Tijuana Inter-commons: Engaging a Forgotten River

December 18, 2012

Urban Systems Studio

RISD
Spring 2012
Instructors: Elizabeth Dean Hermann, Daniel Hewett

Concept

The largest gap, or rupture, in the urban fabric of the Tijuana metropolis is the massive 300’ wide channelized Tijuana River. Currently, this is a concrete drainage canal that cuts through the center of this thriving city. The river is a virtual dead zone that the city has literally, and figuratively, turned its back on. My proposal looks at restoring the river, and Tijuana, to an earlier state that prized and celebrated this natural resource. Placing emphasis on the the river will make this new occupiable space a center of recreation, learning, and will give residents (and visitors) a new symbol of pride. The idea is to strategically “stitch” the city back together at key points along the river, thus turning the focus of the urban center back to the river. I also propose that the river edge break free from the channel, and expand to once again engage the city.

My concept also proposes an “inter-commons” space by opening up the U.S./Mexico border where the river crosses the existing border. A newly restored river channel will feed cleaner waters into the existing estuary near the border. This redesigned channel will also allow U.S. residents uninterrupted access into the rich urban core of Tijuana via a new ecologically rich river-way. Alternatively, the river will bring Mexican residents into the diverse and open estuary on the U.S. side. There will be a symbiotic relationship apparent between the two countries that does not care about man-made borders. New programmatic elements such as walking and bike paths, markets, park space, and cultural elements such as museums, schools, and libraries will be focused on the river. Also, the rich existing cultural amenities once segregated by the river will now be re-connected on the and by the waterway.

The Tijuana River was channelized to resist and control flooding. This new river state will embrace and accept flood waters as an inevitable occurrence. The concrete of the channel will be removed and replaced with native vegetation, and a less channelized (and more natural) water flow pattern. The large berms that were built to control the water, but also restrict access to the river, will be removed at points to allow people in the city to have a more integrated relationship with the river. Water will leave the channel during periods of high water, and either flood areas of the city, or be directed into holding pools within the city. While some flooding will be inevitable with this system, the idea that water will once again be seen and felt will foster a more healthy relationship and respect for the importance and force of water. The goal is to bring people of all economic levels, nationalities, and ethnicities together around a scarce resource that is especially vital, and sacred, in the desert environment.