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La Pinada is Spain’s first eco-district co-designed by its future residents who are not only involved in the design of the residential buildings through the different participation processes, but also in the design of a sustainable, dynamic, innovative and socially integrating environment, and with technology at the residents disposal.
Families with children, entrepreneurs, adults and the international community are the profiles, which up to now, are opting more for La Pinada eco-district as an alternative solution to the current models of urban growth.
La Pinada (Paterna, Valencia) has ended its first year with the direct participation of more than 400 people in the 4 sessions open to those interested, and 2 for future residents that were held during 2017. The main objective of these meetings is to involve the future residents of La Pinada in the urban design process from the start, including their future district in which they wish to live, and their own homes, so they can take an interest in their needs and individual preferences.
“We listen to the opinions of the future residents through our processes of co-creation, and we take them into account during the design process of the residential buildings and the environment”,
explains Iker Marcaide, founder of La Pinada.
He adds that:
“It’s not a closed product which is sold to those interested, but rather one that includes them in the definition of their home, as well as their future district and in such important fields such as mobility, energy consumption, technology, the integration in nature or social innovation, among others”.
The first co-creation workshops were intended to find out the view of the users and future residents of La Pinada on their own concept of the eco-district, the environment and the different solutions for reaching the objectives set out by La Pinada. With the help of specialised technicians in different fields, the participants have worked in the definition of an ideal model that will serve to guide the final design of the eco-district and the values on which the community is based on.
In this way, the future residents are starting to decide how they want their environment to be, and in such important aspects such as waste management; the consumption management of the different energy and hydrological resources; the definition of the landscape; the different forms of mobility; cohabitation; commercial structure and the way of integrating the residents into the community.
Co-working areas, local businesses, alternatives to private transport, integration with nature and the reduction of energy consumption are just some of the ideas which have been emerging from the co-creation workshops. The multiple possibilities and advantages of La Pinada eco-district have aroused the interest of different profiles of potential residents among which stand out:
- Families with children: attracted by an environment where children can play in the street again, where family reconciliation is favoured and made easy, and fun for children and adults, as well as having a density of private, state and public schools among which include Imagine Montessori School the origin of La Pinada.
- People motivated by education and sustainability: people of all ages who appreciate a district that is designed as an extension of the educational experience, an environment of learning and experimentation for all ages, and which lets people live in line with their values of sustainability and respect for the environment.
- Entrepreneurs and innovators: young people from the area of Valencia who seek a stimulating and synergistic environment where they can develop their initiatives while living and enjoying themselves, which allows them to simplify their day-to-day.
- Adults: people who see La Pinada as a place to live in with personalised customer services and in which they have a unified support community that will make their day-to-day more interesting, participating in an active way in the community life of the eco-district. Some also plan to cohabitate near their children and grandchildren who are also in the district.
- Expatriates and internationals: families with an international profile who have identified Valencia as an attractive destination for living and working, sometimes from a distance, and consider La Pinada as a place where their families can be integrated into a diverse community.
During 2018, the co-creation process of the district will keep advancing with workshops for people who are already committed and interested newcomers.
About La Pinada:
La Pinada will be the first eco-district in Spain, co-designed by future residents and created as an extension of a school. The project is situated at 10 minutes from the centre of Valencia and includes 25 hectares among pine trees where approximately 1,000 families will settle in their continual stages of growth. The first stage is expected to be complete in 2021. The new eco-district will create an attractive area for families where they can live, work and enjoy nature in an exciting, dynamic, healthy and socially integrating environment. La Pinada is a project by Zubi Labs, and led by Iker Marcaide which seeks to create social and environmental value through their business initiatives.