RETHINKING

HAVANA
CONSTRUCTING SUSTAINABLE URBAN LANDSCAPES

technological body of knowledge

Urban Design and Engineering AR9220

Drs. Fransje Hooimeijer

Students:
Antoine Canazzi
Chen Yun-Shih
Fecianti
Huang Yu-Han
Iulia Sirbu
Lin Wei-Yun
Magdalini Papadam
EMU Rebeca Rabello
SPRING Sanjana Ahmed
2016 Vincent Babes
 CONTENTS I. INTRODUCTION

Context of Havana and project focus

II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Climate change and urbanisation

Energy shift

Port transformations

III. RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS

Methodology

Layer 1: Water

Layer 2: Soil

Layer 3: Civil Constructions

Layer 4: Energy

Subsurface potential map

Surface potential map

IV. SYNTHESIS AND SPATIAL CONCEPT

V. PERFORMANCE BASED URBAN DESIGN

Projects overview

Solution 1: green-blue networks

Solution 2: reusing built heritage

Solution 3: room for water

Solution 4: rainwater collection

Solution 5: energy production

Solution 6: soil remediation

References

2 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 3


1 impacts the country as a whole and also its capital city
2 role of Cuba and Havana on the global context. The
1. The first US cruise ship arriving in Havana, www.bbc.
com
2. Schoolchildren in Havana, en.wikipedia.org
3. Havana sattelite image, commons.wikimedia.org
3 of layer analysis: a vertical integration of the physical
4 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016
I. INTRODUCTION
Context of Havana and project focus
Cuba is currently faced with a unique scenario that
Havana. In addition to the shift of the Havana bay port
to a massive new port infrastructure in the municipality
of Mariel, the country is faced with speculations
related to a possible economic and political opening.
The reestablishment of diplomatic relations between
Cuba and the US, as well as the probable lift of the
1960's embargo can result in deep changes regarding
the geo-politics of the Caribbean region and the
opening of Cuban's borders to international affairs
and investments presents immense opportunities and
threats to the country's development and maintenance
of public collective goods. This scenario has led to an
ongoing debate concerning guidelines for the country’s
further development, including the sectors of tourism,
housing, real state, education, health, transportation,
urban expansion, production and environment, among
others.
The work conducted by the 2016 EMU group for the
course of Urban Design and Engineering aimed at
understanding the historical, social and economic
context of the city of Havana, as well as the city’s
qualities and challenges. The presented work took
4
into consideration the shift of the existing port to the
municipality of Mariel, the possible economic opening
of the country and the increasing environmental
pressures resulting from climate change in order to
identify current and probable challenges and propose
possible mitigation solutions. As a final product,
maps identifying potential features of the subsurface
and surface were produced. These maps can help
on the further exploration of possible developments
for the bay area, identifying the sites constraints and
potentials. Complementarily, ten individual designs
were developed in key locations of the city for the
course of Constructing Sustainable Landscapes. All
projects englobe technological solutions tackling the
challenges identified in this paper and are therefore
also addressed throughout this booklet. A brief
summary of each possible technical solution is also
presented.
The main goal of this Urban Design and Engineering
paper was to put together a body of knowledge related
to the Havana bay area and to possible technological
tools addressing local environmental and urban
challenges. The mapping of subsoil and surface In order to understand the complex relationships and civil construction. These layers go hand-in-hand 4. Havana bay, photo by authors
potential and constraints is presented as both a between city and landscape, the evolution of with the layers of landscape, infrastructure and urban
5. Agricultural farmland next to Havana, tripmondo.com
product and method of research and design. urbanisaton, and the role of the harbour in the larger occupation analysed in the ten individual designs. All
metropolitan area, we employed the TU Delft method layers were studied in depth not only on their current 6. Traffic on the Malecon, photo by authors
situation but also on their evolution thought the
layers, with the temporal scale and the spatial scale. city’s history. The detailed methodology used will be 7. Tallapiedra power plant, 2012. Photo by Ana Gonzalez
Marquez
The main four layers analysed were water, soil, energy presented in Chapter III.
5 6 7
EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 5
 1 II. THEORETICAL FRAMEWORK

Climate change and urbanisation Energy shift

The process of urbanization is world-wide associated
with important economic and social transformations,
which have brought geographic mobility, lower
fertility, and aging population. In Cuba, the political
transformations facilitated once more the migration of
the population within the country, the city of Havana
becoming thus, an important driver of change. As it
concentrated much of the national economic activity,
government, commerce and transportation, and
provides crucial links with rural areas through the
development of urban agriculture, Havana has always
attracted citizens from all Cuba. This tendency might
be surpassed in the future, this becoming one of
the challenges the city might have to face due to the
international opening process that it is undergoing.
The level of urbanization, especially in the central areas,
has reached critical levels. This fact led to the disposal
of natural landscape almost completely, contributing
thus to an increased heat island effect. Although the
city of Havana remained frozen in time, it still continues
its existence in an environment characterized by more 7
and more often present changes of climate. This
framework added to continuing deterioration process
by, primarily, political means can only contribute to
increased challenges. Rapid and unplanned urban
growth threatens sustainable development when the
necessary infrastructure is not developed or when
policies are not implemented to ensure that the
benefits of city life are equally shared.
The unplanned urban expansion led to pollution and
environmental degradation; green open spaces could
not find their places anymore in the city and the
effects of the omnipresent climate change have been
experienced thoroughly at different scales.
Therefore, integrated policies and solutions to improve
the living environment in both urban and rural
landscape are needed.

3 6
8
7. Havana Bay and Nico Lopez refinery. Viva
Cuba

8. Solar and wind energy. www.cleantechnica.

com

9. Sugar cane fields in Cuba.

www.organicconsumers.org

A vast oil belt stretches on the northern coast from
Havana to Villa Clara produces poor quality oil that
meets 40 percent of the country’s needs. Thus,
Cuba has shifted its focus away from offshore oil,
concentrating on renewable energy and improving
output from onshore wells due to a lack of interest
of foreign companies from countries such as China
or Russia that see little incentive in exploiting the
5
available oil in the Caribbean Islands. In this regard,
1. Havana coastline. Photo by authors
the country is seeking investors in renewable energy
2. Flooding in Havana Centro such as biomass and wind while attempting to increase
www.havanatimes.org output from existing onshore and shallow water wells.
3-5. Havana bay: evolution of urbanisation and landscape.
Diagrams by authors
In 2006, the Cuban Energy Revolution led to significant
changes in energy consumption in the country; here
6. Wave hitting the Malecon. www.planetware.com the electrification of the country has widely taken
place mostly based on renewable energy sources.
As a solution that came as a response to the local
energy crisis, payment problems due to oil imports,
and inefficient old centralised electricity production 9
system, the Energy Revolution has been quite
successful in changing the energy use patterns in
Cuban households.
The energy production has been decentralized has led
to an increase in the reliability of supply and improved
the efficiency when new smaller scale power plants
have replaced older technology. The energy revolution
has, so far, not had much impact on energy use in
industry and transport which are the areas where
the future policies should be directed. Although the
country relies on fossils, Cuba has high potential for
harnessing renewable energy sources such as solar,
biogas and other biomass sources, as well as wind.

