POND SITE

Pond Site
August 2013
Valparaíso, Chile

 The proposal highlights the figure of the pond as the main element, proposing a double objective: to recover its original function as a water supply pond for emergencies, and to enhance and restore the representative and symbolic value, evoking its historical character and image through its reinterpretation from a contemporary vision. For this, the surface of the pond is covered, providing it with a passable sheet of water, accompanied by games and sculptural elements that allow identification from different parts of the city.
The pond itself becomes the generating element of the project, the starting point for a proposal that must first be understood as a procedure, as a method of architectural intervention capable of responding to the contingencies and singularities of the site in a flexible way yet consistent.
The influence of the pond as a generating element is especially evident in the geometric aspect, taking its circular forms as the basis for the establishment of a mesh or general work pattern. This mesh allows to reinterpret the project site, understanding it as a sum of cases or singular pieces, each with its own requirements and potential. Starting from these basic rules or concepts, the development of the project consists in characterizing, connecting and designing these pieces to achieve a diverse, dynamic and highly integrated proposal in its context.
The program is developed through semi-buried volumes that are integrated into the landscape, dialoguing with the various spaces and activities that are generated in the public space. A park is projected with multiple ways of being traveled, with diverse and complementary activities that generate surplus value in the area and reactivate the existing edges creating a positive synergy.