Venecia Park is a public park in Zaragoza by Spanish architects Héctor Fernández Elorza and Manuel Fernández Ramírez.
The project encompasses a linear urban infrastructure, averaging 415 metres in length and 60 metres in width. It was required to address three issues: the resolution of an acoustic problem, the evacuation of rainfall deposits and the question of topography.
The sound issue caused by road traffic on the Ronda Hispanidad (Third Ring Road) affecting neighbouring dwellings, requires the establishment of a sound barrier to include the whole north-western border of the park.
The existing topographical ground level difference between ground-level of the new residential quarter and the ring road reaches a maximum height of 14 meters, where the containment of the terrain is resolved by means of a system of reinforced earth walls.
To the far south-west of the park, where no significant topographical difference is noticeable, the issue of sound containment is resolved by means of a Cyclopean wall 100 meters long with a maximum height of 10 meters. This wall is moreover conceived as an icon that characterizes the new neighborhood and also provides access to the underground square or mill basin situated in its extrados.
This laminar flow basin is designed to cope with the intense rainfall that affects the area, thus preventing floodwaters from emptying into the municipal network, whose diameter and capacity are insufficient to deal with such heavy quantities of rainwater.
Four stairs situated at the corners provide access to the underground square, connecting with the adjacent neighbourhood and the city level. The incorporation of sufficiently wide ramps situated within the sound barrier wall gives access to service and maintenance vehicles and a more ample use of the compound.
Finally Venecia Park is a carefully planned topographical operation that complements the acoustic functions and flow-forming processes described above in addition to providing green spaces to the city.
Images courtesy of Montse Zamorano
Discover: www.hfelorza.com