6 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 7

 1 5
Port transformations
Port cities around the world are facing major shifts in
the wake of economic shifts and climate change. With
about 40% of the world's population living in coastal
areas, port cities also have the responsibility to offer
safe and high quality living space, work opportunities
and public services to their growing populations. In
the same time, larger ships and increasing need of
infrastructure mean the move of heavy port activities
further away from these cities and into environmentally
2 fragile areas such as wetlands. Probably the most
important challenge to port cities is the climatic
change, inclusing sea level rise and rainwater increase.
How can port cities answer to these challenges by
integrating urban design, technology and knowledge?
We looked at 10 European examples and extracted
some principles of action, including counterindications,
and a number of reference project which could be
applicable in Havana. We selected these projects by
four large issues that are common to European ports
and Havana: flooding, congestion, segregation and
pollution.
3 In Barcelona, this problem was much better solved
In Copenhagen, the municipality deals with flooding
and water pollution issues in innovative ways: streets
are redesigned to include spaces for water retention
1. Genoa harbour redevelopment. Renzo Piano Building
Workshop. www.rpbw.com
2. Atelier Dreiseitl. Copenhagen flood-proof street design
Sonder Boulevard, 2014. www.visitcopenhagen.com
3. Hamburg Hafencity, reuse of quays. www.hafencity.com
4. KCAP, Elbbrucken, Hamburg Hafencity. www.kcap.com
8 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016
and detention, and parks include higher "safe zones"
to retreat to in case of high waters; the water in the
harbour is cleaned, but not in an ordinary facility: the
clean water from Islands Brygge is immediately put at
the disposal of swimmers, thus appropiating the port
by the city dwellers.
In Amsterdam, contaminated soil is cleaned, and to use
the land during the process local artists are allowed
to liveon it in houses on pillars in de Ceuvel. Another
innovative flood-proof design can be found in Hamburg
Hafencity, where new housing is developed on the tall
quays of the old port, with floodable groundfloors and
watertight doors to the garages.
Segregation between the industrial port and the inner
city is mitigated in Genoa and Marseille by new public
spaces and buildings that reactivate the waterfront and
by using major events and expositions to shed light on
the newly redeveloped areas. Waterfront congestion
however is still present in Genoa due to an elevated
coastal road which also causes air and noise pollution.
by half-submerging the coastal ringroad and creating
a vibrant public space above it, safe from potential 6 8
flooding.
4
5. Islands Brygge water cleaning and swimming faciltiy.
9
Copenhagen. www.visitcopenhagen.com
6, 7. Carme Ribas, Paseo Garcia Faria, Barcelona.
www.publicspace.org
8. Metabolic. Purifying Park De Ceuvel, Amsterdam.
www.metabolic.nl
9. Foster and Partners, Marseille Vieux Port.
www.fosterandpartners.com
EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 9
 III. RESEARCH AND ANALYSIS
WATER

Methodology
In order to understand the complex relationships
1
between city and landscape, the evolution of
urbanisaton, and the role of the harbour in the larger
metropolitan area, we employed the TU Delft method
of ‘3x3x3’ layer analysis: a vertical integration of
the physical layers - landscape, infrastructure and
built environment - with the temporal scale - three
key moments in history - and the spatial scale -
metropolitan, harbour and project site.
The main advantages of analysing the port development
by this method was to observe otherwise difficult
to see relations such as: the reciprocal influences
of urbanisation and landscape, the inertia on public
space use imposed by infrastructure development
and the obvious incompatibility of land occupation and
environmental hazards like floods.
For the technological analysis, we used a different
layering of the natural and built environment, starting
from the relation between the biosphere and the
technosphere. By this method, we distinguish four
layers: water, soil, civil construction and energy.
The former two represent what is inherently natural
(although suffering man-made modifications over
time), while the latter are the exponents of human
inhabiting of the environment and have a strong
technical character. The four layers were further
analysed in two levels: the subsurface and the surface.
SOIL
The problem and opportunity maps resulting from
each sectorial analysis were combined to create an
integrated potentiality map of the project area. This led
us to the individual project solutions, as well as to a
harbour-wide spatial concept for intervention.
We further identified a number of key challenges
presented by the site that the projects needed to
offer a vision for: flood prevention, water cleaning,
soil remediation, fertile soil cultivation, air cleaning,
energy production, built heritage reuse and urban heat
island amelioration.

CIVIL CONSTRUCTIONS

UNDISCOVERED AND POTENTIAL

NORTH OFFSHORE OIL FIELDS

ENERGY
Boca de Jaruco
Cuba’s oldest oil field Varadero 1000
recovered in 2014 Cuba’s biggest
oil operation

1. "3x3x3" Layers methodology for Havana. Diagram by

authors.

2. Surface and subsurface section in the bay of Havana.

By Yuhan Huang.

10 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 11

LEGEND

Sweet groundwater OIL IMPORT FROM VENEZUELA

since 2000

Almendares-Vento watershed
Layer 1: Water
Havana's water table is composed by several streams
running downstream directly towards the Caribbean
Sea or towards the Havana bay.
The Almendares-Vento and Ariguanabo are the main
watersheds serving the city. The Almendares-Vento
has an area of 402km2 and englobes the Amendares
River and the Vento aquifer (both hydraulically linked).
It represents the main source of potable water for the
city of Havana. The Ariguanabo has an area of 188 Km²
and its aquifer is also hydraulically linked to the Vento
aquifer.
Havana's intense rainfalls and steep terrain limit the
amount of potable water available and the possibility
of water retention and infiltration.
According to Perez et. Al (2009) the water demand in coral protected bay
Cuba “may be approaching its maximum “safe yield”
supply (i.e., the flow that can be withdrawn annually
without depleting the resource long-term).”
The country currently has an availability of 1220 m³
per person per year, which is already considered a low
per capita supply by the United Nations’ Environmental
Program.
According to López-Vázquez, C. (2013) 93% of Havana’s
sierra maes
population has access to potable water. However, 79%
of this access is intermittent and up to 55% of the
water is lost in the system due to the bad condition of
the pipes.

According to Garcia Fernández (2006) eight watersheds pollution. caves

1
have been prioritized by the Cuban Government.
Despite covering only 15% of the Cuban territory, these
urbanisation watersheds serve 40% of the country's population and
60% of national economic activities.
dense green
Data provided by Perez et. Al (2009) show that all
low rise green (grass, pastureland, post-industrial) eight main watersheds suffer from some kind of
deterioration process, whether from natural processes
watershed
such as erosion or from external influences, such as
The Almendares-Vento and Ariguanabo suffer from
contamination, erosion, deforestation and poor
drainage.
The current condition of the watersheds and lack of
strict regulations against the further contamination of
rivers present a threat to the city's ecosystem balance
and water supply.
alluvial plains
3

urbanisation

watershed

pollution source

waste disposal

water treatment terraces

1. Regional green-blue networks.

Data source: Ammerl T, 2005, Aktuelle stadt- und
landschaftokologische Probleme in Havana; Google Earth
3D data.

2. Hydrological dynamics and territorial sections along

river valleys
Data source: Google Earth 3D data

3. Urbanisation and pollution.

Data sources: Ammerl T, 2005, Aktuelle stadt- und
landschaftokologische Probleme in Havana; Perez et al
2009; Google Earth 3D data.

4. Cuban coastal landscapes.

Source: Canet G & Reisz E, 1949, Atlas de Cuba

12 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 13

 SEDIMENTARY ENVIRONMENT
6
Luyano drain
Pre-delta environment
Dredged area
Transition bay-sea
HAVANA BAY Tunnel
Coastal environment

Canet & Reisz (1949) describe the bay formation as a
result of flooding processes of the river lower basin
and its tributaries and of the formation of coral reefs
on both sides of the bay’s mouth. Due to a decline on
sea level or rise of land height, the flooded area of
the basin was reduced and the coral reefs became
exposed, protecting the inlet.
The natural conditions of the bay were determinant for
the choice of the city and port locations.
Today, most of the bay is occupied by industrial
activities. However, the swift of heavy industries to the
Port of Mariel presents an opportunity of regenerating
the brownfields around the bay and re-establishing the SEDIMENTARY DYNAMICS
relationship between city and waterfront.
Drain discharge
One of the main challenges faced in the bay is the
Fluvial discharge
intense water pollution. Most of it is caused by domestic
Surface brackish water
waste thrown directly into the bay, the discharge of
Marine water input
untreated sewage, contaminated water streams and
unprocessed industrial waste in several points of the Mixing sedimentation
inlet. River
In addition, the dynamics of external and internal wave Drained stream
movements in the bay, combined to its narrow mouth
lead to a high concentration of pollution inside the bay.

