Platja de Palma (ES)
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Data
Project Scales XL/L/S - Territorial, urban and architectural
Location Palma and Llucmajor, Platja de Palma, suburbs: Can Pestilla and S’Arenal / Project area: Arenal de Llucmajor
Population 40,000 inhab. + 42,000 hotel beds (territorial scale)
Strategic site 36 ha – Project site 4.2 ha
Site proposed by Platja de Palma urban planning consortium
Actors involved Palma and Llucmajor City Councils (Strategic site owners). Llucmajor City Council (Project area owner)
Owner of the site Public
Post-competition phase Meeting and debate between the winning teams and the site representatives. Under the Public Contracts Act, a negotiated unpublicised competition involving at least 3 of the winning teams for contracting for the implementation phase .
Team representative architect
More Information
How can the site contribute to the productive city?
Platja de Palma is basically a zone with a single-sector business focus on mass tourism, despite the fact that it has 40,000 residents. The importance of the EUROPAN proposals in terms of the productive city lies in their ability to encourage new alternative uses that can remain active throughout the year, without depending on the peak tourist season. On the territorial scale, this site consists of several sub-zones that are poorly connected to the center of Palma, despite the proximity of the city airport and the adjacent access motorway. This disconnect has turned the area into a kind of tourist ghetto, frustrating desires for it to contain tertiary and office uses. In addition to new types of uses, the proposal could stimulate existing businesses and restaurants outside the peak tourist season, another aspect that falls within the concept of the productive city.
City strategy
The tourism model applied to this area is now obsolete, stressed and uncompetitive. For this reason, it has been the focus of several studies and proposals, including an international ideas competition, which have led to the presentation and approval of a Comprehensive Conversion Plan. This Plan is currently being developed and implemented by the Platja de Palma urban planning consortium, involving representatives of four public administration levels: national, regional, island and municipal, in this case the Palma and Llucmajor City Councils.
One of the aims of the Conversion Plan is the construction of several landscaped corridors and civic arteries that will connect the urban fabric to the waterfront and, where appropriate, to the agricultural hinterland as well, which will produce the greatest transformation of this urban area.
Site definition
Platja de Palma is a tourist destination with 42,000 beds, a slightly smaller residential population, 182 hotels, 400 restaurants and 500 shops. The strategic area covers 992 hectares, approximately half of which is urban land. It occupies much of the Palma Bay waterfront and spans two municipalities: Palma and Llucmajor.
For the specific Europan site, competitors are invited to present a formal resolution for one of the civic corridors envisaged in the municipal plans for this area. These corridors are basically pedestrian promenades that connect the city grid to the beach and the coastal promenade. The corridor in question runs along Calle Gran I General Concell, which links the end of the seafront promenade near the S'Arenal Yacht Club to a business area set slightly inland.
How is Production Considered in the Urban Diversity Program?
One of the general themes proposed here is the improvement of the connection, relationship and identification of the area known as Platja de Palma with the central part of Palma City. The non-seafront street grid, full of obstacles, contains public spaces with many opportunities, a good basis for the generation of different uses related to professional work and services in general, which can give Platja de Palma an urban identity. This process would also involve an analysis of the commercial spaces, regulating them and proposing guidelines -including those of an aesthetic nature- for the hotel, restaurant and shopping sectors. At present, most of the redesign and improvement initiatives for the urban spaces here are proposed in collaboration with the local private stakeholders, especially in operations that involve hotel quality improvements.
The civic corridor proposed as a project area currently carries vehicle traffic and parking facilities, with narrow pedestrian pavements. It has some shops and restaurants, and a busy street market is installed nearby once a week, requiring the temporary closure of some parking and roadway areas. This market could be installed on the new foreseen civic axis once it is pedestrianized. It also includes a shopping centre managed under a municipal lease, whose connectivity with the surrounding space can be improved. This would also benefit the productive activity of the current shops and restaurants by improving access to them from the surrounding area, and at the same time improve the visibility and knowledge of all the activities in this area by the population in a much larger territorial area once the zone becomes a new point of reference.
