MINI hub installation in madrid rethinks the future of cities

we’re becoming increasingly aware of the need to improve our habits for the sake of our environment. nonetheless, our cities — gigantic and vast — are often far from reflecting these improvements. for this reason, MINI and ENORME studio — a young design firm specializing in the public space and participative dynamics — have created an original installation: a creative space situated in the mythical, plaza santa maría soledad torres acosta, in madrid, the ‘MINI hub.’ for over a year, MINI has been cultivating the MINI hub. and now, it is finally opening itself up to the outside world, with an installation of collaboration.

image by javier de paz

the space will be verdant with designers, meeting and rethinking new ways of making a city. city furniture workshop — bench a day — will discuss the development of new ideas for urban benches; interactive keynote talks will open up new dialogues on urban stages. there will be new public space laboratories, and debates on the future of cities. all of these activities have been curated around urban design. they will be collaborative, trans-disciplinary and inter-generational.

image by javier de paz

MINI hub, the endeavor by MINI and ENORME studio, is framed within its objective of improving urban life, contributing to a rational use of resources and maximizing the motto ‘creative use of space’ inherent to the brand’s DNA. any and all new proposals for cities of the future should be co-designed on the street and close to users. this moving, green structure, ‘montaña en la luna,’ (mountain on the moon) represents an opportunity to experiment based on the idea of a designer office and portable architecture.

image by javier de paz

in addition to being a meeting point for design and the city, the installation concerns itself with the use of renewable energies. it has USB charging points and reading points lit by solar energy, as well as the possibility to charge devices with kinetic energy, generated by movement. this new habitable and efficient equipment seeks to work on the most pressing challenges of daily life. it is urgent that, as citizens we contribute, along with designers, public institutions, brands… and start collectively rethinking new, collective visions for our cities. if we do, we can regenerate our urban landscapes, cohesively, together.

image by javier de paz

image by luis alda

project info:

designers and curators: ENORME studio
client: MINI españa / MINI hub / madrid design festival
builder: CARRSA
solar energy and interactivity systems: CREÁTICA
landscape design: greener-ontheotherside
location: plaza de santa maría soledad torres acosta, madrid, spain
date: february 2018
photography: javier de paz garcía / luis alda

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: zach andrews | designboom