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Azerbaijan sets up a Caspian Sea carbon neutral resort - PHOTOSESSION

Azerbaijan sets up a Caspian Sea carbon neutral resort - <font color=red>PHOTOSESSION</font>

07 April 2009 12:45 (UTC +04:00)

Kamran Guliyev, Financial Manager of the Company, briefed about the project.

Project details:

Zira Zero Island is a 1.000.000 m2 master plan for a carbon neutral resort and residential development on Zira Island located along the Caspian Sea. As a young post-soviet democracy, Azerbaijan is rediscovering its national identity by imagining Zira Island as an architectural landscape based upon the countryâ€™s dramatic natural setting. Located within the crescent shaped bay of the capital city Baku, Zira Island includes the Seven Peaks of Azerbaijan which is envisioned by its designers BIG Architects (Denmark), the engineers Ramboll (Denmark) and the construction management experts Pihl & Son (Denmark) to be a sustainable model for urban development, and an iconographic skyline recognizable from the cityâ€™s coastline.

Each of the Seven Peaks house a residential development derived from the geometry of a famous mountain in Azerbaijan. Individually each mountain becomes a principle for mixing private and public functions. Together the mountains form an organic skyline merging with the natural topography of the island. A dense vibrant urban community connected to a series of private resort villages by a central public valley and surrounding beaches. A continuous public trekking path connects the mountains and invites visitors to scale the top of all seven peaks. In addition to the Seven Peaks the Master Plan also includes 300 private villas that take advantage of their setting with panoramic views out over the Caspian Sea.

ZERO ISLAND

The vision of Zira Island is to create a new development that is entirely independent of external resources â€“ in other words a self contained island. By combining the best of the traditional Azerbaijani building tradition with the newest technology, Zira Island will provide excellent living spaces for people, with a minimum usage of resources. It will be a showcase to the world combining high-end living with low end resource usage.

SUN

The buildings of the island are heated and cooled by heat pumps connecting to the surrounding Caspian Sea. Solar heat panels integrated in the architecture create a steady supply of hot water, while photovoltaics on strategically located facades and roof tops power daytime functions as swimming pools and aqua parks.

WATER

Waste water and storm water is collected and led to a waste water treatment plant, where it is then cleaned, processed and recycled for irrigation. The solid parts of the waste water are processed and composted and finally turned into top soil, fertilizing the island. The constant irrigation and fertilizing of the island supports the lush green condition of a tropical island, with a minimal ecological footprint.

WIND
Zira Zero Island benefits from the fact that Baku is â€œthe city of windâ€. By harvesting the wind energy through an offshore wind farm, the island will have its own CO2-neutral power supply. Further by locating the wind turbines on sea, it transforms the existing offshore oil industryâ€™s platforms & foundations in Baku into a more sustainable future of wind turbine platforms.

LANDSCAPE

The landscaping of the island is derived from wind simulations of the microclimates created by the mountains. Swirly patterns created by the wind moving its way through the Seven Peaks inform the planting of trees and the design of public spaces. Where the winds and turbulence are strongest the trees becomes denser, creating lower wind speeds and thus a comfortable outdoor leisure climate.
The Zira Island Master Plan was a part of the public exhibition entitled â€œYes is Moreâ€ at the Danish Architecture Center opened on February 20, 2009.

According to the project, a monument to Azeri and Turkish soldiers killed by Bolsheviks and Armenians in 1918-1920 will be erected in the pleasure ground on the Island.
Remains of people killed in 1930s will be removed from the island.
Ammunitions and rocket fuel of the previous military base on the island will soon be removed and mined areas will be cleared.