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Hydrographic Landscape

Lyon Bosch Arquitectos

Arturo Lyon + Alejandra Bosch

The proposal is to rethink the Manquehue Viewpoint, an uncompleted part of the original design of Parque Araucano, as a temporary urban atmosphere built through the design of various forms of water movements to set up an irrigation system that defines different situations along the esplanade. This system is a closed cycle, taking as a reference Meteors illustration by Rene Descartes, representing the different states of the water cycle contained in a single framing of the landscape. This hydrographic system is a drawing on the surface of the esplanade done by a series of canals that carry water; giving them different speeds, textures, sounds and reflections. A number of trees are located in the irrigation pools to provide shade and define different densities of space and shadow, which added to the various forms of water, outline situations like game, meeting, party and observation.

The organization of this hydrographic system arises from the repetition and variation of simple geometric rules that give different possibilities of occupation through bifurcations and the controlled densities of lines. The proposal is divided in three main areas. The southern area where the hydrographic cycle begins, water emerges through jets and waterslides located in a dense space in between by canals, trees, shadows and water sounds. The central area remains an open esplanade crossed only by two canals creating an open space for large gatherings. The northern area presents a series of reflection pools highlighting the original condition of this place as the viewpoint.

The canals are composed of a series of concrete components, which qualify water with forms, reflections, and sounds. These components are produced by different casted micro-topographies through CNC milling processes of formwork parts made of wood and expanded polyethylene. A limited number of parts are used for constructing angles and Y-shaped joints that are used for junctions and zigzagging parts of the canals.

Text submitted by Lyon Bosch Arquitectos