Francesco Andrieri

Report About

Urban Regeneration Project

INDEX

+ POOL 5

How work the strainer ?!5

+ POOL by the numbers !5

A pool for who ?!6

How finance the project ?!7

Risk and challenge ?!8

MADRID RIO 11

The project!11

From Highway to Park!12

First Step!12

Caja Magica!13

Cost or Benefit ?!13

PORTLAND'S HARBOR DRIVE 15

Higway Removal!16

Impacts!17

What kind of Benefit ?!17

Revitalizing Downtown Portland!18

SITOGRAPHY 21

+ POOL“Like a giant strainer dropped into the river, + POOL makes it possible for

everybody to swim in clean river water right here in NYC”

+ POOL started with a simple goal: instead of trying to clean the entire river, what if you started by just cleaning a small piece of it?  And what if you could change how New Yorkers see their rivers, just by giving them a chance to swim in it ?

How work the strainer ?+ POOL is designed to filter the very river that it floats in through the walls of the pool, making it possible for New Yorkers to swim in clean river water for the first time in 100 years.  The layered filtration system incrementally removes bacteria and contaminants to ensure nothing but clean, swimmable water that meets both city and state standards. No chemicals, no additives, just natural river water.The pool will clean up to half a million gallons of river water every single day.  In doing so, + POOL will make a measurable contribution to the rivers of New York City.  The rivers are big, and this will be a great place to start cleaning them.

+ POOL by the numbersPool Dimensions: 164' (l) x 164' (w) x 5' (d). Each arm is 32' (or four lanes) wide.Pool Area: 9,300 sfPool Volume: 285,000 gallonsDeck Dimensions: 205' (l) x 205' (w) x 8' (d)Deck Area: 14,700 sfWater Turnover Period: Every 6 hrs (2 hrs at Kids' pool)Water Turnover Rate: 707 gpm (259 gpm at Kids' pool)Max Daily Turnover Volume: 694,000 gallons/day

A pool for who ?

+ POOL is designed for all types of swimmers, bathers and hanger-outers, which is why it's designed as four pools in one: a Kids' pool, Sports pool, Lap pool and Lounge pool. Each can be used independently,

combined to form an Olympic-length pool or opened completely into a 9,000 square foot pool for play. Its simple and iconic shape will mark the return to clean rivers in New York City.

The next image is the final results, a mix, about the shape of the pool, considering the final users.

How finance the project ?

+ POOL is driven by the supporters, backers and collaborators that want to see the pool in the water as much as we do.  So we thought, what if we broke the pool into bite-size chunks and gave everybody a way to claim a piece of the pool for themselves.

“ The price of PLADGE go from $ 25,00 to $ 9999,00 or more “

One of 70,000 tiles that will make up the deck, walls and floor of the future pool. If every single one is bought, the entire $15 million construction budget of +

POOL will be funded from front to back.  That's pretty awesome. We want everybody to be able to see, hold and keep their very own tile which is why when you reserve an individual tile here on Kickstarter we'll engrave you name on it and send you one in the mail this

very summer.  And on opening day of the future + POOL, there will be a replica of your tile waiting for you on the pool with your name permanently etched into the history of making the world's first water-filtering floating pool.

Risk and challenge ?From day one the pool has been establishing an exciting model for how we can make our cities even better. It's on its way to becoming one of the largest crowdfunded civic projects the world has ever seen, and the fact that everybody can be a part of getting + POOL into the water is both incredible and absolutely central to the project. But like anything new and worthwhile there are some inherent risks and challenges that we'll face as the project continues to develop. We've brought together what we think is an absolutely incredible team of designers, engineers, researchers and strategists and have an amazing roster of advisors from the architecture, environmental, business and political spheres to guide us. With a project this large and this complex, there's still a lot of hurdles and unknowns to overcome before we're all swimming in clean river waters, but we believe the risks are well worth the reward of making our city even better and we're committed to getting + POOL in the water. Below are the main challenges that we'll face and what you can expect as the project continues to develop.

Design and Engineering - As is the case with any design project, things will evolve as the project progresses, as we learn more, and as the conditions that we're designing for change. Working with Arup, we have the full confidence and experience of one of the world's leading engineering firms that our goal of

filtering river water is absolutely achievable. The challenge is in fact finding the BEST way out of the many that we're studying. This applies to the test pool the summer, and even to the tiles as the ones we'll send you may be slightly different than the ones that ultimately make it on the pool. So even though things may end up looking slightly different than above, the water will be clean and + POOL will be an amazing place to swim.Funding - When compared with most projects here on Kickstarter, + POOL is larger, more costly and will take longer to complete. And with any complex building project, from a kitchen refurbishment to a brand new city, budgets and estimates can change. We'll continue to do everything we can to keep costs in check and we don't expect to crowdfund everything in one go. It will take steps and time but we feel it's worth it to ensure that we can make the best pool in the world.Permitting and Approvals - Building anything in New York is complicated, let alone something in the civic realm, on the river, that has never been done before. Permitting is never guaranteed regardless of the scope of the project, which is why we've spent the last two years in hundreds of meetings to make sure that + POOL is designed to meet their requirements of the permitting agencies. The responses have been across-the-board positive, but we're still giving ourselves plenty of time for the approvals process. If we do get delayed because of permitting it will be a little upsetting, but we're pretty sure the rivers will still need cleaning the next summer.

