A new vision for Paysandú riverfront
We are thrilled to unveil the new vision for the riverfront of Paysandú, our first project in Uruguay.
The project for the urban transformation of Paysandú’s riverfront covers an area of about 350 hectares, extending along 10 kilometres of coastal strip on the River Uruguay, which links Paysandú with the country of Argentina.
The Master Plan is a comprehensive proposal for the whole riverfront based on the concept of resilience, transforming the threat of flooding into a development opportunity for the city.
It is designed to coexist with the rising levels of the River Uruguay introducing a continuous “ribbon” which will act as a protective barrier while adapting to the future conditions and activating a green network, creating new hubs and fostering a dynamic mix of functions.
The vision protects and enhances the natural environment while integrating the urban fabric of the city with the riverfront, including innovative proposals for mobility, sustainability, culture, sports, recreation and real estate development.
The Paysandú project promotes the use of sustainable mobility, connecting the city to the river by:
• promoting alternative mobility modes;
• creating an extensive micro-mobility network;
• reducing vehicular traffic along the riverfront;
• maximizing the public space.
MIC-HUB worked as mobility expert with a multidisciplinary team led by OMA New York (Architecture), West 8 (Landscape Architecture) and Thornton Tomasetti (Resilience Strategy), combining international experience with in-depth local knowledge.
On December 2022, in the city of Paysandú the Team presented the project to the community and key stakeholders, headed by Mayor Nicolás Olivera and Secretary General Fermín Farinha, before travelling on to Montevideo and presenting the project to the students of the University of Architecture and to the President of Uruguay, Luis Lacalle Pou.
In attendance was Jason Long, partner of OMA along with Shary Tawil (OMA), Lucía Bocchimuzzi (MIC HUB Senior Consultant), Daniel Vasini (West 8) and Jennifer Mahan (Thornton Tomasetti).
The full video of the presentation (in Spanish) is embedded here: