BIOLENT CITY: RESILIENT TERRITORIES. Collision between landscape and social infrastructure.

Project idea

The project site is located in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, in an area between informal settlements and new high-rise buildings in front of the caribbean coast. The aim was to improve the collisions between landscapes and social infrastructures.

Project description

The project site is located in Cartagena de Indias, Colombia, in an area between informal settlements and new high-rise buildings in front of the caribbean coast. The aim was to improve the collisions between landscapes and social infrastructures.

After the analysis of advantages and disadvantages and problems and potentials resulting from them, the project was based on created own idea of “BLEND SYSTEM" which work like a model for further development and multiply. This prototype is based on a “reversed transformation” which blend material and immaterial needs for a specific situation (poster I). The project covers social, environmental and logistical aspects and is closely linked to the problem of climate change, sea level rise and formal-informal housing. The solution proposed is based on the 3 rules: “BLEND SYSTEM", ACTIVE GROUND FLOOR PROGRAM and PROTECTION AND FLOODS PLAN (poster II).

As a result on an URBAN SCALE we get a mixed-uses area adapted to climate change and as an attempt to integrate the neighbourhoods in a multifaceted sense (poster II-IV). Influence of the prototype model contains ENVIRONMENTAL ASPECTS (based on protection and image) like a maintenance view axis, sea view from neighbourhood and green active coast. In SOCIAL ASPECTS (based on individualism and integration) focus on local business (pop in retail) and area connector (active public zone). In LOGISTIC ASPECTS (based on infrastructure and education) create local development core (learn-work-grow) and infrastructure root (energy production and water purifying). In the rule of active ground floor attention is paid to safety corridors, main service line, local services lines, micro centres and green recreation zones. In last main rule related with protection and flood plan instead of preventing of flooding, plan is creating and dividing on phases. Concerns blue-green system, absorbent green infrastructure and reservoirs, future canals, temporary ground floor and future docking base.

In the ARCHITECTURAL SENSE, there are obtained timber construction residential units placed on reinforced concrete pillars on the ground floor. Free space on the ground floor can be used according to the needs of the residents and filled with plastic bricks to create new spaces. During the floods, social life and public space are shifted to green roofs and the first floor paths. This allows residents to continue to provide small services and use fronts of houses as a showcase for the trade their own products and interacting with outside. The housing program is based on the analysis of potential users and is based on units in 3 typologies that exist in the basic version or with the possibility of expansion (poster V-VI).

Technical information

POSTER I Blend System + Intervention
POSTER II Masterplan + Situation Plan
POSTER III Space Characteristic part I + Environmental Aspects part I
POSTER IV Space Characteristic part II + Environmental Aspects part II
POSTER V Units Forming + Building Typology
POSTER VI Building Structure

Co-authors

Project was developed during Erasmus+ program at the Politecnico di Torino.

Main tutor: Visiting Professor Claudio Rossi