• ecological restoration
• infrastructure
• open space
• pedestrian
• redevelopment

Madrid Río is an expansive recreational and cultural urban equipment parallel to the River Manzanares. This project integrates historic monuments and cultural facilities along the riverbed. The proposal resulted from a multidisciplinary collaboration involving firms specializing in urban design, planning, landscape architecture, and infrastructure engineering. Central to the project is the facilitation of novel forms of mobility and the restoration of neighborhood social connections. The bridges, both practical and symbolic, act as crucial elements celebrating the reunification of previously divided segments of the city. Beyond enhancing connectivity, Madrid Río breathes new life into civic spaces, providing a canvas for contemporary architecture and infrastructure interventions. Spanning over 6 kilometers (3.7 miles), Madrid Río conceals a complex network of buried vehicular roads. The integration of vegetation as a primary construction material underscores a commitment to sustainable practices, creating a harmonious blend of nature and urbanity. On the right bank of the river, two corridors emerge—one linked to the city and residential buildings, forming a pedestrian spine. At the same time, the other, known as the Salón de Pinos, echoes a nineteenth-century formal landscape typology. The left bank, wider with gentle slopes, weaves the city's historical past into its fabric by reviving three distinctive spaces—the Matadero, the Parque de la Arganzuela, and the Jardines de Virgen del Puerto. The Salón de Pinos is a green corridor that offers continuity from existing bridges and fosters diverse riverbank-garden conditions. A sprawling woodland park spanning over 1,700 hectares and a wide strip on the left bank house the Parque de la Arganzuela, featuring an adaptive reuse of the historic Matadero Centre. The landscaping effort includes planting over 35,000 mature trees, 200 saplings, and 4 million shrubs, shaping Madrid Río into a thriving ecosystem. The project's transformative journey unfolds in two phases: the submergence of the western belt of the M-30 highway in the initial phase and the programming of the transformed area in the second. This planning has configured a network of interconnected green spaces, seamlessly stitching together once-disjointed areas. Commencing with an international competition in 2005, coinciding with the tunnel's completion, Madrid Río's construction plan materialized in 2010. The project not only improves mobility and accessibility but also enhances the quality of life in surrounding neighborhoods. Beyond these benefits, Madrid Río emerges as a custodian of national heritage sites, protecting and revitalizing them. The project involves constructing and restoring over 20 bridges and river crossings, further establishing Madrid Río as an example of sustainable urban development and cultural preservation.