Three Chimneys Park will be a pioneering 90,000-square-metre climate-resilient green space at the mouth of the Besòs River.
The winning design, selected by the Besòs Consortium, reimagines the delta as a natural buffer against flooding while creating a new metropolitan refuge.
Your browser does not support the video tag.
Consequently, the project aims to transform a former industrial zone between Sant Adrià del Besòs, Badalona, and Barcelona.
Three Chimneys Park Design Embraces Nature-Based Solutions
The landscape architects from Landlab and Aldayjover, with engineering by Aquatica, named their proposal ‘Green and Blue, Resilient Infrastructures’. Their vision treats the park itself as critical ecological infrastructure. Furthermore, it uses nature-based solutions for integrated water management and active protection from climate change effects.
Key features include a sponge-like promenade built over a relocated sewer collector, dunes, lagoons, and a sustainable drainage system. The design strategically places social spaces near the iconic Three Chimneys towers and planned sports facilities. Meanwhile, habitats for river, marine, and urban wildlife will flourish in areas bordering the beach and river.
The vegetation plan focuses on Mediterranean species, particularly pine forests, aiming to establish a new climate refuge for the metropolis. The Generalitat’s Presidency department, leading the adjacent Catalunya Media City complex, stated the park will manage possible floods, improve environmental quality, and foster biodiversity.
However, the park’s realisation faces significant hurdles. Its construction is largely dependent on relocating a major metropolitan sewer collector. Moreover, the broader urban development plan for the sector, which includes the park, the media city, and a new neighbourhood with 11,000 homes, is currently appealed in the courts. Therefore, no concrete timeline for the park’s completion exists.
The final detailing of spaces within the Three Chimneys Park will occur through a participatory process. This process will explicitly consider gender perspectives and strive for diversity and inclusion. According to the original report in El País, the jury for the open competition included representatives from participating administrations, entities, and professional associations.
This ambitious project represents a significant shift in how Barcelona approaches coastal urban planning. It connects to wider regional discussions on sustainability, as seen in other local developments affecting public space and infrastructure. The vision for the Three Chimneys Park ultimately seeks to create a lasting equilibrium between nature, city, and essential utilities for future generations.
Join our WhatsApp broadcast channel for instant news updates!
Source: Read original article