We have chosen the north and south blocks adjacent to Victoria Square, and the Square itself as our laboratory. The Square is a public space, a meeting point for locals and visitors. We consider the interior of the blocks as semi-private places used mainly by local people. Our environmental objectives are to reduce noise and air pollution and, in summer, to shade exposed surfaces and make use of winds for cooling. 

One of our proposals is to close the Square to car access, leaving only enough space for delivery cars and fire engines, and to remove cars from the streets around the blocks turning these into pedestrian streets. We propose a car park under the Square with an approximate capacity of 180 parking places. Inside the blocks, empty and abandoned buildings will be replaced by green areas and public facilities. For the streets we propose replacing the existing asphalt pavements with grass, small shrubs and walk ways (made of white concrete blocks -permeable surface). The roofs will be occupied by vegetation, water tanks and terraces for residents. The water from the tanks will be used to irrigate this vegetation and the evaporation will cool the air. 

We suggest that the Square should be reorganized. The ground surface will be covered with grass and trees, leaving a central walkway and two paved spaces at both sides. The central axis connects the east and west part of the Square and keeps the continuity of the pedestrian street (Heyden). On the other hand, the two free zones, close to the buildings allow restaurants and shops to make use of the pavement which creates a permeable surface. Water evaporation from two fountains beside the entrances to the blocks helps cool the air in summer.