Water depth
8
Green area
Soil pollution
Land/water reclamation
Railway
River
1 2 3
Pollution source
Enclosed water flow
Household waste water pollution

1. Bay pollution
Data Source: EMU 2016 fieldwork Havana

2. Havana Bay - Internal & External wave dynamics

Data source: Der Biezen, Kuhlman, Schoen, Stam,
Witteman. Tourist Port Havana. Studies and Design of a
Ferry Terminal and Marina in the Bay of Havana

3. Significant wave height and peak period

Data source: Ibid. 6. Sedimentary formation.
Data source: Perez et al 2009.
4. Wave penetration from an incoming wave with Hs=8m
and Tp=12s, from the northwest 7. Sedimentary formation.
Urbanisation and pollution. Data source: Perez et al 2009.
Data sources:Ibid.
8. Pollution in the bay area
5. Significant wave heights in the bay in an extreme
scenario
Data Source: Ibid. 4 5

14 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 15

 1 1 4 5

FLOODING
Water depth
Green area low/high density In order to understand the flooding issues in the city
Low water retention / steep gradient and propose adequate solutions, a series of studies
Low water retention / mild gradient
and calculations were carried out. The first step
consisted of understanding the urban landscape, the
Street alignment section ridges and valleys, upstream and downstream areas
Drained stream and main catchment areas.
Watershed Special focus was given to the catchment area
englobing Old Havana, Centro Havana, Cerro and
Plaza de la Revolution due to its intense urbanized
character and recurrent flooding episodes from sea
surge and intense rainfall.
3
Based on a study of the city's occupation, ground floor
materials, existing green patches, rainfall intensity
and main recurrence periods, the peak flow was
calculated for each sub catchment area, as well as the
surplus water to be dealt with.
Data of rainfall intensity and return period were
gathered from national hidrology reports. For the
calculation of peak flow and surplus water, a 209.3mm
rainfall in 10 minutes, with a return period of 10 years
was considered. The calculations were done using the
Rational Method.
The existing drainage system in the city was not
considered in the surplus water calculations due the
lack of updated information and to poor maintainance
of the system.

Rivers
Underground rivers
Water flow
Catchment areas Landscape elevation
6

1. Water retention strategy -section

2. Water retention strategies - vegetation

3. Flooding in the bay area

4. Rainfall graphs for Havana.

Data source: www.climate-data.org

5. Sixty Minute Rainfall Slider for 10 year Return Period.

Data source: Instituto de Meteorologia. Proyecto 0801.
Las grandes precipitaciones y las Precipitaciones
intensas en cuba:Causas y caracteristicas
6. Catchment areas and water calculation
7. Flooding in Havana. Source: http://www.havanatimes.
org/sp/?p=92204

16 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 17

 Layer 2: Soil
SOIL

The condition of the soil concerns the capacity of
the landscape in terms of agriculture, construction
loading, ecological sysrem, and so on.
This part of subsoil maps concerns the terrestrial
character of city of Havana, with some complementary
information at a larger or more detailed scales. We
will begin with the general description of the main soil
types of Cuba and Havana and their characteristics,
then look into the geological composition of the vicinity
of Havana bay, and the consequential geomorphology
of the area, as well as some other issues related to the
original potential of landscape in the bay area.
Due to the lack of proper data for a more detailed soil-
composition map, the soil condition will be deducted
from the formation of the landscape, the geological
information, and a more general description of the soil
in relation with the sectors with strong potentials, or the
issues regarding the soil conditions due to the possible
problems caused by both landscape influences and
economic industries. The
At national scale, the major soil of Cuba is brown Cambisols are developed in medium and fine-textured
soils, which is formed from non-calcareous rocks materials derived from a wide range of rocks, mostly in
and a strong sialitic evolution degree are presented. alluvial, colluvial and aeolian deposits.
These soils are quite fertile and arable soils, but on the
other hand susceptible to degradation from erosion, Cambisols are usually seen in humid areas, and has
influenced by environmental conditions and historical the following features:
anthropogenic activities. The location of these soils, the 1. Plants can get water from the soil for more than 3
hilly landform or the presence of saline groundwater, months, the ground has quite good moisture ability.
also affect the erosion of the soils. The districution 2. The texture of the soil is finely particulated.
of these brown soils are especially representative for 3. Good for agriculture and are usually intensively used.
5
the areas where grows sugarcane, the most important
economic crop of Cuba.
The soil in the city of La Havana, Cuba, on the other
hands, are more of another type which were mainly
derived from calcareous rocks (limestone). This type
of soil is largely determined by tropical climate with
higher rainfall and dry winters.

The major type of soil around the Havana Bay,

according to the categorization of Digital World Soil
5. Picture of the moisture feature of Eutric
Map, is named as Eutric Cambisols. This is a kind of a Cambisols.
shallow, well drained, dark yellowish brown clay. The
soil has mottles, hard calcareous rock formation and 6. World Soil Type Map and the area of
soft manganese nodules, and massive fragipan which Havana.
1 Source: https://worldmap.harvard.edu/
is weakly cemented.

Legends
2 3

1. The profile of Eutric Cambisoil.

Source: Soil Brief Cuba Report, 1995

2. The picture of brown, Eutric Vambiso

3. The landscape of brown soils with land use

as agriculture or original landscapes.
Source: Soil Brief Cuba Report, 1995

4. The distribution of the sugarcane fields also

shows the significant dominance of the brown
soils. Source: United States Department of
Agriculture, Agricultural Geography of Latin
America (Washington, DC: United States 6
Printing Office, 1958).
4
18 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 19
 GEOLOGY LAND FORMATION & GEOMORPHOLOGY

The geology of Havana bay consists of mainly 5 types The bay is formed at the intersection of
of formation, pleistocene, oliqo-Miocene (Guines afluvial deltas of rivers and the erosed
limestone), oliqocene, eocene and cretaceous. Located rocks behind the costal cliff.
in different area, the formation influence the landscape
and further the urban occupation. For instance, in the
Vedado area, reef rock can be observed on the edge
of the bay, together with seawall Malecon created a
unique view. While in the middle part lies the Guines
limestone. It is often composed of soft, friable, pure-
white coral sandstone with large corals and coral
fragments and a high iron content causes it to cultivate
a rich red, lateritic soil which is very suitable for cane-
1 growing.(Fig. 2) Another example is in the area of Regla
nad Guanabacoa, where intrusive rock formed the
small hills rising from the earth, which also became
one of the unique landscape in Havana. (Fig.1)
5. The geomorphology map of the Havana
3
Bay area. Source: Dissertation der Fakultät
für Geowissenschaften an der Ludwig-
Maximilians-Universität München

6. The land formation with interplay between

the limestone rocks and the afluvial grounds.

1. Painting of Havana bay in 1693

2. Red soil

3. Geology of Cuba (partial) and the main

formation of Havana.
Source: http://www.geologyin.com/

4. Geology of Havana

20 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 21

GROUND PERMEABILITY THREATS OF SOIL POLLUTION

The permeability of the ground can be described
by two features. One is the slope of the ground. The
steeper the slope is, the less it is able to keep water.
In other words, the water runs quickly through the
surface and has very limited percentage to infiltrate in
to the ground. In the slope map (fig. 5), the area with
the steepest landform feature is currently inhabitated
with many informal housings in the area of Casablanca
in Havana. The low infiltration rate along with the
high run-off caused the area by nature lack of water
supply. Currently the residents pumped water from
underground, or install collecting barrels to gather
rainwater for household uses.
Some area in Havana bay requires soil depollution
treatment due to the industrial activities. The 3 inner
pockets of the bay, including Nico Lopez refinery on
the east, Atares-Regla area in the middle, and Atares-
Havana vieja area in the west are the most polluted.
Besides heavy industries, the tidal force in the bay also
stops the water from having circulation with the ocean,
which concentrates the pollutants and soild waste in
the bay.

