We are participating in the S+T+ARTS Urban Fest, that explores perspectives, visions and collaboration frameworks from all over the world.

European projects shaping our cities (14:00-14:45)

Mar Santamaria VarasUrban planner and co-founder of 300.000 Km/s (Moderator)
Mariona CíllerCo-founder & Co-director, SokoTech.
Denis RoioFounder e cto, Dyne.org
Giulia TomaselloArtist, Future FLora and Alma Project

There are many examples of artists, technologists and scientists who are shaping our European cities. They bring new perspectives, solutions and awareness about topics relevant for society, often not addressed by the people in charge. What’s the vision behind these creative artworks / interventions? What are the approaches taken and the impact generated? How are these professionals collaborating with businesses, engineers and scientists to make this change happen?

In this session. successful artists and technologists will share with us their experience and advice in building great products and services thanks to strong collaborations and a clear vision.

Each speaker brings its own project and answers the questions above referring on how their work is shaping cities today and the cities of the future.

We will participate in the international conference Proceed With Care 2019 ‘Living with tourism’.

Under the patronage of UNESCO Croatian National Committee, the conference will explore and overcome the Challenges and Threats of the Emerging Conflict between Overtourism and the Safeguarding of Heritage Cities, Monuments and Landscapes.

Mar Santamaria, 300.000 Km/s co-founder will be one of the keynote speakers.

We will join the third edition of the Mobile Week taking place from 14 to 23 February 2019 in Barcelona and other major Catalan cities. It will connect cities through art, science and technology during conferences, workshops and many other activities.

This year’s theme, ‘Our Simple Relationship with Technology’, addresses the reflection on the digital transformation of society from the most intimate spheres of the human being. Based on the daily negotiations we establish with technology in almost every area of ​​our daily lives, the possible repercussions of these agreements and disagreements form the basis of a common future pact.

300.000 Km/s will participate in several events:

-> 15 February, Ca L’Alier BIT Habitat, 11h a 13h, Debate ‘Technology, urban planning and architecture: from Smart Cities to smart communities’.

-> 19 February, Ca L’Alier ILab, 10.15h, Round table ‘Open innovation and public procurement as tools to promote economy’.

-> 22 February, Girona, 12.00h, Col·legi d’Aparelladors, Debate ‘Digital Cities and Territories’ with Juan Murillo from BBVA Data&Analytics.

Join us!

Our co-founder Mar Santamaria has participated in the first TEDxEixample, talking about algorithms to make better cities.

The event, organised by Pau Samó and curated by Guillem Recolons and Robert Ferrer, put together a great team of speakers such as Anna Gener (Savills Aguirre Newman), Daria Shornikova (Imagine), Guillem Roma (musician), Jordi Hereu (former mayor of Barcelona and president of Idencity), Paula Fernández-Ocho (+MoreThanLaw), Sergio Ayala (entrepreneur), Toni Segarra (publicist), Víctor Amela (journalist and writer) and Víctor Parrado (actor).

Under the title Cities will belong to their cartographers (‘Las ciudades serán de quién las cartografíe‘), we have contributed to the blog of the Laboratory of Open Innovation of Aragón, LAAB.

The article explores how the new ways of mapping cities will influence in data availability and sovereignty.

Our co-founder Mar Santamaria will be hosting a round table at ResetCultura, an event organised by Obra Social La Caixa and Fundación Contemporánea.

We will participate in Barcelona Building Construmat talks.

Join us 15th May 16:00 h in the Talks Arena!

Ciutat Vella’s land-use Plan wins S+T+ARTS Prize ’19 awarded by the European Commission

The urban plan that regulates the land uses in the Ciutat Vella district of Barcelona obtains the STARTS Prize 2019 from the European Commission. The award, launched by Ars Electronica, BOZAR and Waag Society, is an initiative that fosters alliances between technology and artistic practice. Annually, it recognizes the most pioneering collaborations in the sphere of creativity and innovation at the intersection between science, technology and art. Specifically, this urban plan has been distinguished with a Grand Prize for Innovative Collaboration for its ability to open new paths for innovation in these areas and generate economic and social impact.

