BUENOS AIRES: THE MICROCENTRO PLAN BUENOS AIRES THE MICROCENTRO PLAN Experiences and Lessons Learned _ Metropolis Meeting 2015 • INCLUSION • INNOVATION • SUSTAINABILITY CONTENTS 1. Urban Context 2. Urban Design Framework 3. The Public Realm Design and Implementation 4. Sustainable Mobility Plan 5. Smart City Technology 6. Heritage: Building Facades and Entrances 7. Ambience 1. URBAN CONTEXT – south vs north Buenos Aires is the capital and largest city of Argentina, and the second-largest metropolitan area in South America The Greater Buenos Aires State has a population of around fifteen and half million people Buenos Aires City Centre population is approximately 2.9 million people. The city has a density of about 13,680 people per square kilometre A million people and several hundred thousand vehicles pass through the central business district of Buenos Aires -- the Microcentro -- on any given workday The Microcentro Plan aims to: - Flip the 70/30 ratio of space devoted to cars and people in the downtown and in the process - Cut the number of private cars that pass through the area by over half during work hours Buenos Aires, Mexico City and São Paulo, one of the three Latin American cities considered an 'alpha city‘. MICROCENTRO PLAN STUDY AREA THE OBJECTIVES OF THE MICROCENTRO PLAN: - The coordinated and comprehensive implementation of actions and programs to aid progress toward sustainable urban development - To reduce waste generation, promote more ecological transportation, adapt infrastructure to care for the environment OBJECTIVES - Implement different activities intended to improve citizens quality of life and promote ‘taking care of the planet’ LOCATION OF MICROCENTRO PLAN STUDY AREA WITHIN THE BIGGER BUENOS AIRES CITY CENTRE MICROCENTRO PLAN: URBAN DESIGN FRAMEWORK Microcentro Plan is a comprehensive program of technological, spatial, economic, cultural and environmental actions that THE LOCATION prioritize people and public spaces first OF THE MICROCENTERThe program is combined with PEDESTRAIN a Sustainable Mobility Plan that puts the emphasis on AREA IS prioritizing public transport, LOCARTED IN road organization, and safety and the introduction of THE PINK technologies that can provide COLOR real-time information in order to generate the cultural change needed to attain an inclusive, healthy, and modern city THE MICROCENTRO PLAN As part of the public-space redesign, an urban design and planning project has been implemented which aspires to revitalize the Buenos Aires central business district, called the Microcentro. Microcentro Plan began in November 2012 and will run until August 2015. It covers an area of 1.4 square kilometres. The Microcentro Plan respects the original concepts of the architects who designed its streets and buildings, and applies cutting- edge technologies to preserve and modernize and make them sustainable The Urban Design Framework for THE LOCATION the OF THE Microcentro MICROCENTER Plan uses the PEDESTRAIN existing grid AREA IS LOCARTED IN pattern to THE PINK connect various COLOR spaces and districts in the Buenos Aires Microcentro or City Centre Plan Microcentro is changing the way people move about the busiest area of the city Today, the city downtown is more accessible, with cleaner air, more light, less noise pollution and more-space for the pedestrian and the cyclist The world's largest cities are all taking such steps to prioritize the pedestrian in their busy centers and Buenos Aires is keeping pace KEY AREAS OF ACTION Restoration of heritage buildings Traffic and transport management Waste treatment, including underground waste containers and differentiated waste disposal Increase in security Development, Tourism and Culture KEY AREAS OF ACTION Street leveling and pedestrian priority areas Maintenance and enhancement of avenues and walkways Ordering of public space Restoration of heritage buildings The Microcentro Plan Precinct consists of a network of pedestrian streets, key vehicular and BRT distributors and shared streets. The high densities within Buenos Aires activates a vibrant night and street life scene in the Microcentro THE DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES OF THE MICROCENTRO PLAN : Coexistence: the interaction in an space between a group of people that recognize each other and have something in common Diversity: of activities, spaces and people DEVELOPMENT PRINCIPLES: Security: a space that seems calm and visible and where people do not feel betrayed Vibrant spaces: spaces considered crowded with activity options that let people share and spend time Local distinctiveness: the identity of a precinct or zone Calle Florida or Florida Street is the main pedestrian route through the Microcentro and is approximately 1 km long Calle Florida and the surrounding streets, and shopping malls have