On June 28, 2019, Barranquilla-born architect Ricardo De Castro was awarded the Bronze A' Design Award in Como, Italy, for his design of the El Marquise Monument to the Magdalena River.
The project is set to be located in Barranquilla, Colombia's fourth most populous city with over 1.2 million inhabitants and a key port for foreign trade. Developed at the mouth of the Magdalena River, the city serves as the economic hub of the Colombian Caribbean coast.
Official project description. The primary design challenge was to create a monument that was not only an architectural artwork representing cultural identity, but also an environmental, social, and economic contribution to the city of Barranquilla. Consequently, the team designed a structure characterized by energy and environmental sustainability, capable of becoming a landmark from both near and far to captivate locals and visitors alike.
Research was conducted on monuments and their symbolic meaning, alongside site-specific variables, focusing particularly on the local storm runoff issues. The design team analyzed data regarding storm attenuation tanks and rainwater harvesting systems to determine potential storage volumes, which directly influenced the project's formal and functional configuration.
Designed for and inspired by Barranquilla, the project aims to represent "The New Era of the City." This monument of cultural identity incorporates subtle forms and symbols, such as a compass rose, the abstract shape of a traditional artisanal fishing canoe, and two ramps flanked by perimeter reflecting pools that symbolize rainwater reservoirs. The primary goal is to encourage visitors to experience a multitude of sensations throughout the journey.
The glass and steel structure is surrounded by a reflecting pool that conceals two concrete tanks. These tanks collect rainwater to prevent runoff pollution and relieve local drainage systems, while storing water for irrigating the surrounding green areas. Two ramps descend between green walls to a central plaza surrounded by waterfalls. At the top of the structure, an observation deck offers visitors a direct view of the confluence of the wetlands, the river, and the sea.
At street level, four ramps mark the entrances to the monument. Two of these allow visitors to appreciate the monument without entering, while the other two lead directly to the access point. The pathway descends from the 0.00-meter mark to a central plaza at -8.00 meters. To enter the structure, a central spiral staircase runs from the entrance level up to the 9.00-meter mark, while an elevator provides access to the observation deck at a height of 113 meters.
The perimeter is lined with aluminum trees functioning as photovoltaic solar panels. Metal access ramps descend between concrete walls enclosing two interior tanks, which are capped with reinforced concrete slabs that support the basin of the reflecting pool. The central steel structure is horizontally divided by metal decking and concrete slabs, while the facade features aluminum profiles holding flat, clear glass panes in varied tones.
This article was written by Santiago Baraya. The translation is powered by AI.
