Mangrove City Park
Cliënt:
Ministerie van VVRP, afdeling Domein Beheer/ CCM Engineering
Program:
Park
Location:
Rif Otrabanda, Curacao
Year:
2022
Status:
Completed
We designed the new Mangrove City Park with a strong focus on biodiversity and nature-inclusive design. However, transforming this unique area into a welcoming public park a lot needed to change…
Since Mangrove City Park is a public space, we made the design process collaborative by involving all key stakeholders in a co-design approach. This ensured that the park reflects the community’s needs and values.
From open water to park
Until the 1950s, this area was open water. The silt flowing into the site from Otrobanda created an ideal breeding ground for mangroves. By the 1950s, a dense mangrove “forest” had developed in the Rifwater between the Benny Leito swimming pool and the Holiday Beach hotel.
According to the 2012 ABC report “Development of Reef Mangroves in Otrobanda” (commissioned by Amigu di Tera), the park is home to three mangrove species: Languncularia (white mangrove), Avicennia (black mangrove), and Rhizophora (red mangrove). Despite the negative impact of uncontrolled nutrient influx—mainly from wastewater discharge—this area remains ecologically special, boasting diverse species.
Green oasis
Nowhere else in the city center do we have such a high concentration of greenery of such a large size (about 275mx275m). Even before its transformation, walking along the few existing trails offered a unique experience—if you could manage the unpleasant stench. The calming absence of city noise, the chirping of birds, and the lush greenery create a true urban oasis.
Stopping the pollution
To turn the mangrove area into a healthy public park, remediation was essential, and stopping sewage pollution was a top priority. This was not part of our project, but we put a temporary solution in place early on. By May 2022 the water in the park already had reached European swimming water quality.
After the park was finished they kept on working on the new sewage system, which will guarantee that sewage water will not be discharged in to the area.
Co-designing
As it is a public space we wanted to make this a co-design process. The design process was organized through a series of workshops with all known stakeholders. With the first workshop it was the goal to define the requirements of the project. From there we continued the interactive process until the specification drawings were finished.
With our design we chose to stay in harmony with nature. That’s why wood, or wood-based composites, are the predominant materials used. We didn’t want the new, human-made elements to overshadow nature. For example: we added a lookout tower – but we placed it outside the dense vegetation. This way, no trees had to be cut down. It also keeps those areas peaceful for the wildlife.
Adding canals
Improving water quality and making this a nice area to stay in were key goals. This also meant that we needed to free the area from mosquitos. Since mosquitoes take about 7 to 14 days to develop from egg to adult, it was necessary to create a water flow every two weeks. Engineers began by simulating tidal water flow and confirmed that water could be refreshed every 14 days through natural tidal movements. To facilitate this flow, a minimum number of canals had to be constructed.
We designed the canals to create interesting (canoeing) routes that enhance the park’s recreational appeal. Visitors can choose to explore the park via the water or via the walking paths. At the intersections of the walking routes, paths have been raised to form meeting places with the canoeists. We raised bridges by 60 cm at these points, providing enough clearance for canoes to pass underneath. Thanks to the gentle slopes, the paths are also wheelchair-friendly. Benches placed at these intersections encourage interaction, making them natural gathering spots where visitors can meet and connect.
Planning
The park was finished in 2022, it was opened by Princess Beatrix. You can read more info about the Mangrove City Park in the brochure.
Gallery
Team:
Lyongo Juliana
Andry Maduro
Partners:
CCM Engineering
Contractor:
Heuvelman Ibis B.V.
We designed the new Mangrove City Park with a strong focus on biodiversity and nature-inclusive design. However, transforming this unique area into a welcoming public park a lot needed to change…
Since Mangrove City Park is a public space, we made the design process collaborative by involving all key stakeholders in a co-design approach. This ensured that the park reflects the community’s needs and values.
From open water to park
Until the 1950s, this area was open water. The silt flowing into the site from Otrobanda created an ideal breeding ground for mangroves. By the 1950s, a dense mangrove “forest” had developed in the Rifwater between the Benny Leito swimming pool and the Holiday Beach hotel.
According to the 2012 ABC report “Development of Reef Mangroves in Otrobanda” (commissioned by Amigu di Tera), the park is home to three mangrove species: Languncularia (white mangrove), Avicennia (black mangrove), and Rhizophora (red mangrove). Despite the negative impact of uncontrolled nutrient influx—mainly from wastewater discharge—this area remains ecologically special, boasting diverse species.
Green oasis
Nowhere else in the city center do we have such a high concentration of greenery of such a large size (about 275mx275m). Even before its transformation, walking along the few existing trails offered a unique experience—if you could manage the unpleasant stench. The calming absence of city noise, the chirping of birds, and the lush greenery create a true urban oasis.
Stopping the pollution
To turn the mangrove area into a healthy public park, remediation was essential, and stopping sewage pollution was a top priority. This was not part of our project, but we put a temporary solution in place early on. By May 2022 the water in the park already had reached European swimming water quality.
After the park was finished they kept on working on the new sewage system, which will guarantee that sewage water will not be discharged in to the area.
Co-designing
As it is a public space we wanted to make this a co-design process. The design process was organized through a series of workshops with all known stakeholders. With the first workshop it was the goal to define the requirements of the project. From there we continued the interactive process until the specification drawings were finished.
With our design we chose to stay in harmony with nature. That’s why wood, or wood-based composites, are the predominant materials used. We didn’t want the new, human-made elements to overshadow nature. For example: we added a lookout tower – but we placed it outside the dense vegetation. This way, no trees had to be cut down. It also keeps those areas peaceful for the wildlife.
Adding canals
Improving water quality and making this a nice area to stay in were key goals. This also meant that we needed to free the area from mosquitos. Engineers began by simulating tidal water flow and confirmed that water could be refreshed every 14 days through natural tidal movements. To facilitate this flow, a minimum number of canals had to be constructed.
We designed the canals to create interesting (canoeing) routes that enhance the park’s recreational appeal. Visitors can choose to explore the park via the water or via the walking paths. At the intersections of the walking routes, paths have been raised to form meeting places with the canoeists. We raised bridges by 60 cm at these points, providing enough clearance for canoes to pass underneath. Thanks to the gentle slopes, the paths are also wheelchair-friendly. Benches placed at these intersections encourage interaction, making them natural gathering spots where visitors can meet and connect.
Planning
The park was finished in 2022, it was opened by Princess Beatrix. You can read more info about the Mangrove City Park in the brochure.
Gallery
Team:
Lyongo Juliana
Andry Maduro
Partners:
CCM Engineering
Contractor:
Heuvelman Ibis B.V.
