Comm[UNIT]y by Henry Chen

STUDIO PROJECT

COMM[UNIT]Y

Jing Deng, Lu Feng,Yimeng Sun, Ximing Chen and Emmanuel Lopez

San Cristobal, a special rural administrative unit of Medellin, has been confronted with pressure brought by fast-paced economic growth and population boom in recent years. These factors have been reflected in the living conditions at a regional scale. On one hand, defined as informal settlements from a legal perspective, local residents and new migrations constantly occupy land by building their own houses without formal planning. On the other hand, as the government began to supply the area with high-rise social housing, it was clear that these towers had little relationship with the physical and social context of the site. Through research, an evaluation can be made that both housing typologies are not only inappropriate for future development of San Cristobal due to their fundamental problematic logics of growth, but also cause and extend issues to environment and society: landslide, water pollution, farmland degradation and lacking of open space. The commUNITy project is a critique to the existing typologies, as well as a response to the quandaries of San Cristobal. The project of commUNITy emphasizes the capabilities of units within the community, by attempting to compose a new development model with small, basic and systematic tools. The goal is to provide a method that can accommodate the growing density, and at the same time be sustainable and adaptable to a larger horizon in San Cristobal. Through this project, two essential notions will be set up for the new development pattern. The first one being a basic toolkit is accessible, affordable, and applicable for local people to assemble their own houses and improve their living environment. The second one is a strategic framework of growth that not only captures the passion and effort of individuals, but also be able to combine them with power and capacity of the government and upscale organizations. As a result, efficient collaborations among different groups in the society can be achieved. In this approach, the first step is to design scalar landscape and architectural units at a conceptual level, extracting intellectual parts from local constructing practice (e.g. flexible growth) as well as imported innovative ideas (e.g. gabions). The next step is to reconfigure these incremental units to form a series of combinations that are applicable to conditions in urban, rural or in-between areas. Last but not least, in the physical environment these combinations can be manipulated and developed to create either a site-specific moment, or an entire neighborhood composition. In the whole process of implementing this methodology in reality, it involves government constructed infrastructure like slope-stabilizing walls and terraces, allows self-built practices using local materials, and encourages social engagements preserving open space and local lifestyle to improve living quality. Finally, with the components providing paradigms dealing with specific problems, these methodologies can be learned and applied to other sites with similar issues, whilst the proposed community design as a whole at a testing site that is between informal settlements and high-rise social housings offers an example to reserve social capital and mediate urban fabrics.

A MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA PROBLEMS IN MEDELLIN Site

INSUFFICIENT OPEN SPACE High Density Informal settlement Building New Development Road

FARMLAND DEGRADATION Desegregated Farmland Farmland Forestland Ecological Zone

WATER POLLUTION Floodplain Pollution Building in Flood Plain

LANDSLIDE Nonrecoverable Recoverable Slope above 50%

As economy and population of Medellin keep growing, more problems have also emerged. Particularly in San Cristobal, four typical problems can be identified based on former research and analysis of this project. They are landslide, water pollution, farmland degradation and insufficient open space. In the diagram, these problems are isolated and expressed on different layers.

Then by overlapping these layers, it can be found that the locations of landslide and those of water pollution concentrate around areas with creeks running through and with relatively sharper slope; the other two problems have more to do with human activities and urban fabrics. Farmland degradation happens mainly in the peri-urban areas while the situation of lacking open space mostly concentrates in high-density informal settlements.

As the diagram above shows, an area including all four problems is defined as the most problematic site of the region. This most problematic area has been selected to be a pilot site to test out design interventions integrally. The logic is that if the strategies and deign can work well in a place with the most difficulties, other places with less problems then could have a great chance to take advantages of the precedent.

A COMM[UNIT]Y ACTORS IN THE PROCESS LOCAL ENGAGEMENT IN PROBLEM SOLVING

INCENTIVES

AMENITY CREATION ROOFTOP TRANSFORMATION

FUNDING

GOVERNMENT

FAR

PLANNING STRATEGY

REGULATIONS ≤5 F

≤ 2.5

PLANNER

Longterm and regional vision

RETAIL

FAR 15M 40

FOUNDATION INFRASTRUCTURE

FARMING COLLABORATION EROSION CONTROL

DEVELOPER

INVESTMENT

RAINWATER MANAGEMENT CREEK MAINTENANCE

TRAINING

LABOR

RECYCLED BRICK

FUNDING INSTRUCTION

TRAINING

EDUCATION INSTITUTE

NGO +LAND VALUE UNEMPLOYED HOUSEWIFE

RECYCLED MATERIALS

SLOPE STABILIZATION ENHANCE BUILDING STRUCTURE

LOCAL LABOR Local engagement with the community design.

In many areas of San Cristobal, local people decide to build additional constructions based on need. By setting up a series of construction guidance, the project attempts to provide a direction for the formation of physical space while reserving the freedom to build for the people. In this way, local labor force and local materials continue to play significant roles in the project but with higher efficiency.

