Punta Piedra Microcité en Bord de Mer by Marcello Rodriguez Pons

Punta Piedra Microcité en Bord de Mer by Marcello Rodriguez Pons is a highly esteemed winner of the very prestigious 2025 A' Design Award d'Argent in Urbanisme Competition Category.

ArgentUrbanisme· 2025

Punta Piedra Microcité en Bord de Mer

by Marcello Rodriguez Pons

Client: Rodriguez Pons Architects

A' Design Award d'Argent Winner in Urbanisme Category

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The Design

About Punta Piedra Microcité en Bord de Mer

Punta Piedra est un développement de plan directeur en bord de mer dans la ville de Carmelo, en Uruguay. Il s'agit d'une microcité à échelle humaine, 100% écologique, basée sur le concept de la ville du quart d'heure. Sa forme ovale a été conçue comme un boulevard elliptique appelé la Gran Via, qui traverse l'ensemble du projet depuis la forêt intérieure jusqu'aux eaux du Rio de la Plata. Le long de celui-ci se trouvent des résidences, des bureaux, des zones commerciales et culturelles, des crèches, des écoles, le yacht-club, une promenade, des parcs et des plages qui lui confèrent une fonctionnalité et une présence d'intérêt public 24h/24 et 7j/7.

The Recognition

About the A' Design Award d'Argent

Punta Piedra Microcité en Bord de Mer est lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent, une reconnaissance énormément prestigieuse décernée à des designs haut de gamme, superbes et impressionnants. Les lauréats Argent sont des œuvres tout à fait brillantes et extrêmement créatives qui illustrent l'expertise, le talent et la perspicacité remarquables de leurs concepteurs. Punta Piedra Microcité en Bord de Mer est censé être une œuvre merveilleuse, une vitrine de savoir-faire, remarquablement professionnelle et profondément innovante. Ce design lauréat de l'A' Design Award d'Argent est une invention très notable et admirée, qui sert l'art, la science, le design et la technologie et en repousse les limites. Punta Piedra Microcité en Bord de Mer est une création très enviée qui éveille les désirs, apporte des sentiments positifs et suscite émerveillement et étonnement.

Behind the Design

Press Kit

Credits, team members and technical details provided by the designer.

Unique Properties: Punta Piedra is a new river waterfront masterplan development in the city of Carmelo, Uruguay. Its oval shape has been conceived as an elliptical boulevard called the Gran Via, which runs through the entire development from the high inland forest into the waters of the River de la Plata. Located all along it you can find residences, offices, commercial and cultural areas, nurseries, schools, the yacht club, promenade, parks and beaches to give it functionality, mixed use and public-spirited presence. Two high-rise towers crown the city view from the river which will be the new city icons.
Dimensions & Packaging: Location Colonia Uruguay, Total land area 910.000m2 (91 hectares), Built Up Area 450.000m2, Land occupation 78.000m2 only 8 %. Uses: marina, residential, offices, hotels, commercial, restaurants, church, cultural center, hospital and sports center. Housing units 3.500 Expected population 15.000 to 20.000 inhabitants (residents + visitors). 400 boats in the marina and 1200 boats in dry docks.
Tags: Marina, Microcity, 15 minutes, Oval, Waterfront, Yacht, Park, Carmelo, Uruguay
Production Technology: Construction and demolition waste (CDW) from the city of Montevideo, the country capital, will be used for filling the sheet pile walls and to produce new concrete and other materials for streets and buildings. The development aims to use 50% of recycled materials for all its new constructions.
Design Challenge: The waterfronts in this microcity are not dominated by residential developments. Why? Because these are places that are full of people, day and night. They are the sites of festivals, markets, fireworks display, concerts and other high energy gatherings. A high concentration of residential development limits the diversity of waterfront use and an ideal 24/7 hour activity from flourishing. This mixed use development was achieved with project explanation to privates and authorities vs their economic interests.
Research: The master plan is very respectful of the local topography, water influences (rains and tides) and plants (eucalyptus forest in the highlands & the mangroves by the river) and has adapted itself to preserve and enhance them, thus providing the maximum functionality and flexibility for the XXI century living requirements. All of it designed with rigorous rationality and adjusted to a viable budget and execution.
Inspiration: The initial idea of this neighborhood was to create vibrant public spaces and by extension an animated microcity. To do so, the waterfront promenade was designed with several public access points to the coast all along the masterplan, so people could participate of the coastline in many ways from swimming or fishing, dining or picnicking dockside, boarding boats to feeding the ducks. Creating these specific designed connection points also means enticing people to the waterfront on foot or bike and with that create a real community living place.
Project Duration: The masterplan project started in 2019 and was finished in late 2022. It was exhibited at the World Architecture Community New York, USA and other city planning conventions because of its compact and multi-use design concept. Phase 1 of the marina sheet pile walls and the promenade filling construction should be starting late 2025.
Operation Flow: This will be a human scale waterfront microcity. The masterplan is based on a 15 minutes city premise: the proximity of everything you need in a city (residences, workplace, supermarkets and shops, nurseries, schools, culture and parks) are within a very short distance on foot or by bicycle. Additionally, 100% ecologically oriented with plug-in services transport for electrical vehicles (EV city) have also been designed.
Patents: Rodriguez Pons / Architects - Copyrights holder in Uruguay, book 39, registration number 693