For decades the bank of the river Guadalete as it passes through the municipality of El Puerto de Santa María, in the province of Cádiz, was a chaotic degrading space. But an ambitious urban and landscaping project sought to reverse the situation and turn the river environs into a social, cultural, and ecological axis of the city.

Guided by the city’s memory of its body of water, the scheme traces a 1,700-meter line through different places of historical value, especially the 1895 stretch of Calderón Park, an urban walk over an old, unsanitary zone, and there, vestiges of San Alejandro Bridge have been preserved with full respect for heritage.

One of the most striking features of the project is a wooden viewing ramp, stretching almost 150 meters, that connects the promenade to the bridge’s old abutment. Reversible and of great scenic value, this contemporary urban element has improved the accessibility and visual perception of the enclave.

The use of draining pavements and the incorporation of solar collectors for scooters are part of the ecological thrust of the design, which seeks not only to restore the riverbank but also to make it a generator of new urban ecologies.