That the river is a significant element for the City of Buenos Aires is nothing new. It was through this waterway that the first founders arrived, the products of the land departed, and the labor and machinery needed to build a nation made their entry. This geographical feature holds deep historical significance and has acquired great symbolic value on an urban scale. Therefore, this article compiles a series of projects that, centering on the City-River relationship, demonstrate how these two elements can be bridged to create new areas of opportunity.
Although this natural feature once maintained an intimate, close connection with the urban fabric (in 1864, state officials had only to open the windows of the Casa Rosada to enjoy views of the river and its characteristic breezes), over the years, a succession of different events contributed to its gradual separation from the city and, consequently, its inhabitants. Today, for example, more than two kilometers separate the Barrancas de Belgrano from the Río de la Plata. This “reclaimed land” is a direct consequence of the thousands of tons of landfill dumped into the river, originating from urban works that required major demolitions (such as the opening of Avenida 9 de Julio and the Diagonales Norte and Sur, or the construction of the 25 de Mayo and Perito Moreno highways).