Questions on the site
Which area has to be considered for the strategic site, the whole area of Platja de Palma or only the urbanized area of S'Arenal belonging to the Llucmajor municipality? Despite seems to us that the second option is the right answer we noticed few clues that raised this doubt.
The second option is the right answer.
Can you explain more about the "sponge effect" mentioned on the final page of the competition summary? How does it apply to the project site?
¿Pueden explicar más el "efecto de esponja" mencionado en la página final del programa de concurso? ¿Cómo se aplica al emplazamiento del proyecto?
This term refers to the generation or expansion of public spaces as a result of the demolition of buildings that have become degraded or have a negative impact on the landscape. The Playa de Palma Special Renovation Plan allows, under in certain circumstances, urban planning transfer operations relating to the use of buildings that will be demolished in order to contribute to the improvement of the surrounding urban environment.
Se refiere a la generación o ampliación de los espacios públicos como consecuencia de la demolición de edificaciones degradadas, o de impacto paisajístico negativo. El Plan Especial de Reconversión de la Playa de Palma permite en determinadas condiciones realizar operaciones de transferencia urbanística del aprovechamiento de edificaciones que vayan a demolerse para contribuir a la mejora del entorno urbano.
Beside tourism, what other productive sectors or industries (local) are there in Mallorca?
Además del turismo, ¿qué otros sectores o industrias productivas (locales) hay en Mallorca?
Agriculture, footwear industry (in decline), businesses related to the construction sector, services.
Agricultura, industria de calzado (residual), relacionadas con el sector de la construcción, servicios
The allocation seems to be focused on the public space. Is there an additional budget to include a function and a new building?
El encargo parece centrado en el espacio público. ¿Hay presupuesto adicional para introducir una función y un nuevo edificio?
Initially, that is not envisaged.
En principio no está previsto
What are the everyday activities of the citizens of El Arenal? How do they spend their free time?
¿Cuáles son las actividades cotidianas de los ciudadanos de El Arenal? ¿Cómo pasan su tiempo libre?
Water and sports activities in the beach area
Leisure activities and free time
Learning workshops, board games, dance lessons
Concerts, theatre, cinema and exhibitions, depending on the cultural programme organised by different bodies and organisations.
Actividades acuáticas y deportivas en la zona de la playa
Actividades de ocio y tiempo libre
Talleres de Aprendizaje, juegos de mesa, clases de baile
Asistencia a conciertos, teatro, cine y exposiciones según la oferta cultural que los diferentes organismos programan.
Does the project area only refer to the public space on the streets and the adjacent facades, or can we work on buildings as a whole?
¿El área del proyecto se refiere solamente al espacio público en las calles y las fachadas adyacentes o podemos trabajar también en los edificios?
Initially, that is not envisaged.
En principio no está previsto.
Is there any more information about Hotel Kilimanjaro? Why is it an important piece of architecture? Who was the architect and what makes it typical 1960’s architecture?
¿Hay más información sobre el hotel Kilimanjaro? ¿Por qué es una pieza importante de la arquitectura? ¿Quién fue el arquitecto y por qué se considera arquitectura típica de los años sesenta?
It was one of the first hotels to be built in the Llucmajor area. It is a perfect example of the tourist hotel architecture built in the 1960’s and 70’s.
Se trata de uno de los primeros hoteles construidos en la zona de LLucmajor que representa una muestra de la arquitectura turística-hotelera de los años 60-70
What are the other activity hubs in this area?
¿Cuáles son los otros centros de actividad en la zona?
Arenal Yacht Club, Beach. Private sports centres
Puerto deportivo Club Náutico Arenal, Playa. Centros deportivos privados
What is the current state of the West8 proposal? Will it be built? If so, when?
¿Cuál es el estado de la propuesta de West8? ¿Se ejecutará? y si es así, ¿en qué lapso de tiempo esto sucederá?
The West8 proposal has been replaced by the Playa de Palma Internal Reform Plan (PRI), which is the urban planning proposal to be developed.
La propuesta de West 8 ha sido sustituida por el PRI Plan de Reconversión Playa de Palma, que constituye el plan urbanístico a desarrollar.
What are the sites that Mallorca is most proud of?
