Paysandú Waterfront Masterplan, Uruguay
Paysandú, Uruguay
The project for the urban transformation of Paysandú’s riverfront covers an area of approximately 350 hectares, extending along 10 kilometres of coastal strip on the River Uruguay, which links Paysandú with Argentina.
The masterplan is a comprehensive proposal for the whole riverfront area based on the concept of resilience, transforming the threat of flooding into a development opportunity for the city.
The project 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 future conditions, and activate a green network, creating new hubs and fostering a dynamic mix of functions.
The vision protects and enhances the natural environment, integrating the urban fabric of the city with the riverfront, and includes innovative proposals for mobility, sustainability, culture, sports, recreation and real estate development.
MIC-HUB worked as mobility expert with a multidisciplinary team led by OMA (Architecture), West 8 (Landscape Architecture) and Thornton Tomasetti (Resilience Strategy), combining international experience with in-depth local knowledge.
The team developed a vision that seamlessly integrates specific programs and ecological restoration initiatives. The result is a magnificent riverside park that reinforces the community’s connection with the waterfront, pays homage to the site’s remarkable past and encourages responsible environmental stewardship for generations to come.
Location
Paysandú, Uruguay
Client
OMA
Main expertise
Mobility Consultancy; Traffic Impact Studies & Assessments
PROJECT HIGHLIGHTS
- Development of a project that embraces and protects the natural environment
- Strategies to promote alternative mobility modes and reduce vehicular traffic along the riverfront
- Extensive micro-mobility network
Project gallery
Our contribution
MIC-HUB worked with the team on an integrated waterfront experience, developing a public realm strategy that adapts to future climate change, protects the ecosystem, and embraces flooding to minimise city damage.
The Paysandú project promotes the use of sustainable mobility, connecting the city to the river through:
• the promotion of alternative mobility modes;
• the creation of an extensive micro-mobility network;
• the reduction of vehicular traffic along the riverfront;
• the maximisation of public space.
The pioneering vision for the Paysandú region integrated the transformative waterfront with a diverse and connected ground plane, exploring landscape resilience through integrated water management, wetland treatment systems, widespread sustainable urban drainage systems (SUDs) and porous pavements.