MADRID RIOTHE lack of a major river passing through the city has put Madrid at a disadvantage compared to other European capitals such as London,Paris, Rome or Budapest.Waterways like the Seine, the Thames, the Danube or the Tiber, which divide their respective city centres, usually conjure up a notion of space, bridges, leisure cruises, terraces, riverside walks, open air restaurants, and romance, as well as a means of attracting tourists.The Spanish capital does have a kind of river - the Manzanares.For years residents in the southern and western districts of the city were

virtually cut off from the rest of Madrid. All this has changed. The local residents can now gaze out over the water and see parks, play areas, ponds, fountains, bridges and not a car in sight.

The projectThe project covers an area of town that, although fairly central and a step away from Segovia Bridge, the Royal Palace and the Almudena Cathedral, was a bit left to itself and highly polluted by 250,000 cars each day traveling along the M-30.

The Madrid Rio project, one of a number of urban regeneration schemes planned by the local authority in the capital, had three main objectives: recover use of the neglected river and improve public open space along the river banks; give priority

to the Madridpopulation; integrate the centre of the city with the southern and western districts.

From Highway to Park

Now the stretch of M-30, which cut the city was buried under the ground and in its place there is a 10 km long park with tree-lined avenues, gardens, pine forests, orchards, bike trails, soccer fields, tennis, handball, cross-skate, skate park, trails for extreme cycling, rowing, canoeing, bars, restaurants, children's play areas, spaces for disabled, tanks, water games and even 'la playa', an urban beach strongly desired by the children invited Madrid to draw their ideal park.

First StepThe first phase, an engineering feat, consisted of building a massive concrete deck over several kilometres of the M 30 urban motorway. Instead of over 200,000 vehicles passing there is now a network of interlinked parks and 30 kilometres of trails and cycle paths on both banks of the river.More than 30,000 trees have been planted and ornamental fountains, artificial ponds, children’s play areas and sports facilities installed along the riverbank.

The result suggests the mammoth project has succeeded in its aims. The new park, more than six kilometres in length, provides over 1.2 million square metres of space with 1,000 acres designated as landscaped gardens.

Caja Magica

However the most ambitious and innovative project was designed by French architect, Dominique Perrault, known in Madrid for his avant-garde Caja Magica sports arena. Instead of a standard open catwalk he designed a futuristic 270 metre long steel construction in the form of a gigantic spiral built with steel beams like a ribcage.Inside the spiral the 5metre wide platform for pedestrians and cyclists is formed

from timber planking complete with seating.Its originality comes from the separation of the bridge into two sections that do not align themselves. While the northern element rises gently from the main road across the park, over the pedestrian and cycle paths, the

southern section spans the river. They converge in the centre divided by an open space with ramps descending to the river bank.The lighting, designed with security in mind, not only makes the bridge bright at night but illuminates the park and river.It stands out as a unique, creative example of bridge engineering and has become of one of the principal attractions within the park.

Cost or Benefit ?

The Madrid Río has won numerous awards including the 'Prize of international urban design and landscape' of the International Committee of Architectural Critics (CICA) and the prize 'Green Good Design' by the University of Chicago.

The project has been criticised by political opponents of the mayor, Alberto Ruiz Gallardon, since the !400 million investment, added to the City’s already large debt, will place a financial burden on the Madrid citizens for years to come.However from the number of families that have taken advantage of the riverside gardens, ponds, sporting facilities and walks it would seem that they consider the investment worthwhile.

Water is the fundamental element in the redesign of the waterfront Madrid and the river acquires centrality and importance in this context, also in view of the significant problems of drought in Madrid not only because rainfall is scarce but also for its 29 fields courses that consume as much water as a city of 100,000 inhabitants.

If we are going to improve the environment in our cities by reducing the nuisance and pollution caused by traffic, Madrid’s long term planning may have set an example that should be followed,  ensuring a better quality

lifestyle for future generations by giving the city back to the people.

PORTLAND'S HARBOR DRIVE

In the history of American freeway teardowns, Portland's Harbor Drive holds an auspicious position. It stands as the first major highway to be intentionally removed. In 1950, Harbor Drive, running adjacent to downtown along the western bank of the Willamette River, became Portland's first limited-access highway, six lanes carrying US Route 99W. As more freeways were built in the city during the 1960s--including Interstate 5 on the eastern bank of the Willamette and Interstate 405, a western bypass around downtown--Harbor Drive became less important as a long-haul freeway route. In the early 1970's, the average daily traffic using Harbor Drive was about 24,000 vehicles, including approximately 2,500 heavy trucks accessing nearby industrial areas.

