Slide and mermaid

Carpa Olivera in Mexico

History

Origi­nally built in 1915 and inspired by sea pools in Lisbon, the Carpa Olivera was a social center on Olas Altas beach in the Historic Center of Mazatlan, a city in the Mexican state of Sinaloa. Many famous people of that time gathered and socia­lized here, and it was a must for every tourist. In 1954 Carpa Olivera was devas­tated by a hurri­cane, leaving it in aban­don­ment, but with time people came to use the pool. In the year 2004 it had a remo­de­ling that soon fell into neglect and vanda­lism.

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Idea

As a proac­tive team that gene­rates ideas for impro­ving their city, Colec­tivo Urbano, composed by five archi­tec­ture, land­sca­ping and urba­nist firms, made the proposal to rescue this public space to the Mazatlan Invest­ment Unit, led by the archi­tect Roberto Diaz. Propo­sing to recycle, clean and return this pool fed by tidal water to it´s sple­ndor, and inte­grate a new playful element: a spiral slide that drama­ti­cally promotes the social reac­ti­va­tion for local and tourist, where children and fami­lies have fun. This element acts as a strong singular sculp­ture by the sea.

Slide

As a sustainable stra­tegy, a commer­cial space that will be proposed conces­sion, giving due atten­tion to the main­ten­ance and moni­to­ring of the site, ensu­ring optimum opera­tion condi­tions without direct cost to the city of Mazatlan. On the top level and connected to the pede­strian sea wall is an open area, that serves as a lookout and where a pre-exis­ting sculp­ture is relo­cated, allo­wing pede­strians to rest in a peri­meter bench while watching the horizon and the beau­tiful Mazatlan sunsets.

Ramp

Descen­ding the ramp is a surrounded stepped square fitted out as an area of shade, crea­ting an oasis of coconut palm trees, which inter­con­nects to the snack bar. On the lower level you get to an area where there is a long bench, where you can contem­p­late the good fun and the dancing water foun­tain, where children recreate before ente­ring the sea pool or climb the water slide to enjoy the wet rush it offers. At this level on the end, we find rest­rooms and shower offe­ring a complete service.

Project data

Architect

Colec­tivo Urbano
Archi­tektur:
[H] arqui­tectos
Jacque­line Meixueiro, Roberto Díaz, Javier Hidalgo
EPAr­qui­tectos
Emilio Castañón, Erick Pérez , David Escobar.

Team

Cata­lina López, Sacnité Flores, Fran­cisco Pérez, Manuel Bernal, Georg Glau­bitz

Operator

Mazatlan Invest­ment Unit

Opening

2014

Author

Colec­tivo Urbano

Address

Mazatlán
Sinaloa
Mexico

Aerial view

Thank you, Google!

Photograph

Onnis Luque

Images

Videos

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