HUNDIDERO CAVE AND "LOS CABALLEROS DAM”

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284406

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Submitted

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NEW EUROPEAN BAUHAUS AWARDS: existing completed examples

Project title

HUNDIDERO CAVE AND "LOS CABALLEROS DAM”

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Description

In 1924 in an Andalusian mountain village, Europe's greatest engineering minds, using pioneering technology, built the Hundidero Dam and Cave infrastructure to harness the water power of the Montejaque Reservoir. It was a monumental failure. Fundación Sierra de Libar & the Ayuntamiento de Montejaque have regenerated the abandoned area, creating a cultural, ethnographic and biodiverse heritage site, returning access to the natural and man-made monuments to the local people and the world.

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Please provide a summary of your project

Almost 100 years ago the Sevillana Electricity Company, now ENDESA Generacion, undertook the monumental task of using concrete to build the 75m high Hundidero Dam in the imposing gorge where the Gaduares River runs into the Hundidero-Gato cave system, the longest in Andalusia at 4.5km. Engineers from all over Europe were involved. Roads were built, the land was prepared, technicians and local workers were hired and on 26. March 1924, the dam and infrastructure were completed. Unfortunately, the limestone bedrock is a natural drain. This reservoir fills up with the winter rains, but by summer the water has seeped into the karst system leaving the river bed dry. It is said that one day an old gentleman from the village went to the construction site and informed the incredulous engineers "By the time you are finished I will be able to drink in one day all the water you will capture with the dam." He was born and bred in Montejaque and he was right. In 1929, after five years of fighting to stop the draining by plugging the limestone with clay, they submitted to nature and the site has been abandoned until now. PROJECT: Sierra de Libar Foundation and the Hon. Montejaque Town Council on the occasion of the centenary of the construction of the dam have together undertaken their most ambitious project ever and regenerated this neglected and inaccessible area, made it safe, and with aesthetic sensibility, restored access to this spectacular place for the local people to enjoy and treasure; boosting the local economy, fighting depopulation and recovering its cultural and ethnographic heritage; promoting inclusion, ownership, and improving quality of life. These actions are part of the Ecological Restoration Project for the Montejaque Reservoir and its area of influence as a "Fluvial Reserve" (Art. 21 of the Water Law of Andalusia). We have been successful in our aim and continue to participate and invest in its future sustainability.

Please indicate the main themes of your project with 5 key words

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of sustainability (including circularity) and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

Our research shows that the quality of life of the inhabitants can be further enhanced with the site being promoted as a relevant, sustainable nature tourist asset by highlighting our activities in ecosystem services, conservation, recovery and rehabilitation of river environments. BIODIVERSITY: We continue to make biodiversity and conservation compatible with the continually evolving and intertwining of the people with their place and the development of the territories. ENVIRONMENTAL sustainability comes with constant maintenance and improvement of this river stretch with continued secured employment since the maintenance tasks, both for conservation and those specific for public use, are necessary on a daily, weekly, monthly and annual basis. SOCIO-ECONOMIC sustainability occurs with the improvement of income potential as an increase in visitors is contributing to growing businesses and opportunities in this rural region. The value lies in the site being more than just a rich offer for recreation and activities. Tours, educational and creative activities for schools, visits and study opportunities with colleges and universities, social events and awareness campaigns regarding balance of man and nature will bolster efforts to improve economic policies at local, regional, and global levels. CIRCULARITY: We refer to a RURAL CIRCULARITY with rural businesses delivering modest but meaningful contributions resulting in local, economic and social benefits. The EU’s Circular Economy Action Plan acknowledges how Small Economies play a crucial part as do regional Governing bodies, which have shown us strong interest and support. Although our form of circularity is in an environmental and natural context we understand how important labour organizations, scientific and educational bodies, media, households and civil society groups are and refer to Resource Efficient networks of institutions initiated by UN Environment Programme and UN Industrial Development Organisation.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of aesthetics and quality of experience beyond functionality and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

