Last updated: October 2024
The Silk District is a real estate project by Prime Kapital in partnership with MAS P.L.C., integrating green spaces into its urban design (1-10). It focuses on regenerating a brownfield site, an abandoned industrial area left undeveloped in one of Iasi's neighborhoods (1). The project aims to revitalize the area, improving its aesthetics, reducing pollution, and repurposing it into a commercial and residential space (1). A key feature of the project is the incorporation of green spaces throughout its design (1). The development spans 101,000 square meters, with 40,500 square meters (combined) dedicated to green spaces and "car-free" open areas (1, 2, 6, p.2). These green elements are designed to offer spaces for relaxation, recreation, and social interaction, while also contributing to environmental benefits such as air filtration, temperature regulation, rainwater drainage, and soil erosion prevention, all promoting better health for residents (1, 2, 4, 6, p.12). The landscape design includes “green islands” and vegetation-covered roofs for parking structures (4). Launched in 2021 after receiving municipal approval, the project is ongoing and has already made significant progress, with over 10,000 perennial plants and 401 trees planted (4, 9). Upon completion, the landscape will feature 7,100 square meters of perennials, 3,000 square meters of shrubs, and an urban forest containing 2,400 trees (6, p.12). The total investment in the project is €20,000,000 (7). In 2024, one of the completed office buildings earned a BREEAM green certification, achieving one of the highest possible scores, in collaboration with the consulting firm BuildGreen (5, 8). The landscape design was carried out by the architectural firm Beros Abdul+ (4). Before receiving approval, the project was opened for public consultation, and an independent online survey showed strong support from the community (15, 16).
Silk District
https://www.instagram.com/silkdistrict/
Overview
Nature-based solution
- Green areas for water management
- Sustainable urban drainage systems
- Nature on buildings (external)
- Green roofs
- Parks and urban forests
- Large urban parks or forests
Key challenges
- Climate action for adaptation, resilience and mitigation (SDG 13)
- Climate change adaptation
- Environmental quality
- Air quality improvement
- Soil quality improvement
- Green space, habitats and biodiversity (SDG 15)
- Green space creation and/or management
- Regeneration, land-use and urban development
- Regulation of built environment
- Conversion of former industrial areas
- Water management (SDG 6)
- Stormwater and rainfall management and storage
- Improvements to water quality
- Health and well-being (SDG 3)
- Creation of opportunities for recreation
- Social justice, cohesion and equity (SDG 10)
- Social interaction
- Economic development and employment (SDG 8)
- Real estate development
Principal problems in Functional Urban Area (FUA)
- Climate-Related Hazards
- Heat stress & Extreme temperatures
- Environmental Degradation
- Soil degradation and loss
- Air pollution
- Physical water retention and availability
- Health, Well-being and Social cohesion
- Physical health harm (from pollution, wildfire, extreme temperature)
- Mental health issues (stress, anxiety)
- Inadequate access to recreational opportunities
- Social fragmentation and isolation
Key priorities
Climate action (adaptation and/or mitigation)
Focus
Creation of new green areas, Creation of large parks and urban and peri-urban forests, Creation of green roofs and walls, Transformation of previously derelict areas, Brownfield redevelopment
Project objectives
To transform a former industrial area into living quarters with green spaces including green roofs, urban park/forest
To create spaces for relaxation, recreation, and social interaction.
To improve air quality and temperature through filtration and regulation.
To regulate local temperature through natural cooling.
To manage rainwater through drainage and filtration.
To prevent soil erosion.
To reduce energy consumption costs. (1, 2, 4, 6, p.12)
Implementation activities
The project includes the plantation of a diverse range of species to act as an urban forest, comprising 2,400 trees, 3,000 square meters of shrubs, and 7,100 square meters of ornamental, floral, and perennial plants (6, p.12). It also involves the creation of playgrounds and areas with sports equipment, all surrounded by green elements (1 & 2). Additionally, green islands and vegetation-covered roofs are being incorporated into parking lots (4). A smart landscape design has been developed to direct rainwater toward green surfaces, allowing for natural retention and regulation of water (2 & 4). In 2021 401 trees and 10,000 plants have been planted. The project selected plants that are more resistant to drought and need little care. (4)
Before implementation, a public consultation was held with the municipality, involving citizens and representatives from various organizations, associations, local businesses, and public institutions (15). An independent survey was also conducted to gather feedback from the residents of Iași regarding the initiative (16).
Climate-focused activities
Climate change adaptation:
- Implement measures that prevent/manage desertification, soil erosion and landslides
- Increase urban vegetation cover to reduce urban heat island effect
- Implement green walls or roofs to lower indoor temperature and provide insulation
- Implement sustainable urban drainage schemes to manage stormwater
Main beneficiaries
- Local government/Municipality
- Private sector/Corporate/Company
- Citizens or community groups
Governance
Management set-up
- Led by non-government actors
Type of initiating organisation
- Private sector/corporate actor/company
Participatory approaches/ community involvement
- Co-planning (e.g. stakeholder workshops, focus groups, participatory mapping)
- Taskforce groups
- Consultation (e.g. workshop, surveys, community meetings, town halls)
Details on the roles of the organisations involved in the project
Prime Kapital and MAS P.L.C. as real estate developers were the main initiators and investors of the project (1 to 10). Beros Abdul+, an architectural company was in charge of the landscape design (4). BuildGreen, a consulting company supported the achievement of the BREEAM certificate (5 & 8). The municipality approved the construction of the project in the selected area (9). Before the project was approved, it was launched for public consultation, in which citizens and representatives of interested organisation, associations, surrounding business environment and public institutions participated (15). Moreover, an independent private firm for market research services (Gfk Romania) carried out a survey among citizens to seek opinion on the real state project, which showed positive appreciation (16).
