Manzanares Park

The primary ambition of this project was to transform an area containing the Spanish capital’s sanitation and electricity supply infrastructures into a major park, which will also meet the recreational and sporting needs of the surrounding districts. The previous studies on the treatment of the river Manzanares, which begun as part of Madrid’s sanitation plan, were followed by RBTA design project.

The environmentally sensitive scheme for the Manzanares Park represents not only the creation of a great natural space, but also the recuperation of the Manzanares River for the citizens and visitors. Both elements, nature and river, are the ideal components with which to produce synergy between the site and its vocation as a metropolitan park.

The park is a natural, building free setting for outdoor sports such as jogging and biking, water related activities at a large rowing canal, and outdoor cultural activities and events.

The project foresees covering the sewer exits at the northern end of the park, and isolating the water purifiers and electricity plant to hide the installations from view and mask possible emanating smells.

Three structural elements are the backbone of the scheme: the course of the river flanked by tree lined promenades both sides, reserved for pedestrians and cyclists; a major pedestrian axis that crosses the park in a straight line, joining the two banks by running first along one side, then the other; the third element is an orthogonal layout of paths forming parterres planted with local trees.

On their itinerary through the park, visitors come across different facilities. In the first section, a green amphitheatre is the venue for the cultural activities. This amphitheatre opens in perspective towards the central axis, which is flanked by trees. The pedestrian axis of compressed earth crosses the river at two points and links the amphitheatre with the site of a sports/recreational pavilion. Surrounded by a formal garden, the essential compositional element of this pavilion is a large stretch of water in front of the river. Perpendicular to the main axis, a secondary one leads the visitors to an outdoor music venue with capacity for approximately 15,000 people. By virtue of its dimensions, this space is reminiscent of the Roman forum.

The entire western perimeter of the park, running along the Camino de Perales, which consists of a partially covered pergola in the form of an architectural precast concrete colonnade, accommodates several restaurants and bars. At the highest points of the land, two pyramid belvedere, one in the form of a table and the other triangular, offer panoramic views of the city.

On either side of the river, an area conformed by swimming pools, ponds, and beaches provides a great water- sports complex. On the eastern strip of the park, a piece of land of approximately 20 hectares is reserved to nurseries growing different varieties of trees, shrubs and plants.