The Center for Sustainable Cities aims the convergence of disciplines and knowledges associated to the city, to build the Whole City Ecosystem. In this context, it is critical to understand its behavior, in order to evaluate the real impact, in terms of sustainability, of any action or event. The Center for Sustainable Cities embraces the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals and seeks to further their implementation through research, education and outreach.
The Center for Sustainable Cities highlights the commitment of our community to good and responsible city-making. It will do so focusing on climate change and the role of cities, in order to assess current and future risks, make choices and propose new ideas that enhance resilience. The Center will also provide a space (physical and virtual) where different agents involved in the process: government, the private sector, non-governmental organizations, the community, and academia can come together in the search for collaborative answers.
The world’s cities are growing fast: within 30 years, 70% of the global population will live in cities, a shift that is already having a huge impact on developing countries, where 95% of all urban growth is taking place. At the same time, climate change poses serious threats to urban infrastructure, quality of life, and other urban systems, in both developing and rich countries. Recognizing the seriousness of the current situation, the United Nations, has defined 17 Sustainable Development Goals that address the challenges that we face globally, with a specific focus on climate change and environmental protection.
These goals are interconnected and can help to create a roadmap for any educational institution. The Center for Sustainable Cities at IE School of Architecture and Design will use the city (both as “cities” in general and using specific examples) as we seek to address how to insure sustainable, livable cities for the future. As an educational institution we have a responsibility to train future leaders who will have to shape a more humane world and to create and disseminate knowledge.
There are three potential areas to collaborate with the Center for Sustainable Cities: Education, Outreach and Research.
IE School of Architecture and Design and the CSC has a long experience of bringing to Madrid top experts in their field to hold lectures, for our students, the public or for selected guests in a closed setting. Ten Pritzker Prize winners has been with us over the years as well as such names as: Odile Decq, Natalie de Vries, Joan Clos, Matthias Schuler, Stefano Boeri, Hunter Tura, Carlos Ratti, and many, many more.
As an academic institution, our goal is to bring together the mosttalented people –students, faculty, staff and community. In order for top students to be able to attend higher education, some need assistance. Named scholarships, that highlight the donor and are earmarked for talented students that meet the criteria established by the donor with IE. Scholarships tie into the ideas of active corporate responsibility.
At IE University, Labs are an innovative format for students to combine academics and hands‐on experience with our community. The volunteer students with a support of a faculty member work on real world projects in a variety of ways.
There are dozens of clubs at IE led by current students and alumni. The bring people together around a theme for discussions, site visits, activities, knowledge sharing and networking.
In an efforts to understand various points of view and to share information across the private, public and academic sectors, a 1⁄2 day or full day workshop can be organized. It usually includes a series of brief lectures and/or panel discussion, followed by dividing into small groups to discuss (with the help of a facilitator) specific aspects of the theme in an effort to contrast opinions and find common ground.
IE Venture Days culminate in day‐long events that bring together the best start-ups, experts and investors around a theme. Start‐ups are in competition to be recognized as the best in their class and be able to receive support from IE through an accelerator course and mentorship opportunities.
These reports brings together approximately 5 interviews and/or videos of leading thinkers in each field, so that in one the new trends, emerging ideas, or major challenges are brought out in an interesting and attractive format. Each report takes only about 3 months to produce from start to finish.
The Center for Sustainable Cities forms interdisciplinary teams to develop applied research in specific areas of interest. We have carried out White Papers for different companies as Engie, Prologis, Madrid Crea Norte, Renazca… , about a broad variety of topics as urban logistics, sustainability habits of citizens, local producers or circular economy. These reports will be published in approximately 5-12 months.
Our methodology is based on the following steps:
The Center for Sustainable Cities forms interdisciplinary teams to develop applied research in specific areas of interest.
We have carried out White Papers for different companies as Engie, Prologis, Madrid Crea Norte, Renazca… , about a broad variety of topics as urban logistics, sustainability habits of citizens, local producers or circular economy. These reports will be published in approximately 5-12 months.
Designed by IE School of Architecture and Design’s Center for Sustainable Cities in collaboration with Prologis, the tool analyzes urban management challenges and proposes sustainable solutions.
Early in the morning, before dawn, a group of vans is waiting in a warehouse in the outskirts of Madrid. They are waiting to load their trunks with the packages for delivery that arrived at the warehouse the night before. Meanwhile, inside somebody is distributing the according to delivery areas for the drivers. Once the vans are filled with the goods to deliver, the race starts.