When an old oil painting has developed a dark film over the surface caused by yellowing varnish, linseed and grime, it can be beautiful. It tells the story of its life. Restoration means losing that, yet when the varnish is removed and the vibrant colours and original intentions are revealed, it can be breathtaking. This Natural Monument can be seen in a similar way. The views have been magnificent for millennia and an abandoned dam has stimulated curiosity in a passerby for 100 years, but with regeneration and safe access, we experience them from new perspectives and appreciation. We know because already we watch people stop in awe, explore and immerse themselves in the story and beauty - and return here. Our intention was to highlight the vibrancy and offer an aesthetic and rewarding experience for all visitors, focused on sensitive rehabilitation and adaptation of both the terrain and man-made structure. NATURAL MATERIALS: We have balanced design and function, using natural materials such as wood and rope for safety systems and laid stone steps on the 500m descent to the cave using terracotta pigment, sympathetic to the land. INDUSTRIAL MATERIALS: To reflect engineering and industry, steel, iron and cement have been used along the path and on the dam while conserving the original iron railing. Now people can walk across safely yet still feel the vulnerability and thrill of being exposed to severe drops. CARE: Pruning vegetation and eliminating pollutants foreign to the environment have enhanced the riparian grove and we can embrace and become the sierra, walk in and through or stand at the miradors to breathe in the view, observe and absorb its splendour, watch for Peregrine, Eagle Owl, Egyptian Vulture, wild Ibex and take panoramic photographs. We can descend safely into the Cueva de Hundidero, walk and pothole through the cavernous chambers and swim in the inner lakes where the grandeur of nature's power gives moments of wonder, contemplation and adventure.

Please give information about the key objectives of your project in terms of inclusion (equal opportunities, public participation, citizen engagement, co-design, universal design, accessibility, affordability, etc.) and how these have been met.
Please highlight how the project can be exemplary in this context

During the development and realisation process, we have shown respect to the local community and workforce, making sure that their own unique skills and strengths are acknowledged and utilized. MONTEJAQUE TOWN COUNCIL has a unique job share structure called a "Work Bag", for the unemployed to have the opportunity of working in a two-week job rotation. Our common ethos also includes securing EQUAL OPPORTUNITIES AND EMPLOYMENT: We have signed agreements with Ayuntamiento de Montejaque for ‘GENDER EQUALITY IN THE EXECUTION OF ACTIVITIES’ the ‘CREATION OF STABLE EMPLOYMENT’. UNIVERSAL DESIGN AND ACCESSIBILITY (Appendix I included in the Evaluation Report). The fact that this project is on public land, there are no barriers to access outwith the limits for the very elderly or disabled, unable to descend or climb the naturally steep terrain. This is why the implementation of New Technology (later explained) is critical as it gives access to the greatest extent possible. CITIZEN AND PUBLIC ENGAGEMENT: The citizens have an open dialogue with the Town Council contributing suggestions and giving opinions in formal discussions prior to and during the development phase, continuing since completion. The public has also had a natural influence on the project by way of informal meetings and in this close-knit community, by chatting in bars and in the plaza. This is a typical form of communication in the village and has helped us sculpt objectives. CO-DESIGN: Due to the community spirit and the cultural traditions, co-design has been natural, not forced. New perspectives and alternative ideas come forth and our integration of suggestions from inhabitants for the project has afforded us their confidence and trust. AFFORDABILITY: With strict control of allocated costs, we have completed the project within the 81.700,80 € budget. We are positive that our focus on sustainability will ensure growth and affordability to realise future projects that spring from the Hundidero.

Please explain how these three dimensions have been combined in your project.
Please highlight how this approach can be exemplary

We believe that the positive results of the three dimensions above are partly due to SYNERGY, GENEROSITY and ‘CAUSE AND EFFECT’. Co-operation with local municipalities, landowners, farmers, businesses and organisations, as well as with provincial and regional government is resulting in mutual support, benefits and rewards. The future security of this project depends on creating the right conditions for combining sustainability, aesthetic sustainability and inclusion, which in turn contributes to improved quality of life, ecosystem conservation, historical, cultural and ethnographic heritage. The three dimensions function as a continuous circle of cause and effect, with positive involvement from all sides fuelling the momentum. A CONTINUAL COMMON GOAL: By sharing a common goal, and with transparency of information on the transformation process over the period of development and execution of the work, the project has broadened its impact, strengthened the community and fed our own enthusiasm. COLLABORATIONS: Participation in European cohesion activities and support from cross-sector initiatives will fortify sustainability as well as allow us to initiate new projects. Our livelihood depends on widening our scope with National, European and International Diversity and Inclusion programs, specifically the ‘Spanish Diversity Charter’, European Citizens, Equality, Rights and Values (CERV), Digital Europe and Creative Europe. Commercial Business models are also a valuable resource and we are fortunate to have rich and varied professional expertise at our disposal. We are also growing an international network for the exchange of ideas, advice and solutions. TOURISM ASSETS: The project is already a tourist attraction, offered to the whole of the Serrania de Ronda as a destination, and is stimulating the economy of local businesses in the surrounding municipalities, among them Benaojan, Grazalema, Villaluenga del Rosario and Ronda.