Another aspect is the land vegetation cover (fig. 6). The

study of land cover in the area around Havana Bay aims
to support the analysis of soil infiltration. This analyst 1
is important to further locate new development and
and indicate the location where more green systems
and water catchment are needed in this area. Based on
some information collected from GIS, the map shows River
that land cover in this area is divided into 6 types: built
Reclaimed land
environment characterized by hard pavement, built
environment with greeneries, forest, grass, plantation Industrial area
and agriculture. Each land cover type indicates different 2 3 4
rates of infiltration and runoff. Forest for example has Potential pollution source
the highest rate of infiltration and lowest rate of runoff Tidal force
while built environment with hard pavement that has
the lowest rate of infiltration, and the highest rate of
run off.

1. Slope map which shows the infiltration

ability.

2. Self-constructed pumps for getting water

from the ground.

3. The self-installed rainwater collecting

barrels in the neighborhoods.

4. The informal housings built on the steepest

slopes.

5. The land vegetation cover map.

Source: omp.gso.uri.edu/ompweb/doee/ 6. The possible soil polution map based on the
teacher/pdf/act10.pdf districution of industrial areas.

22 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 5

EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 23
 Layer 3: Civil constructions
SEWAGE SYSTEM

1.
2.
1. El Cubo del Sifon; architectural installation
on top of the solid waste removal station.
2. El Cubo del Sifon; internal view
This part will treat several questions related to the civil
construction elements that we can find in the subsoil.
It covers the aspects of sewage system, drainage
system, water distribution and management, access
to power infrastructure (electricity and gas), quays'
condition and building foundations remaining in the
ground.
In order to make the final map, we have gathered
information from various sources. More specifically,
a report in Spanish and English about the different
aspects of water infrastructure including sewage,
drainage and potable water distribution proved
extremely helpful. It was a research and design
study conducted by the Japanese government for
the Cuban administrators. Another important source
of information has been the several maps that we
used during the whole semester showing the built
components of the urbanized landscape. Last but
not least, our personal observations and notes from
the field-trip in Havana in May 2016 in combination
with the information provided by the Cuban students
through our conversations.
Beginning our analysis, we explain how the different
components (sub-layers) of the civil construction
layer work as infrastructure systems. At the end
you will find a map with the different networks
overlapping. Due to lack of data in certain situations,
we have worked with logic assumptions and direct
observations for the cases of water distribution system
and the power infrastructure. As a consequence,
part of the information presented might not meet the
exact conditions at present. In any case, our map and
descriptions represent in a sufficient way the layer of
civil construction for the studied area around the bay of
Havana in Cuba.
The civil construction layer has proved very important
for our analysis and the development of the individual
projects because it allowed us to understand -even
partially- the technicalities of the major infrastructure
as well as the problems we need to deal with. Cuba
is a quite exceptional state and realizing the condition
and the way of functioning related to basic urban
infrastructure, such as the sewage and drainage
system, the access to potable water and power and
the elements of the built environment, has contributed
to the configuration of the strategic plan both in
metropolitan scale and local scale.
For instance, understanding the difficulties in storm
water management made clear the need to design
alternative green spaces to serve both as retention
areas, detention areas ad public space. The informality
-if we may say- with which sewage and drainage
systems have been confronted and most importantly
understanding what caused it was a reminder of two
things. Firstly that the general public must be involved
in the planning process and secondly that the Cuban
government needs to make use of the spatial qualities
and potentials already existing around the bay. The
different characters of natural and urbanized landscape
that have been formed during the past fifty years need
to be used in order to upgrade the infrastructure and
improve the service quality.
Before closing, it is crucial to mention that there is
great need of technical education and use of new
technologies as well as political will and power to
impose strict but realistic and effective legislation and
plans.
In terms of sewerage network, the areas around
Havana bay which we studied during our semester
are covered by one Central Sewerage System serving
55% of the city’s population and several systems of
more local range serving 12%. Septic tanks serve 26%
of the inhabitants and 7% doesn’t receive any type
of wastewater treatment. The sewerage system is
maintained by Aguas de La Habana. The small sewer
service areas in the south eastern part of the bay are
maintained by Water Supply & Sanitation Company of
Havana East.
The central system serves mainly the west and
southwest areas and comprises a number of collectors
and small pumping stations, one main pumping station
in Casablanca, a siphon, a transmission tunnel and an
outfall sewer. It was constructed in the period 1905-
1915 and has nine collectors: Norte, Sur, Sur 1, Sur
2, Sur 3, Sur 4, Paralelo al Orengo, Cerro and Centro
Habana. A manually controlled by-pass structure
is also installed to bypass the wastewater to the bay
in case of power failure, malfunction or emergency
inspection at Casablanca pumping station. In addition,
one pumping station is currently under construction in
Atares area.
At the end of Obispo street, near the Plaza de Armas,
the principal collectors coming from the north and
south end to a grit screening facility where solid waste
is taken out. In 2009, an architectural intervention was
made to cover the installation, the so called Cubo del
Sifon [Cube of the Siphon]. Remaining wastewater
passes then through a 345m concrete siphon, installed
12m below the bottom of the bay, to the Casablanca
pumping station. There, wastewater is pumped to the
surface level and transferred through the transmission
tunnel of 1.447m length to the outfall sewer. The latter
disposes the wastewater off, at 9m below the sea
surface and 1.5 km away from the coast in the ocean.
The sewerage structure and equipment are operated
by three teams of three operators each. The removed
solid waste is transferred by truck to special sites for
final disposal. However, the removal of grits and other
sediments is frequently insufficient and results in
clogging of the siphon and cleaning pipes.
Large amount of wastewater is also discharged
through main drainage channels such as Agua Dulce
and Arroyo [stream] Matadero into Havana bay without
treatment, mainly because of cross connections. The
latter structures were installed under severe
financial constraints by the ex-authority of planning,
constructing and maintaining the sewers in order to
solve the urgent problem of discharging the increased
wastewater generated due to pressing population
growth.
Likewise, the smaller networks of the southeastern
part were developed parallel to the gradual
urbanization and along with other infrastructure such
as water supply and drainage systems. These networks
discharge the produced wastewater to nearby streams
or rivers and cover only in a basic way the needs of the 3.
urbanized population.
The condition of sewerage system in Havana faces two
main problems: low capacity and bad conditions due
to extended period of usage and lack of maintenance.
The central system has been used for a century and
the facilities remain poorly organized and technically
obsolete. At the same time, the smaller networks
covering the southeast and east areas face the same
issues since they have been developed with very limited
resources and materials and often informally.
The Principal Collector collects wastewater from the
western part of Havana Bay, both within and outside
its basin of the bay. Due to the outdated technical
standards, it is overloaded and contributes to the
pollution of Havana bay either by overflowing or
contaminating the stormwater drainage pipelines
which discharge directly in the bay. Among the main
collectors, Sur 2 is intercepted at the crossing with
Luyanó River due to the broken siphon instead of
being connected to the central sewerage system. Also
due to damage, Sur 4 discharges the wastewater into
Pastrona stream. Therefore, wastewater generated in
San Miguel del Padron and Guanabacoa is discharged
to the nearby rivers Luyanó and Martin Peréz and
finally into the bay.
The transmission tunnel was partially broken in the
inner surface and repaired for the last time in 1991 4.
together with pumping equipment of the Casablanca
pumping station. The outfall sewer, also used for 3. Casablanca Pumping Station
the last century, is also quite damaged; cracks and 4. Tadeo stream, Regla, Habana; an example
therefore wastewater leakage have been identified at of wastewater and solid waste being disposed
pipe joints. in streams passing through the urbanized
areas

