Costanera Valdivia
Combeau Muratgh
Cliente
Costanera Valdivia
The design of the central 2 km of Valdivia waterfront along the Calle Calle River, offers the opportunity to create a landscape proposal that raises awareness of the extraordinary geography and history of the city and the region.
WATERThrough landscape and architectural design, we can bring awareness to a significant and unique geographical feature of the region. The flow of almost 400 m³/sec that the Calle Calle River carries is the accumulation and flow to the sea of a complex hydrographic basin extending to Argentina, composed of six lakes and more than 12 important rivers. The project aims to celebrate this fact with large, urban-scale vertical and parabolic jets of water that enliven the journey, emphasizing the qualities of water. The scenic and almost pyrotechnic use of water seeks to enhance the image of Valdivia as the water capital for tourism, while also providing a memorable setting for the Noche Valdiviana. ECOLOGY
Recover the riverbank as a place of ecological richness through the restoration of reed beds and aquatic flora (Calle, water lilies, etc.), which will later host the region's wide variety of wild birds. LANDSCAPING
Unify the entire intervention with a continuous basalt cobblestone pavement and the nearly exclusive planting of oaks (Nothofagus Obliqua), making a distinctive species of the Valdivian rainforest the focal point of the riverside promenade. Rocks from the Andean foothills will also be integrated. The deciduous nature of the oak makes it an attractive species for public spaces, providing shade in summer, allowing sunlight in winter, and turning its foliage a vibrant yellow in autumn. MOBILITY
The continuous pavement design aims to eliminate the segregation of different modes of transport, offering a single stony material for the entire intervention. This way, the Arturo Prat Costanera becomes a primarily pedestrian and bicycle-friendly urban space, with cars circulating at low speeds (max. 30 km/hr). Water mobility will also be enhanced with the development of a large dock at the bus terminal and piers and storage for canoes near the Calle bridge. CONNECTIVITY
A pedestrian bridge will connect the campus of the Universidad Austral with the city center. This bridge extends the costanera and links with Elena Hauerbeck Avenue. In doing so, the bridge will provide exclusive pedestrian access to the university campus and open up an extension of the route to Isla Teja, with a viewpoint overlooking the main water jet of the proposal.
The history of Valdivia is uniquely tied to water. Its founding, settlement, colonization, and devastating natural disasters have all been closely linked to this element. The Museum of Water seeks to serve as a platform for transmitting the importance of water from scientific, technological, and energy perspectives, and also to understand it as both a creative and destructive force for human settlements. The museum will be designed as a floating steel structure (pontoon) to relate to the image of the buildings swept away by the river (1960 tsunami) and the naval architecture of the shipyards facing the project.
TOURISM
The project incorporates tourist facilities and scenic attractions designed to strengthen the city of Valdivia and position it as the tourist and nautical capital of southern Chile. In addition to the previously mentioned attractions (water jets, Museum of Water, docks, pedestrian bridge, etc.), the project will feature public swimming pools, bike rentals and parking, Wi-Fi points, and screens on pontoons for film projections during the FIC Valdivia festival.