A TALE OF NEW CITIES: MEDELLIN
Parque Biblioteca Espana, Santo Domingo, Medellin Image by Iwan Baan
A Tale of New Cities: Medellin 07 - 10 Chronology 11 Politics and Power 12 - 13 Directory 14 - 15 Catalogue 17 Prominent Entities 63
A TALE OF NEW CITIES: MEDELLIN The Architectural Legacy of Pablo Escobar
Over the course of several decades, Colombia’s second largest city, Medellin, has undergone a radical transformation. It was once a city plagued by political corruption, civil war, paramilitaries and drug cartels. Medellin, the former murder capital of the world, is now a thriving landscape of rich culture with a complex history. In 2012, Citi and the Wall Street Journal, in collaboration with the Urban Land Institute, awarded Medellin “Innovative City of the Year�. It was awarded to the city for its progressive approach to classic problems such as mobility and education. Today, transport and infrastructure in Medellin includes a city wide metro train line and Metro-cable system that connects informal housing on the periphery to the city centre. Areas once known to be dangerous and economically disadvantaged have transformed into rejuvenated communities symbolising equality. It is these same neighbourhoods that host nine government built library parks which provide education to those once ignored. Medellin now employs a culture for creativity with the intention to improve overall quality of life by
connecting a city once torn apart by corruption and violence. Despite former reputation, an underlying economy of narcotics and ongoing civil unrest, the city and its Mayors have utilised architecture and infrastructure as a means of building a strong community vision for the future. The Varied Roles of Architecture: In the field of architecture, built objects are used as a tool to express power and the relationships established around it. It becomes a manifestation of controlled circumstances. Its physicality alone should not be held accountable for these acts, but rather be seen as an instrument in intricate situations. In the context of cities, architecture plays different roles. These roles allow for architecture to cause an effect on society by exercising specific moves and intentions. Here, buildings have the ability to act as a force of destruction as well as the destroyed. They also play an essential role in the renewal of cities and their people. Architecture plays the role of weapon, target, victim and cure. As a weapon, it has the ability to act in violence as well as suggest democracy, safety and 07
capital. It It is is alsoalso thethe object of of abuse or or attack: a a capital. object abuse attack: casualty, target or or victim. Architecture’s ability to to actact casualty, target victim. Architecture’s ability as as a cure in in thethe changed political relations of of a city a cure changed political relations a city shows showsits itsresilience resilienceto toviolence, violence,it itencourages encouragesthethe emergence of of new spatial functions andand thethe regeneraemergence new spatial functions regeneration of of communities andand cities. However, thethe current tion communities cities. However, current understanding of of architecture in in complex situations understanding architecture complex situations does notnot recognise its its ability to to play all all of of these roles does recognise ability play these roles at once. at once. Weapon: Architecture fortifies territory, is anti-airWeapon: Architecture fortifies territory, is anti-aircraft, boosts economy, supports thethe flow of of goods, craft, boosts economy, supports flow goods, camouflages camouflagesandandconstructs constructsinfrastructure. infrastructure.In In keeping with Jean-Louis Cohen in in “Architecture in in keeping with Jean-Louis Cohen “Architecture Uniform”, Uniform”,buildings buildingsarearemachines machinesof ofdefence defenceandand their characteristics areare dependent onon thethe needs of of their characteristics dependent needs thethe party involved in in their creation. They areare centres party involved their creation. They centres forformobilisation, mobilisation,spaces spaceswhere wherepolitical politicalforces forcesareare processed andand organised. In In thisthis role, architecture hashas processed organised. role, architecture a direct a director orindirect indirectimpact impactonto ontocities citiesandandtheir their structure by by constituting their framework. structure constituting their framework. Target and Victim: Architecture is also strategically Target and Victim: Architecture is also strategically indispensible, buildings help to to winwin or or loselose battles indispensible, buildings help battles becoming pawns in in thethe political struggle forfor democbecoming pawns political struggle democracy racyor orterritory. territory.Eyal