LUIS BUNUEL ZARAGOZA WATER PARK

Zaragoza, Spain
Iñaki Alday, Margarita Jover, Christine Dalnoky

Zaragoza is located on the banks of the Ebro River in northern Spain, and is located in the center of the Aragon and Ebro basins. The city hosted the 2008 international exposition with the theme of “Water and Sustainable Development.” The Luis Buñuel Zaragoza Park was built on the expo grounds, which were intentionally planned to be used as the central business district after the conclusion of the event. The buildings that were constructed for the expo were repurposed into office spaces and government buildings, while the landmark buildings were purchased by local financial institutions. The water park was constructed from 2006-2008, and combined large open lawns for the exposition with recreational spaces and wetlands. The park is sited on rural land that was traditionally used for farming and communal woodlots, which was used as a design concept to allow the river to meander across farming plots without channelizing the Ebro. The path of the river, therefore, is culturally connected to the land use of the people. In addition, the wetlands are planted with over 40,000 shrubs and 25,000 trees, including poplars, ashes and willows that form a closed hydraulic system that purifies water from the River Ebro, filtering it naturally and cleaning the water that is used for bathing across three beaches in the park. In addition to these ecosystem services, the park includes an amphitheater and other spaces for bikers, hikers and recreational users.

2008
296 acres
647 feet above sea level

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