Valdebebas

The Escucha la Tierra / Listen to the Land project is a submission for the Valdebebas Park International Design Competition in Madrid. A new city park will be developed close to the airport, surrounded by large-scale expansion of offices and homes. The area is completely isolated by heavy infrastructure and construction locations, without any connection to the recreational network of the city. The natural conditions are extreme. The idea is to utilise precisely these natural characteristics and so pay tribute to the Spanish landscape.

A multi-layered park is created by making use of local waterways, emphasising differences in elevation and utilising the local vegetation. By excavating land in a east-west orientation, canyons are created where the valleys’ shadow falls and water always flows. This green, shady area offers possibilities for rest and relaxation in the hot Spanish climate. The higher levels are made up of a natural patchwork of fields, with a route that connects the various elements of the park. A circuit with bridges will be laid out, giving clear views of the combination of high and low parkland. In fact a summer and a winter park will be created: depending on the season the two components enable a variety of activities, including sports.

Connection with the surrounding area is achieved through the construction of an unpaved promenade; an urban beach beneath a transparent roof of foliage that is easily reached from the adjacent boulevard with its new blocks of buildings. Access for cars extends to the park’s highest viewpoint. Escucha la Tierra offers a new type of park for the residents of Madrid, profoundly rooted in the character of Spain.