From territorial Vega to Cañaveral Vega
As a starting point, the project was addressed from a territory-based view, analyzing the relationship between vega and urban growth in the metropolitan area to study the behavior of urban edges. Therefore, the objective is to understand the functioning of the metropolitan area and if the growth of urban edges follow a particular pattern or we are facing a situation whose growing mechanism is based on spontaneity and uniqueness by region.
Thus, I make a personal ranking of various types of vega depending on its agricultural activity and its relationship with the city:
As we can see, there is a mixed picture of urban growth and relationship with the vega in the metropolitan area. This relationship between urban centers and their vegas is stronger than it seems, because the different principal economic activities that take place in these areas (Industrial, agricultural, livestock, tourism, services, etc.), the type of crops, the orographic conditions or the proximity to the city of Granada contribute to the current situation.
What is happening? (Current situation)
We are facing a situation of mismatches between the city of Granada and Vega that makes sustainable growth difficult. The Vega has to be productive so that its relations with the city are improved. The dissolution of the urban-rural barrier must be accepted and urban and economic strategy conceived as a system must be established.
Lack of internal permeability. Unlike Camino de Ronda or Arabial street, which act as city service roads containing most of vehicular traffic and linking Granada from north to south, there is a lack of vega service roads, which encourage pedestrian traffic and contact landscape and natural value areas such as the rivers and others like farming meeting points.
The need arises to develop a plan to order the area and establish a complementary to the existing to promote the Granada-Vega connection and encourage internal mobility, in addition to strengthening the agricultural value of the zone system.
We are facing a situation of mismatches between the city of Granada and Vega that makes sustainable growth difficult. The Vega has to be productive so that its relations with the city are improved. The dissolution of the urban-rural barrier must be accepted and urban and economic strategy conceived as a system must be established.
Lack of internal permeability. Unlike Camino de Ronda or Arabial street, which act as city service roads containing most of vehicular traffic and linking Granada from north to south, there is a lack of vega service roads, which encourage pedestrian traffic and contact landscape and natural value areas such as the rivers and others like farming meeting points.
The need arises to develop a plan to order the area and establish a complementary to the existing to promote the Granada-Vega connection and encourage internal mobility, in addition to strengthening the agricultural value of the zone system.
The Vega has to be productive so that its relations with the city are improved. The dissolution of the urban-rural barrier must be accepted and urban and economic strategy conceived as a system must be established.
Lack of internal permeability. Unlike Camino de Ronda or Arabial street, which act as city service roads containing most of vehicular traffic and linking Granada from north to south, there is a lack of vega service roads, which encourage pedestrian traffic and contact landscape and natural value areas such as the rivers and others like farming meeting points.
The need arises to develop a plan to order the area and establish a complementary to the existing to promote the Granada-Vega connection and encourage internal mobility, in addition to strengthening the agricultural value of the zone system.
Break the City / Vega barrier.
Promote local consumption.
Regenerate and hybridize the vega making it accessible to Granada inhabitants.
// OBJECTIVES:
Regenerate the urban edge of the Cañaveral Vega.
Enhace internal mobility.
Ensure its protection through its multi-activity.
Sustainable and sensitive development plan.
// ACTION:
Establish internal circulation roads.
Introduction of flats with associated gardens/crops.
Mixture of urban and agricultural uses.
Ecological model of short marketing channels strategy .
Green area annex to the Beltway.
Connection to Beiro river. Within the Plan I focus on the proposal plot located at the end of the road Canaveral.
The knot-situation in which the plot is located turns it into a pedestrian and farming meeting point in the area because of the continuity of the Acequia Gorda alley, publicizing it and communicating it with Mercagranada, on the north. Farmer and inhabitant are connected.
Lack of internal permeability. Unlike Camino de Ronda or Arabial street, which act as city service roads containing most of vehicular traffic and linking Granada from north to south, there is a lack of vega service roads, which encourage pedestrian traffic and contact landscape and natural value areas such as the rivers and others like farming meeting points.