24 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 25

 DRAINAGE SYSTEM
The studied area around Havana bay can be divided
in several drainage basins including three tributary
rivers, areas of direct discharge in the eastern part and
the existing stormwater drainage area in Atares inlet.
The drainage system in the city of Havana has been
developed since 1908. The culvert
structures and pipes have a total length of 386 km, 146
km of which were constructed between 1908 and 1915
and cover the urban area of 25 km2. The organized
stormwater drainage networks serve the western part
5. of Havana bay and the collected water is discharged
into the bay through channels by gravity, without any
stormwater pumping stations. The major drainage
channels are Agua Dulce, Arroyo Matadero and San
Nicolas.
Runoffs from smaller areas in the northeastern part
reach the bay either directly or indirectly through
nearby tributary rivers. The drainage basins which are
not covered by the existing system are the Luyano River
basin with urbanized middle course and industrialized
lower course, the Martin Peréz River basin with
urbanized middle course and upper course used as
farmland, the mildly urbanized Tadeo River basin, the
heavily industrialized North Eastern natural drainage
area where the oil refinery is also located and the North
natural drainage area with the steep geomorphological
formation and the settlement of Casablanca.
7.
6.
5. Side gutter for runoffs in Casablanca,
Habana
6. Drainage gutter in la Regla, Habana; it
might as well serve for irrigation
7. Part of the drainage system underneath the
railway tracks, just before the discharge point
in Atares
26 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016
Runoffs on the roads either flow down through the
street network or they are directed in side gutters
and then in drainage channels, rivers or Havana bay.
Inundation problems occur frequently during rain
seasons and inundation areas can be categorized in
four groups: low-lying areas nearby the three tributary
rivers, low-lying and flat areas in the urban center,
areas where ground gradient change a lot and areas
where major drainage pipes join.
The drainage problems around Havana bay relate
to these four categories of inundation areas. More
specifically, the smooth gradient of the low-lying and
flat urban areas diminishes the flow capacity of the
installed drainage pipes which often prove insufficient.
Likewise, in places with steep geomorphology, the
drainage capacity is reduced rapidly because of the
abrupt change in water flow from the hilly to the flat
parts. Lastly, in the areas where major drainage pipes
join, inundation occurs when stormwater exceeds the
downstream drainage system capacity.
Apart from the limited capacity of the drainage
system, unhindered garbage disposal into drainage
networks contributes to the flooding issues and causes
additional troubles such as water contamination and
odor emanation. As a matter of fact, the similar quality
of discharge water from both sewerage and drainage
system indicates two things: that sewer wastewater
is diluted with runoffs and groundwater infiltration
due to illegal connections and pipes’ cracks and that
wastewater in drainage channels contains significant
amount of raw sewage material.
WATER DISTRIBUTION AND AQUEDUCTS
In general, the climatic and topographical conditions of The drinking water is distributed through a main and a
the island, such as rainfall seasonality and rapid water secondary network of 374 km and 3954 km respectively.
movement from up-stream to down-stream, limit the Its biggest part dates since the end of the 19th century
amount of potable water available and the possibility and only 10% of the infrastructure was modernized
of water retention and infiltration in the island of Cuba. after 1959. It consists of 13 large reservoirs (4 of which
According to Perez et. Al (2009) the water demand in are defective) and 28 smaller depots (11 defective) with
Cuba “may be approaching its maximum “safe yield” a capacity of 292.200m³. Unfortunately, the reservoirs
supply (i.e., the flow that can be withdrawn annually are not interconnected to provide compensation for
without depleting the resource long-term).” The local shortages and there are no protection areas
country has an availability of 1220 m³ per person per around them or any measuring systems, resulting in
year, “which is a very low per capita number according high contamination danger and lack of information and
to the World Meteorology Association and the United control on water necessity and consumption. 8.
Nations’ Environmental Program.”
Despite the fact that around 93% of the population
has access to potable water, the provision of water is
largely done by water tanker trucks. As a matter of
fact, 79% of this access is intermittent and up to 55%
of the water is lost in the system due to bad conditions
and maintenance of the pipes. Due to the amount of
leaks and loss of pressure in the system, the water is
not able to reach the full capacity of the system.
The main source of potable water for Havana is the 402
km² watershed of Almendares River which includes
the Vento aquifer. The water is transferred through
the Albear Aqueduct. Additional source is the 188 km²
aquifer of Ariguanabo, also hydraulically linked to the
Vento aquifer. However, both water bodies suffer severe
contamination and the region lacks alternative potable 10.
water sources.
11.
9.
8. Special truck providing potable water to
the households in San Rafael street, Centro
Havana
9. External pipelines providing water in
Casablanca, Habana
10-11. Water tanks serve to gather and store
rainwater; installed on rooftops and generally
open air areas, they permit the natural
heating of the water based on solar energy
EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 27
 WATER MANAGEMENT
In general, there are two leading agencies in charge
of the water sector in Cuba: the National Institute of
Water Resources (INRH) is the governmental agency
responsible for the Water Supply and Sanitation
Sector and the Ministry of Science, Technology and
Environment is the one responsible for the nation’s
Environmental Management. The Ministry of Public
Health as well as the Local Bodies of the Popular Power
in Cuba play also an important role in the control and
monitoring of potable water supplies.
12.
In the case of the City of Havana, the city itself is a
province and the governing body is the
Provincial People’s Administrative Council. For the
implementation of the law and legal base
on water resources and the environment, the governing
body is the Provincial Delegation of
Resources of the City of Havana of the National Institute
for Hydraulic Resources (DPRH).
The Water and Sewerage Corporations of Ciudad de la
Habana fall under the jurisdiction of
INRH. The corporations Aguas de la Habana, Acueducto
del Este, Acueducto del Sur and Acueducto del Cotorro
are in charge of the water provision, sewerage systems
and pluvial drainage. They cover a total population of
about 2.188 million and an area of 727 km2, with
14.
13.
12-13. Examples of the bad condition of
technical infrastructure around Habana:
cracks and holes on the pipes and exposed
networks
14. Albear aqueduct
28 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016
approximately 4,000 km of water supply distribution
network, 1,600 km of sewers and 120,000 septic tanks.
Aguas de la Habana is the largest of the four in the city
and its service area covers most of central Havana and
the western part of the city in terms of management,
operation and maintenance of the water supply,
sanitation and drainage facilities in the metropolitan
area of Havana. It is a mixed capital company with a
45% shareholding by Barcelona Water (Grupo Aguas
de Barcelona), 5% by an individual and 50% by INRH.
Acueducto del Este is a Cuban enterprise under the
jurisdiction of INRH, responsible for
the operation and maintenance of the hydraulic
resources and infrastructure in the eastern part
of Ciudad de la Habana. The supply area covers the
municipalities of Habana del Este, Guanabacoa, Regla,
San Miguel del Padron, part of the municipalities of
Diez de Octubre and Cotorro, and Guanabo including
the eastern beaches area.
Likewise, Acueducto del Sur covers the southern part
of Ciudad de la Habana, a supply area of 217 km2
including the municipalities of Arroyo Naranjo and
Boyeros and Acueducto del Cotorro corresponds to the
municipality of Cotorro with a supply area of about 66
km2 and a population of 74,400 people.
QUAYS AND FOUNDATION ELECTRICITY CABLES AND GAS PIPELINES
Due to the industrial activity all around the bay, a large Unfortunately, our information about power
amount of edge with the water are hard quays. The infrastructure is very limited. At least in the area of
reclamation of land for the industry is also important. Havana bay, the majority of households and other
Nevertheless, most of those quays are in really bad establishments seem to have electricity and gas
conditions. Thus, in one hand a work of selection of the connection. From our observations at the field, the
quays we could actually keep and restore, often needing electricity cables are over ground while gas pipes
to be reinforced with metal sheet, can be done, while in probably follow the street network.
the other hand, some quays and reclaimed land can be
soften, re-naturalized or given back the water.
The amount of foundation that will stay in the ground
depend on the probable development of the projects.
The map shows the expected building removed
because of those projects and so the foundation the
future development will have to deal with. Most of 15.
the area will be covered by rebuilding above it. The
situation of future green areas and open space will
take into consideration this subsoil characteristic, by
using the trace let by the old building to design water
storage for instance.
16.
18.
17.
15. Map of the Albear aqueduct
16. Electricity power over ground
17. Quays beside cement factory in Atarès
18. Platform falling apart in Casablanca
EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 29
 Civil constructions potentials and
challenges map

