Header: Alejandro Arango
Ciénaga de Mallorquín Ecopark reimagines the connection between nature and the city. Situated in Barranquilla, Colombia, the ecopark represents the meeting point between the Magdalena River and the Atlantic Ocean.
High biodiversity lagoon system
The public space designed by DEB Architecture and El Equipo Mazzanti promotes nature conservation, eco-education, as well as community engagement. One of the most significant lagoon systems of the Colombian Caribbean is home to more than 200 resident and migratory bird species. However, this place of large biodiversity has been altered through territorial transformation over the last century. The construction of Bocas de Ceniza, alongside other urbanisation projects, has altered the natural dynamics, creating environmental degradation while detaching the area from the city.
Eco-friendly network of elevated walkways
Ecoparque Ciénaga de Mallorquín mediates between urbanisation and biodiversity preservation. The project creates an active bond that preserves the ecosystem while allowing access for the public. The ecopark is based on an entangled network of elevated walkways, with connected resting areas, observation platforms, and meeting spaces. Spanning 61,834 square meters, the network of walkways and gathering areas allows users to experience the landscape without disrupting the biological and hydrological processes, preserving the area’s natural cycles.
Family and Contemplation Districts
The project is completed through several phases. The Contemplation Districts and the Family Districts were developed in the first phase. Focused on biodiversity observation and environmental education, the Family District is reserved for social gatherings and recreational activities.
The project included integration of local practices into its key aspects, such as artisanal fishing. A small-scale subsistence fishing practice is crucial for the cultural identity of the Colombian wetlands. The ecopark celebrates the dynamics between traditional practices and nature by embedding them into its spatial structure, thus creating a balanced coexistence between nature conservation, community, and urban development.
Replicable, environmental model
The project by DEB ARCHITECTURE and EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI blurs the line between ecosystem and built environment through landscape strategies such as vegetation, restoration and public space. These strategies produce a continuous transition that improves both environmental resilience and the experience of urban living.
Ciénaga de Mallorquín Ecopark is conceived as a flexible evolving system based on balance, respect and coexistence. The park represents a replicable model for coastal territories that uses landscaping and public areas as mediators between urban and ecological systems.
The Ciénaga de Mallorquín Ecopark by DEB ARCHITECTURE and EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI proves how architecture, urbanism, and ecology can work together to protect biodiversity and landscape while at the same time creating opportunities for interaction, education and civic appropriation.
Technical sheet:
Location: Barranquilla, Colombia
Area: 61,834 m²
Year: 2022
Design: DEB ARCHITECTURE and EL EQUIPO MAZZANTI
Project Director: Francisco Ricardo Marino
Client: Puerta de Oro Barranquilla
President and Project Structurer: Ricardo Vives
Team: Luis Guillermo Barrera, Jorge Robledo Manco, Natalia Gamez, Jose Daniel Rosado, Juan Sebastian Perez
Source: v2com-newswire
