The City Council of Madrid is erecting a monumental 10-metre high fountain in the Plaza de la América Española, which will be the main entrance to the future Parque Ventas. It will surpass the size of the iconic Cibeles and Neptune.
The works for Parque Ventas, the large floating forest over the M-30, hid a monumental surprise. The City Council of Madrid has begun to lay the foundation for a 10-metre high fountain in the Plaza de la América Española, which will become the access point to the new park. At this height, it will outdo two city icons: Cibeles and Neptune, which stand at eight metres.
A Concrete Monolith with Waterfalls
The fountain, designed by the Works and Equipment department, consists of a vertical monolith with three curved walls of reinforced concrete whose heights range between seven and ten metres. The circular shapes capture the geometric spirit that underpins the entire Parque Ventas project. Three curtains of water will cascade from the upper reservoir into a circular pond with a diameter of seven metres at the base.
The sound of water will not only refresh the atmosphere on hot days but will also create a relaxing sound environment. At night, the pond's lighting promises a visual spectacle: luminous aquatic shapes will be drawn on the walls while the waterfall is active. The Madrid City Council assures that the fountain will serve as an urban landmark from a distance at the intersection of Alejandro González, Sancho Dávila, Almería, and Marqués de Mondíjar streets.
A Green Threshold with Benches and Flowerbeds
Surrounding the monolith, there will be landscaped flowerbeds with granite benches facing the fountain. The idea is to create a resting space where vegetation, water, sound, and lighting coexist in harmony. This will be the prestigious threshold for the future garden between the districts of Ciudad Lineal and Salamanca.
The fountain will not be the tallest in Madrid: that honour belongs to the fountain of Juan de Villanueva in the Parque del Oeste, which stands at 21 metres. However, it will take second place in the ranking, surpassing Cibeles and Neptune, which measure eight metres. The new feature has yet to be named.
A Forest on 128 Columns
Parque Ventas is situated on a platform of 16,370 square metres supported by 128 concrete pillars. On top of it, a layer of one and a half metres of soil is being poured, with root barriers to prevent the trees from damaging the waterproofing. Aeration cells ensure optimal moisture for root development, a technique already used in Madrid Río and the Pedro Bosch axis.
The total weight of the forest will be around 110,000 tonnes. The columns are designed to withstand even the passage of battle tanks in case of war, a specification inherited from the 1980s, as explained by Javier Nájera, head of the City Council's structures service. Urbanisation works have accelerated since April, and the park is expected to open to the public next spring.
Meanwhile, drivers crossing the maze of the M-30 every day can already see the mound of earth rising above the platform. The fountain, which will be ready this autumn, will be the first visible landmark of a project that promises to change the area's appearance.
You may also like