30 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 31

 Layer 4: Energy
1

Renewable energy technologies have a central role the overarching drivers of peak oil and climate change, Cuba’s oil industry only exploits five per cent of the
to play in delivering a low carbon future and the made Cubans realize they had to make energy more petroleum found onshore and offshore deposits due The two oldest hydro power plants built in Cuba date
Government is committed to ensuring they play a key of a priority. Thus, in 2006, began what Cubans call La to a lack of foreign capital and technology to develop back to 1912 (Pilotos, Pinar del Río province, 200 kW)
part in the Cuba’s future energy mix. The country had Revolución Energética – the Energy Revolution. Cuba oilfields. However, oil and gas represented the largest and 1917 (Guaso, Guantánamo province, 1.75 MW).
11 large, and quite inefficient, thermoelectric plants today has 7% of its energy needs supplied by renewable number of opportunities in the list of business proposals Both plants are still operating. Havana Energy has
generating electricity for the entire island. Most of the energy sources. 54 biomass plants, 180 hydroelectric presented to foreign investors in 2014. Investment in partnered with Gilbert Gilkes & Gordon Ltd, one of the
plants were 25 years old and only functioning 60% of the power stations and 3 wind farms have been constructed exploration studies onshore is planned. There is a risk oldest and most respected UK turbine manufacturers.
time. There were frequent blackouts, especially during already. Also, Cuba was the first country in the world of stepping up oil industry activity in affecting the 22 Havana Energy together with Gilkes are working with
peak demand periods. To add to the energy crisis, to gradually phase out 9.4 million incandescent bulbs. km of stunning beaches in Cuba’s main tourist area, the Ministry of Basic industries to install a series of
most Cuban households had inefficient appliances, Using tried-and-tested renewable energy technologies which accounted for a full 38 per cent of the tourism turbines up to 30MW. Plans are agreed that over time
2 75% of the population was cooking with kerosene, Havana Energy are cutting greenhouse gas emissions industry’s 2.7 billion dollars in revenue in 2014. there will be a co-production of the turbines in the
and the residential electrical rates did not encourage and providing a reliable and secure electricity supply On the other hand, there is a priority on the use of industrial plants in Cuba.
conservation. In 2004 the eastern side of Cuba was hit for homes and businesses. Our projects also bring renewable sources, which are to make up 24 per cent
by two hurricanes in a short period of time, affecting wider social and economic benefits such as  ‘green of the energy mix by 2030. Source:http://www.havana-energy.com/whatwedo/hydro_energy.php
transmission lines and leaving one million people collar’ jobs and regeneration at a local and regional 14 per cent from sugarcane biomass,
without electricity for ten days. All of this in the face of level. 6 per cent wind energy,
3 per cent solar and Solar energy
UNDISCOVERED AND POTENTIAL 1 per cent hydropower
NORTH OFFSHORE OIL FIELDS Today, renewables represent just 4.6 per cent of Solar energy potential in Cuba is high when
domestic energy use considering that the country’s geographic position can
enable a generation of 5kWh per square meter – about
Apart from fossil fuels, the source that is used most the average daily usage of one household. Although
widely is solar water heaters, in the public sector and solar energy projects have thus far been limited to
Boca de Jaruco
Cuba’s oldest oil field Varadero 1000
Cuba’s biggest
the tourism industry. In agriculture, it is used sugarcane remote areas, capacity has increased considerably in
recovered in 2014
oil operation
biomass, and extension of the use of biodigesters and recent years. In 2013 Cuba’s first solar farm opened
mills for irrigation and water pumping is planned. in Cantarrana, near Cienfuegos, with a capacity of 2.6
MWp. The Santa Teresa solar plant (4.5 MWp capacity)
Source: http://www.caribbean360.com/ near the U.S. naval base at Guantanamo has started
operating recently as well. The government has built
a manufacturing plant that has produced 14,000
Biomass photovoltaic solar panels, also near Cienfuegos.
Currently, the Granma Province has the largest
The Ministry of Sugar and the National Electricity percentage of renewable energy generation within
Board have a strategy to increase power generation Cuba at about 37% in 2013. By the end of 2014, over
in all its operating sugar mills to decentralize the 1,500 off-grid solar systems were powering clinics,
grid and provide power generation in areas which schools, community centers, and homes located
currently have weak supply. There are currently 56 in remote areas of Granma Province. The Cuban
sugar refineries in Cuba which have been identified as government has stated that it wants to have 700 MW of
suitable for biomass power generation. These have the solar energy capacity installed by 2030.
LEGEND estimated capability to supply 50% of Cuba’s current
3,000 MW power needs.  Havana Energy Ltd. teamed Source: http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=13250
Sweet groundwater OIL IMPORT FROM VENEZUELA
since 2000
up with Zerus SA, a company linked to the Ministry of
Oil resources
meets half of the country needs Sugar, to develop a 30-megawatt pilot power plant at
Hidraulic power stations
OIL IMPORT FROM USSR
1960-1990
Ciro Redondo Sugar Mill, about 400 kilometers (248 Wind energy
Electrical power stations
miles) from Havana, and use it as a model to develop
Thermal power stations
more power plants. An invasive woody weed that covers Currently, there are three wind farms set up in Ciego
Dam
large areas of the country, marabu has the potential to de Ávila, Holguín and the Isla de la Juventud, and
Nuclear energy
turn a massive problem for Cuba into a valuable asset. several places are being studied to set up new farms.
Electrical transsmision

Windmills Source: http://www.havanatimes.org/?p=13250

Source: Renewable%20energy%20project%20launched%20in%20 h t t p s : / / w w w. w i n d f i n d e r. c o m / w e a t h e r - m a p s / f o r e c a s t /
Oil refinery Cuba%20_%20Biomassmagazine.com.html cuba#6/21.535/-79.541
Biomass plant Hydro-energy
4
0 100 km
3
32 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 33
 5

LEGEND

Distribution generation- Diesel 7 KWH/m2/day

Gas turbines and combined

cycles
Domestic production- nickel and <2

sugar cane Sugarcane

Hydropower
Coffee
Windenergy
Solar exposure
Diesel generators outside the network
Thermal power plants Tabacco

Rice
0 100 km
6
8

1. Power Revolution, Cuba- sustainable

electricity supply

2. Power Revolution, Cuba- changes in

electronic household devices

3. Energy map, Cuba

Source: Atlas Havana ETH Zurich, 2007

4. Wind currents
Source: https://www.windfinder.com/weather-
maps/forecast/cuba#6/21.535/-79.541

5. Energy consumption by source, Cuba

Source: http://www.oe2.de/fileadmin/user_
upload/download/Energierevolution_Cuba_
eng.pdf

6. Distribution of energy consumption by type

7. Energy plant locations, Cuba

8. Potential renewable energy, Cuba

Power plants Energy plant 0 500m
0 100 km
9. Energy plants, Havana
9
7
34 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 35
 Subsurface potential map

36 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 37

 Surface potential map

38 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 39

 IV. SYNTHESIS AND SPATIAL CONCEPT

Main challenges Spatial concept

In conclusion to our sectorial analyses, we
further identified a number of key challenges
presented by the site that the projects
needed to offer a vision for: flood prevention,
water cleaning, soil remediation, fertile soil
cultivation, air cleaning, energy production,
built heritage reuse and urban heat island
amelioration. These are considered the main
drivers of the project from the biosphere and
technosphere, next to the socio-economic
1 2
challenges.
FLOOD MITIGATION WATER CLEANING

9 10

3 4
SOIL REMEDIATION FERTILE SOIL CULTIVATION
According to our project methodology, we produced
a structure map based on the three working layers:
landscape, infrastructure and urban occupation.
In the landscape layer, we observed that the green
areas of the city are very fragmented and even missing
in parts of the city centre creating large heat islands.
Together with the technological analysis that resulted
in the need of floodable areas, soil cleaning and
groundwater treatment, we decided to create a green-
blue network that unites the east and west of the city 9. Spatial concept: green structure.
and can have multiple functions: air cooling, water
retention, sustainable transport axis. This relates to 10. Spatial concept: mobility.
the next layer, infrastructure, which is reorganised 11. Spatial concept: representative buildings and public
to free waterfront areas from heavy traffic and open spaces.
up industrial areas to urban life. Urban occupation
is separated into two layers: new developments and 12. Spatial concept: new development.
representative buildings and public spaces which help
to structure the city.

