In Bratislava, the former industrial zone will become a mixed development area Sky Park: the competition for its ZHA project was won back in 2010, and the first phase will be commissioned at the end of 2019. A key component of the plan is a two-hectare park open to all citizens. In its center is the historic building of the Thermal Power Plant (1941) designed by the prominent Slovak architect Dusan Yurkovich. Despite the eminent author, they previously wanted to demolish the station, but Penta, the developer of Sky Park, having bought it, plans to restore it, and the building has now been given the status of a monument. The park includes an amphitheater, picnic areas, playgrounds and sports grounds, jogging tracks, an orchard, etc.
The complex also includes more than 700 apartments and 55,000 m2 of offices, cafes and shops. The housing stock of Bratislava is represented mainly by post-war panel houses, so the demand for apartments of a different type is very high: sales of housing in Sky Park started in early May, and by the third decade of the same month 60% of apartments had already been sold.
In Mexico, ZHA designed the Alai residential complex to help preserve and even restore the eco-balance of the Riviera Maya. This resort area is developing rapidly: the number of tourists is growing every year by 10%, and since 2000 the number of resident population has almost doubled. Such changes take a heavy impact on the environment, which is not taken into account in all new projects. However, Alai, a series of residential towers, is intended to be very green and should restore the ecological situation worsened by the previous owner of the site.
The total building area there is 7% of the land area, the rest of the territory is planned to be "returned to nature", for which the landscape architects Gross Max are responsible. All public spaces and infrastructure of the complex are located on a platform 9 meters above the ground. There will be enough space under it for plants (they will be able to receive sunlight through special openings, through which they will be able to grow above 9 meters and decorate the complex) and for animals so that they can safely cross the territory of Alai. Such a high platform will also allow residents to admire the lagoon and the Caribbean coast, not only from their apartments, but also relaxing by the pool or playing sports.
A botanical nursery is planned, which will become a landmark of the Riviera and an educational center for its residents and tourists, a forest reserve, restoration of the coastal wetland and mangroves. Everywhere, residents will be able to walk only along paths raised above the ground, so as not to disturb the flora and fauna.
The houses will receive spacious balconies shading the interior, their orientation will allow them to catch the prevailing wind directions for natural ventilation. A different design of the facades of each of the towers was obtained due to different layouts of prefabricated elements.
