ECO-BOULEVARD

Eco-Boulevard is an experiment in manipulating a microclimate at the scale of human comfort. The project, erected on a suburban boulevard in Madrid, brings together architecture, urbanism and landscape to create a social space on a street that was not designed to accommodate community gathering. The project is centered around air trees, temporary structures that create a microclimate that is 10 degrees Celsius cooler than the surrounding ambient temperature affected by the urban heat island effect. The project is situated in a neighborhood dominated by car transport, and creates the opportunity for pedestrians to walk and gather in the suburbs. The project was built from 2004 to 2007 with recycled materials, solar photovoltaic panels and passive air conditioning, as well as low consumption nocturnal illumination. Additional energy generated by the solar panels in the project is sold to the city’s power grid to pay for maintenance on the air tree structure. Within the air trees, which are made of galvanized steel, a greenhouse system of cooling using evapotransporation chills the air, which is brought into the air trees through directional wind catchers, where the dry air becomes moist as it passes through water atomizers. The project is meant to be disassembled, and can be reinstalled to regenerate urban activity or create an immediate gathering space without waiting for trees to grow. In addition to the air trees, typical tree planting in rows are installed in front of the air trees to further generate a sense of community and public space. 2004 - 2007
6.79 acres
2134 feet above sea level