"Target Issues"

Economic Viability & Compatibility – Prosperity

“Changing the paradigms on affordable housing” – Air Rights, zero energy development units on parking lots in the United Kingdom, addresses London’s housing shortage by decoupling the supply of housing from the prohibitive value of land. The Holcim Awards Bronze for Europe by ZEDfactory constructs living units on elevated platforms over public parking spaces. Economic performance is enhanced through prefabrication to reduce construction costs, energy efficiency to reduce ongoing costs, and affordability by also reducing commuting costs.

Definition – Economic viability and compatibility – Prosperity

Projects must be economically feasible and able to secure financing, whether from public, commercial, co-operative, or concessional sources, while having a positive impact on society and the environment. Avoiding the wasteful consumption of material resources and limiting greenhouse emissions, an economy of means in construction is to be pursued. Construction must adhere to the logic of circular economies.

Funding sources and profits earned must be legitimate and transparent.
Projects should cover operating costs throughout their use-cycle, with returns generated benefitting local communities.
Integration of the project into the wider economic framework of local, regional, and global monetary flows.
Demonstrate flexibility to adapt to future changes of user needs, ownership, laws, and regulations, not to mention adaptability to economic fluctuations.
Robust economic models are sought that take unpriced external costs into consideration from the outset and consider ways to equitably distribute a project's benefits over time.
Contribute to the reduction of harmful emissions and the overall CO2 balance of a structure’s use-cycle.

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May 18, 2019 | "Prosperity" Example | Brussels, Belgium

City hall and civic center recycled from former factory

Floating on clouds: Spanish architect Carlos Arroyo transformed a disused factory building into the new city hall and civic center of Oostkamp in Belgium. Cloud-like shapes made of glass-reinforced gypsum and recycled paper complement the layout of modular clusters in the former factory halls. The patio (pictured above) serves as additional public space. This project won the Holcim Awards Silver 2011 Europe and was inaugurated in June 2012. Photo: Miguel de Guzman.

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January 21, 2015 | "Prosperity" Example | Quito, Ecuador

Under Construction: Restoring an urban historical center

“Prosperity” example – Under Construction: Restoring an urban historical center

Projects must be affordable and operating costs over a structure’s lifetime determined in reference to returns on investment: Materials that can’t be reused for the same purpose enter a new life cycle.

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“Prosperity” example – Under Construction: Restoring an urban historical center

Integration of the project into larger economic frameworks of local, regional, and global monetary flows that show a positive impact of the economy on society and the environment: The project is designed based on existing resources.

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“Prosperity” example – Under Construction: Restoring an urban historical center

Innovative economic models are sought that take external costs into consideration: The project office will be complemented by four spaces rehabilitated for accessible housing in the next stages.

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The project Under Construction is about a form of “social economy” and its implications for people and the physical environment they inhabit. Despite contemporary global urbanization and its attendant economy, there are still rural areas today where barter is the main mode of exchange. The project draws on this tradition and proposes bartering as a practice in an urban context for the refurbishment of the historical center of the city – a process carried out by people without sufficient monetary means.

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August 30, 2012 | "Prosperity" Example | Zurich, Switzerland

High-efficiency concrete formwork technology

Project entry 2011 Europe – High-efficiency concrete formwork technology, Zurich, Switzerland

1x1m double curved free-form wax element, produced by a robotic process, and the concrete positive cast against it.

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Project entry 2011 Europe – High-efficiency concrete formwork technology, Zurich, Switzerland

Pouring wax formwork.

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Project entry 2011 Europe – High-efficiency concrete formwork technology, Zurich, Switzerland

Digital formwork planning.

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Project entry 2011 Europe – High-efficiency concrete formwork technology, Zurich, Switzerland

Assembly on standard support.

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The construction technology combines existing processes and materials in a new way to fabricate non-repetitive free-form cast-on-site concrete structures using re-usable and digitally-fabricated wax formwork. The proposed technology developed by Gramazio & Kohler, Architektur und Digitale Fabrikation – ETH Zurich, is based on a concept of mass customization rather than mass production.

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December 06, 2011 | "Prosperity" Example | Hermosillo, Mexico

Producing cement in the desert

The buildings of the Hermosillo plant are an appropriate aesthetic, cultural, and physical response to the desert setting, with simple building forms, natural colors, passive and active cooling strategies, and landscaping with indigenous flora.

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Incorporating the latest technology to minimize electrical and thermal energy consumption, the plant shows outstanding operational efficiency and economic performance.

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The Hermosillo buildings are designed to provide a comfortable, healthy, and open working environment that promotes social coherence and teamwork.

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Producing cement in the desert – Holcim Apasco plant in Hermosillo, Mexico

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The USD 400 million Holcim Apasco cement plant project in Hermosillo, Mexico is a greenfield plant that went into service in the first quarter of 2011 and is designed to produce 1.6 million tonnes of high-quality cement annually. The Hermosillo cement plant sets new standards for safety design, thermal efficiency, water efficiency, and environmental stewardship.

"Target Issues"

Economic Viability & Compatibility – Prosperity

May 18, 2019 | "Prosperity" Example | Brussels, Belgium

City hall and civic center recycled from former factory

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January 21, 2015 | "Prosperity" Example | Quito, Ecuador

Under Construction: Restoring an urban historical center

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August 30, 2012 | "Prosperity" Example | Zurich, Switzerland

High-efficiency concrete formwork technology

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December 06, 2011 | "Prosperity" Example | Hermosillo, Mexico

Producing cement in the desert

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May 18, 2019 | "Prosperity" Example | Brussels, Belgium

See moreSee less January 21, 2015 | "Prosperity" Example | Quito, Ecuador

See moreSee less August 30, 2012 | "Prosperity" Example | Zurich, Switzerland

See moreSee less December 06, 2011 | "Prosperity" Example | Hermosillo, Mexico

Search Help

Basic search

Union

Nesting

Subtraction

Phrases

Wildcards (one or more characters)

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January 21, 2015 | "Prosperity" Example | Quito, Ecuador

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August 30, 2012 | "Prosperity" Example | Zurich, Switzerland

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December 06, 2011 | "Prosperity" Example | Hermosillo, Mexico