¿De que sitios se siente Mallorca más orgullosa?
Palma de Mallorca Cathedral, Bellver Castle, Almudaina Royal palace, Cabrera Island, Palma Aquarium, Es Baluard, Palma de Mallorca pier market, Palma de Mallorca city square, Palma de Mallorca harbour.
Can we extend our proposal outside the boundaries of the project area into the strategic area?
If it is important for the proposal it is not a problem to extend the area.
In which sectors do people in the town of El Arenal work, apart from tourism?
¿En qué sectores trabaja el pueblo de El Arenal? (Además del turismo).
Sales and services.
Comercial, servicios
What is the total budget envisaged for the EUROPAN project in Arenal?
¿Cuál es el presupuesto total previsto para el proyecto EUROPAN en Arenal?
The budget is not set initially. It will be defined in the light of the projects.
El presupuesto no está previsto inicialmente, se establecerá a la vista de los proyectos.
The shopping centre opposite the square included in the project is shown on the Playa de Palma Consortium map entitled "Sistema General de Espacios Libres y Equipamientos" as an “urban/community facility”. Is this building available for new uses such as, for example, usage as an urban facility?
El edificio comercial frente a la plaza del proyecto se muestra en el plano "Sistema General de Espacios Libres y Equipamientos" del Consorci Platja de Palma como equipamiento urbano / comunitario. ¿Puede este edificio estar abierto para nuevos usos, también con respecto al uso como equipamiento urbano?
Its designated use is as a facility in general, which permits all types of uses for urban facilities in addition to its current business usage.
El uso es de equipamiento en general, que permite todos los usos de equipamiento urbano, además del comercial actualmente implantado.
Is the information on the map "ES-PLATJADEPALMA-SS-IF02 red de agua de lluvia.pdf" reliable? It states that there is no rainwater drainage system in the project area. If so, is there already a planning project to solve this problem of rainwater drainage?
¿Podemos confiar en la información del plano "ES-PLATJADEPALMA-SS-IF02 red de agua de lluvia.pdf" según la cual no hay sistema de drenaje de lluvia en el área del proyecto? Si es así, ¿hay un proyecto previsto para resolver la problemática del drenaje de la lluvia?
In effect, in this area there is no rainwater drainage pipe network, nor is any project envisaged for this purpose.
Efectivamente, no existe en el área red de pluviales ni proyecto previsto.
As mentioned during the site visit, there is a project for the Yacht Club zone. Is it available?
Como se ha dicho durante la visita al emplazamiento, hay un proyecto para el área del Club Náutico. ¿Podría estar disponible?
The project is not yet approved. The aspect of interest for the competition is the enlargement of the existing pedestrian pavements on Avda Miramar, adjacent to the Yacht Club.
El proyecto no está aprobado todavía, en lo que interesa supone la ampliación de las aceras existentes en la Avda Miramar lindantes con el club náutico.
In which scale should the project in the three A1 plans be presented?
There is not a specific scale required. It depends on the site and on the proposal. We only required that the drawings should have a graphic scale. "A1 Panels. CONTENT. The 3 panels must: • explain the urban ideas developed in the project with regards to the site issues and the themes of the session; • develop the project as a whole, highlighting the architecture of the project, and particularly the relationship between the new developments and the site’s existing context, including three-dimensional representations of the project; • develop the method foreseen for the implementation process. All graphic and descriptive documents must have a graphic scale."
This site is connected to the following theme
From City to Productive City How to Create Vibrant Productive Districts with Craftmen, Makers & Local Production? Every city would like to be diversified. Yet standard approaches to create “vibrant communities” summon an imagery of housing, offices, cafés and restaurants. But, is that enough? Shouldn’t we also instil liveliness in an existing neighbourhood by fostering productive activities? Could this option also be viable in the case of bedroom communities? What does production mean for creative- and knowledge-based industries? What economic balance is necessary to retain productive activities as the area improves and prices rise?
How to Create Vibrant Productive Districts with Craftmen, Makers & Local Production?
Specific documents
Questions on the site
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Fr. 2 June 2023
Deadline for submitting questions
Fr. 16 June 2023
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