Parklife has triumphed over division with the announcement that a binational riverpark will be built on land previously earmarked for the US-Mexico border wall.
The border town of Laredo in Texas had been resigned to the construction of a concrete and steel wall which threatened to separate the city and its people from the Rio Grande river – but building contracts have been cancelled following a spirited campaign by the No Border Wall Coalition.
Instead, officials from Laredo are working with colleagues in Nuevo Laredo (Tamaulipas) on a shared vision to create an ecological restoration area between the two cities.
The 1,000-acre project will encompass a mile-long stretch along the river’s urban cores, framed by bridges and an amphitheatre, plus a three-mile recreation area.
A binational bridge will link US and Mexican citizens to a shared community space – subject to checking through customs.
Overland Partners, a San Antonio-based urban architect, has been designing the project’s designs. The project aims to stimulate commerce, boost tourism, and improve habitats along river.
“It reclaims our shared history, spurs the economy, promotes security on both sides of the river, and restores the ecological treasure we call home,” the company said. “The first of its kind, this international conservation project enhances our quality of life and serves as a prototype for border cities around the world to follow.”
Main image: Artist renderings. Credit: Overland Partners Architects
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