Salinas del Rey Water Sports Center

DESIGN IN A STATE OF FLOW

Between sand, wind and horizon, the new water sports centre at Salinas del Rey redefines the dialogue between architecture and landscape.

Inspired by the sculptural form of a dune, the project offers a space for sport, culture and contemplation, reflecting the fluid, laid-back spirit of those who sail the Colombian Caribbean. Just a few kilometers from Barranquilla, on the Atlantic coast, Salinas del Rey—ranked among the world’s top kitesurfing destinations—hosts a nautical hub designed jointly by DEB and El Equipo Mazzanti.

Conceived as an extension of the coastal landscape, the scheme merges architecture, ecology and tourism into a single gesture: a habitable dune that protects, connects and organizes the territory. More than a sports facility, it brings together areas for training, leisure and culture, alongside spaces for local commerce and gastronomy, boosting the regional economy and strengthening identity. A green buffer of native vegetation curbs urban sprawl while protecting the ecosystem, ensuring the beach remains open as public space for both locals and visitors. The project is ultimately a social gift: spaces for enjoyment, wellbeing and collective growth, proving how design can uplift quality of life through sport, landscape and community.

The Logic of the Dune

The architectural concept stems from a clear premise: dunes are not inert masses of sand but natural barriers that safeguard the coastline and sustain life. Here, that principle materializes in organic, permeable and layered volumes, blurring the threshold between the built and the natural.

The main structure rises as a sweeping timber canopy, echoing the morphology of a dune emerging from the sand. Beneath, cool interiors are sheltered from the sun, while the upper surface becomes a civic and cultural terrace. Its curved deck unfolds as an open-air stage facing the horizon, where visitors gather for breathtaking sunsets—and the true protagonists are the kitesurfers.

Timber is the defining material, shaping both the dramatic canopy and the finer details that trace the project’s fluid geometry. Warm and sustainable, it allows for curved surfaces while resonating with a tradition of lightweight coastal construction. The result is an architecture that dialogues with its setting without imposing upon it—monumental yet respectful at once.

Complementary landscaped dunes integrate vegetation and pathways, providing shaded pockets of rest, while an undulating promenade connects the beach with the building and parking areas. Its curved line recalls the folds of the coastal terrain, serving both as an inviting access route and as infrastructure against flooding.

At Salinas del Rey, the wind becomes a design partner. Its flows guided the orientation and folds of the architecture, reinforcing the intimate relationship between nature and construction. The project mirrors the same sense of flow and relaxation that defines kitesurfers: a way of inhabiting the shoreline attuned to the rhythms of sea and wind. More than a sports facility, it stands as a timber-built landscape-architecture that cements Salinas del Rey’s reputation as an international water-sports destination and a cultural landmark for the Colombian Caribbean.

Technical Sheet

Architectural design: DEB Studio + El Equipo Mazzanti

Creative direction: Francisco Ricardo Marino + Giancarlo Mazzanti

Interior design: Catherine Jessurum

Text & Photography: © Mónica Barreneche

Source: El Buen Ojo

Lead architects: Luis Guillermo Barrera + Juan Sebastián

Team: Elena Mancipe, Rachith Samir, Natalia Gámez, José Rosado, Jorge Robledo

Structural design: CNI – Nicolás Parra

Engineering consultants:

HVAC – José Solano

Environmental management (PMA) – Serambiente: Hernando López

Soil study – Consultech: Nyra Suárez

Budget – MB Ingeniería: Otto Mora

Geometric design & paving – Pavinfra: Carol Bokelmann

Human safety study – AGR: Erika

Telecommunications – Telemarcar: Carlos Osorio