Urban banks of the river Ebro

Spain

The Tenerías–Las Fuentes riverside park project redefines the relationship between the city of Zaragoza and its fluvial system, establishing a continuous connection between the urban centre and the peri-urban natural landscapes of the Soto de Cantalobos and the Gállego river park. Through an integrative approach, the design creates a longitudinal network of routes that organizes and hierarchizes different mobility flows, clearly distinguishing between urban movements (vehicular, cycling, and pedestrian) and those linked to natural environments (sports, leisure, water-related and pedestrian activities).

A key aspect of the project is the restoration of both visual and physical connections with the Ebro river. The intervention enhances the longitudinal views towards the Basilica del Pilar, reinforcing the symbolic link between the project area and the historic city centre. At the same time, a controlled reshaping of the topography, using earthworks generated within the site, improves accessibility to the water level, overcoming existing barriers while creating new transitional spaces between the urban fabric and the river edge.

The regrading of the existing embankment, together with the restoration and clearing of the riverside vegetation, allows for a fluid and continuous relationship between city and nature, both visually and functionally. This strategy is reinforced at the confluence of the Huerva river, where a new 60-metre pedestrian bridge enhances connectivity between the Ebro and Huerva waterfronts, consolidating this location as a strategic node within the city’s river system.

In addition, the project incorporates facilities and public spaces that promote social and outdoor activities, supported by existing infrastructures such as the Union Bridge, reimagined as the main gateway to the park. Overall, the proposal transforms an underutilized area into a high-value ecological and civic corridor, capable of integrating uses, landscapes, and scales into a coherent and accessible urban system.

Landscaping