RiSk-BASED PLAN fOR GUANABO 2050.

Urban project. Location_Guanabo. Havana, Cuba. Course_9th semester Bachelor, 2019. Prof. Obdulio Coca Rodríguez.

The present work arises from the interests pursued by the GIDC(Group for the Integral Development of the Capital) in directing its tasks to the methodological design for Local Risk Management, due to the incidence of natural affectations, maintaining the expectations produced by climatic changes. This entity, together with the Faculty of Architecture of the Technological University of Havana, has carried out an interrelation agreement and in this way, almost every year collaborates by hosting certain students to carry out partial or diploma work.

The town of Guanabo has long been considered, due to its geographical and environmental characteristics, a small spa town. It is part of the Tourist Pole of the Beaches of East Havana, and includes the vast majority of the resident population and public services. However, it does not have the equipment and infrastructure necessary for the well-being of its inhabitants or to receive visitors. On the other hand, the urbanisation of Guanabo is at risk of coastal flooding. That is to say, the coastline will gradually change, and by 2050, if no measures are taken, a large part of the town will disappear.

Based on the current situation: constructions on the protection zone and the beach; the contaminated beach and the impact on the dunes, the main goal was the renaturalisation of the coastal edge: the recovery of the dunes, the creation of a transition between city-beach. The main strategies proposed were to change the main axis of 5th Avenue parallel to the coastline, along which the main services are concentrated, into three axes perpendicular to the coastline. In order to relocate the families who lost their homes as a consequence of the change in the coastline, and its consequent coastal and protection zone, it is proposed to expand the urbanisation of Guanabo towards the southern zone, which is currently undeveloped.

A new layout was created by extending the existing streets towards the area between avenues 13, 15 and Via Blanca. New block typologies and new public spaces were also created in the barren plots and areas closer to the coast. Among these public spaces, Beach boardwalk was chosen for a more detailed design.

Centralities. In the case of strips 1 and 2, made up of consolidated blocks. In the case of strip 3, the area of new blocks.

Centralities. Three new service axes are proposed perpendicular to the coastline.

Block typologies.

It is proposed to subdivide Guanabo into three strips:

Strip 1: This is an area of consolidated blocks, which have barren lots that can be reused in the insertion of new services. This strip is the most vulnerable to flooding as it is located in the lowest part of the urbanisation and closest to the coast. Therefore, it was decided to intervene in the barren lots with public spaces and removable services, which would reduce the impact in case of disasters.

Strip 2: This is an area of consolidated blocks, which have barren lots that can be reused. In this strip, the blocks close to 9th Avenue are at medium risk of flooding, and those located towards 13th Avenue are out of danger. It was decided to intervene in the barren lots with services for the population and accommodation facilities.

Strip 3: This is an area of new blocks, with new occupancy proposals. This strip is out of danger of flooding, therefore it is decided to occupy it mainly with housing, to recover the lost properties and services.

This project was carried out as part of an urban zoning plan for the town of Guanabo. The objective of this project is the detailed design of the public space of biggest interest within the proposal, in this case a beach boardwalk.