Refugi del Barri

Project idea

An urban design proposal for Plaza de Nicolás Ferrer Julve in Valencia, transforming the area into a 'Refugi del Barri' (neighborhood refuge). The project proposes a paradigm shift by introducing an active-retention 'sponge city' water management model, bioclimatic shelters, and a community center (Casal Urbà) to mitigate the urban heat island effect and create a resilient, climate-responsive public space.

Project description

The space is structured around three adaptive nodes: the Casal Urbà (a social and community engine featuring a 'Library of Things'), a Bioclimatic Oasis, and an Intimate Refuge (a dense urban forest for acoustic and thermal comfort). The core of the intervention features an 18-meter Warka Tower for atmospheric water harvesting and a central evaporative pond. The project utilizes blue-green infrastructure, including a phytoremediation biofilter and the underground Stockholm Method for subsoil water retention, to manage runoff, prevent flash floods, and provide passive cooling.

Technical information

The project employs a low-tech, zero-kilometer materials strategy. The main structures and envelopes, including the 18-meter Warka Tower, are constructed from glued laminated timber. Interior partition walls utilize Compressed Earth Blocks (CEB) to provide passive thermal mass. Shading is achieved through local reed pergolas and ceramic lattices. The subsoil infrastructure incorporates the Stockholm Method, utilizing a matrix of gravel and biochar that acts as a structural soil, storm tank, and permanent carbon sink. Additionally, the Warka Tower is equipped with an HDPE fog-catching mesh and a vitrified stoneware cistern for water storage

Documentation

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