Nice Hill by Nice Architects
By Lucas on Jan 13, 2014
Via Nice Architects
By Penny Munoz
Slovakia’s innovative design firm, Nice Architects is revolutionizing how builder’s think of recycling construction material. Though skeptics didn’t believe the proposal would go very far, Nice Architect’s artificial hill design for an Australian development received enough recognition to win the People’s Choice Award in the RAH international competition.
Via Nice Architects
Participating voters chose from the shortlisted proposals online based on the criteria listed on the site. The artificial hill (which will never actually be materialized, according to experts) was judged on its capacity to create a space that will develop cultural roots within the area while representing the best in environmentally sustainable design. Since Australia’s Adelaide city council adopted a Zero Waste SA policy, aiming to reduce waste landfill by 35% by 2020, recycling and resource management were also influential factors that voters were instructed to consider when judging.
“The hill” is conveniently located in the centre of the block, where residents would use it for a number of outdoor activities. Nice Architects developed the artificial hill design in consistency with the South Australian ambition to increase inner-city outdoor activity with both working and residential citizens in mind. Relative to future development, Nice Architects considered safety and security as a key factor in the project for both daytime and nighttime activities and thus emphasized visibility in the project.
Via Nice Architects
The best part is how the hill is proposed to be made because it actually reuses otherwise wasteful building material. Sitting on garbage has never looked so good...or felt so good, for that matter; the hill doesn’t just add a much necessary hint of green to a business-only district, it helps support climate control. Using geothermal energy by extracting heat through a thermal chimney, the hill contributes to the management of heating and cooling of both interior and exterior spaces.
Since the competition openly states that the redevelopment project will require private investment and partnership funding, it will be interesting to see what will actually go up here, but at least this innovative design could encourage cities across the globe to think of alternative ways to dispose of their construction waste. Do you think Toronto will one day see an aesthetically appeasing, technologically crafted landfill?