1. Flooding in Havana Centro

www.havanatimes.org

2. Former industrial shore, Regla. Photo by 5 6

authors.
AIR CLEANING ENERGY PRODUCTION
3. Petroleum contaminated soil.
www.environmentalearthsciences.com.au

4. Sugar cane cultivation.

www.nacion.com/economia

5. Havana Bay and Nico Lopez refinery. Viva

Cuba

6. Wind turbines on the Cuban coast.

www.evwind.es/tags/cuba

7. Abandoned building structure, Havana

Vieja. Photo by authors.
7 8
8. Avenida 23: an urban heat island spot.
Photo by authors. REUSE BUILT HERITAGE REDUCE URBAN HEAT ISLANDS 11 12

40 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 41

 V. PERFORMANCE BASED URBAN DESIGN

Projects overview

Experiencing the edge. Magdalini Papadam

Reusing heritage, green-blue networks, soil
cleaning Sinuous horizon. Yun-shih Chen
10 Rainwater collection, reusing heritage,
green-blue networks, water cleaning
9
Frame, breach and balcony. Antoine Canazzi
Reusing heritage, rainwater collection, soil
Restructuring public spaces.Rebeca Rabello cleaning
Green-blue networks
8
1

Reanimating the waterfront. Sanjana Ahmed

Reusing heritage, room for water 7

Landscape orientation. Yuhan Huang

Green-blue networks, room for water, soil
and groundwater cleaning
3 6

Re-constructing barrier. Fecianti Water depollution Soil depollution 1. Plants 2. Access to waterfront3. Identity preservation – 4. Railway park 5. Recycling Centre 6. Educatiive green – 7. Reuse railway 8. Productive green

Green-blue networks, reusing heritage,

the cranes Trees and paper recycling

5 Cyperaceae Euphorbiaceae Barrier

Paper New product
(Circular economy) 1 ton
Phase I:
Material transportation

room for water Platform

↓
Card-
board
5 tons

……
Phase II:

4
Gramineae Brassicaceae & breakwater Reuse warehouse Education Public transportation
Plastic (Locals and visitors) .

w ater hyacinth
Sw eet flag Commelinaceae

5 6

3 4 7

8
1 2

Heritage park. Iulia Sirbu

Reusing heritage, green-blue networks, Re(gl)activation. Weiyun Lin
rainwater collection Reusing heritage, green-blue networks, Urban energy park. Vincent Babes
room for water, soil cleaning Energy production, soil cleaning, reusing
42 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 heritage, green-blue networks EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 43

Solution 1: green-blue networks
1 6
The natural landscape of Havana provides the city with
a rich diversity of ambiences, natural landscapes and
water configurations. It also has a determinant role
in framing different urban patterns around the bay.
As a result, the city as whole becames an experience
narrated by its different landscapes and the interplay
between them.
However, the landscape configuration combined with
dense urbanization, intense rainfall and sea surge
resulted in severe challenges to the city’s safety, life
2 quality and built environment integrity. The city’s main
challenges are constant flooding from both sea surge
and intense rainfall, heat island effect, seasonal water
shortage, fragmented urban fabric with concentration
of opportunities and urban quality on the north and
northeast parts of the city, lack of public spaces and
reduced shading.
The pressures of increased tourism, climate change,
urban expansion and foreign investment will most
probably intensity the existing challenges faced by the
3 main concept addresses the upstream as a big sponge,
1. MKPL Architects, Rail Corridor public space,
Singapore. www.mkpl.sg
2. Tredje Natur, Climate Adapted Neighbourhood,
Copenhagen. www.tredjenatur.dk
3. Copenhagen climate adaptation plan, street section.
www.klimatilpasning.dk
4-7,9. Green-blue network proposal, by Rebeca Rabello.
8. Alexander Wandl, Havana urban heat island map.
10, 11. Green-blue network concept, by Rebeca Rabello.
44 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016
5
city and potentially trigger new ones such as intense
traffic congestion and air pollution, urban sprawl
and gentrification, privatization of natural assets, 9
the waterfront and quality urban spaces and the
deterioration of public community spaces.
In order to provide the city with conditions to deal with
the existing and potential abovementioned issues, a
systematic and comprehensive approach of Green- 7
Blue multifunctional grid was proposed.
The Green-Blue approach provides the potential for
ecologically resilient cities, while revitalizing existing
infrastructural urban corridors, reducing the pressures
and investments on grey infrastructures and uplifting
urban quality through diverse and healthier urban
spaces. The Green Infrastructure approach in urban
design is “a strategically planned network of natural
and semi-natural areas with other environmental The proposed green-blue grid took advantage of pressure on existing grey infrastructures.
features designed and managed to deliver a wide range the existing transportation infrastructure, green Complementarily, concepts from urban ecology and
of ecosystem services” (EUROPEAN COMMISSION patches and public spaces on the upstream region. phytoremediation were adopted. In addition to dealing 11
2013 in HASEN & PAULEIT, 2014: 516). Potential areas for water infiltration, conveyance, with environmental and urban challenges, the green- 6. Driving forces: shifting port
detention and storage were identified and proposed blue grid enables a restructuring of existing and new 7. Driving forces: climate change
4
on upstream, midstream and downstream areas. The public spaces, the enhancing of public social activities
and the feeling of city ownership and belonging by 8. Driving forces: global opening
absorbing area, the midstream as linear barricades the inhabitants. It also allows for a fair availability of
9. Driving forces: new governance model
and containers, slowing down the runoff and the high quality public land and urban spaces and water
downstream as temporary containers to relieve the storage spaces.
10
water
infiltration
infiltration & evaporation
detention
storage
EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 45

Solution 2: reusing built heritage
The proposal for the bay area and post-industrial
1
brownfields also addressed the issues of local culture
and identity. One of the main qualities identified in the
bay is its potential character of a natural amphitheatre
and connecting point of all diversity found in the city
of Havana. The different urban patterns around the
bay range from the densly urbanized landscape of Old
Havana, Centro Havana and Cerro, to the village like
character of Regla and the natural park configuration
of Casa Blanca.
In order to preserve and enhance these unique
2
characters, significant historical buildings and
installations were highlighted and preserved on
development proposals around the bay. These
elements can be strategical elements to protect the
city’s history and character.
3 11. Cultural reactivation of Tallapiedra power plant, by
1. Turenscape. Zhongshan shipyard turned
into urban park. www.turenscape.com
2. Diller and Scofidio, High Line, New York.
www.dsrny.com
3. TCL, North Wharf Promenade and Silo
Park, Auckland. www.tcl.net.au
4. Gustafson Porter, Westergasfabriek,
Amsterdam. www.gustafson-porter.com
46 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016
5 6
In Old Havana important buildings and monuments
such as the Castle of Atarés, the train station terminal,
the former gas station and old train tracks were given 7
spatial attention for the regeneration process of the
area. In the Atarés’ new residential and productive 8 9
10
areas were thought in alignment with old warehouses,
cranes and quays that recall the industrial character
of the place. In Regla post-industrial warehouses and
silos were proposed to host new functions, adapting to
possible new dynamics in the neighbourhood. The built
heritage can work as identifying symbols in the urban
landscape and can help built importance, character
and place making identity for redeveloped waterfront.
5. Railway reuse.
6. Railway park, by Sanjana Ahmed.
7. Reuse of elevated railroad, by Iulia Sirbu.
8,9. Reuse of industrial shed, by Iulia Sirbu.
10. Reuse of industrial buildings, by Weiyun Lin.
12
Iulia Sirbu.
12. Climbing hall - potential reuse for oil tank interiors.
Smith Vigeant Architectes, Allez up. www.allezup.com
13. Menis Arquitectos, Espacio Cultural El Tanque,
Tenerife, Spain. Reused oil tank. www.menis.es
4 11
13
EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 47
 1

