Park Diagonal Mar by Enric Miralles & Benedetta Tagliabue with EDAW

EDAW: Diagonal Mar, a retail and residential complex centered on a public park, completes Barcelona’s urban beachfront revitalization begun in 1989 for the Summer Olympic Games. Working with Robert A.M. Stern Architects and Spanish architect Enric Miralles, EDAW developed a master plan for the entire development.

Providing a gateway to the sea for locals and visitors, Parc Diagonal Mar features play areas, lakes, a waterfall, an outdoor café, a fountain and viewingmounds, all linked by paths that lead to the beach. The park is conceived as an abstract tapestry in plan view, and is enjoyed from above by high-rise residents.

Ecology played a meaningful role in the park’s design. Porous pavements minimize stormwater runoff. The use of native plant materials allows for reduced irrigation and pesticide use. A regional retention pond and sections of shoreline edged with aquatic plants provide first flush cleansing of stormwater, as well as a habitat for indigenous marine and bird species.