The plan has been drafted by 300.000 km/s (advised by Graciela Chaia, Carlota Casanova and Daniel Lorenzo) in collaboration with the political, technical and legal team of Ciutat Vella district and the Planning Department of the Barcelona City Council -in addition to Raons Públiques cooperative that has developed the participation process. The plan, based on an advanced diagnosis using massive data analysis and citizen participation, reconciles economic and residential activity in the central district with the aim of guaranteeing the quality of live of inhabitants, and as an ultimate goal, the liveability of the city.

In previous editions, the Grand Pize for Innovative Colaboration was awarded to a 3D printed infraestructures, a research about jamming informed by computational design and the prototyping of new artificial skins and bones. This year, the jury composed of renowned personalities of technology, science and art from around the world has given the prize, for the first time, to a public policy of deep technical complexity.

The project will be exhibited in Linz and Brussels, and the award will be presented at a gala to be held within the framework of the Ars Electronica Festival (5 to 9 September 2019). Ars Electronica, which this year celebrates its fortieth anniversary, is the world’s largest platform for art, technology and society. The focus of the festival is always on current developments in technology and possible future scenarios and the question of how these will change our lives.

Happy to be part of a better future!!

MAS Context Spring talks 2019: Cartography and Photography, Revealing Global Metropolises

On Tuesday, August 27, 2019, MAS Context and 300.000 km/s are organizing an event in Barcelona to talk about the use of cartography and photography in revealing hidden aspects of global metropoles. The presentation will emphasize the work done around the nocturnal conditions of those cities. The event will take place at Espai Serrahima (Carrer Mèxic 3-17, 08004, Barcelona).

Minneapolis-based photographer/sociologist David Schalliol and Barcelona-based architects Mar Santamaria Varas and Pablo Martínez of 300.000 km/s will discuss their individual work around global metropolis and present a selection of their work that will be exhibited in Nocturnal Landscapes: Urban Flows of Global Metropolises.

The exhibition Nocturnal Landscapes: Urban Flows of Global Metropolises, organized by MAS Context and the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, will be on display at the Instituto Cervantes from September 17, 2019 until October 30, 2019. The exhibition, curated by Iker Gil, is a partner program of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial.

Nocturnal Landscapes is partially supported by Simon with printing support by HP.

The exhibition Nocturnal Landscapes: Urban Flows of Global Metropolises, organized by MAS Context and the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago, observes and analyzes cities at night from an interdisciplinary perspective.

The work by Mar Santamaría and Pablo Martínez of 300.000 Km/s presents a research methodology focused on the comparison of relevant case studies based on cartographic depictions of the rhythms and recognizable sites of seven global cities using Knowledge Discovery in Databases (KDD) data and tools.

Photographer and sociologist David Schalliol captures nighttime in cities around the world with photographs selected from more than a decade of work. The photographs emphasize human interaction, highlight moments of celebration and mourning, protest and labor, memorialization and solitude.

Together, the work of 300.000 Km/s and David Schalliol provides a comprehensive look at global metropolises at night, combining analysis and observation, questioning the correlation of human activity and light, and revealing hidden aspects of our cities.

The exhibition is curated and designed by architect Iker Gil (MAS Studio, Chicago) and features work by architects Mar Santamaría and Pablo Martínez (300.000 Km/s, Barcelona) and sociologist/photographer David Schalliol (David Schalliol, Minneapolis).

This exhibition is a partner program of the 2019 Chicago Architecture Biennial.

Nocturnal Landscapes is partially supported by Simon with printing support by HP and American Color Labs.

The exhibition will be accompanied by two talks by Mar Santamaria, Pablo Martinez, and David Schalliol in Barcelona and Chicago:

– September 25 at 6:00 pm at the Instituto Cervantes of Chicago (MORE INFO)
31 W Ohio St, Chicago, IL 60654, USA
Open to the public

Exhibition credits

Participants: 300.000 Km/s and David Schalliol
Organizing institutions: Instituto Cervantes of Chicago and MAS Context
Curator: Iker Gil / MAS Studio
Design: Iker Gil / MAS Studio
Printing: American Color Labs
Installation: Kathi Beste, Xeno Coufal, Iker Gil, Julie Michiels, and David Schalliol.
Acknowledgements: Eva Blanco, Ken Campbell, Teresa Hernando, Jason Pickleman, and Chimi Tornow.