Winners of the Mar Azul Reserve Master Plan Competition, Argentina

The winners of the Ideas Competition for the “Reserva” Master Plan have been announced. The competition sought proposals for the development of a 167-hectare site commonly known as “Camping de Ingenieros,” located along the Argentine Sea coast in the town of Mar Azul, in the municipality of Villa Gesell, Buenos Aires Province.

The area is located in a territory of high environmental and scenic value, typical of the Buenos Aires coastal region. Its unique location is characterized by a dual land-sea condition and the intersection of a Buenos Aires dune ecosystem with the southern urban expansion of the Villa Gesell municipality. These two conditions presented a highly complex and singular challenge. The competition called for innovative proposals and design ideas aimed at collective well-being, in harmonious coexistence with the area's natural, environmental, and scenic resources, featuring low energy consumption and a proactive vision to improve the quality of life in the area. Discover the winning teams below:

First Prize

• Authors: Arch. Guillermo Lesch and  Arch. Leticia Alfaro
• Consultants: Arch. Axel Tanner, Santiago Belozercovsky, Arch. Pablo Vilas
• Collaborator: Arch. Patricio Dato.

Description submitted by the authors: The Argentine coast has been severely degraded by coastal developments designed around abstract models lacking a sensitive interpretation of the landscape. Therefore, designing a new oceanfront development presents a significant opportunity to restore this relationship. The line where the urban area begins cannot be pushed right up against the sea; it cannot be a straight, abstract boundary or a border. For this reason, the proposal suggests that the “reserve” should not be a sealed compartment, but should connect with the site as a whole—respecting the dunes not just in width, but also in depth. The goal, then, is not to “freeze” a portion of the landscape, but to foster a “relationship.”

Proposal

To enhance the native landscape, the design preserves natural topographical features. In doing so, the boundary between the urban and the natural is blurred, establishing a new relationship where the layout meets the coastal reserve. Consequently, the highest points of the site are transformed into an environmental park, along with the 250 meters facing the ocean. This elevated ridge and the natural inlet on the beach are utilized to strengthen a main transverse landscape axis—a backbone that organizes the entire development, culminating in the environmental park at the sea. From the highest points on the elevated walkways, views of the horizon and the sea open up. This concept runs through the entire development, providing unity, identity, and a sense of belonging to each sector.

From every area, visitors can perceive and access the environmental park, which features themed attractions along its path: children's playgrounds, native plant nurseries, eco-adventure zones, wetlands, craft fairs, and an organic market, all culminating in the coastal promenade. This entire edge promenade promotes public use and fosters community life and gatherings through running tracks, bike paths, an outdoor amphitheater, and, above all, full accessibility to the beach. The landscape interpretation center is located at this point; aimed at promoting sustainable practices and environmental education, it serves as the cornerstone of a new paradigm in our relationship with the environment.

The Layout

The layout is subordinated to the topography and natural landscape. Taking Mar Azul as a starting point, the proposal continues the urban grid while modifying its dynamics, atmosphere, and speed. Vehicular circulation is designed to slow down, inviting drivers to pause, contemplate, and become aware that they are entering a natural environment with its own dynamics, where the landscape takes center stage.

Nodes

A clear system of circulation and legibility of the urban layout is established.

1. Access to the site finds its first access node in relation to the entrance from the highway and the neighborhood service axis street.
2. Continuing along Punta del Este Street, in Mar Azul, at the intersection with the park's spine, a central node is created in the commercial area.
3. The coastal path and the park's axis also find their node, providing access to the interpretation center.

Uses

Land uses align with the dynamics of the site. By running through the entire development, the park axis maximizes the number of front-facing lots integrated into the native landscape. The strip closest to the coast is reserved for multi-family and hotel use, allowing a larger number of people to access this privilege—democratizing access to the oceanfront.

The commercial sector is set back to draw activity into the central area, designed as an open-air shopping promenade typical of the coast. It features warm, natural materials that blend into the landscape, avoiding visual and structural pollution. As the most public use after the environmental park, it is merged with it to create synergy and extensive pedestrian pathways that culminate in the coastal node. The single-family housing area is organized around a system of landscape reserve buffers, protecting the high points of the existing topography and providing privacy to the lots. Although these are public-access spaces, they will contribute to its preservation.

Second Prize

• Authors: Arch. Silvestre Castellani and Prisma arquitectura (Arch. Francisco Espósito, Arch. Guido Quiró, and Arch. Emiliano Santagada)

Description submitted by the authors: The Villa Gesell municipality is characterized by being a narrow strip of land along the Atlantic Ocean—a dune-covered territory separating the pampa from the sea. Due to its characteristics, the sustainability of this territory relies entirely on the beach. Currently, there is no other factor supporting the economic viability of the towns in the municipality other than tourism.

As a primary premise, the project proposes a connection to the beach from the west of the municipality through a large park that will serve as a territorial landmark. This integrates the entire development and its surroundings while maintaining a permanent connection with nature. Consequently, the East-West (or beach-park) relationship is promoted, where access to the beach spans the entire length of the site. The landscape's configuration emerges from the dunes. The proposal begins by stabilizing the existing dunes and utilizes the topography's maximum elevation changes. The highest elevations will host an elevated walkway through the dunes, enhancing the surrounding landscape through small support interventions (culminating in viewpoints) that reinforce and emphasize the connection to the sea from various locations. This linear park represents a shift in how the existing territory is occupied, making the sea and the dunes visible and recognizable.

From an ecological perspective, the dune system consists of successive, interconnected vegetation bands. The maintenance and development of dune habitats depend on the continuity of vegetation zones and their connections; therefore, the proposed east-west linearity of the park will reproduce a land transect that includes this natural gradient.

With its unique dimensions and characteristics, the park will host multiple public activities at a regional scale, offering a comprehensive year-round service for both tourists and locals in constant contact with the dune landscape. Connecting spaces for outdoor cultural and sports activities, land for future municipal uses (citizen services) directly linked to the park, and a small commercial area on the beach fronted by the park's interpretation center will foster overlapping activities and users, bridging tourists and locals, winter and summer, day and night.

The different components of the project allow for open and flexible urban management models, enabling various development phases based on future planning scenarios. The park proposal, the continuity of Mar Azul's established urban fabric, the design of a new beach resort accompanied by the new interpretation center, or the new commercial sector connecting the beach and the park are all viable starting points for the proposed urban development.

Third Prize

• Authors: Arch. Paula Siri Marcellino and Arch. Santiago Javier Luis
• Collaborator: Matías Sicardi