LOCATION FOR THE R+D CENTERS

Once I have defined my scenario, I’ll pass to research for the specific location of the R+D centers that I’m proposing to implement in the AL-EX region.

The area under consideration in the project is the sum of the Extremadura in Spain, and the Alentejo Region in Portugal. The total area is 63 730 km2, which means that this vast cross-border area of southwestern Europe has an area greater than some countries in Europe.

The AL-EX region is crossed by motorways and the Madrid-Lisbon railway line which, together with other lesser infrastructures, ensure the permeability of the political border.

Bearing these facts in mind, I decided to analyze the railroad tracks between the two regions. Most of the maps I could find do not show the current status of these routes as they have been in disuse and abandoned with the implementation of the TGV.

RAILROAD TRACKS NETWORK IN THE AL-EX REGION.

This new and faster mean of transport, although it would mean a great advantage when talking about mobility and permeability in the AL-EX region, it also means the abandonment and disuse of old infrastructures.

The data found in my research, have led me to think about the reuse and rehabilitation of those abandoned railroad tracks as an important part of my project.

At the very first stage I proposed to rehabilitate and reuse the old train stations in order to accommodate these new R+D centers and reuse the old railroad tracks in order to connect

them. However, my colleagues’ feedback made me rethink the so literal reuse that I was given to these infrastructures.

Mi idea inicial era la reutilización y rehabilitación de estas vías y estaciones de tren, ¿pero por qué no utilizarlas de una forma no tan literal?

My initial proposal was the reuse and rehabilitation of those railroad tracks and train stations, but why don’t give the a non so literal use?

As Souto de Moura used the stones from an old monastery, for the reconstruction of the Santa Maria do Bouro Pousada, I’m planning to reuse some parts of these railroad tracks as construction materials for these new research centers.

The historical and current conditions have allowed the conservation of a natural heritage of especial relevance, harboring species and populations of fauna and flora of considerable interest for the overall biodiversity within the framework of the European Union.

LOCATION FOR THE R+D CENTERS

Taking into account all these facts, together with the ones corresponding to the railway network that connects both regions, I’ve decided to set my proposal as a layering process of several factors.

Firstly, we find the layer in which both regions are placed, the geographical layer. Secondly, we could find the layer in which we would place the characteristic biodiversity of the AL-EX region.

In third place we would find a layer in which the railroad tracks are placed. And finally we would find the layer that would correspond to the location of these R+D centers.

Therefore, when joining all these layers, the R+D centers would be placed in the intersection between the railroad tracks that aren’t used anymore and the dramatic changes from, for example, a dry area and a wet area of plantations, a cork tree forest and a cereal field….

THE R+D CENTERS

THE RAILROAD TRACKS

BIODIVERSITY

THE AL-EX REGION

The strategic conservation habitats are found inside the biodiversity hotspots (red polygons), and are localized and delimited by their CORINE Land Cover land use. The land use map of the Extremadura–Alentejo cross-border meta-region shows a spatial distribution (top) and types and quantities (bottom) which by their heterogeneity constitute an opportunity for biodiversity management – and especially the areas of high species richness.

Biodiversity hotspots (red) overlaid on the natural spaces of the Natura 2000 network (green). This network harbours the vast majority of national and regional protected spaces, thus in itself constituting a full evaluation of the system of protection on a cross-border scale.

- ECCOMAP: UEX and University of Evora.

BIBLIOGRAPHY:

The socioeconomic geography of the AL-EX cross-border meta-region has many facets that make up the territory's reality. Geographical analysis facilitates their interrelation with environmental factors. The figure shows population, land use, economic variables, urbanization, and infrastructure.

Valuation of the various patches of the ten Socioeconomic Regions of Extremadura–Alentejo based on species richness as an indicator of biodiversity. The results indicate considerable spatial socioeconomic heterogeneity in relation to biodiversity.