The ‘Ciénaga de Mallorquín’ Ecopark is a system of paths that make up a living boundary between the ecosystem and Barranquilla’s urban life. The project opens the doors to a new relationship between the city and the natural space it contains in a way that allows an adequate development for both parties. This active border interweaves with the landscape to respond to particular circumstances of the place, generally acting as a barrier to prevent urban growth from conquering over the mangrove and allowing the ecosystem to develop, at the same time it is an entrance for city life into the natural world of the swamp with the necessary care and respect.
The Ciénaga de Mallorquín is a fundamental part of the identity of the city of Barranquilla, not only is it its most biodiverse natural space receiving more than 200 species of birds each year, but also its location at the meeting area between the Atlantic Ocean and the Magdalena River is something that makes the city unique and has defined it throughout its history. This relationship has been complicated during the last century since the construction of Bocas de Ceniza, a project in which the morphology of the natural space was aggressively modified until it became unrecognizable. Today we witness the resilience of this natural space that survives despite being forgotten and polluted; a living and striving biodiverse ecosystem that makes visible its capacity for recovery if it is allowed the time and space it needs.
The Ecopark acts as a transitional intermediate layer between the chaos of the city and the stillness of the swamp. Its program allows the development of new civic activities that coexist with the pre-existing habitat such as ecosystem flows and artisanal fishing. The park's entrances continue the layouts of vegetation and public space that come from the city, nourishing its open areas by connecting them to the life of the ecosystem. A large border system, flexible and constantly changing, with the aim of proposing a sustainable relationship between the city and one of its most important natural spaces: the Ciénaga de Mallorquín.
Text and drawings by 'La Orilla'.
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