On the other hand, based on financial calculations, it is convincing that government should invest into infrastructure construction rather than hiring developers and contractors to build the high-rise social housing directly. In the proposal, the government is responsible for creating principle regulations for self-built practice and incentives for investors.

INDIVIDUAL

Moreover, educational institutes or NGOs should also engage in the process to provide training and technology support. For instance, a unit gabion (a metal cage structure that can be filled with different materials for various purposes) can be introduced by intellectual institutes.

A MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA UNITS OF LANDSCAPE AND HOUSING

LANDSLIDE

WATER POLLUTION

FARMLAND DEGRADATION

From the 1980s, the temperature increased 1C and the precipitation increased 25%, which makes the disaster like landslide more easily to happen.

SLOPE STABILIZATION

688 Homes LACK OF wastewater treatment. Unemployed Employed

Agriculture Other

FARMLAND PROTECTION

WATER MANAGEMENT

Bioswale

Building as Stablization

Contour Ridging

Steep Slope

Clay and Loam

Geocell

Terraced Farmland with Gabions

Rainwater Garden

Steep Slope Loose Soil

Steep Slopes

Collect Rainwater and Fltrate Water

Overlapped Gabions

Vetiver Terracing

Wetland

Medium Slope

Fltrate Water

Vegetated Gabions

Contour Cultivation

Retention Pond

Gentle Slope

Gentle Slopes

Fltrate Water Fooding BuďŹ&#x20AC;er

Units for slope stabilization: according to different slope degree and soil condition, we propose four types of units that help stabilize the slope. Except for the function of slope stabilization, we also try to introduce more function to the units. They could also be housing, plantation and landscape at the same time. Besides, these units would have different variations in size and material due to different situation.

Units for farmland protection: we have four basic units that suitable for different slope and soil condition. We utilize different vegetation from crops that along the contour to vetiver grass that has a strong root system. We also introduce drainage system in the clay and loam area where the water amount is high, also, the gabion wall on the steep slope or the loose soil condition.

Collect Rain Water and Guide Water Flow

Units for water management: we introduce a system of rain water management and water pollution control. The bioswale could collect rain water and guide the direction to the rain water garden, the wetland would be used in the pollution area and the retention pond would act as the flooding buffer zone in the rainy season. All the four types of units would work together.

A COMM[UNIT]Y UNITS OF LANDSCAPE AND HOUSING Incremental Unit INSUFFICIENT OPENS PACE

San Cristobal 2.22 % of the families share their houses , while the municipal City Wide average less than 0.8 %.

Single Unit

0.5 m/ inhabitant

4.01 m/ inhabitant

OPEN SPACE CREATION

Utilize the Space Under the Building

Utilize the Rooftop Space

SPACIAL COMBINATION Rooftop Garden

Maximum Five-ďŹ&#x201A;oor Construction

Open Space

Future Construction Connected the Rooftop with Street Upper Level Street

Introduce Recreational and Sports Filed

Units for open space creation: by adjusting the relationship of the housing and the typography, the space under the building and the rooftop space could be utilized. The typography becomes an asset for space creation and space diversity. Also, we introduce the recreational space which is mostly insufficient in San Cristobal. All these units could be adjusted due to different slope condition.

Commercial Space Lower Level Street

We use the one floor construction as single unit for housing. The function of each floor can be different but need to follow the guideline. The first floor can be public space or commercial as well as housing. The top floor can be rooftop garden. Through the combination of different kinds of housing together can adapt to different situation.

The guideline for the construction: 1. The dimension of the basic unit is 4.5 X 4.5 meters. The maximum floors for the construction is five. 2. The building can only be built on the place where the plan allows to build. 3. The highest construction density can not exceeded 40%. 4. The building face the road, the first floor should be commercial space or open space.

A MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA COMBINED APPLICATION

Urban Condition - Commercial Street

Rural Condition - Farmland

A COMM[UNIT]Y

Road Condition - Sport Fields

Creek Condition - Leisure Parks

A MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA PILOT SITE AND METHODOLOGY N

WATER MANAGEMENT

REINFORCED FARMLAND

SPORTS FIELDS GREEN LAND

PROPOSED BUILDING Greening Rate: 60% Building Density: 45%

local fabric

local fabric EXISTING INFORMAL SETTLEMENT

STABLIZED SLOPE EXSITING HIGH-RISE STREET BUSINESS OPEN SPACE

EXSITING HIGH-RISE Greening Rate: 30% Building Density: 60%

RETENTION POND INFORMAL SETTLEMENT Greening Rate: 30% Building Density: 35%

STRATEGY 1 -Local Access & Circulation -Proposed road system

SELF MANAGED CONSTRUCTION -Terraced landscape -Water management

STRATEGY 2 -Terrace as Framing Agent -Terraced landscape -Water management

STRATEGY 3 -Self-built Housing Strategy -Housing platform -Incremental housing

STRATEGY 4 -Open Space Reconﬁguration -Green land -Water recreation -Urban farming -Sports ﬁeld

