Sustainable building design through passive measures

The design focuses on utilizing the site's natural resources to restore and enhance native habitats, considering the availability of water and the characteristics of the local soil. The alteration of the existing topography is minimized, adapting land uses to reduce earth movement, costs, and energy consumption. Creating a forest with diverse layers of vegetation and species will increase biodiversity, stabilize the soil, and provide shade and comfortable spaces for visitors. This, combined with comprehensive runoff water management through sustainable drainage systems (SuDS), will help create conditions conducive to generating microclimates, making public spaces more resilient, functional, and comfortable.

Efficient construction and operations

The success of the Metropolitan Forest lies in the responsible use of natural resources and the implementation of environmental strategies primarily adapted to water availability, incorporating Nature-Based Solutions to minimize environmental impact, recycle, and reduce embodied carbon, promoting a balance between development and conservation. Its riverine location and proximity to three large wastewater treatment plants present an exceptional opportunity to integrate purification cycles into the restoration of river ecosystems. The treatment plants, by treating wastewater, become "the new springs," providing regenerated water to restore landscapes, make them sustainable, and improve the ecological quality of the rivers.

Landscape & Biodiversity Integration

The Manzanares-Gavia fluvial ecosystem has suffered significant deterioration over decades due to intense anthropization of the surrounding periphery, leading to biodiversity loss, depletion of fertile soil, and the onset of erosion and desertification processes. To reverse this situation, the recovery of native habitats is proposed through the introduction of riparian forests, tamarisk groves, fruit trees, etc, aiming to create a diverse, self-sustaining, stratified forest while fostering associated fauna. The initiative will promote the city’s renaturalization, strengthening its connection to nearby natural parks through ecological recovery strategies based on conventional, forestry, and ecological succession criteria.

Land use & Transformation

The Metropolitan Forest is an ambitious project with a holistic and multi-scalar vision that integrates the city and its surrounding territory, prioritizing natural, cultural, and social heritage for the benefit of Madrid's residents and its metropolitan area. Its goal is to revitalize the southern periphery, currently impacted by degraded soils, fragmenting infrastructure, and a lack of territorial cohesion. The initiative aims to regenerate the area through a forest ring that enhances sustainable urban development, restores ecological and cultural links, and promotes pedestrian and cycling mobility. Additionally, it will contribute to social well-being, foster biodiversity, and strengthen the bond between the community and its environment.

Participatory Design

During the drafting of the project, a participatory approach has been fostered, involving various key stakeholders. Workshops were organized with neighborhood associations, environmental groups, local / supramunicipal administrations and the academic research sector, to jointly address issues and solutions. Site visits were conducted to strengthen the connection with the environment and its shared identity with neighboring districts. Furthermore, meetings and awareness-raising sessions about the territory were held, culminating in a congress to present the work done. The goal is for community participation to extend beyond the design phase, also encompassing the stewardship, governance, and management of the territory.

Community Impact and Resilience

The southern area of Madrid, marked by low per capita income and inequality in facilities and green spaces, faces significant social and economic challenges. This project aims to improve the quality of life for its residents by promoting equity, well-being, and healthy habits through recreational and sports activities in contact with nature. The forest helps mitigate and adapt the city to climate change by improving air quality, reducing the urban heat island effect, and minimizing flood risks in the Manzanares-La Gavia area, while also driving urban rewilding. Aligned with the 2030 Agenda and Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), it fosters resilient and sustainable communities that address both social and environmental needs.

Financial Feasibility

The project, aligned with the 2030 Agenda and the European Commission's 2030 Biodiversity Strategy, has an estimated construction duration of 20 years. Its economic viability is ensured through a public-private collaboration model for execution, operation, and maintenance. It combines municipal funds from the City Council, EU resources (NEXT-Generation and Life Funds), and Green Bonds, alongside private financing through sponsorship, patronage, and biodiversity offsetting. The project aims to generate economic returns, create jobs, and foster synergies between urban and rural areas. Management will adopt self-sustainability criteria with initiatives like the Manzanares Agrarian Park, promoting ecological agriculture and local production.

Aesthetic Qualities and Cultural Integration

The Metropolitan Forest, aligned with the 100 Climate Neutral Cities Pact, aims to turn the outskirts of Madrid into an asset for combating and mitigating climate change. The goal is to transform a degraded space into a place for leisure, production, and recreation in close connection with nature, highlighting the heritage, geographical, and cultural elements that have been neglected for decades. The restoration of the Arroyo de La Gavia, the protection of the Vega del Manzanares, and the revitalization of historical connections promote the integration of citizens with their natural and cultural surroundings, adapting the design to the context and creating an attractive space that reconnects people with their landscape and history.