breathing new life into Río Turbio valley
In the depths of the Río Turbio valley, Dis_Local, a platform uniting Venezuelan architects and urban experts from across the globe, has realized a series of landscape interventions. Together with a network of global collaborators, over the course of five days, the participants delved into a comprehensive exploration of the area, fostering an intricate understanding of its geography, nature, materials, and historical significance.
Searching for a starting point in the built work to develop a theory about the river, the journey sought to bridge the past, the present, and future ideals, re-establishing the connection between humanity and nature through the medium of architectural exploration. The result is a group of frugal, light, and experimental architectural pavilions that renews the timeless bond between humanity and its environment.
all images courtesy of Dis_Local
dis_local unites venezuelan and global collaborators
The expedition and research process were marked by an array of activities — from site visits and immersive experiences to documentation through photography, video, interviews, cartography, and intuitive drawings. Together, the team sought to unearth the ‘genius loci’, the intrinsic essence and logic of the place. The workshop methodology artfully interwove architectural principles with insights from history, geology, hydrology, botany, agriculture, cinema, and literature. The initiative is underscored by an agenda to awaken the city dweller’s sensitivity to their surroundings, encouraging them to interact with the valley, and ultimately, inhabit it
Within the picturesque terrain of the Río Turbio valley, a bucolic expanse framed by rolling hills and a vast plateau, remnants of a sugar mill, traces of coal in the soil, and lingering memories of cane and ash painted a vivid historical tapestry. It was a landscape adorned with debris and ruins from a bygone era, while sand and gravel mines nod to its industrial past. All this was intertwined with La Ribereña, a meandering border road that both united and separated, leading to a fragile network of beds and coordinates of a city that faced three near-extinctions in its early history.
While traversing the valley, Dis_Local explored the diversity of the space, uncovering the value of water as a transformative agent of soils and social dynamics over time, and identifying the Indigenous Path within the valley. This historic trail traced the footsteps of the land’s original inhabitants, those who dominated the territory with cities and agriculture long before the colonial era. Today, this 1.5 kilometer path weaves from the Tarabana savannah, home to the Hacienda Santa Rita, to the confluence of the Turbio and Claro Rivers. Here, in the footsteps of the valley’s ancestors, Dis_Local has realized a series of six interventions united by a shared vision. Located along the dirt path, these installations invite visitors to pause, contemplate, and engage with the surroundings. From Cannes to Nest (Opus), Riverbed, Cují, and Araguaney (Bench and Tree) to Chapel, each intervention calls for introspection on the place, its history, and its connection to the people who inhabit it.
project info:
name: Rio Turbio Valle Ribera
architecture: Dis_Local
location: Río Turbio valley, Venezuela
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edited by: ravail khan | designboom