The Departmental Government of Río Negro (Uruguay) and the Inter-American Development Bank present the Microscapes – Tactical Micro Gardens competition, set within the Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape, which was declared a World Heritage Site in 2015.
The goal of the Tactical Micro Gardens competition is to revitalize an open space within the core of the former Anglo meatpacking plant, enhancing its historical, cultural, and tourism value. This initiative is founded on the desire to complement the ongoing recovery and enhancement of the Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape with an installation capable of catalyzing the activities and emotions of both Fray Bentos residents and visitors.
The Fray Bentos Industrial Landscape is an industrial-residential complex that originated in 1863 as Fray Bentos Giebert et Compagnie. In 1865, it was renamed Liebig’s Extract of Meat Company (LEMCO), specializing in the production and export of meat products. For over a century, the factory—renamed Frigorífico Anglo del Uruguay in 1924—stood as a premier example of meat production in Uruguay and globally, innovating in both the production and commercialization of its goods. For 116 years, the "world's great kitchen" exported to five continents until its final closure in 1979. In 1987, the complex was declared a National Historic Monument, the highest level of national protection for a property in Uruguay. This marked the beginning of a recovery and enhancement process that led to the former Anglo meatpacking plant's inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage list in 2015.
