allows it to be more affordable and therefore helps to create a more inclusive and diverse environment. In addition, this process allows the generation of a sense of community and very important links. We are used to accepting urban developments and housing projects designed in offices and accepting millionaire investments without even talking to users until the very end. This has to change, and we need to evolve from thinking about the product to thinking about people” says Iker Marcaide.

To date, more than 1,100 people have already participated in the activities promoted by La Pinada, of which more than 300 are interested future inhabitants, with an upcoming activity scheduled for next Saturday, December 2.

For Iker Marcaide, Co-creation:

“is an evolution of the classic participation processes where not only the opinion is heard but the opinion is integrated intrinsically into the design process. For example, questions about the budget and way of living are asked to each neighbour, and this nourishes the design team¨.

 

About La Pinada:
La Pinada will be the first eco-neighbourhood in Spain co-designed by its future inhabitants and planned as an extension of a school. The project is located 10 minutes from the centre of Valencia and includes 25 hectares surrounded with pines, where approximately 1,000 families will be installed during its progressive phases of growth, with the first phase expected to be completed in 2021. The new eco-neighbourhood will create an attractive space for families where they can live, work and enjoy nature in a vibrant, dynamic, healthy and socially cohesive environment. La Pinada is a Zubi Labs project led by Iker Marcaide that aims to create social and environmental value through its business initiatives.

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