Please give information on the results/impacts achieved by your project in relation to the category you apply for

Already there are clear and positive signs of the project's success. They may seem small in a global context, but for the people of the immediate area, they are significant. Firstly, the main objective has been fulfilled with the local people re-visiting, re-connecting and exploring the area for recreation. In addition to the concrete results described in this submission, major contributors are spreading awareness and promoting the project site. NATIONAL ATTENTION: Regional and national newspaper articles on the project have put Montejaque and neighbouring municipalities on the map, and with so much positive attention there is a new glow on the faces of the population whenever ‘Hundidero’ is mentioned. FITUR 2022, MADRID: This is especially so since The Vice President of the Andalusian Government and Minister of Tourism, Regeneration, Justice and Local Administration, Juan Marín, presented the project in January 2022 at FITUR, The International Tourism Fair in Madrid as exemplary of regeneration “… giving access to the Cueva del Hundidero and Embalse de Montejaque, making this area of the province of Malaga one of the most attractive places for tourism, comparable to the Caminito del Rey.” Marín highlighted opportunities deriving from the uniqueness of the project, explaining why it was chosen to represent Andalusia. If you allow us to quote him again, he recognised that the commitment of the Sierra de Líbar Foundation and Montejaque City Council "… will turn the area into a top-level tourist resource, allowing the regeneration of the area and visits to the dam, inaccessible for almost a century.” In addition to its ability to boost the local economy, fight against depopulation and recover cultural and ethnographic heritage, with projects like this "… we are consolidating a quality offer in Andalusia that responds to the new tourist profile and a growing number of travellers who today opt for nature tourism". Quotes: Juan Marín, Europa Press, Published 19/01/2022

Please explain how citizens and civil society were involved in the in the design and/or implementation of the project.
Please also explain the benefits that derived from their involvement.

The participation of the population in the project has rewarded all of us with a feeling of genuine, renewed ownership of the Hundidero. CONTRIBUTIONS: With generosity and a desire to share their experiences and their historical & environmental knowledge, the local people and visitors have supported us, donated information, documentation, written articles, given photographs and told their stories of the Hundidero. Their contributions have been published in a bi-annual village magazine, called 'El Hacho' ,distributed free, by the Foundation and Town Hall,  which updates and informs the public on past and future developments. ‘El Hacho' issues are also available online. Regional and national newspapers have published articles on the project and inhabitants of the surrounding municipalities have also been interviewed with each individual’s unique perspective and memories adding to the history and romance. COLLABORATIONS: SPECOLOGY SOCIETY AND MUSEUM: The Municipal Tourist Information Office located in the Speleology Interpretation Centre in Montejaque is an invaluable asset. Run by volunteer residents who share their expertise and knowledge of the cave are contributing to the promotion of the project. PRIDE: We would like to mention that an unexpected reaction on completion of the project is something we didn’t consider when we began. It is pride felt by the population, which is strengthening their efforts to create a viable future for the area. COMMUNITY TRADITION: Montejaque village has a close and warm community spirit. There are many and varied social gatherings and initiatives throughout the course of a year: fiestas, festivals, community vacations, bus tours and hikes. These activities are possible because of voluntary group engagement. Maintenance will be partly dependent on volunteers and there are many who have shown an interest in committing their time and enthusiasm.