Vacant land

Solution 3: room for water Solution 4: rainwater collection

Given the city’s intense rainfall and high impermeable
surfaces, special focus was given to water flows and
possible spaces for water infiltration, conveyance and
detention. The overall macro scale system of these
spaces was spatialized in the green-blue grid proposal.
In the micro scale, all designs addressed the issue of
room for the water, diminishing the peak pressure on
the existing waterways and grey infrastructure.
The concept was adapted from the Dutch “Room for
the River “strategic design plan. The Dutch are known
worldwide for their planning, design and engineering
tradition of land reclamation, polder and dyke building.
The Netherlands’ main cities were born out of this
man-nature duel, in which water ways were tamed,
re-routed and re-levelled. However, after devastating
floods of the Rhine delta in the 1990’s, it became clear
that artificial imposing infrastructures cannot cease
2 environmental pressures on the urban realms. In fact,
the less flexible and more invasive this infrastructures
are, the more difficult and unmanageable it becomes
to deal with environmental pressures.
On the other hand, giving room for natural processes
allows planners to foresee and determine spatially
were these dynamics may occur.
The “Room for the River” plan addresses the issues of
flooding and environmental improvement by enlarging
flood channels, removing obstacles for water flow,
re-naturalizing river beds, as well as relocating and
demolishing existing dykes. By promoting floodable
areas near to existing natural and artificial waterways,
room is given for increased amount of water due to
sea level rise or rainfall. This enables that specific
floodable areas be determined and that non-floodable
areas be preserved.
The same principles were considered in the
interventions proposed for Havana. The solutions took
advantage of natural terrain slopes, vacant lands and
waterfront contact.
4
Technological aspects
- Rainwater Harvesting
diagram
- soil not suitable for
digging deep tanks ->
Vitality
In light of the underdeveloped water distribution infrastructure in Havana, and attractors
the increasing frequency of draughts in the Carribbean, there is a high risk that
more marginal neighbourhoods such as Casablanca will have a low quality water
access. The local soil (Eutric Cambisol) is also not suitable for digging deep water
tanks, so it is necessary to use the characteristics of the topography. In order to
solve this problem, a low-cost, low intervention and spatially integrated project Rainwater
is proposed. network
The basic concept is to create an inter-connected network of public and private
spaces for rainwater collection, which can then be used to irrigate the gardens
of the local community or for domestic uses other than drinking. It can also Vertical
have positive environmental impacts such as reducing the speed of run-off connection
water during heavy rainfall, thus reducing the risk of coastal flooding. The water
can also help to reduce the heat island effect by evaporation, or to prevent the
drying of the soil by infiltration. These water retentions can be located on public
institutions' large green spaces and could be a good incentive to open these
currently enclosed spaces to public use. On the southern side, they need to be in
smaller scale units due to the steep ridge. The required area can be measured by
the mean rainfall and the average daily use of water by household.
evaporation helps

Rain water
cooling down

use the characteristic of

topography
reduce run-off
- calculation result: the 13

collect
need of interconnected

infiltrate
small-scale collections underground water

- the need of hill-top 10

9
collection 9, 10, 13. Rainwater collection concept in Casablanca, by
Yun-shih Chen.
use of water: 0.05 m3
(per person per day)
11, 12. Slope gradients in Casablanca, diagram by Yun-
current population: shih Chen.
3500 people
14. Urbanisten, Water square Benthemplein, Rotterdam.
Monthly rain:
peak: 182.3 mm / low: 46mm www.urbanisten.nl

Required surface to integrate

3
rain water system
5 6 peak: 29000 m2
1. Redcar Beacon. www.pinterest.com
low: 114.130 m2 11
2. Stoss, Riverside Park, New Bedford. www.stoss.net
Steep slope Eutric Cambisoil 12
3. KCAP, Elbbrucken, Hamburg Hafencity. www.kcap.com
- run-off > 25% - formed from rock: difficult for digging
4. Atares section, by Antoine Canazzi - finely particled: good for infiltration

5. Waterpark on former railway site, by Sanjana Ahmed.

6. Phasing of water park project, by Fecianti

7. Landarchitects. Let it Flood, Let it Grow. www.pinterest.

com

8. Stoss, Minneapolis riverfront. www.stoss.com 14

7 8
48 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 49
 1 9
Solution 5: energy production
Cuba’s energy need and especially Havana's will
increase together with the economy. Currently most
2
of the energy is sourced from oil directly or through
oil-fueled power plants. Individual automobile usage is
very low due to the commercial embargo since 1959,
however the use of dated technologies and low quality
oil leads to high levels of pollution compared to more
congested Western cities. The low car use also leads
to limited mobility and scarce economic opportunity for
3 the population. With the gradual lifting of the embargo
in the coming years, the forecast is that the growing
economy will triple the energy demand. How can this
be reached without further lowering air quality and
environmental damage?
Currently 4% of Cuba's energy demand is provided
from renewables, however the government intends to
increase this. A temporary solution could be the use of
LNG over oil, as this would require lower investment
4
1. Wind turbines in the port of Rotterdam.
www.portforotterdam.com
2. Biomass silos. www.ucsusa.org
3. Solar panel field in Cuba. www.cubasolar.cu
4. Community shared solar panels. www.seia.org
5. Bio-refinery concept, port of Rotterdam.
www.portofrotterdam.com
6. AAIMM, Renewable Energy Park. www.aaimm.es
7. Freshkills Park, New York. www.archdaily.com
50 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016
Solution 6: soil and groundwater remediation
and would reduce the CO2 emmissions drastically.
However in the long term, more sustainable non-fossil
energy sources are necessary. The existing oil refinery
in Havana can be a starting point for these technologies:
10
its proximity to the city demands lower pollution levels,
and the visibility for Cubans and foreigners would
make it an ideal place for wind, solar and biomass
based energy production, as well as research into new
innovations.
Wind and sunshine are of high availability in Cuba, while
the abandoned sugarcane fields with fertile cambisols
are ideal for biomass plants. On polluted sites such as
the Havana harbour, biomass plants could be grown in
parallel with other plants or fungi to remove petroleum
and metal contaminants from the soil. The challenge
8
for the urban design is how to integrate clean energy
production with the urban living environment, in order The main types of soil and groundwater pollution can be done by acting against industries and tourist
to educate and appropriate these spaces. found in the Havana bay are: nonpoint source pollution, resorts upstream from discharging untreated waste,
especially organic contamination (household waste by cleaning the water reservoirs of phytoplancton, and
6 discharged directly into rivers and streams), industrial by relocating some solid waste disposal spots.
pollution (mainly chemicals and metals) and petroleum 8. Soil and groundwater remediation. www.energy.gov
contamination. Remediation of petroleum contaminated soil is 9. Energy crops. water.unl.edu
necessary on large parts of the refinery site. This can
Treatments of the groundwater layer could be done be done by fast methods where urgent (removing the 10. Willow biomass production. www.esf.edu/willow
5 with injection wells, filters, and most importantly by polluted stratum) or by slower processes such as
11. Hybrid Poplars for Phytoremediation.
closing off the pollution source: that means building bioremediation or phytoremediation, which are more www.ncbi.nlm.nih.gov
a proper sewage system, and separating the sewage cost effective on the long term. These use Hydrocarbon
from rainwater drainage where still combined. A Degrading Bacteria in combination with corn or 12. Nonpoint source pollution.
main factor in this direction is education of the local sunflower, which can be later used for biomass energy https://www.epa.gov/polluted-runoff-nonpoint-source-
pollution/what-nonpoint-source
communities. Cleaning of the drinking water sources production.
11 12
EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 51
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EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016 53
 Urban Design and Engineering AR9220
Drs. Fransje Hooimeijer

Students:
Antoine Canazzi
Chen Yun-Shih
Fecianti
Huang Yu-Han
Iulia Sirbu
Lin Wei-Yun
Magdalini Papadam
EMU Rebeca Rabello
SPRING Sanjana Ahmed
2016 Vincent Babes

54 EMU TUDelft SPRING 2016