Málaga City Council has proposed awarding ESTEYCO the contract to develop the detailed design for the hydraulic improvement, enhanced cross-river connectivity and renaturalisation of the Guadalmedina. The €1.45 million contract builds on the preliminary design previously developed by the company and marks a further step towards the transformation of this strategic urban corridor.

The transformation of the Guadalmedina has taken another step forward. Málaga City Council’s Tender Committee has proposed ESTEYCO as the successful bidder for the detailed design of the hydraulic improvement, enhanced cross-river connectivity and renaturalisation of the section between Armiñán Bridge and the El Perchel pedestrian footbridge.

The contract, which is still pending formalisation, is worth €1,446,651.23, including VAT, has an 11-month delivery period and will be 50% co-financed by the Regional Government of Andalusia.

The proposed award builds on ESTEYCO’s work during the preliminary design phase and will enable the technical development of an intervention aimed at improving Málaga’s relationship with the Guadalmedina, enhancing flood resilience, restoring the river environment and creating new connections and public spaces between both banks.

From preliminary design to detailed design

ESTEYCO will now move into a new phase of the project. During the first months, technical studies, testing and diagnostic work will be carried out to further define the proposed solutions. This will be followed by the preparation of the technical documentation required for the future procurement of the construction works.

The project includes lowering and reshaping the longitudinal profile of the riverbed and transforming it into a river park, the design of five bridge plazas, an irrigation system, the strengthening and widening of existing structures that are to be retained, and the works required to connect the new interventions with the surrounding urban road network.

All these elements will be developed through a multidisciplinary approach integrating engineering, architecture, urban planning, landscape design, hydraulics, mobility and sustainability.

 

Five bridge plazas to connect the city

The five bridge plazas will be among the most distinctive elements of the transformation. Conceived as new public spaces for connection and gathering, they will strengthen links between the neighbourhoods on both sides of the Guadalmedina and contribute to the river’s greater integration into the urban fabric.

The five interventions will be located at La Regente, San Quintín, San Rafael, La Trinidad and Santo Domingo, creating approximately 12,300 m² of new public space.

Their design will take into account their future integration with the side boulevards planned as part of the wider transformation of the area, addressing aspects such as paving, vegetation, lighting and street furniture.

The undergrounding of road traffic and the overall redevelopment of the streets running alongside the river are not part of this first phase. However, the project will include a preliminary proposal for the future boulevards and assess the impact of the works on traffic.

A green corridor designed around flood resilience

The transformation is based on a fundamental principle: restoring the Guadalmedina as an urban and environmental asset without compromising its hydraulic function.

The project will build on the solutions developed during the preliminary design phase and further define the measures required to ensure that the hydraulic performance of the river channel and protection against potential flooding are fully compatible with its integration into the city.

The proposal has received a favourable report from the Directorate-General for Water Resources of the Regional Government of Andalusia and envisages the renaturalisation of the Guadalmedina through the creation of a green corridor and river park, incorporating sustainability and climate change adaptation criteria.

The overall transformation currently envisaged includes a 76,115 m² green corridor and a linear park approximately 1.4 kilometres long, of which around 48,000 m² would correspond to the renaturalised riverbed.

The project will also assess a range of sustainability solutions, including sustainable drainage systems and the potential integration of geothermal energy associated with the river channel structures.

 

Public participation throughout the design process

The project will also include a public participation plan aimed at involving Málaga residents in the design process and in the future use of the new spaces.

This process will run in parallel with the development of the detailed design and will include different participation mechanisms, such as workshops, surveys and public sessions, allowing proposals and contributions to be gathered throughout the various stages of the project.

 

A further step in a strategic transformation for Málaga

The proposed award strengthens ESTEYCO’s involvement in a project of significant technical and urban complexity and builds on the knowledge developed during the preliminary design phase.

The objective of this new stage is to turn the solutions developed to date into a fully defined technical project that will enable further progress towards the future implementation of the planned interventions.

With this new commission, ESTEYCO continues to bring its multidisciplinary expertise to the transformation of the Guadalmedina, combining engineering, architecture and nature to help create a more connected, resilient and sustainable Málaga.