Green densification model

Parc Marianne is an ecodistrict that aims to address multiple challenges such as climate action for adaptation, environmental quality, flooding, and in response to the high population growth in Montpellier. Parc Marianne is connected to public transportation, has bicycle lanes and car parks, and the sidewalk is shared between pedestrians and bicyclists and structured with trees and other greenery. The park was certified with the ecodistrict label in 2015 following requirements like environmental sustainability, thermal performance, quality of life, nature and biodiversity, and mobility (Ref. 1). Parc Marianne is a mixed neighbourhood with an ability to combine city and nature, quality of life and centrality (Ref. 2).

The 16-storey EnBW Administrative Complex and planned office district in Stuttgart's industrial area of Fasanenhof has three wings and a high-rise for about 2,000 employees on the 35,000 square meter sites, with many extensive green roofs and usable intensive roofs over underground parking. With the new office complex, EnBW wanted to create a modern and pioneering work environment for its employees. Different green system solutions were used on the project including a "Natural Roof", "Garden Roof", "Public Roof" and "Landscape Roof", with both extensive as well as walk-intensive plantings. The resulting green roofs offer respite and recreation for employees and visitors. [ref 1, 2]

The proposed masterplan for the "Città della Scienza" or the City of Science by Vincent Callebaut Architectures and Studio d'Architettura Briguglio Morales focuses on sustainability with history to propose a self-sufficient urban ecosystem in Italy. More than a spatial work of art, it encourages the promotion of sustainable design, low carbon transportation, renewable energies, automation technologies, and green building materials. Because of these features, the project has many examples of nature-based solutions (e.g.vertical gardens, green roofs/walls, orchards). Operating on the principle of living facades, the Città della Scienza revitalizes Rome's forgotten military district into a vibrant, regenerating living city. [1][3]

The Porto Biospots Network is a partnership of the Municipality with "Infraestruturas de Portugal", and is a network of urban forest areas (predominantly autochthonous) that aims to allow the reforestation of adjacent transit routes, major highway nodes, and routes of circulation within the city, transforming environmentally poor lands into green areas that provide multiple ecological services. This initiative foresees the reforestation of 14 areas and the planting of 10,000 trees by 2021, having already completed 2 roads, with a total of 1305 native trees planted. The biospot is the materialization of a part of the Municipal Ecological Structure of Porto. [1][4]

Work is underway to build an Urban Park at Rua Ramada Curto, in Monte Abraão. The leisure park will be 6,200 m² and includes a children's playground, a space for seniors, the creation of green space for recreation and park protection with a perimeter of bushes and trees. It will be a continuous green zone of recreation and leisure with numerous access points[1]."People will be able to enjoy this place that is an added value to the community and an investment in the quality of life of our citizens"[2]. For improving accessibility parking spaces and paths were created to benefit the residents[1].

Sihlcity, one of Switzerland's largest shopping malls, is located in the Wiedikon district of Zurich. It was built on the grounds of a former paper mill, Papierfabrik Sihl, near the Sihl River. The Green Wall of the Sihlcity car park is a striking feature of the development at a height of 23 meters and a width of 25.5 meters. The wall is an elegant aesthetic solution to the car park facade, keeps the car park cool during summer, provides insulation in the winter, sound insulation for the busy car park, and an effective deterrent to graffiti. [1]

The field is a 3.5 hectare of grassland, grazed by horses for over 20 years. After it fell vacant in early 2011, a group of local residents (“The Field Group”) negotiated a community lease with its owners, City of Edinburgh Council, with the aims of creating an orchard, creating/restoring semi-natural habitats and encouraging its use for quiet recreation and informal education. Members can volunteer their gardening labour or donate money. They can then participate in a garden run for the community – whether to pick the vegetables, learn fruit-growing, help to keep the chickens or just enjoy the space. [ref 1, 2]

The Gorla Maggiore water park, inaugurated in March 2013, is situated within the municipality of Gorla Maggiore, in the Italian region Lombardy, located about 30 kilometers northwest of Milan. The water park is a constructed wetlands (CW) built on the banks of the Olona river that includes (a) a pollutant removal area composed of a grid, a sedimentation tank and four vertical sub-surface flow constructed wetlands; (b) a multipurpose area with a surface flow constructed wetland or pond with multiple roles; and (c) a recreational park with restored riparian trees, green open space, walking and cycling paths. [1]

The John Muir Pollinator Way is an initiative by the NGO Buglife to create and restore pollinator habitats along a 215 km long-distance active travel route – The John Muir Way – across the densely populated central belt of Scotland. The John Muir Pollinator Way is the first B-Line ‘pathway’ in Scotland and stretches from Helensburgh in the west to Dunbar in the east (Emilie). It is an ambitious project given the length (215 km) of this pathway. It connects nine different local authorities and 40 km of the total length falls within the Edinburgh local authority area (Burgess, 2016). This not only serves to halt the process of declining pollinator numbers providing crucial ecosystem services, but also helps people to connect with nature. Between July 2015 and March 2017, project partners and volunteers have transformed 19 sites into species-rich grassland. [ref 1]

The Stavros Niarchos Foundation Cultural Center (SNFCC) is a project finalised in 2016 and “handed over” through a public/private partnership scheme, from the foundation/donor to the Greek state. The site hosts the National Library of Greece and the Greek National Opera in a 170,000 sq m landscaped park. The SNFCC's objective is to restore Greece's image and become a global role model of environmental sustainability. The project is committed to a range of educational and cultural activities, which have been provided for free. It also claims flood-regulating functions, air quality improvement impacts and shade provision, among others. [1]