On Monday, June 2, the students of the Master's Degree in design and Environmental management of Buildings(MDGAE) of the University of Navarra inaugurated the 'International Week' with an intense workshop of learning and reflection on regenerative design and biophilia.
The event was attended by international guests, among them students from the National University of Singapore and the prestigious professors Nirmal Kishnani and Bill Browning, leaders in architectural sustainability and biophilic design .
The morning started with a lecture series given by professors Ana Sánchez-Ostiz, Mayka García Hípola and Miguel Ángel Díaz Camacho, who introduced the theoretical foundations of biophilic design , the history of the city of Madrid and 10 examples of sustainable architecture in Spain.
In the afternoon, the students were given a guided tour visit two important examples of sustainable architecture in Madrid: the headquarters of SANITAS and IDOM.
At the Sanitas headquarters, designed by Ortiz León Arquitectos and completed in 2000, the architect of the business, Almudena Bustosthe company's director of decarbonization projects, explained the most relevant aspects of the building while the students and professors visit it. "It was possible to see how the architecture was ahead of its time, incorporating principles of eco-efficiency, circular Economics and healthy design . The building, with an elliptical shape and a double skin envelope, integrates systems such as underfloor heating, chilled beams and a BMS system that automates the opening of windows and thermal management to ensure indoor comfort. One of the most outstanding elements were its gardens, both outside, with a very interesting landscaping design , and inside, which act as the natural lung of the building, passively regulating temperature and humidity," explains Carola Vallés Gutiérrez, a student of the Double Master's Degree in Architecture + design and Environmental management of Buildings (MAS).
Professor and MDGAE International Strategy manager Ana Sánchez-Ostiz adds: "Certified BREEAM 'Exceptional in Use', it integrates renewable energy, intelligent building management and circular Economics . It incorporates natural light, interior vegetation and roof gardens that improve the comfort and health of users. The interior spaces encourage partnership, relaxation and psycho-emotional balance. It represents an innovative example of a healthy, efficient building aligned with climate challenges".
Photos of the visit to Sanitas headquarters in Madrid
The second visit of the day was to IDOM' s headquarters where they were received by Julia Gómez and Antonio Villanueva, members of IDOM's Architecture area . "They gave a detailed explanation about the building, highlighting its innovative aspects and the strategies implemented to reduce the environmental impact, in a building that is now more than a decade old and that is still updated in all its sustainable design and biophilic design strategies, with interior gardens, roof and façade vegetation, rainwater recycling, crucial aspects in the sustainability of the building", says Ana Sánchez-Ostiz.
Master's Degree studentCarola Vallés emphasizes: "It is a building that is committed to authentic environmental comfort. With facades adapted to each orientation and a green envelope that protects from the sun in summer and allows light to pass through in winter, the building demonstrates how energy efficiency and spatial quality can go hand in hand. We were impressed by its rainwater collection and reuse system, capable of recovering more than one million liters of rainwater per year, and by its interior courtyards, which visually connect the different levels of the office and encourage a link with nature."
On Friday, June 6, to conclude the 'International Week', the students visited the Ombú building, Acciona 's office building in Madrid. This building, designed by Foster+PartnersThe building, designed by Foster+Partners, transforms an old industrial warehouse into a model of regenerative architecture, creating natural and social spaces around the building and revitalizing the surrounding area . Emilio Ortizarchitect and partner at Foster+Partners, who also participated in the regenerative design of the project, accompanied the students during the visit. "He emphasized how an old architecture has been able to adapt and create that modern contrast that an innovative business like Acciona needs," says Ana Sánchez-Ostiz, "The old building has helped to build its own future. This phrase not only reference letter to this contrast, but also to how the old factory and the elements that remained in it were essential to be able to build the new building and that today remain inside".
visit to the Ombú building, Acciona's office headquarters in Madrid
Finally, they visit the urban area of Madrid Río, an emblematic example of urban regeneration with a positive environmental and social impact. By burying the M-30 and freeing the banks of the Manzanares, an extensive green corridor was recovered that improves air quality, reduces urban noise and promotes biodiversity with the planting of more than 30,000 trees. "From a social point of view, it has restored the connection between historically divided neighborhoods, generating new accessible spaces for leisure, sports and coexistence. In addition, it has promoted sustainable mobility with a network of bicycle lanes and pedestrian walkways, and has reinforced the sense of belonging and citizen well-being in the urban environment," says Ana Sánchez-Ostiz.
Getting to know solutions implemented in real buildings and parks provided the students with a valuable internship experience, complementing the theoretical knowledge acquired in the Master's Degree: "It was a great opportunity to visit these buildings and see how the principles we have been acquiring during the Master's Degree are materialized in real projects. The international experience was especially enriching, sharing knowledge with colleagues from Singapore, in a city that is highly developed in the field of sustainability," says Carola Vallés.
