Ecatepec Bicentennial Park by Taller Capital: A Model of Urban Regeneration and Water Infrastructure in Mexico

Located in Ecatepec de Morelos, part of the greater metropolitan area of Mexico City, Ecatepec Bicentennial Park is a groundbreaking 20-hectare landscape and urban design intervention completed in 2023. Designed by Taller Capital, the project reclaims a formerly enclosed and abandoned public space, transforming it into a resilient urban park that integrates water management infrastructure, ecological restoration, and social programming.

Positioned in one of Mexico’s most densely populated and environmentally vulnerable municipalities, the park addresses critical issues including flooding, aquifer depletion, erosion, insecurity, and lack of quality public space. The result is a powerful example of sustainable urban design that merges architecture, landscape architecture, and environmental engineering into a cohesive civic strategy.

A Soft Infrastructure Strategy for Water Management

Terraced Landscape Design for Erosion Control and Aquifer Recharge

The core concept of Ecatepec Bicentennial Park lies in its soft infrastructure approach to stormwater management. Situated on sloped terrain, the design transforms the hillside into a system of water retention terraces, reviving a historical method used to mitigate erosion and retain soil.

The terraces are structured with L-shaped concrete retaining walls, forming a minimal yet highly efficient construction system. These terraces are filled with tezontle, a local porous volcanic gravel known for its sponge-like properties. This material allows rainwater and runoff to slowly infiltrate into the subsoil, replenishing the overexploited aquifer of the Mexico City basin.

Key water management features include:

• Natural infiltration terraces filled with porous volcanic stone
• Soil stabilization and erosion mitigation strategies
• A 17,500 m³ regulating basin capturing runoff from a seasonal stream
• Flood mitigation systems protecting downstream urban areas

This integrated ecological design reduces flood risks while transforming the park into an active environmental agent within the metropolitan watershed.

Urban Connectivity and Public Safety Through Design

Reconnecting a Fragmented Urban Fabric

Before intervention, the park was surrounded by fencing and perceived as unsafe. The design strategy directly addressed insecurity and social fragmentation by removing barriers and reconnecting neighborhoods to the north and south.

Former dead-end streets were extended into the park, becoming pedestrian corridors that structure circulation and public programming. These cross streets activate the site and improve urban permeability, turning the park into a connector rather than an isolated enclave.

To enhance safety:

• A lookout tower was introduced in previously underused areas
• A comprehensive lighting system enables safe nighttime use
• Low-lying vegetation was removed to improve cross visibility
• 450 new trees were planted to increase shaded areas and canopy cover

The result is a public space that fosters surveillance through activity, visibility, and accessibility, demonstrating how landscape architecture can address social resilience.

Programmatic Activation and Community Engagement

Designing for Recreation, Movement, and Social Interaction

Ecatepec Bicentennial Park goes beyond environmental repair. It introduces diverse programming elements that encourage daily use and social cohesion.

Newly integrated features include:

• Playgrounds and children’s areas
• Calisthenics and fitness zones
• Parkour spaces
• Rest areas and kiosks distributed throughout the site

Additionally, deteriorated sanitary structures were recycled and transformed into open, naturally ventilated buildings that allow light and sound permeability. This adaptive reuse strategy reinforces sustainability while reducing maintenance costs.

The park is no longer a neglected void: it is now a vibrant civic landscape supporting physical activity, informal gathering, and community life.

Landscape Architecture as Ecological Infrastructure

The project exemplifies how landscape architecture can function as climate-responsive infrastructure. By integrating hydrological systems into public space design, the park improves both environmental performance and social value.

Its terraced topography:

• Encourages rainwater infiltration
• Reduces surface runoff
• Prevents soil erosion
• Supports native vegetation growth

By multiplying tree coverage and improving canopy density, the park contributes to urban cooling and microclimate regulation, essential strategies in rapidly urbanizing regions.

This design demonstrates that parks can serve as urban water infrastructure, not merely recreational green areas.

Architecture as a Catalyst for Urban Transformation

Ecatepec Bicentennial Park stands as a compelling example of how architecture and urban design can retroactively repair fragmented territories. In a context characterized by informal growth, limited public investment, and environmental stress, the project introduces a replicable model for sustainable public space development in Latin America.

The intervention shifts the perception of the site from neglected land to ecological asset. It improves community safety, strengthens neighborhood connections, and restores environmental balance.

By merging hydrology, topography, and social programming, Taller Capital positions architecture as a proactive tool for climate adaptation and urban regeneration.

All photographs are works of  Rafael Gamo, Alejandra Romo, Loreta Castro Reguera