The need arises to develop a plan to order the area and establish a complementary to the existing to promote the Granada-Vega connection and encourage internal mobility, in addition to strengthening the agricultural value of the zone system.
Special Plan of the Cañaveral Vega
// PRINCIPLES:
Second chance to the agricultural value of the Vega.Break the City / Vega barrier.
Promote local consumption.
Regenerate and hybridize the vega making it accessible to Granada inhabitants.
// OBJECTIVES:
Regenerate the urban edge of the Cañaveral Vega.
Enhace internal mobility.
Ensure its protection through its multi-activity.
Sustainable and sensitive development plan.
// ACTION:
Establish internal circulation roads.
Introduction of flats with associated gardens/crops.
Mixture of urban and agricultural uses.
Ecological model of short marketing channels strategy .
Green area annex to the Beltway.
Connection to Beiro river.
The knot-situation in which the plot is located turns it into a pedestrian and farming meeting point in the area because of the continuity of the Acequia Gorda alley, publicizing it and communicating it with Mercagranada, on the north. Farmer and inhabitant are connected.
General Plan view
ECOLOGICAL EXCHANGE AND LEISURE CENTRE
On the basis of connecting the farmer and the inhabitant as well as create a meeting point for both the neighbors and the Granada inhabitants, which find a rest area on the way through the vega, a hybrid program arises.
the organic market is the main use, which may be associated with terraced gardens in the public space. It is complemented by a small media library, reading room and audiovisual. The media library is conceived as a lounge. The restaurant operates as a "venta", faces the inner courtyard with an exit to the outdoor terrace in the garden.
the organic market is the main use, which may be associated with terraced gardens in the public space. It is complemented by a small media library, reading room and audiovisual. The media library is conceived as a lounge. The restaurant operates as a "venta", faces the inner courtyard with an exit to the outdoor terrace in the garden.
Establishment on the plot
The original plot area, which is currently fragmented, is recovered and the original crops directions perpendicular to the existing secondary ditches, evacuating their waters to Ramal de la Acequia Naujar is respected. These elements will be preserved, as one of the intentions of the project and the plan itself is the recovery and conservation of agricultural activity. Thus, a model of organic farming is implemented: deep terraced crops.
Thus a new structure of cultivation arises with plots of 5 meters wide divided into 2 with main and intermediate steps for the farmer and the flood irrigation.
In this agricultural tissue we also find terraced gardens, craft tools warehouses for farmers and two bands of outdoor parking, surrounded by vegetation to minimize the visual impact in order to free the Cañaveral street from cars.
The original plot area, which is currently fragmented, is recovered and the original crops directions perpendicular to the existing secondary ditches, evacuating their waters to Ramal de la Acequia Naujar is respected. These elements will be preserved, as one of the intentions of the project and the plan itself is the recovery and conservation of agricultural activity. Thus, a model of organic farming is implemented: deep terraced crops.
Deep terraced crops system
The deep terraced crops system is a technique organically grown at a domestic scale. The plot is divided into rectangular terraces that are excavated 40-50 cm depth. The extracted soil is redeposited on the terraces, thus achieving a less compact and more aerated soil, allowing a better plant development and better absorption of nutrients. These terraces may not be walked so its width can not exceed 1.80 meters.Thus a new structure of cultivation arises with plots of 5 meters wide divided into 2 with main and intermediate steps for the farmer and the flood irrigation.
In this agricultural tissue we also find terraced gardens, craft tools warehouses for farmers and two bands of outdoor parking, surrounded by vegetation to minimize the visual impact in order to free the Cañaveral street from cars.
This agriculture technique is the project basis, which divides the plot and generates a public space understood as a hybrid place where agriculture is mixed with the garden and the farmer with the inhabitant. The building, which combines different uses together also arises from this basis, but with the intention of establishing a meeting, exchange and knowledge of agricultural culture place.
The building responds to the character of the old almunias close to Granada. Retirement locations where gardens and crops invaded the land, with buildings formed by superposition according to the needs and with a central courtyard.
Ground floor
First floor
Elevation and main sections
Ecological market interior view
Constructive dissection
Thanks for looking!