STRATEGY 5 -Propagation of Unit System -Circulation -Introduce landscape unit -Incremental Housing unit -Open space

A COMM[UNIT]Y TIME BASED SCENARIO Proposed Dry

Existing

Wet

Landslide Potential Self Managed Construction Wetland Rooftop Space

InsuďŹ&#x192;cient Opens Pace

Bioswale

Rainwater Garden

Filtered Water Water Pollution

Our testing site is located in between the fabric of new development and informal housing which also have the specific site problems like landslide, agriculture degradation, water pollution and insufficient public space. We are trying to intertwine various combinations of incremental units to mediate the urban fabrics and at the same time to provide mixeduse housing and efficient landscape to reserve the local lifestyle.

Our project also addresses the time based strategy; the drawing represents the comparison between the existing condition and the proposed one and the way how we transform the problematic site into a new vibrant community. Besides, our project allows various scenarios based on different urban conditions and address the flexibility of the usage of space.

In the dry season, the bioswale and the rain water garden could be used as open space for people to use; in the wet season, they perform the role of rain water collection and filtration, forming a different landscape. In addition, the unfinished building structure is proposed to be used as open space and rooftop garden; with the density increases they could also be transformed into residential use.

A MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA APPLICATION AND MEDIATION

GREEN LAND

ROOFTOP FARMLAN

SPORTS FIELDS STABLIZED SLOPE

EXISTING INFORMAL SETTLEMENT

WATER TREATMENT

COMMUNITY EXTENSION

CISTERN

BRIDGE

CISTERN FOR REUSE WATER

WOODLANDS SLOPE STABLIZATION

INCREMENTAL HOUSING SECTION

OPEN SPACE

A COMM[UNIT]Y REINFORCED FARMLAND

RETENTION POND

OPEN SPACE

EXSITING HIGH-RISE SELF MANAGED CONSTRUCTION

WATER MANAGEMENT

STORAGE

WETLAND

WATER TREATMENT

CISTERN FOR REUSE WATER

CISTERN

WATER INFILTRATION ROAD

WATER RECREATIONAL AREA

CISTERN

BRIDGE

RAIN GARDEN

HOUSING

GREEN LAND

OPEN SPACE

ROAD

A MEDELLIN, COLOMBIA FIGURE GROUND

A COMM[UNIT]Y REFERENCE Alford, Henry. “I Just Got Back From Medellín!” New York Times, January 18, 2013. Blanco, C. and Kobayashi, H. “Urban Transformation in Slum Districts Through Public Space: Generation and Cable Transportation at Northeastern Area: Medellín, Colombia” The Journal of International Social Research, 2009, Vol. 2, No.8: 75-90. Corporación Ecológicay. Cultural Penca de SábilaSan Cristobal plan de desarrollo participativo corregimental 2006-2016, Medellin, 2006. Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Transformative Mobilities: Porto + Medellin. Accessed May 2014. http://urbandesignprize.org/medellin Harvard University Graduate School of Design. Urban Innovations in Soil Mechanics. Accessed May 2014. http://isites.harvard.edu/icb/icb. do?keyword=k94076&pageid=icb.page577201 Kenyon, S., Lyons, G. & Rafferty, J. “Transport and Social Exclusion: Investigating the Possibility of promoting Inclusion through Virtual Mobility” Journal of Transport Geography, 2002, Vol. 10, 207-209. Kimmelman, Michael. “A City Rises, Along With Its Hopes” New York Times, May 18, 2012. Luisa Fernanda Roldán Rojas, Andreas Megerle. Perception of Water Quality and Health Risks in the Rural Area of Medellín. American Journal of Rural Development, 2013, Vol. 1, No. 5, 106-115 Owen, Ceridwen. “Teaching Informal Urbanism” Journal of Architectural Education, July 3, 2013, Volume 67, Issue 2, 214 Samper, Jota. Informal Settlements Research ISR. Accessed May, 2014. http:// informalsettlements.blogspot.com/ Schmidt, Stephan. “Cultural Influences and the Built Environment: An Examination of Kumasi, Ghana” Journal of Urban Design, October 2005, Vol. 10. No. 3, 353–370.

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United Nations Human Settlements Programme. The Impact of Climate Change on Urban Settlements in Colombia. Nairobi, 2012. Vulliamy, Ed. “Medellín, Colombia: reinventing the world’s most dangerous city” Last modified June 8, 2013. http://www.theguardian.com/world/2013/jun/09/ medellin-colombia-worlds-most-dangerous-city Wallace, Arturo. “Drug boss Pablo Escobar still divides Colombia” Last modified December 2, 2013. http://www.bbc.com/news/world-latin-america-25183649

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