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 the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Central University of Venezuela and 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.

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
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.

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
route to the river, with shaded spaces and pauses to contemplate the landscape

 

 

While traversing the valley, the team 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.

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
a gap that breaks the existing visual and physical density, defining the vestibule to the Turbio River

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
an architectural drawing in the landscape

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
the pavilion’s simple construction sees materials arranged with simple masonry

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
the space resembles a temple in an unexpected location

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
Cannes recreates a history of irrational land exploitation

dis_local gives rise to a series of pavilions and landscape interventions in río turbio valley
interacting with the landscape through primary gestures that enhances certain situations of the place

 

 

 

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project info:

 

name: Rio Turbio Valle Ribera

architecture: Dis_Local in collaboration with the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Central University of Venezuela and its Extramuros Teaching Unit 
location: Río Turbio valley, Venezuela

 

 

designboom has received this project from our DIY submissions feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

 

edited by: ravail khan | designboom