Campo La Macarena, an area of transformation and integration for the city of Río Cuarto.
We interpret the land not only as an enabler of sports activities for the Río Cuarto Golf Club but also as a sports park for a growing city, where citizens can form a closer bond with the native landscape of the region through sports activities. Thus, the site “Área La Macarena” has the potential to become a regional sports and recreational park, attracting visitors from across the country to enjoy and experience new ways of living spaces where the Golf Club’s sports activities act as a bridge to reinforce the connection between the community and the landscape.
The project addresses different scales, taking as its base the identity of the local native landscape, and understanding and respecting its natural support. Therefore, the proposal positions itself as a key point of attraction—both sports and social/landscaping—at a regional level. This is expressed through the synthesis of three strategies:
1.Structuring of the Social/Environmental and Sports/Crowd axes
The proposal is developed around two main axes. The Sports/Crowd axis serves as the foundation for competitive and popular sports activities. It anchors itself to the natural and urban landscape via lateral avenues leading to the master plan. Visitors, as they move through the site, discover a succession of sports and social programs. The entrance to the Sports/Crowd axis is enhanced by the Gym Pavilion and an adjoining plaza, aimed at attracting and encouraging the community to experience it. Following this, a series of sports settings are positioned, such as a tennis court for competitive events, locker rooms acting as a transition to the semi-Olympic pool, and finally, the social club pavilion, which, together with the central native park, closes off this major axis.
The Social/Environmental axis transforms into a promenade that crosses the site and connects to the avenue at the other end. This permeable and eco-friendly space reconnects the public with nature. This promenade aims to dissolve the boundaries between the community, social activities, and the native ecosystem of the site. Along this axis, visitors strengthen their connection with the site’s identity through a central native park composed of low-maintenance, resilient local flora. Through this action, the landscape resurges and connects to the promenade.
This walkway contains recreational, leisure, and service programs for the site, expressed in “folies” (small architectural structures), which house administration, barbecue areas, and maintenance. These “stable” programs are combined with more flexible, playful, and occasional activities such as meeting zones, relaxation areas, and spaces for contemplation of the landscape.
Landscape Edge:
An element that links the two structuring axes with the surrounding urban context. It transforms into a flexible, sinuous perimeter walkway that serves to connect and link the sports/landscape and residential programs throughout the proposal
3.Native Buffer:
The site is interpreted as a green support linked to the native landscape of Río Cuarto. Therefore, we respect and enhance the existing ecology by incorporating native tree species from the region to increase biodiversity within the site. This buffer surrounds, intertwines, and organizes the various programs of the Golf Club and guides visitors through an immersive experience of a regional native forest within the city.
Moreover, this dense buffer becomes a transitional element between the neighboring residential area, the city, and potential new urban developments, creating a green filter that reduces visual and auditory pollution typical of a growing city. It transforms the site into a tranquil place where people lose track of time and connect with the nature and identity of the area.
Considering the sustainability of the park and the fragility of the existing natural ecosystems, we aimed to create the least environmental impact possible by reducing the footprint on the landscape and selecting permeable, low-maintenance materials, reinforcing the sense of belonging, and contributing to achieving a circular economy and ecology.
4.Architecture of the System:
Architecture is understood as a succession of compositional elements that allow the creation of different activity spaces with the goal of maintaining the unity of the whole. For this, a modular and multiscalar architecture is proposed, which adapts to various spatial demands. At the same time, the module is understood as enabling—allowing for continuity and expansion over time. Additionally, the development of this architecture is chosen for its low impact during the construction process and its low maintenance over time. Finally, we believe that the very expressive nature of the construction determines the compositional language, not as a static language but as one that enables adaptability and appropriation over time.
