The Māris Štrombergs BMX track in Valmiera, Latvia – named after the two-time Olympic and world champion from Latvia is a significant contribution to both the global sport of BMX and to the regional sports infrastructure of Latvia. ‘This is one of the few BMX tracks in the world designed not only with a focus on UCI (Union Cycliste Internationale) regulations and athlete comfort and safety, but also on the aesthetics of the facility’s architecture. In addition to the building being a highly functional sports facility, it also serves as a bold icon of recognition for the city,’ emphasises Ilze Rukmane-Poča, the architect of the new facility.
Where a raindrop begins its long journey into the sea, new perspectives appear: at the new observation deck on the Schnals Valley Glacier, and your mind is refreshed with the wide open views.
Chemin des Carrières, the Quarries’ Track, is a lace undulating in the landscape, an invitation to travel as our ambition behind the reconquest of the Rosheim-St Nabor railway in Alsace, France. Ominous, sometimes hidden, the vestiges of the railway still mark the reading of the site. The desire to create a route to serve the quarries had to adapt to the undulating landscapes of the sub-Vosges hills and the very form of the tracing tells the history of the landscape and the men. The journey to discover forgotten landscapes or to take a dierent view on everyday landscapes is addressed to both local users and tourists. Like the old track that oered a dual function (industrial and passenger transport), the route has a double vocation where the functional must rub shoulders with the imaginary of travel. Along the 11km path goes a story, which the stops split into four chapters of dierent sequences of landscapes oering varied universes and highlighting remarkable sites. Unusual elements punctuate the way, aiming at awakening the visitor’s senses, and water is encountered repeatedly.
An ambitious urban infrastructure project in Auckland, New Zealand, known as The Waterview Connection, unconventionally put people, not cars at the forefront of its design.
Designed by New Zealand-based architects Warren and Mahoney, alongside Boffa Miskell and the Well Connected Alliance, the structures of the Waterview Connection are crafted to reflect the city’s distinct volcanic landscape and Māori culture.
Waterview Connection is shortlisted for an award at this month’s World Architecture Festival in the Transport category, recognised in particular for its combination of beauty and functional design.
Article source: MICROSCAPE architecture urban design AA
The area covered by the project is part of the northern basin of the lake Massacciuccoli; until the 40s of the twentieth century the area was occupied by the cultivation of rice, then replaced in the late ’60s by the Lotus’ Flowers – today one of the largest camp in Europe. The site was in a state of decay and neglected and the public use was denied. Today with the new pedestrian and cycling path it brings to the light a true “environmental jewel” that opens a new scenario in an area unfortunately largely deteriorated by urbanization strongly pervasive and of poor quality. The Cycling & pedestrian track “Lotus Flower”, in its length of 1km, connects the train station of Bozzano to the centre of Massarosa and it is an integral part of the system of the regional cycling routes dedicated to Giacomo Puccini and places related to his life.
A simple viaduct, located at the entrance of the University of Montréal’s future campus, creates a unique visual and spatial happening.
In forthcoming years, the University of Montréal, one of the city’s major institutions, will be opening a second campus located on a former railway yard.
Existing tracks had to be relocated in order to accommodate the new facilities and a new viaduct was built over the campus’ future access road. The site was dug to allow the underpass, then bermed up slightly to accommodate the 24-metre steel bridge structure. The reinforced concrete abutments extend into zigzagging retaining walls, creating a dynamic mineral landscape.
With the change from commercial harbour activities to residences and retail, the Inner Harbour of Copenhagen has undergone a pronounced transformation. In this case, the clients brief called for a somewhat minimal bicycle ramp providing an alternative to the staircase. DISSING+WEITLING saw a tremendous potential for the new ramp to become something more than just replacing the staircase. The solution was ‘The Bicycle Snake’. The 230m elevated ramp ensures the complete separation of cyclists and pedestrians – the cyclists can pass quickly and easily through the area, while experiencing unique and exciting views and the elevated road allows pedestrians to use the entire wharf avoiding perilous situations.
Chemin des Carrières, the Quarries’ Track, is a lace undulating in the landscape, an invitation to travel as our ambition behind the reconquest of the Rosheim-St Nabor railway in Alsace, France.
Ominous, sometimes hidden, the vestiges of the railway still mark the reading of the site. The desire to create a route to serve the quarries had to adapt to the undulating landscapes of the sub-Vosges hills and the very form of the tracing tells the history of the landscape and the men. The journey to discover forgotten landscapes or to take a different view on everyday landscapes is addressed to both local users and tourists. Like the old track that offered a dual function (industrial and passenger transport), the route has a double vocation where the functional must rub shoulders with the imaginary of travel.
The Track is back after lying dormant for so long. This extraordinary evidence of the golden years will, together with its new buildings and an events plaza of more than 1400 sq m, represent the greatest attraction of the project.
Spaces have been specially studied to create areas that can be dedicated to play, education and entertainment, conceived to offer an all-round experience to every visitor.
When commissioned to design public equipment along the bicycle track at Av. Central in Ecatepec, Estado de México, we saw an opportunity to achieve common spaces at a very low cost in an area that urgently needs qualified public infrastructure. Thus, we proposed three modules of baths and 13 pairs of kiosks intended to create a democratic urban fabric.
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