Located in the heart of Buenos Aires, "Puerto Madero," once a bustling dock area, is now a modern hub along the city's historic monumental axis. However, an abandoned grain silo from 1903 disrupts access to the nearby Costanera Sur Ecological Reserve.
Revitalizing Puerto Madero, as part of a 1991 rehabilitation plan, offers an opportunity to reconnect the city with nature while fostering sustainability, community engagement, and economic growth.
The first major transformation, led by Bernardino Rivadavia in 1826, involved widening streets to break away from colonial influences. By 1853, the city expanded westward, incorporating Flores and Belgrano by the late 19th century. Renovations in the central area improved circulation, making it the focal point for architectural and urban densification.
Although this project focuses on the renovation of the docks, the urban focus of which could be spread throughout the city. Developing the green corridor that connects major city urban and natural landmarks. The proposed new green corridos use the combinations of the existing green corridors and highways, bike paths, and public spaces to connect them all together into one unified strategy to make a sustainable and accessible city.
Today, much of the area is fenced off, and safe access to the water is limited to a few deteriorating structures. Public spaces are narrow and confined to small gaps between buildings and the water’s edge, making it difficult for the community to fully enjoy the waterfront. This issue highlights the need for thoughtful redevelopment to reconnect the area with the city and its residents.
The large extent of this project was focused on the possible development of the unused potential of the pre-existing docks that are no more in their original use. Although the docks are usually associated with concrete and rough manufacturing districts with almost no vegetation, renovation of which could bring substantial value to an existing urban quality of living. Urban rejuvenation is the process of reviving and revitalizing spaces that have been neglected. This process is part of the strategies that are implemented to build a sustainable city.
Sustainable urban development is a complex of strategies that the combination of which creates a comfortable and sustainable living environment. This project is a part of 2 major city programs that have been announced, one of which is the “Master Plan of an Urban Development for Puerto Madero” and the second one is “17 steps Sustainable Development Goals”. Although two of those programs are focusing on different aspects of development, they have the same goal, which is to enhance the city’s quality.
To follow the project’s proposal of renovation, it must be divided into stages. Each stage will have its time frame to ensure the final result. The first stage would be an implementation of the vegetation that will initiate the cleaning process and enhance the use of green space, as well as renovation of an old silos storage that will attract the young generation and individuals. The second stage will connect all the green spaces to allow individuals to fully use the potential of green areas. The third and final stage will fulfill the commercial demand from the area and will enhance the economic development of the city.
