The City Council of Bilbao embarked on a major renovation of its Parque Etxebarria which included a new forested area, lake, pathways, trails, and two aquatic play spaces. The latter were included to enhance the park’s overall entertainment value and to make it a more attractive and refreshing space.
Vortex created a unique 140 sq.m. Splashpad® that has made Parque Etxebarria the epicenter for children’s fun. A variety of nature-inspired water features were selected, including the Bamboo Tree No1 and Bamboo Tree No2. And elements such as Seaweed No1 and Bamboo Ring have intuitive 360-degree rotation without any pinch points, promoting interaction and communication skills among children.
A more subdued cooling zone, CoolHub™, was also introduced in another section of the park. A series of Vortex Glomist water features combine to provide a refreshing experience, as a soft water mist is released at a soothing, pleasant temperature. This energy-efficient product was an ideal solution for this urban space.
A Smartflow™ water management system was selected to manage both aquatic play areas; Smartflow™ optimizes water usage while maximizing play value. Vortex’s MaestroPro™ controller sequences the play to make it more interesting for the children, while helping to manage water consumption and enhance overall sustainability. It also enables park management to easily monitor and maintain the overall system.
Both the Splash pad and CoolHub™ were designed to respect and blend seamlessly with the natural environment and existing topography. Parque Etxebarria has become a space for relaxation and enjoyment for residents to come together, take shelter during a heat wave, or simply to participate in family water fun!