Tourist carrying capacity at the Canary Islands

The Canary Island host around 16 million of tourist per year. This phenomenon happens in a fragmented territory of eight islands, located in the middle of the Atlantic Ocean. With an average stay of 9 days, the Canary Islands manage more than one hundred fifty millions of tourist nights. In this scenario, the concept of Tourist Carrying Capacity has become an issue at the Canaries.

The problem is that this concept is highly problematic in itself. It reduces the issue to a spatial and determinist factor, regardless of its ecological behaviour. As an alternative, the report proposes a definition based on a living system approach. Tourist Carrying Capacity becomes then an envelope of concepts such as urban metabolism, ecological footprint, carbon neutral and circular economy. This new approach may describe better the more or less sustainable behaviour of the tourism-territory equation.

Cenobio Pedestrian Access

The Cenobio of Valeron is a pre-Hispanic granary excavated more than five hundred years ago by the ancient inhabitants of the island of Gran Canaria.

Its difficult accessibility helped to preserve this large pantry from potential raids of plunder and looting. The project aims to connect the 300 meter gap between the car park and the archaeological site along a very sharp slope. The program of uses consists of an accessible pedestrian route, complemented by a control area and an interpretation center at both extremes. The project is resolved by three sections of control coming out from the evaluation of minimum land excavation and three diferent landscape experiences (cultural, panoramic and archaeological). The interchange area is the result of bridging the gap between the three control sections with 3D software.

The different spatial scenarios that the visitor enjoys along the way transform the visits of tourists into a memorable and educational experience.

Cicer Plaza

The code “Urban Beach” with which this project is launched, not only codiies but also explains the project’s strategy. The proposed public plaza combines the lexibility of beach spaces along with the comfort levels of urban plazas.

The design consists of an undulating topography that connects the beach with the surrounding streets, located at an upper level. The resulting space integrates pedestrian, urban and beach spaces in a coherent manner. Two indoor boulevards run underground and provide access to other amenities such as a wellness center, beach facilities and a sailing school. The claim “Under the pavers, the beach” perfectly expresses the aspirations of freedom and fun of an entire generation. Our proposal aims to rescue the informality of that beach without sacriicing the comfort of the pavers.

Gadeokdo Tourist Island

The Gadeokdo Island is entirely devoted to leisure and outdoor activities, and will become a globally renowned environmentally-sensitive resort city.

The proposed tourist developments are concentrated in three sites, where they share locations with traditional ishing villas that become “development anchors”. The proposed solution emphasizes a transversal occupation of the coast, leaving large empty areas of waterfront as landscape attractions and environmental reservoirs. A set of inland leisure facilities work as alternative attractions to the coastal amenities.

Most of the proposed urban fabric is placed on natural slopes leaving lat land for leisure and agricultural purposes. Buildings and landscape schemes are part of the water management system, working as stormwater channels and collectors. The energy strategy includes also geothermal, wind, solar and hydroelectric sources and it allows a selfsuicient provision of water for 30,000 tourists.

Special-Needs Friendly Pathway

The main aim of the project is to solve the problems of universal accessibility and mobility of club members. The overall strategy is to provide not only a functional solution for people with special needs but to also ofer social inclusion, in a non-segregated space. The project is made up of three components. The irst one is a straight staircase that connects the diferent levels. The second component is a smooth ramp that gives direct and universal access to the facilities and the solariums. The third element is a triangular layout that integrates the walks into the surrounding landscape.
The whole layout ofers a 60 % highly permeable surface that guarantees natural oxygenation and watering of the soil.

UD Las Palmas Training Complex

UD Las Palmas is the only football team at the Canaries playing in the premier league. Paradoxically, its training area occupies a former sand quarry and needs an urgent renovation of its facilities. The strategy of the new Brand training complex aims to transform this highly degraded space into a garden of local species. So that, the players will enjoy a pleasant natural atmosphere of trees and plants. Moreover, this strategy will also help to promote the city and its privilege weather, when opponents’ teams come to the Island. The development of this plan encompasses a full set of solutions that includes eco-retaining walls, the intensive use of sustainable timber, the recycling of water, the use of SUDS (Sustainable Urban Drainage Systems), and the underground-integration of buildings into the landscape. The reduction of waste and reuse of material has also been an essential feature of the sustainable parameters of the master plan.

Canarias 7 Headquarters

The project consists of the renewal of an existing industrial building to incorpo- rate new working spaces and cultural areas. The design strategy includes three actions. The first consists of opening a patio to improve natural lighting and ventilation. The patio also articulates the access of different users: journal- ists, daily visitors, staff and people attending cultural events. The second action consists of organizing the functional program into two kinds of spaces: generic space for more standard uses; and singular spaces or “containers” for the specific functions. The third includes a whole set of bioclimatic solutions that include a south-facing double facade that works as “sun glasses” and helps to intensify the cross-ventilation of the whole building through the patio.