In the vicinities of the micro centre or the City, as the local Porteos call their financial quarter, on the banks of Rio de la Plata and facing the Presidential Palace - known as the Casa Rosada -, one can see a gigantic urban conglomerate that has changed the face of this part of the city:

Puerto Madero.

It is a new barrio born only ten years ago, as a result of the biggest urbanization project in Buenos Aires. It is officially number 47, and for the first time in 26 years a new division was added to the layout of the port.

Opened at the end of 1887, Puerto Madero was intended to cover export needs in off shore freights. However, after 10 years it found that it had lost its operative edge due to the intense commercial movement of the era, which surpassed its capacity by large. In the end, it could only remaine active for river traffic only, thus becoming known as Puerto Nuevo.

Located behind the Retiro area, Puerto Madero is a compound of basins, cranes and docks (huge sheds where cargo brought in by freighters arriving to port was stored in the past).

In the 80s a group of specialists dreamt of recycling the port and, 12 years ago, Puerto Madero was made to include planning and technology, smart buildings and crystal towers that contrast with the long promenade in the banks of the canal, where chic sailboats slide gently.

In short, it is a strip of riverside land where old standing storage buildings have been recycled to give place to exclusive offices and classy restaurants.

There are four dikes and a promenade that goes through the redesigned old depots. The old buildings keep their old facade structures, and hold the offices of different companies, a multiplex, the new Catholic University site, a five star hotel, a mega disco, about forty restaurants and ten bars that have made Puerto Madero one of the most visited spots by the Porteo nightlife seekers.

The 170 hectares of Puerto Madero are the most costly zone of the city and the safest as well. In spite of being the least populated barrio neighbourhood (less than 300 inhabitants) and having the least number of streets, it has seen arriving the largest investment during the last five years.

Its creation is aimed to recover the old port zone, abandoned for many years, and to integrate it to the city as a continuation of its centre. To that purpose, streets have been opened and old brick facilities recycled.

From there is an access to marvellous Costanera Sur - an aged beach resort opened in 1918 -, a stroll well appreciated by Porteos during the 30s, 40s and 50s.

It has an attractive charm imprinted by its spacious boulevard, its stairway to the river, the pergola and the jetty with its different establishments and monuments, which are continually visited by an important number of people, especially during weekends.

The gastronomical offer is assorted: there are restaurants specialized in grilled food, pasta, seafood and haute cuisine, suitable for any demanding gourmet. There are also fast food restaurants and one can find the classic trolleys where to try the typical choripn - sausage sandwich -, and have a nice roast.

The ecological reserve is another attraction of this area and can be visited during day or night, in organized tours under the sun or the moonlight. An abundant flora and fauna has been established in the reserve. Lagoons, pastures, and woods give this part of the city a peculiar natural atmosphere to enjoy, only a few metres away from the metropolis.

Two big public parks have lately been opened, as well as a roofed stadium, two convention centres, three museums, four five star hotels, and yet more office and residential space.

More than 20 thousand people visit the area each day, a number that largely increases during the weekends because Puerto Madero, with its boulevards and dikes, has become a universal promenading place for families and tourists.

THE DIKES

At the present time its four dikes, surrounded by a magnificent coastal boulevard, are occupied by nearly 16 docks or buildings that house gastronomic first class restaurants and all sorts of offices, homes, movie theatres as well as discotheques

Dike 1connects the Southern Basin and shows buildings housing offices, commerce, private homes with exquisitely refurbished interiors, and a multiplex. There is also the Malecon Tower, and an important building for the Assa Group offices.

Dike 2holds the Argentinean Catholic University faculties' site, where thousands of students concur daily. The docks or buildings, as on the other dikes, were reformed but still keep the original English industrial architecture from the beginning of the 20th century, with their typical exposed bricks and cast iron beams. It is important to point out the so called Porteo Building, a reformulated facility of twenty five naves and fifteen thousand five hundred square metres, that was built in 1902. It has been declared a Historic Heritage Site of the city by the government.

Dike 3houses offices and commerce, as well as luxurious private homes, lofts with parking areas, or with swimming pools and fitness centres for the residents. It has four so-called docks or buildings named Dock 5, Dock 6, Lofts de Madero and Paseo del Puerto. In the middle of them, there is an outstanding and ample central sector and a couple of small squares in the farthest ends, where fountains and sculptures accompany the immense cranes posed over the boulevard by Juana Gorriti's name.

Dike 4connects the Northern Basin and holds Puerto Madero Yacht Club's pier, together with office and commerce sites, the Fortabat Collection, Telecom's intelligent building and the Divino Buenos Ayres complex with its various and different restaurants and ballrooms.