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In September 2023, Portugal's first underwater art exhibition was sunk off the Albufeira coastline. Created by Portuguese street artist Vhils (Alexandre Farto) the 13-piece art installation will become an artificial reef, scuba diving tourism site (beginner suitable), and provides a vastly different tourism offering in an area known for mass tourism.
Created in collaboration with EDP (a Portuguese utilities company), the metals and pieces used for the reef (after suitable assessments so as not to damage the marine ecosystem) were taken from Portugal's decommissioned coal plants as part of Portugal's transition to renewable energy, reusing previously polluting parts to form the artificial reef.
Photography credit - Nuno Sá
Future Library
Future Library
Oslo, Norway
Finalist
Deep inside the Nordmarka wilderness area in Oslo stands a forest within a forest—The Future Library.
An art project by Scottish artist Katie Paterson and commissioned by Bjorvika Utvikling, it involves planting a forest to grow the materials for a unique library for people living one hundred years from now.
The idea came when Paterson made a connection between tree rings and chapters and imagined how the writer's thought would imprint in the trees - almost as if the trees absorb the writer's words.
As the BGTW are writers I thought this nomination would be fitting and also fit into sustainable category.
Set in a former ammunition factory away from congested central Toulouse, Les Halles de la Cartoucherie is a hybrid space combining food courts with training workshops, co-working spaces, a music and cultural venue, organic grocery shop, bookshop, second-hand shop, cooking school and sports facilities (including climbing walls, dance and yoga). It’s in a self-described eco-neighbourhood that doesn’t allow street parking, but there’s an efficient public transport to get you there. It became an instant success, with people from all over Toulouse coming to the food halls primarily, and taking advantage of the sports activities. It’s fully accessible to disabled visitors, and is working to reduce food waste. It’s really helped the local community, specifically organising workshops that get women back into employment after a break, running an “eco-responsible” cookery school, as well as a school of cinema and audiovisual and sound studies. It also runs an association using rugby sporting events to get unemployed people back to work. And, of course, it’s created dozens of jobs. For tourists coming to Toulouse, it’s an enjoyable place for lunch where you can feast on everything from local cassoulet to North African, West African, Sri Lankan and other international cuisines.
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