Madrid Rio

Madrid Rio

Madrid reconnects to the water. Where there used to be highways on both sides of the river you can now follow the flow on both sides through an endless variety of spaces for recreation. The new river park is the new favourite for many Madrid citizens, and you find them there, relaxing, running or just watching the life take place. This park itself justifies a visit to Madrid.
Find more info here.

Playful pigs in the river park in Madrid

Fish on the docks

Harbour of Ålesund

Fish is sold directly from the boat in the docks of Ålesund.

Crossing programmes

Pathway underneath a hotel

A hotel in Larvik and the public pathway crossing each other on the beach.

Cultural horizon

The culture house of Larvik and the Oslofjord

Art by Matias Faldbakken on the wall of the culture house of Larvik, Norway

Public or private waterfront?

Private waterfront apartments in Giudecca in Venice

In Venice the water is public space. It functions as the main infrastructure to move within the city. Moving on land is merely something extra offered. The relationship between buildings and water is as in a street in an ordinary urban structure. Walls of private houses are also the walls of public space. But is this relationsship seen elsewhere? Some places old warehouses by rivers or canals have been transformed into hotels or apartments, where you can catch fish from the balcony or just enjoy the character of the water beneath.

Universal design in Venice

Elevator in Venice

Even Venice is accessible despite it's bridges and canals. Here is an example with an elevator by Canal Grande.

Stavanger hosts the Waterfront synopsis conference 2010

This year Stavanger hosts the waterfront synopsis conference 2010.  The conference is arranged by NUDA (Nordic Urban Design Association) More information here: www.nuda.no

Channel of Tønsberg

An old harbor dating back to the age of vikings, now a new waterfront with a relaxed atmosphere

New living in Amsterdam

 

New housing in Amsterdam in the spirit of the old structures of private houses with a narrow front towards the canal. Here different architect made their piece. Nice, but a bit disappointing when you find that the houses are copied and pasted through several blocks on this island.

Meeting Venice

 

A favourite! Coming to Venice by train across the lagoon and leaving the railway station to this open square towards Canal Grande leading into a labyrinth of splendour and mystery.

Bird-diving

 

From Totenvika by the lake Mjøsa in Norway.

Public bathhouse

 

 

 

Public bathhouse in Hellesylt, Norway.

Ypsilon

 

 

 

The footbridge "Ypsilon" connecting to the new riverfront in Drammen, Norway

Balcony on water

 

Private balcony towards the public waterfront in Drammen, Norway

Wooden riverfront in Drammen

 

 

 

 

Parts of the riverfront construction in wood in front of Drammen railway station.

Pier in Drammen

 

Public pier on the riverfront towards Drammen.

New additions

 

The house "Papirbredden" containing the new library is added to an environment of old brick buildings with space for cultural activities.

Drammen - from dust to success

 

Drammen used to be Norway`s dirty city, forgotten in the shadow of the motorway bridge and with a cold river stream dividing it. But after years of consistent work the city is shining again. The focus has been turned towards the river. The motorway-bridge is still there, and doubled in size, but designed to reflect the light to the areas below where also artists have added their work to the public space.

Dutch waters

In the Netherlands the water is always present, and the Dutch people has built their identity as they have worked with water to create new land and a society.
Amsterdam, the river by Amstel where they made a dam, is a good example of how urban life and dynamic waterways are connected together in a complex system. And this complexity is present in everything built. Dikes protect the land from the North sea and strong rivers. Canals distribute water with the pressure needed. Houses have to be built on sand layers 11 or 21 meters down and the building of the new Metro is a real challenge as the engineers have to solve the problem of stability in the ground when the ground water is disturbed.

Case I, Cartagena, Colombia

Taxi on the beach.

Cartagena on the Caribbean coast could be an example of how a modern city uses and abuses its waters. The old city is on the World Heritage List, beautifully situated on a narrow peninsula between the mangroove forests and the rough sea. But the city has grown both along the shores and spread on free land inwards. On the shores Cartagena now faces the trouble of land being washed out by the sea, and further in open sewages and contaminated water is a problem both for people and nature.
Despite it´s challenges Cartagena is the pearl of the Caribbean attracting visitors from Colombia and the rest of the world. It has a walled colonial city and a moderne high-rise skyline towards the sea.