This project proposal for the Ex-Communications Battalion 121, which won the first prize in the National Ideas Competition, stems from the idea of bringing the Rio Parana to the city district. Following a study of plastic forms generated by the river in Rosario, its vegetation, and topography, Bruno Bianchi, Damian Bojko, Etcheverry Nelson, Ricardo Etcheverry and Fabbri Juan sought to reproduce the essence of its main aspects, interspersed with the layout of the city and the buildings of the pavilion. Thus, river and city merge into the site, integrating the landscape, cultural, productive, sports, and housing, in a single place possible to generate an engine of development in the area concerned. More images and project description after the break.
The proposal is structured around a linear axis formed by a “river” water mirror, which functions as a climate regulator and structure of the different areas of the proposal. Sectoring was determined in three interconnected areas with existing buildings, housing, Wetland Park and Multipurpose Center in Rosario, in order to promote their links with different sectors of the district, the center of the city, and the Parana River by vehicular roads, vehicular restricted, bike paths and walking trails.
One of the main premises of this study was to determine that, due to the lack of green spaces in the district, and the chances of flooding, it was necessary to reserve as much green space as possible, both for society and to have sufficient absorbent soil. So we have the idea for the creation of a Wetland Park, to respond to inclement weather. At the same time preserving the existing vegetation as a whole, the design is enhanced with native plantings that reduce maintenance costs, improve air quality, and along the water, create a microclimate in the Park. Hectares can be used as a community garden managed by the residents, accompanying recreational and sports activities.
This led us to determine the tissue housing in the more developed areas to the west, near the administrative center and future Bicentennial Library, posing a porous tissue model that seeks to generate population density and maintaining neighborhood scale while leaving as much open green space as possible on the farm. This intervention is complemented by a policy of strengthening and densification of existing tissue around the park by urban code changes, and tax facilities to lower-cost housing ventures. In parallel, the search for a regularization and the construction of housing improvement programs for the poorest settlements in the area.
Another of the premises was the creation of a social dynamic area that responds to different neighborhoods and metropolitan scales, as well as the different activities taking place during the week, so that the constant flow of activities is ensuring the vitality of the place. As a result, it creates a first membrane edge of the park that functions as a liaison between neighborhood scale tissue, and a metropolitan scale park central. For both is predicted equipment for local people, as children’s games, meeting spaces between neighbors, sports facilities, warehouses recycled for social, cultural and productive, which function as a means of social integration between different parts of the neighborhood. Approaching the center, take large scale activities, with spaces for shows, picnic areas, sports and exhibitions. As a counterpoint to the south, these activities are enhanced with recycled buildings of the old Pavilion Communications with the generation of Multipurpose Center in Rosario, for cultural, educational, productive, scientific, healthcare and commercial, that socially and economically sustain the proposal.
Project Team: Bruno Bianchi, Damian Bojko, Etcheverry Nelson, Ricardo Etcheverry, Fabbri Juan Location: Rosario, Santa Fe Province, Argentina Competition Status: First Prize, “National Ideas Competition Ex-Communications Battalion 121″ Project Date: September / October 2011 Total Area: 70.12 acres Area for Housing: 13.83 acres Area for Public Space: 56.29 acres
