9

Line Connections

In 2008, four years after line “K” started operating, the second Line “J” was added. It is 2.7km long and was opened with four stations that cross city districts 7 (Robledo) and 13 (San Javier), in the western central area and joins the city centre through Metro Line B. It serves 315,000 inhabitants in 37 districts (Centre for Public Impact (CPI), 2016).

The MetroCable due to its connections to the railway line as seen in line “K” and line “J” allows passengers to go smoothly from one method of transport to another, without having to pay an extra fare, creating a fluid use of mixed modal transport at a low cost. The only route that costs extra is line “L” which is connected to line “K”. Line “L” was opened in 2010, it is 4.8km long and does not serve communal areas, it is a tourist line only to park Arvi and Passengers must pay an extra fare of 5,200 COP (£1.60) (Vides. Y,2019) to ride this line.

In 2011, the MetroCable system was complemented by the metro plus, (Bus-Rapid Transit). The bus system is called “integrados” meaning integrated and charges a small fee of 400 COP (£0.13) (Vides. Y,2019) to change from metro or MetroCable. It includes large, energy saving buses which utilise independent bus lanes, similar to a metro or tram and links with stations used by the metrocable. This is beneficial as the MetroCable stations connect to the bus stops allowing people easy access to more parts of the city. Medellin outline Metro (railway) Line “J”

Figure11: Diagram of line “J” connections. Author

Medellin outline Metro (railway) Line “H” Tramline Line “M” Line “P”

Figure12: Diagram of line “H”, “M” & “P” connections. Author

Line Connections

Line “H” was the third line to open in 2016, it is 1.4 km long and has three stations. It connects the citizens living in underdeveloped regions in the east of the city (Villa Sierra) to the tramway opened also in 2016, which can then take them to the city centre. The demand is estimated at 1,900 passengers per hour (Gondola Project, 2018). Line “M” opened in late 2018 and is the shortest line measuring 1.0km it serves the eastern side of the city and is the second cable car connected to the tram line. Line “M” was due to be completed in July 2016 however, it had a series of delays caused by the complexity of the neighbouring topography and structural issues. From its bottom station to its top station passengers experience a vertical rise of 275 metres (Gondola Project, 2018). Each cable car line consists of 90-120 mono-cabins with a seating capacity of eight persons and a maximum capacity of ten persons. The total vertical rise of the lines amounts to approximately 300-400 metres (Beyond carbon ,2012, p.4) which shows the severity of Medellín’s topography.

Line “P” was expected to be finished by July 2019, but due to delays it has been pushed back to early 2020. The new cable car will be 2.8km (Gondola Project, 2018) in longitude with a capacity of taking 4,000 passenger per hour with its 138 cabins (Osorio, 2019). The line will stretch over Comunas 5 and 6 (Gondola Project, 2018) with four stations integrating the poorest areas. This is estimated to benefit over 49,00 families (Villa, 2017) by cutting down commute times by 75%. People living in the Comunas can now reach the city centre in 15 minutes (Villa, 2017) whereas before it would take up to an hour with bus rides or car journeys.

PUI- Urban integral Projects

The city hopes to replicate the success of line “K” and has added more investments into the regions touched by line “P” by adding supplementary social spaces such as 30,000 square meters (Gondola Project, 2018) of new public space. Once line “P” begins operation local residents will be able to transfer between three transport systems: Metro line “A”, Metrocable line “K” and metrocable line “P” (Gondola Project, 2018). With the addition of Line “P” the MetroCable system will be a total of 14.km (Gondola Project, 2018) spread over 20 stations, maximising the coverage over the Comunas and totalling 241 million passengers since 2004.

The MetroCable movement was reinforced by integral urban projects (Proyecto urbano integra, PUI) that set out to improve the communities and infrastructures of the Comunas directly. This was done by improving communal areas in the Comunas and creating more open social spaces that avoid overcrowding and promoted community building. The projects involved escalators in dangerously steep regions untouched by public transport that easily connect to the MetroCable, directly improving the living conditions of slum dwellings, making them structurally fit and improving sanitation around the dwellings.

In addition, the PUI’s vastly improved the structural integrity of the ground on which the slums are built, this was to prevent landslides which are common in many areas. Parks and social spaces to be used by children and young people aimed to lower the involvement in antisocial behaviours. All of these improvements were undertaken and completed around the already existing buildings and slums, thereby not changing the nature of the area or becoming imposing on the community.Instead the projects actively seek to improve the day to day lives of the people without disturbing the sense of community.

