Remodeling of Plaza del Charco

• ClientCabildo de Tenerife
• PlacePuerto de La Cruz, Santa Cruz de Tenerife
• CoauthorsFélix Perera Pérez_Architect

A new topography configures the plaza´s new landscape. Mild garden slopes accommodate the existent vegetation and the new suggested uses, configuring a series of pathways and rest areas, which form the proposed new plaza. The primary objective pursued with the proposal is to enlarge the plaza towards the limitation represented by the surrounding buildings, thus enhancing the existing commercial façades. This, together with a change in level of the plaza itself, permits maintaining the relation Plaza-Port through its main access from the sea. The second objective is to preserve the existent vegetation and to make it compatible with the change in ground level of the plaza. This is obtained by creating garden areas that incorporate the existent trees and establish mild passable topographies. That way, the plaza is modeled like clay giving form to the different gardens, pavements, ponds, paths and playgrounds. The third objective is to intensify the axis made of Calle Quintana-Calle Puerto Viejo, presently disrupted. The new topography is modeled to allow the continuation of this axis, and thus completing the main pedestrian artery through the historical center, longitudinally connecting San Telmo with El Peñón and Playa Jardín. The yam tree (ñamera), which belongs to the collective memory, is preserved as the fundamental vegetal element. Modeling its space into a pond (charco) pays reference to the name of the plaza. The cafe and surrounding stands are restructured to resemble incrusted rocks in the new topography. Within the new topography, neighboring the portside entrance and sheltered from wind and sun, the children´s playground is designed. A continuous pavement made of red rubber, contrasting the green vegetation, accommodates the different plays, which utilize the topography as support for the slides. This area is embraced by a shady terrace, from which the parents can supervise their children.