design for all adaptation and river beach requalification project

Valhelhas river beach (Guarda)

RIVER BEACH FOR ALL

After a severe fire in the natural park, this riverside area was severely affected. The floods in midwinter brought solid flow and caused destruction In the whole river beach.

It was necessary to find a simple solution for the summer until the river restauration project was finalized.

In this requalification we tried to create accessible conditions for everyone, such as a water ramp, signaling, parking for people with special needs and an information map.

The project was tested locally by people with special needs.

PROJECT CREDITS:

 Location: Valhelhas [Guarda];

Client: Guarda City Council;

Project Team:  Nuno Morais [ architect]; Carla Madeira [ landscape architects ];

Date: 2007.

PEDESTRIAN BRIDGE

Being located on a mountain river, the pedestrian bridge was built above the flood height. The bridge has ramps and stairs system that guarantee access for all and also for bicycles. This is the bridge that guarantees access to an Intermodal Station for those who make the Zêzere GR. To allow the passage of solid flow and also for the preservation of the river system the dike is completely removable. This dike has a fish ladder for trout, essential during the hot season.

PROJECT CREDITS:

Location: Valhelhas [Guarda];

Client: Guarda City Council;

Project Team:  Nuno Morais [ architect]; Carla Madeira [ landscape architects ];

Date: 2010

RIVER BEACH REQUALIFICATION

This project had the objective of requalifying the existing river beach, based on a master plan that included this beach and the camping site. This requalification had as premise the development of a proposal to function all year and not only in the summer. Being a mountain river and the beach located in a flood zone was also important to develop the equipments like restaurant, bar, bridge above the maximum flood level. In terms of use this project sought to limit the parking to two areas,  and reducing the current abusive circulation of car across the space. The project creates well-defined pedestrian paths that allow to reach all spaces both longitudinally or prependicular to the river.

In paths we chose permeable materials such as gravel with different shades, wooden deck or even soil. The secondarys and perpendicular paths ends on a wooden jetty near the  water. In the children’s playground rubber epdm was used in some elements, a sand box, hills to climb, space for stories and tree houses taking advantage of the existing alders. The riverbank would be requalified with the use of gabion, creating ramp access to the water and zones with vegetation like willows.

PROJECT CREDITS:

CLIENTE: Guarda City Council

STUDIO: Terrafacil, LDA

PROJECT TEAM:  Nuno Morais [architect]; Carla Madeira [landscape architects];

TOTAL COST: € 1 000 300,00 [ € 650 000,00 Landscape project ];

DATE: 2008 to 2009