An ambitious project to create a 23,300 sq m forest by the sea is under way for La Marina de Valencia…
A new project for Valencia Marina to create a green boulevard by the sea with artificial dunes for walking, playing and chilling on the shores of the Mediterranean is now public.
The Valencia Marina is about to complete one of its most ambitious urban projects: the rehabilitation and pedestrianisation of Tinglado 2 and its surroundings. This is the result of a long-term project that is based on the decision of the new management of Consorcio Valencia 2007 to enhance the building and its surroundings. The aim is to turn it into the new square of La Marina de València and the city’s gateway to the sea. This will be a major boon for residents of Grau and Cabanyal, and indeed the entire city.
Of the three historic tinglados that remain standing (2, 4 and 5), Tinglado 2 is the first to undergo a comprehensive recovery process, says 7TeleValencia. This will involve a total investment of over €2m to improve accessibility, enhance the value of the heritage and link La Marina with nature. Until now, the early 20th-century warehouse, used for unloading and storing goods when the Marina used to be the main port, had become a public space, used mainly for roller skating, blading and dancing.
The last phase, which is about to happen, will consist of the pedestrianisation of the building’s surroundings. In the coming months, the tender will go out to complete the project and make it a reality.
A dune ecosystem with 23,300 sq m of green space
The proposal drawn up by Grupo Aranea and El Fabricante de Espheras proposes a tree-lined space of 23,300 sq m. It will be perfectly integrated and connected with the surrounding neighbourhoods, inviting people to stroll and protecting visitors from traffic.
This 33-metre wide promenade will be accompanied by a series of urban dunes. They will consist of cobblestones and will appear to “undulate” at different heights, serving as places to sit, play or lie down and hang out.
The challenge is to combine nature, city, heritage and water “in a balanced way” in the design of this space. The designers plan to give special and “exquisite” care to visuals, volumes and uses, designing a green coastal infrastructure with indigenous plant elements, to blend with the urban fabric while at the same time isolating the visitor from road traffic.
Improving access to La Marina
The “humanisation” and pedestrianisation of the area around Tinglado 2 is a project that will redefine the offering for residents and visitors to Valencia. It also seeks to improve the connection between La Marina and the surrounding neighbourhoods in a definitive and coherent way. And in the process, it will improve pedestrian access and make the historic port closer to the neighbourhoods. This is a great response to those who have dismissed the Marina, America’s Cup development and the F1 circuit as “white elephants”, and shows a bold vision that aligns with Valencia’s position as this year’s World Design Capital. And with the recent takeover of Calatrava’s Agora as an exhibition space by Caixa Forum.
The project has taken into account access routes to the dock, as well as the programming of events requiring special access, allowing these to coexist with the landscaped promenade area.
More bang for your buck
The project also envisages work on the historic Clock Building, the Royal Staircase, now hidden, and the cabrio crane, elements that form part of the history of the dock.
This has only been possible thanks to an innovative number-crunching exercise, in which the Marina has tried to reduce investment as much as possible while maintaining very high quality criteria.
Thanks to this reduction in cost per square metre, it has been possible to practically double the surface area to 23,300 sq m. This includes, in addition to the Tinglado 2 area, the area around the Plaza del Agua and the Plaza de las Horas, where the Edificio del Reloj (Clock Building) is located.