EyalWeizman Weizmanconsistently consistently questions thethe rolerole of of architecture in in thisthis position. In In questions architecture position. these roles, buildings areare systematically oppressed, these roles, buildings systematically oppressed, their theirmanipulation manipulationor ordestruction destructionacting actingas asthethe symbolic symbolicdevastation devastationof ofgovernment, government,culture cultureor or community. Architecture provides a background forfor community. Architecture provides a background exchange, violence andand socio-political attack where exchange, violence socio-political attack where communication communicationbetween betweenindividuals, individuals,parties partiesandand organisations, both civilian andand military, occurs. organisations, both civilian military, occurs. Cure: Finally, most commonly, architecture is hailed Cure: Finally, most commonly, architecture is hailed forfor its its rolerole in in thethe reconstruction of of cities. In In thisthis case, reconstruction cities. case, both Cohen andand Weizman agree that architecture both Cohen Weizman agree that architecture alsoalso hashas thethe capacity to to manifest in in its its own successes. capacity manifest own successes. Buildings stand in in defiance of of political violence or or Buildings stand defiance political violence past conflicts becoming skilful adaptations of of democpast conflicts becoming skilful adaptations democracy andand global image. In In thisthis role, architecture is not racy global image. role, architecture is not always intended to to be be restitution, butbut rather a host to to always intended restitution, rather a host a plethora of of civil intention that is transformative, a a a plethora civil intention that is transformative, symbol forfor modernisation that moves beyond thethe symbol modernisation that moves beyond physical. physical.
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Every day, buildings areare created andand destroyed. TheThe Every day, buildings created destroyed. built fabric of of cities is ever changing. In In thethe case of of built fabric cities is ever changing. case Medellin, Medellin,thisthisis isdependent dependentononthetheemergence emergenceor or disappearance disappearance of of industry, industry, changed changed political political demographics demographicsandandthethealtered alteredfunction functionof ofspace. space. However, Medellin overemphasises architectures rolerole However, Medellin overemphasises architectures as as a cure forfor its its violent past. Urban transformation, a cure violent past. Urban transformation, high quality citycity centres andand thethe intensity of of architechigh quality centres intensity architectural turaldemand demandhashasobscured obscuredthethevastvasthistorical historical narrative of of thethe city. narrative city.
Governing Change: Governing Change: Since thethe 1950’s, Colombia hadhad undergone a period Since 1950’s, Colombia undergone a period of of intense urban violence. Major cities were political intense urban violence. Major cities were political warwarzones. zones.Assassinations, Assassinations,explosions, explosions,homicide, homicide, poverty andand corruption were a part of of everyday life.life. poverty corruption were a part everyday AnAnongoing ongoingcivil civilwarwarbecame becameenmeshed enmeshedwith withthethe Narco-War of of thethe 80’s andand 90’s. It It waswas a state of of Narco-War 80’s 90’s. a state exception where violence transcended thethe rule of of thethe exception where violence transcended rule law. This is the pre-fantastical urban condition. law. This is the pre-fantastical urban condition. Bogota waswas a city in in deep moral crisis. In In 1995, thethe Bogota a city deep moral crisis. 1995, city’s transformation began with thethe election of of andand city’s transformation began with election Independent, Independent,Antanas AntanasMockus, Mockus,as asMayor Mayorandandhishis innovative urban strategy. Mockus’ policy of of social innovative urban strategy. Mockus’ policy social reorganisation reorganisationused useda alanguage languageof ofactions actionswhere where politics became a performative tool that engaged thethe politics became a performative tool that engaged city’s people. Citizens became responsible forfor governcity’s people. Citizens became responsible governingingsocial socialchange. change.These Theseunorthodox unorthodoxmethods methodsof of conflict resolution caused a drop in in homicide as as well conflict resolution caused a drop homicide well as as traffic fatalities andand lifted thethe moral crisis plaguing traffic fatalities lifted moral crisis plaguing thethe city. Mockus’ urban policy alsoalso triggered an an urban city. Mockus’ urban policy triggered urban