Please explain what kind of global challenges the project addressed by providing local solutions

We contribute to global challenges in a local context and continue to maintain focus on realistic future scenarios and strategies. Areas we positively contribute to are Inclusion, Skill Development and Educational Achievement, to help reduce barriers to opportunities. We work closely with GUADALINFO, an organisation under Andalusia’s Ministry of Innovation, Science and Enterprise. It offers IT services and learning to towns of less than 10,000 inhabitants in the most disadvantaged areas of Andalusia to help social cohesion and regional development, maximising the potential to remain competitive in a globalist world. The principle of solidarity and equal opportunities is a driving force, targeting groups most at risk of social exclusion due to digital illiteracy. We volunteer our experience in design and implementation of VR immersive tours and digital programming. ECOLOGICAL AWARENESS: It is important to our well-being that we all play our part in maintaining a diverse and healthy planet. We have designed information panels, also in brail, that explain the protection of the environment, good practice and dangers. PANEL GUIDANCE: Contamination of Water Sources. Introduction of Alien Species of Flora and Fauna. Collection of Rock Samples, Minerals, Plants and Fossils. Camping. Use of Fire. RECYCLING: We have provided recycling stations in the area to encourage responsible waste disposal. WATER: A critical global challenge we focus on is awareness of water and fluvial heritage. The villages of the Sierra are plumbed into water systems that run from mountain streams & wells. The water is deliciously fresh and clean, but is occasionally polluted by a decaying animal or by human contamination, causing hardship. Therefore it is has been of great importance to remind or make visitors aware of the 'Regulations on the Use of Land' on established properties registered in the General Catalogue of Andalusian Historical Heritage.

Please highlight the innovative character of the project as compared to mainstream practices in the field of the project.

Innovative NEW TECHNOLOGY (ICT) applications, as resources in information technology, are vital assets to the project. DISSEMINATION AND PROMOTION: Two websites and Mobile Applications (App) have been designed and published, one of them dedicated to the Hundidero Natural Monument (cuevadelhundidero.com) and the second to information and promotion of the tourist services of the municipality of Montejaque (montejaqueturismo.es) making all the information available on the enhancement and public use of the enclave. ITINERE MONTEJAQUE APP: The existing official app of the City Council of Montejaque for mobile devices, downloadable in Play Store and Apple Store, has been redesigned and adapted to include new elements with ibeacons proximity and location sensors for displaying trails via GPS, supported by GoogleEarth ©. 3D 360º VIRTUAL TOURS - VR: Scans of the Hundidero-Gato System, which allow virtual walkthroughs of the caves, have been made and are published online. We selected the most spectacular areas of the cave and they can be experienced on any PC, laptop, mobile phone and with Virtual Reality goggles. DRONE VIDEOS: We have used drones to capture areal views of the Sierra. They are used for topographical studies and promotion on our websites and are published on Youtube. ACCESSIBLE TO ANYONE, ANYWHERE AT ANYTIME: We are delighted that anyone, particularly those people who cannot access the site, or who must study the site from another region or country can virtually visit at any time from anywhere in the world at their convenience.

Please explain to the potential of transferring the projects’ results or learnings to other interested parties and contexts.
Please provide clear documentation, communication of methodology and principles in this context.

Transparency between collaborators is critical for our small non-profit foundation of three. We combine our skills gained in years of private practice with those learned through the process of developing this and previous projects, sharing our experience and methods with others to mutual benefit. We are working towards reference in the Methodological Manual of Restoration Actions Environment and Public Use in River Areas edited and coordinated by the Service of Engineering, Health and Environmental Quality of the Council of Malaga. REPLICATION: The project is published for public viewing on our website and documents the process of a successful project for others to use and replicate in their own context. SEMINARS AND WORKSHOPS: We will have Cross-Sector initiatives with online and in situ National and International seminars to support enquiry in engineering, conservation and ecology. SITE-SPECIFIC ART AND RESIDENCIES: a spin-off from the project is a new initiative to create an artwork landscape called “HUNDIDERO ARTSCAPE” which will include an Artist in Residence and Mobility Program. Each year we intend to call established and emerging Andalusian and International artists to create Site-Specific and Land Art works, Sculptures and Installations in and around the Hundidero Dam and Cave, extending in future years to encompass the Serrania de Ronda. It will represent the rich diversity and uniqueness of contemporary artists’ concerns relating to nature and engineering. We will stimulate public enquiry and dialogue using open studios, online/on-site Artist Talks, seminars and workshops, seeking funding from European bodies such as the Program of Internationalisation of Spanish Culture (PICE). We will utilise the President of our foundation’s international network of artists, curators, galleries and art institutions, including La Unión de Artistas Visuales de Andalucía (uavA), Nordland Regional Council, Norway and the Scottish Artists Union (SAU).

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