A study commissioned by ENGIE Spain and carried out by GAD3, in collaboration with the Center for Sustainable Cities , shows that more than 90% of Spaniards say they are willing to change their habits in order to combat climate change. IE University's Center has prepared a White Paper interpreting this data.
The City Prosperity Index, CPI, evaluates urban prosperity according to five parameters.
Finance and equity within urban infrastructures—is this an irreparable tension or a constructive partnership? How do we refine our urban systems and models? How do we mobilize data in meaningful ways?
¿Qué medidas estamos viendo a este respecto en distintas ciudades, ahora que estamos planteando el regreso a una nueva normalidad? ¿Cómo varían las propuestas alrededor del planeta?
From a vertical forest rising in a busy metropolis to a power plant that doubles as a ski slope, Dean Martha Thorne selects some of the most influential buildings.
Our habits have evolved, generating new needs in relation to the environments where we live our lives.
Our cities are increasingly being used as laboratories for countless innovations.
RENAZCA, formed by companies that own buildings in the superblock area of Madrid known as AZCA, has selected a design team to lead the transformation and reactivation of this central, but deteriorated, part of the city.
In this conversation, Carlo Ratti , Director of the MIT Senseable City Lab, and Dean Martha Thorne, discuss how this new configuration is being generated as a result of the current health crisis.
There is a major source of hidden value in construction, related to energy and therefore not visible, which is being wasted: green equity.
Humans need to be at the heart of every strategy, cities need to adapt to the needs of humans.
The COVID-19 pandemic has suspended the social interaction that forms the essence of our cities. Now more than ever, we are looking towards the future of urban planning.
During the Hay Festival 2019 celebrated in our Segovia Campus, visiting speaker Raj Rewal spoke with Architectural Record about how using natural materials and sustainable design, has given his work a timeless appeal.
As urban models have evolved, the guiding objective has been to reduce the risk of disasters—such as fires, floods, earthquakes and epidemics—taking hold. These prevention strategies have been shaping our cities over the course of history.
The cities of the planet are diverse and distinct, occupy a scarce 3% of the earth’s surface, but consume between 60% and 80% of energy, in addition to emitting 75% of carbon emissions.
CO₂ concentration measured by the Mauna Loa observatory in Hawaii, at 3 400 m altitude and in one of the cleanest, driest and most intact environments on the planet, reached a record level of 415.64 ppm on May 15.
This urgently needed measure can help us combat climate change, writes Fernando de Roda.
Accessibility and mobility. When perceived through the architectural lens, these terms often evoke a range capped by two extremes.
Growth pressure is having an impact on the functioning of cities, on their governance, and on quality of life.
With cities growing at a relentless and ever-increasing pace, urban development models are more important than ever.
The city is both the object and the jungle. Yet, when we speak of urban resilience, we often forget about the jungle, and focus on the object.
Airport terminals have long been viewed as indistinguishable and anonymous places of transit. But now, at the height of globalization, airport terminals are fighting to differentiate themselves and become veritable meeting points that offer an attractive value proposition to passengers.
The Challenge for countries like India and Japan, with ancient living traditions, has been the confrontation with modernization and technology.
The Center for Sustainable Cities forms interdisciplinary teams to develop applied research in specific areas of interest. We have carried out White Papers for different companies as Engie, Prologis, Madrid Crea Norte, Renazca… , about a broad variety of topics as urban logistics, sustainability habits of citizens, local producers or circular economy. These reports will be published in approximately 5-12 months.
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The Center for Sustainable Cities is continuously promoting the education about Cities and Sustainability with different types of programs from short‐term to long‐term courses:
The rapid exponential growth and transformation of cities and their citizens brings great challenges at a social and environmental level, and a consequent increase in the complexity of the urban environment. Many professionals converge in the city, but paradoxically, there is no specific discipline that addresses the urban phenomenon from a holistic point of view. The Master in Real Estate Development (MRED) explores the evolving relationship between real estate and the conscientious development of a city from a holistic 360º perspective.
This Master's degree is designed to provide a comprehensive understanding of the breadth and depth of the real estate development process. With a strong foundation in the economic, financial, strategic, and legal aspects of real estate development worldwide, this course goes beyond traditional subjects in the field.
This Master degree is aimed at understanding the breadth and depth of the development process. With a foundation in the economic, financial, strategic, and legal aspects of real estate development throughout the world, this comprehensive course goes beyond traditional subjects of the field.