recovery recoveryby bytripling triplingtaxtaxrevenues revenuesandandregaining regaining financial resources to to move forward. This paved thethe financial resources move forward. This paved way forfor Bogota’s next Mayor, Enrique Penalosa to to way Bogota’s next Mayor, Enrique Penalosa create createthethechannels channelsforforsocial socialrelations relationsto tooccur occur through throughurban urbandesign designandandpublic publictransportation transportation schemes. schemes. Medellin’s transformation began in in 2001 with thethe Medellin’s transformation began 2001 with election electionof ofLiberal LiberalLuis LuisPerez PerezGutierrez Gutierrezandandthethe initiation of of large scale transportation scheme. Perez’ initiation large scale transportation scheme. Perez’ successor, Independent Sergio Fajardo then instigated successor, Independent Sergio Fajardo then instigated a anew newcivic civicmovement movement“Social “SocialUrbanism”. Urbanism”.This This movement combated social inequality through thethe movement combated social inequality through development developmentof ofthetheurban urbanenvironment, environment,a model a model inspired by by thethe renewal of of Bogota. Here, citycity wide inspired renewal Bogota. Here, wide problems concerning inequity, violence andand corrupproblems concerning inequity, violence corruption were addressed through thethe reconstruction of of tion were addressed through reconstruction public publicspace. space.Architecture Architectureandandinfrastructure infrastructurewaswas used usedto toachieve achievesocial socialgoals. goals.A Aperiod periodof ofurban urban renewal waswas initiated where a new built fabric acted as as renewal initiated where a new built fabric acted a challenge to to violence. Interventions were defined by by a challenge violence. Interventions were defined social progress where buildings were notnot necessarily social progress where buildings were necessarily thethe goal, butbut rather, thethe change in in society that occurs goal, rather, change society that occurs during andand after construction. during after construction. Politicians, notnot architects, have been central to to thethe Politicians, architects, have been central development andand metamorphosis of of both Bogota andand development metamorphosis both Bogota Medellin. TheThe transformation of of Bogota waswas importMedellin. transformation Bogota importantant as as it opened a space forfor leaders in in Medellin. AnAn it opened a space leaders Medellin. example waswas setset where architecture andand infrastructure example where architecture infrastructure became thethe framework forfor political ambition. TheThe became framework political ambition. most recent systems of of governance have sparked a a most recent systems governance have sparked cohesive effort across thethe entire city: an an attempt at at cohesive effort across entire city: attempt cooperation andand a city wide intervention. cooperation a city wide intervention.
Today, Medellin is advertised a city engaging Today, Medellin is advertised as as a city engaging in in a a fresh social attitude toward urban growth. a result, fresh social attitude toward urban growth. AsAs a result, large urban agendas play. new built fabric large urban agendas areare at at play. TheThe new built fabric Medellinhashasbecome becomeits itsidentity. identity.It Ithashas of ofMedellin repositioned a global scale become repositioned thethe citycity at aatglobal scale andand hashas become a brand social regeneration that communicates a brand of of social regeneration that communicates a a political service city’s people. political service to to thethe city’s people. However, Medellin only understood through However, Medellin cancan only be be understood through a closer examination events that preceded a closer examination of of thethe events that preceded its its revival 2000s. city’s history prior 2003 revival in in thethe 2000s. TheThe city’s history prior to to 2003 fundamentallysignificant significantto tothethecurrent currentdayday is isfundamentally socio-political regeneration urban transformasocio-political regeneration andand urban transformation. Previously, motives that gave direction tion. Previously, thethe motives that gave direction to to builtfabric fabricinvolved involvedmany manydisputing disputingparties. parties. thethebuilt They gave development specific projects They gave riserise to to thethe development of of specific projects thatsecured securedpositions positionsof ofpower powerandandeconomic economic that assurance. traces these intentions remain. assurance. TheThe traces of of these intentions stillstill remain. A Reconstructed Image: A Reconstructed Image:
