one center | USA

The starting point: two city blocks in a business district. The goal: a retrofit that could integrate a mixed-use functionality. A2M was one of the two finalists of an international competition launched in 2018. The high-scale competitors included OMA, UN Studio, LAN, and Aedas.

The project involved more than 220 000 m² (2,368,060 ft²) for a mixed-use project that included residential, co-living and co-working spaces, a convention center, offices, a hotel, retail facilities and public gardens.

It was during this competition that A2M created the concept of Permacity, a systemic and global conception that aims to create an urban system or metabolism inspired by natural ecology (biomimicry) in which each individual element contributes to the livelihood of others. The term is derived from permaculture or permanent agriculture. Permacity enables the permanent city to become a sustainable ecosystem.

The forest is one of the fundamental models for permaculture as it is composed of seven strata that complement each other and maintain a dynamic and balanced relationship with one another, mainly sharing water and nutrients. As such, a Permacity would exist as a piece of the city evolving in equilibrium.

The project is not only Passive House, but also BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum and CO₂ neutral.

Program

residential, office, conference center, retail, hotel, research

Client

confidential

Collaboration

Stubeco, FAAST

Surface

220 000 m² / 2 368 060 ft²

Performance

permacity, CO2 neutral, zero energy, Passive House, BREEAM Outstanding, WELL Platinum

Location

New York (USA)

Status

proposal

year 2018

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