The design for this new 80 hectare park in Madrid provides a direct link to the existing Forest Park through a wide urban promenade, lined with an allé of native trees, and consisting of a café, abundant seating, petanca courts, and bicycle rental stations. The promenade slices through the topography at the western end, with the void creating a large overlook at the highest point of the site. A network of bicycle and pedestrian trails connects the neighborhoods and Forest Park across the new urban park.
The motto chosen for this competition, 'Regenerative Landscape’, clearly defined the concept for this park. Through the manipulation and exaggeration of the existing topography and natural drainage systems, a series of three canyons were created, providing attractive space for users, and bringing biodiversity, creating wildlife corridors where they could develop and expand through the creation of micro-habitats.
North of the promenade is a large amphitheater set on the edge of the canyon, nestled in native woodlands. Combining nature with engineering, through more natural bioengineering techniques, a drainage system at the canyon bottom collects stormwater run-off from the northern half of the site, filtering the water as it flows toward the Wetland Plaza at north-east corner of the site. South of the promenade are two smaller canyons, both based on the original drainage patterns of the landscape and ending at the Wetland Plaza. An interpretive center penetrates the canyon walls, linking the two canyons. All open areas are to be restored with natural woodlands of this part of central Spain.
The perimeter area is a transition zone between the urban and the natural, containing urban plazas, cafés, playgrounds, and sports facilities, all set within a grove of trees. At the south perimeter is a large transit zone, providing access to public transportation along with a large car park set within an orchard.
