Foster + Partners were recently announced as the winners of an international design competition for a new Motor City in Arago, Spain. Titled La Ciudad del Motor, the new leisure and cultural zone and motor sports center will integrate elements of sustainability throughout the design: the roof becomes a powerhouse with its integrated photovoltaic cells, solar thermal tubes, and wind turbines.
The aerodynamic roof of Foster + Partners‘ Motor city was inspired by the curves of a racing car. The resulting smooth forms were designed around solar and wind patterns, all enclosed by the lightweight roof. The form of the building along with the integrated environmental controls and the energy harnessing abilities of its roof allow for the entire complex to be carbon neutral.
The international competition for the Motor City commission included internationally known architecture firms including Jean Nouvel, Dominique Perrault, UNStudio and MVRDV.
+ Foster+Partners
Hi Evelyn,
Thanks for posting this interesting project.
Although building a carbon-neutral shrine to the internal combustion vehicle seems a tad hypocritical, I am glad for the sustainable measures set in place with this design.
In true Foster and Partners fashion, the design is a beautiful celebration of style, symbolism, and technology. However, the images here fail to show the beauty of the plan and general massing of the complex— in fact, they give a disorienting sense of a building with little order and differentiation. To this end, I would guide readers to the Motor City website, where a more complete set of plans, schematics, and renderings can be found ( http://www.laciudaddelmotor.com/ ).
Thanks for the article.
Cheers,
Timo
PS, I hope that Inhabitat will also continue to highlight the work of smaller firms that are making equally creative and visionary works (even if unrealized). Foster and Holl get plenty of mainstream press as it is…
…but it’s in the middle of nowhere, so everyone drives there. It’s such a shame – this sounds like a brilliant building, just in the wrong place! You can’t blame the architects, they don’t pick the site, so well done to Norm’s lot for making the very best of a bad site. The arty images leave you a little unable to tell exactly what it’ll be like but it looks very promising architecturally. It’s just a real pity our huge practices can’t design these sorts of buildings back in the UK…
am inclined to agree ….
am not sure there is much sustainable about a ‘motor city’ – and having to drive there just makes it worse
but i like foster..hehe
Hi everyone.
I´m from Alcañiz in Teruel in the middle of nowhere.
We are only 15.000 inhabitants in my town and it´s only one city bigest in population in the zone (Teruel).
This project is here because of our tradition in car races. We had an urban circuit in Alcañiz since 1964, but now, it´s not working anymore because of security reasons (Monaco is not much more secure, but it´s much more rich).
You are right, you have to drive to Alcañiz if you want to take a look at this building, so enjoy the journey.
It´s one of the most depressed zones in Spain, in Europe, maybe in the first world, but buying a house here costs 180.000€. Give us a chance to progres, to grow, to make someone know we are here, and we´ll show you what we are able to do.
If you realy like architecture, search in internet about Alcañiz and youl see the variety of stiles we have in such a small place, it´s a lovely town.
Maybe these are not reasons enought to put a building like this here, but not only Foster was interesed in the project.
These are the designers interesed in the project:Jean Nouvel, Dominique Perrault, Winy Maas, Jacob van Rijs and Natalie de Vries. Maybe you have heard something about them, and maybe they were wrong and you´re right, but maybe not.
Look at this: http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=5ncmXEsMH34
And this is our old circuit.
http://www.youtube.com/watch?v=XXQk6ZzcAPw
Fantastic, it’s about time that we mortal humans designed something else brilliant leave on the planet to show how we continue explore our abilities to express and create!