become an international shopping destination Calle Florida is one of the city's leading tourist attractions and bustles with shoppers, vendors, and office workers alike because of its proximity to the financial district For decades, Florida and Lavalle have been two of the most attractive and popular streets in downtown Buenos Aires for locals and tourists alike for one simple reason: no vehicular traffic. More recently, more streets were added to the pedestrian-preferred mix creating another tree-lined zone filled with walkers, cyclists and locals lounging at outdoor Happy Hours. The City of Buenos Aires is converting other streets in the downtown grid to either 100% pedestrian only or, pedestrian- preferred with 70% of the street dedicated to pedestrians and only 30% or one lane available for vehicular traffic. PUBLIC REALM DESIGN AND IMPLEMENTATION Certain of the pedestrian zone street corners were expanded to provide more space for pedestrians In certain streets of the Mircocentro public realm the curbs were leveled to form an integrated level with the pedestrian and vehicle zone Part of the implementation strategy of the Microcentro Plan included the expansion of the pedestrian zone; and the construction of new paths; safer pedestrian crossings; the introduction of new robust street furniture components including bollards and benches. One of the design principles for the public realm was to reduce the street furniture clutter; introduce new street furniture components; and the planting of trees. Underground waste disposal and recycling bins with a capacity of 5,000 litres were installed on roads and pedestrian walkways In certain areas of the Microcentro the original paving was incorporated in the design of the public realm Part of the upgrade of the public realm included the design and implementation of new street lighting components which included the incorporation of LED lighting and catenary lights Various types of new street lights were incorporated in the public spaces and streets in the Microcentro Plan Zone. The new street lighting components also increase public safety at night. Catenary Lights were incorporated throughout the Pedestrian Precinct. It minimizes clutter in the narrow streets where there is limited space for street furniture components within the public realm zone. Part of the street lighting strategy was the recovery of historical street lamps in the historical sites and in front of key historical buildings Part of the restoration strategy of the Microcentro Plan was the installation of up- lighting and bulkhead lights at historical facades The manhole covers and services are covered by movable planter boxes SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY PLAN The Sustainable Mobility Plan looks to generate the necessary cultural change so that our next generations are able to live in an inclusive, healthy and modern city FUNDAMENTAL PILLARS GIVING PRIORITY TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT Incentivizing public transport use Sustainable Mobility Promoting walking and bicycle use throughout the city SUSTAINABLE MOBILITY PLAN: TRAFFIC CONTROL AND TRAFFIC SAFETY PLANNING Reducing road accidents and improving traffic control mechanisms. Intelligent Mobility THE INTELLIGENT TRAFFIC SYSTEM includes new traffic planning tools and instruments to facilitate traffic circulation ECOBICI: BUENOS AIRES BIKE SHARE PROGRAM Building on a small, manual system from 2010, the new Ecobici features an expanded coverage area, 24-hour service, and 200 new automated stations Ecobici users are expected to take nearly 36,000 daily trips and over a million trips a year The system gives users new options for transit, and complements Buenos Aires’ significant investment in bike lanes over the past several years Along with new pedestrian projects, rapidly improving biking amenities, and increased public transit, Ecobici is a cornerstone of Buenos Aires’ vision for a future of strong sustainable transit When Ecobici first opened in 2010, it offered just three stations and 72 bicycles, all operated out of manual stations (photo ) Now, the system is further expanding, along with a significant technology upgrade. There are now 200 new fully automated stations and 3,000 bikes - the system has become large enough to play an important role in the city’s transit In addition to being more efficient and easier to use, with automated stations the system is now open 24- hours a day, instead of only during business hours In a manual system, an attendant records the user’s information and helps with checking in or out the bike, including payment This information can be recorded on paper or electronically Automated systems are where the user checks in or out the bikes and makes payments electronically either at the terminal or kiosk or directly at