Excerpt: ‘Living between edges: Connection lines around the Ziruma hill’ is an architecture thesis by Luisa Maria Fernández Velasquez from the Facultad de Arquitectura y Diseño – Universidad de los Andes that seeks to broaden the scope of architectural intervention in the region by redefining the concept of dwelling as an integrated system of educational spaces, water storage systems, and agricultural areas. The initiative emerges as a response to the violence affecting the region and the various challenges faced by its residents.
Introduction: The boundaries of settlement in Colombia have not only shaped the way of living and spatial understanding of cities, urban areas, and rural zones, but they have also created conflicting living conditions for residents. People’s perspectives range from having their views focused on the surrounding hills to being pushed to their edges, occupying the last remaining areas under precarious conditions. For years, this latter situation has been managed with restrictions, partly due to governmental policies and the magnitude of the problem, and partly as an issue to be hidden or displaced for commercial and tourism purposes. This project, based in Santa Marta, Colombia, seeks to expand the scope of architectural intervention by tackling the challenges faced by residents, such as violence, water storage systems, and agricultural practices.
Located in the coastal regions of Santa Marta, Colombia, this project aims to broaden the scope of architectural intervention by redefining the concept of dwelling as an integrated system of educational spaces, water storage systems, and agricultural areas. The initiative emerges as a response to the violence affecting the region and the various challenges faced by its residents.
The project prioritizes water management, a vital resource for the community, but currently hindered by an inability to supply water above the 40-meter elevation mark. The plan involves capturing water through channels that collect runoff from the hills, storing and treating it in cisterns placed in the basements of educational facilities, and then distributing it equitably throughout the community.
The proposal includes establishing agricultural areas to rehabilitate and protect zones impacted by wildfires and climate issues. These crops will not only enable the community to produce their own food but also offer opportunities to sell surplus produce in the future. Additionally, the project envisions educational infrastructure to provide local access to education, reducing the need for long-distance travel, and creating spaces to foster local business and tourism, providing the community with sustainable economic opportunities.
Design Process
This project focuses on a visual analysis and seeks to understand the types of “violence” or issues present in Colombian territories, and explores potential architectural responses to these challenges. Specifically, it examines the city of Santa Marta and the impact of urban expansion on the territory and its communities, including displacement to peripheral areas, inadequate housing, environmental degradation from fires, and, most critically, water scarcity in certain hill regions due to current topographical challenges.
The project involves identifying key zones and points of stabilization within the territory, such as Ziruma Hill, using these as examples to explore potential interventions and propose viable solutions. To ultimately select a specific development point where a mixed-use facility could address these issues by offering varied approaches and architectural styles that adapt to the terrain. This includes different uses, forms, and variations that collectively contribute to inhabiting and connecting the hills.
The proposal also involves establishing interconnected strips of usage that, through their growth and integration, would create a unified system. This system would merge and advance previously developed forms and strategies, forming a cohesive concept known as “living between edges.”
Final Outcome
The limits of fixation present within Colombian territory have not only shaped how we conceptualize the city, the urban, and the rural spaces, but have also defined the living conditions for various city dwellers. When it comes to inhabiting the peripheries, this has been an ongoing challenge addressed through phased or small-scale interventions, such as housing and connectivity. This project aims to broaden the scope of these interventions to a larger scale.
The proposal revolves around three key dimensions: integrating into the mountain, using artifacts as tools, and establishing routes that link the hills with the surrounding territory. The main goal is to manage water, a vital resource for development, ensuring its long-term availability to the community. Simultaneously, this initiative aims to foster community growth by cultivating crops that both preserve and enhance the area, serving as a sustainable source of livelihood. This approach envisions a continuous and dynamic relationship between the hills and their inhabitants, proposing what seeks to be a living between edges.
Conclusion: In conclusion, this project expands traditional interventions in Colombia’s peripheries by focusing on integrated, large-scale solutions. It aims to strengthen the connection between communities and their surroundings through water management, sustainable agriculture, and improved connectivity. By fostering a dynamic relationship between the landscape and its inhabitants, this initiative seeks to promote resilience, growth, and sustainable development in peripheral areas.
[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]
Site Context
Design Process
Final Outcome
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