Project implemented in response to ...
... an EU policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a national policy or strategy?
Unknown
... a local policy or strategy?
Yes
(Planului Urbanistic Zonal IASI, CALEA CHISINAULUI NR. 22, NUMAR CADASTRAL 14911 (17)/ IASI Zonal Urban Plan)
Type of enablers
Governance innovations (such as public private partnerships)
Financing
Total cost
More than €4,000,000
Source(s) of funding
- Corporate investment
Type of funding
- Direct funding (grants, subsidies, or self-financed projects by private entities)
Non-financial contribution
No
Impacts and Monitoring
Environmental impacts
- Climate change
- Lowered local temperature
- Expected lowered local temperature
- Energy efficiency improvements
- Expected energy efficiency improvements
- Prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
- Expected prevent the frequency and/or intensity of heatwaves
- Environmental quality
- Improved air quality
- Expected improved air quality
- Water management and blue areas
- Improved stormwater management
- Expected improved stormwater management
- Green space and habitat
- Increased green space area
- Achieved increased green space area
- Increased number of species present
- Achieved increased number of species present
Economic impacts
- Increase in GDP
- Achieved increase in GDP
- Stimulate development in deprived areas
- Achieved stimulate development in deprived areas
- Reduce financial cost for urban management
- Expected reduce financial cost for urban management
- Attraction of business and investment
- Expected attraction of business and investment
Socio-cultural impacts
- Social justice and cohesion
- Increased opportunities for social interaction
- Expected increased opportunities for social interaction
- Health and wellbeing
- Gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Achieved gain in activities for recreation and exercise
- Improved physical health
- Expected improved physical health
- Enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
- Expected enhanced cognitive restoration, relaxation and stress relief
Type of reported impacts
Presence of formal monitoring system
Yes
Presence of indicators used in reporting
Yes
Presence of monitoring/ evaluation reports
Yes
Availability of a web-based monitoring tool
No evidence in public records
Potential risks of implementation and trade-offs
Unknown
References
1.
7 Iasi (2021). Silk District, de la ruine la un cartier modern și ecologic . Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
2.
Ziarul de Iasi (2019 ). Silk District Proiectul de regenerare urbana ce va transforma un fost sit industrial intr-un cartier ecologic. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
3.
Prime Kapital (n.d.). Jurnal de construcție - Silk District. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
4.
Prime Kapital (2023). Concept peisagistic integrat_ vino să vezi primele amenajări din Silk District!. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
5.
Prime Kapital (2024). Silk District Office - Prima clădire din Iași care obține certificarea BREEAM Outstanding! - Silk District. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
6.
Prime Kapital (n.d.). SILK-office-brochure-without-offer. p. 2 & 12. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
7.
LaIasi (n.d.). Silk District, investiţie de 200 milioane de euro la Iaşi - La IASI. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
8.
BRE Global (2024). BREEAM Projects. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
9.
Primaria Iasi (2020). P.U.Z. HCL_168_2020 Primaria Iasi 2020. Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
10.
MAS P.L.C. (2024). MAS-Investor-presentation-Jun-24. p. 9 Accessed on August 24, 2024, [Source link];
11.
STORIA (n.d.). Trai, Storia, Cartier Baza 3 score. Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link];
12.
Inter Imobiliare (2022). Zona Baza 3, un cartier ce combina rezidentialul cu industrialul. Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link];
13.
Harta Blocuri (n.d.). Harta Iaşi cu anul construcţiei blocurilor . Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link];
14.
Cristian, G. (2024). Care sunt cele mai nepoluate, sigure și curate cartiere din Iași_. BZI , Accessed on October 7, 2024, [Source link];
15.
Ziarul de Iasi (2019). Proiectul Silk District, în dezbatere publică la Primăria Municipiului Iași . Accessed on October 3, 2024, [Source link];
16.
Ziarul de Iasi (2019). 77_ dintre ieşeni cred că proiectul Silk District va aduce beneficii Iaşului . Accessed on October 3, 2024, [Source link];
Silk District
https://www.instagram.com/silkdistrict/
Residential infrastructure combined with green spaces
https://silkdistrict.ro/jurnal-de-constructie/?_gl=1*cl8d56*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzM0NDA2MTI3LjE3MjQ0MDk3NjQ.*_ga_NQPL62BX63*MTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4xLjAuMTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4wLjAuMA..
Residential infrastructure combined with green spaces
https://silkdistrict.ro/jurnal-de-constructie/?_gl=1*cl8d56*_up*MQ..*_ga*NzM0NDA2MTI3LjE3MjQ0MDk3NjQ.*_ga_NQPL62BX63*MTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4xLjAuMTcyNDQwOTc2Mi4wLjAuMA..
Silk District
https://www.instagram.com/silkdistrict/
Information about this nature-based solution was collected as part of the Naturescapes project funded by the European Union under Grant Agreement No 101084341.