During the 1960s, Portland was a city with serious economic and environmental problems. Today, Portland is an economic and environmental success story.  It is so successful that the Wall Street Journal, which is not usually known for its environmental advocacy, has called Portland an “urban mecca” that city planners from all over the country visit to learn how they can control sprawl,

reduce automobile dependency, and build lively and attractive pedestrian-oriented neighborhoods.

When Portland decided to tear down the Harbor Drive freeway, the city made one of key decisions that transformed it into a national model for effective city planning. 

Key Findings and OutcomesCreated an important amenity for downtown and the only direct access point to the Willamette River.The riverfront park was a key element in the creation of the

Downtown Waterfront Urban Renewal Area (DTWF URA)1. Since the implementation of the DTWF URA in 974, assessed land values in downtown Portland have increased an average of 0.4% annually, from a total of $466 million to more than $.6 billion. Before and after comparisons found 9.6% fewer vehicle trips on nearby roads and formerly connecting bridges.

Higway RemovalIn the late 1960s, newly elected Governor Tom McCall pledged his support for the beautification of the west bank of the Willamette River-harkening back to the City Beautiful plans at the turn of the century that envisioned parks and greenways along the river. Alternatives were proposed for the area, initially various tunnel options were discussed but proved too expensive. Citizens, led by the Riverfront for Citizens coalition, called for a park and boulevard option. McCall ultimately backed the boulevard option and in 1974, Harbor Drive was closed for reconstruction.

1DTWF - Downtown Waterfront

ImpactsAfter the removal of Harbor Drive, there were minimal negative traffic impacts partly due to the street patterns and traffic management of downtown Portland. In order to better manage traffic and more effectively utilize the street grid, all the streets in the downtown were converted to oneway and the traffic lights were

signalized to enable vehicles to travel across downtown without stopping. The conversion to one-way streets was also accompanied by reduced speed limits in order to ensure a safe and friendly pedestrian environment

as well as a bike-compatible environment.

What kind of Benefit ?

1) Economic Development

The success of Portland's downtown is widely known-and the demolition of Harbor Drive should take a good portion of credit. Key developments-like Yards at Union Station to the north and RiverPlace to the south-led to a resurgence in downtown housing. The city continues to develop waterfront plans to build on the river as an asset.

The Portland Development Commission's Downtown Waterfront Development Strategies Project aims to increase mixed-use development along the length of the downtown and three blocks from the waters' edge. This is in recognition of the dramatic increases in property value that have resulted from the replacement of Harbor Drive with an at-grade boulevard.

2) Reduction in Crime Rates The redevelopment

of the waterfront area also had impacts on reducing crime rates. According to police bureau reports, since 990 crime has declined by 65% in the waterfront area compared with a reduction of 6% in the city as a whole. This is partly attributed to new visibility and to the

increase in pedestrian “eyes on the street” in the area.

Revitalizing Downtown PortlandToday, McCall Waterfront Park is an attraction that draws people to downtown Portland year round – and particularly during the summer, when it hosts the Rose Festival Fun Center, the Bite, the Portland Blues Festival, and largest Beer Brewers' Festival in the United States.It has been expanded several times.  During the 1980s, the city built a Waterfront Park Extension from the Hawthorne Bridge to Montgomery Street. During the 1990s, the city built the award-winning South Waterfront Park, completing a two-mile long greenway along the river.

The park has also been an anchor for new development. During the 1980s, Portland sponsored competetion to redevelop the area next to the park as what

was called the RiverFront Project. The first phase, completed in 1985, included 298 housing units, an 84-room hotel, two restaurants, and a marina.  The second phase, completed in 1995 added 182 townhouse units, an athletic club, and 2000 square feet of retail and restaurant space.

In addition to this development that is directly linked to Waterfront Park, there is no doubt that replacing the freeway with this park contributed to the overall revitalization of downtown, which is an easy walk from the park and river now that Harbor Drive is no longer in the way.

ConclusionThis battle not only convinced Portland to kill the Western Bypass freeway; it also convinced the city to adopt the regional master plan that is now a national model.Now Riverfront for People, the same group that led the fight to remove Harbor Drive, is at it again.  They now are promoting a plan to remove Interstate-5 from the east side of the Willamette River, to stimulate its development as an attractive pedestrian-oriented neighborhod, just as removing Harbor Drive from the west side of the river stimulated the development of the RiverFront project and of all of downtown. 

SITOGRAPHYhttp://www.kickstarter.com/projects/694835844/pool-tile-by-tile

http://www.euroweeklynews.com/columnists/guest-columnist/item/89560-madrid-rio-urban-regeneration-at-a-price

http://www.architetturaecosostenibile.it/architettura/in-europa/madrid-rio-autostrada-parco-riqualificazione-sostenibile-493.html

http://www.nytimes.com/2011/12/27/arts/design/in-madrid-even-maybe-the-bronx-parks-replace-freeways.html?pagewanted=2&_r=4

http://www.cnu.org/highways/portland