Figure13: PUI development of streets. (Comuna 13, 2019)

Figure14: PUI, development of escaltors. (Comuna 13, 2019)

Figure15: Diagram of Park libraries in Medellin. Author

Park libraries

Park Libraries

Juan Alvaro Gonzalez from the planning department mentioned that many inhabitants of the city were surprised about the government’s investment in their district. As a result, the people’s trust in the public sector was reinforced (Beyond carbon ,2012, p.5).

Park libraries are one of the main PUI’s that are built in 9 different locations each one strategically located around the city, aiming to cater to the most disadvantaged areas which usually consist of informal settlements. Since barrios are considered areas with greater educational, cultural, public spaces and basic services deficits (Blanco, 2009), the libraries are placed either adjacent to them or in the interior of the informal urban fabric. The interventions are specifically called park libraries because of their aim to achieve an urban transformation mostly through the creation of public spaces. Park libraries promote education, outdoor exercise and well-being by having recreational fields for football and basketball, a theatre, community meeting rooms, meeting rooms for workshops and community skill development, a children’s playroom, public areas (indoor and outdoor), and parks (Comuna 13, 2019, para. 4).

The design for each of the libraries was a winning scheme from a design competition which had a brief for a “building for multi-services, library, classes for adult qualification, exhibition room, administration spaces, and auditorium” (Goodship. P & Capille. C, 2014). The brief also states that the buildings should perform more than just the basic function of a library and encourage the informal social interaction as well as educational advancement. The project directors were keen that these functions be merged with the everyday urban flow of the city. By being located at the cable car stations and becoming the centre of the community, they are constantly a part of the day to day life of the local people.

San Javier Park Library

There are a number of basic functions and services that the libraries are required to meet by law such as offering direct access to the external lending of books, education for users, provide access to the internet and education for digital skills. On top of this most also have extra spaces such as cafés, workshops and exhibition spaces. A monitoring person from the computer room said: “Our IT offer in the cable car station Vallejuela benefits the district in many aspects: housewives no longer fear computers and kids learn to take care of objects.” (Beyond carbon ,2012, p.5)

The park library has a mission to reform the communities on the outskirts of Medellín and was part of the government’s initiative to invest in a social master plan programme that would give equal opportunities to Medellín’s population. By giving residents of the city a safe place in the community to learn and play, people stop fearing the streets that were once covered in violence and start appreciating them. Thus, improving the overall quality of life of the citizens of Medellín as they no longer resent their neighbourhoods.

San Javier (Figure 16) was the first of the nine planned park libraries costing $4.5 million (Comuna 13, 2019, para. 3). This park library structure was designed by architect Javier Vera Londoño to act as a symbol of investment in the poor regions of Medellín (Comuna 13, 2019). San Javier was opened in 2006 just two years after Line “K” was opened. The park library is situated next to the San Javier metro stop (Sertich, 2010) as well as the beginning of line “J”. It is important for park libraries to be connected to transportation systems to reinforce connections and allow more people access around the city. The design of San Javier park library is one large mass (Sertich, 2010) that contains separate rooms to be used for reading, galleries, IT suites and other educational activities.

Figure16: San Javier Park library. (Comuna 13, 2019)

Figure17: Diagram of location of San Javier park library in relation to metrocable. Author

San Javier park library

Figure18: España Park library. (Mazzanti, 2008)

Figure19: Diagram of location of España park library in relation to metrocable. Author

España park library

España Park Library

Furthermore, San Javier mainly serves Comuna 13 on the western side of Medellín and has lots of glass facades in order to focus on transparency (Sertich, 2010). Transparency was particularly important so that the people of Medellín felt welcome into the park libraries (Sertich, 2010) allowing acceptance from neighbours. The library and metro cable station are seen as nodes in the city bringing people together with the connection to social spaces such as plazas, walkways and bridges (Comuna 13, 2019).

The España library (figure 18) is an additional park library that was heavily invested in. The project was planned to have a library, training room, auditorium and an administration room. The proposal was to split these functions into individual buildings that were joined with communal platforms allowing connections and meeting points for Medellín’s citizens. The project set out to integrate itself with the mountainous landscapes of the city giving the place and the citizens a sense of belonging in Medellín. The building shape shows irregular slices almost looking like rocks to imitate Medellín’s mountain contours. “A folded building cut like mountains” (Mazzanti, 2008). The Unique shape is very noticeable and has become an icon in the city that people use to gather and create meeting or reference points. Therefore, growing the connection between the city and its people. The España Park library has become an addition to the new skyline of Medellín that indicates a revolution.

Park libraries are seen by Medellín’s citizens as an investment into their once isolated slums. Consequently, they have regained trust in the governance, which came from the connections made from the MetroCable to the city centre and the investment of park libraries and other urban projects in their communities. The whole urban planning of the MetroCable and PUI’s decontextualize the individual from the poverty that is experienced in the comunas helping them recover the quality of life.