This attempt running a network where This waswas an an attempt at at running a network where citizens became responsible their own security. citizens became responsible forfor their own security. However, scheme backfired. During time However, thethe scheme backfired. During thethe time it it active, 200-300 members were killed resulting waswas active, 200-300 members were killed resulting in in organisationbeing beingterminated terminatedby bythetheHuman Human thetheorganisation Rights Commission. Rights Commission. What ensued a controversial agreement between What ensued waswas a controversial agreement between Colombian government paramilitary group thethe Colombian government andand paramilitary group AUCby byenlisting enlistingthethehelp helpof ofDiego DiegoFernando Fernando AUC MurilloBejarano, Bejarano,alsoalsoknown knownas asDon DonBerna. Berna.HeHe Murillo became first unify crime since reign became thethe first to to unify crime since thethe reign of of Escobar.In InMedellin, Medellin,similarly similarlyto toEscobar, Escobar,Berna Berna Escobar. became involved construction, property, finance became involved in in construction, property, finance politicswith with3030members membersthetheAUC AUCwinning winning andandpolitics democraticpositions positionsin inthethe2004 2004elections electionsby by democratic campaigningthrough throughnon-government non-governmentorganisaorganisacampaigning tions. tions. Socio-politicalforces forcesstillstilllinger lingerin inMedellin’s Medellin’s Socio-political underbelly.TheThecartels, cartels,gangs, gangs,paramilitary paramilitaryandand underbelly. guerrilla groups city’s past provides a powerful guerrilla groups of of thethe city’s past provides a powerful backdropforforurban urbanrenewal renewalandandsocial socialchange. change. backdrop However, past always leaks into present. However, thethe past always leaks into thethe present. TheThe combination progressive politics, organised crime, combination of of progressive politics, organised crime, property trade played essential property andand trade played an an essential rolerole in in thethe economic development Medellin. Over time, economic development of of Medellin. Over time, thethe elite have orchestrated a form governance where elite have orchestrated a form of of governance where crime is violent, preventative restorative. is the crime is violent, preventative andand restorative. It isIt the Medellin’ssuccessful successfultransformation transformationandand keykeyto toMedellin’s democraticmunicipality. municipality.It Itis isthisthiscomplex complexsetsetof of democratic relations that links current ‘innovative’ relations that links thethe current dayday ‘innovative’ citycity to to previously ‘corrupt’ city. thethe previously ‘corrupt’ city.
A depiction Medellin prior 2003 makes A depiction of of Medellin prior to to 2003 makes forfor a a more interesting portrait current urban more interesting portrait of of thethe current dayday urban context. ongoing civil Narco-War context. TheThe ongoing civil andand Narco-War of of thethe 70’s, 80’s 90’s hosts a variety socio-political 70’s, 80’s andand 90’s hosts a variety of of socio-political events urban strategies. Politicians, paramilitary events andand urban strategies. Politicians, paramilitary groups cartels played a role developgroups andand cartels all all played a role in in thethe development built fabric city. Not these ment of of thethe built fabric of of thethe city. Not all all of of these have specific contemporary urban outcomes, have ledled to to specific contemporary urban outcomes, significant their own right. account butbut areare all all significant in in their own right. AnAn account influence architecture must extended of of thethe influence of of architecture must be be extended to to includeeverything, everything,notnotjustjustthetheglossy glossyimages imagesin in include contemporarymagazines. magazines.It Itmust mustinclude includethethe contemporary architectureof ofbombings, bombings,assassinations, assassinations,crime, crime, architecture corruption, Narco-Profits social schemes. Two Narratives: corruption, Narco-Profits andand social schemes. AllAll of of Two Narratives: theseelements elementsplay playa arolerolein indistinguishing distinguishingthethe these relationshipbetween betweencivil civilsociety, society,violence violenceandand TheThe violence, corruption redemption relationship taletale of of violence, corruption andand redemption in in democracy Medellin. Medellinis iscomposed composedof oftwotwonarratives. narratives.TheThefirst first democracy in in Medellin. Medellin being that city’s built fabric takes multiple being that thethe city’s built fabric takes onon thethe multiple Formerlyknown knownas asthethe“Murder “MurderCapital Capitalof ofthethe roles roles weapon, target, victim cure. Architecture Formerly of of weapon, target, victim andand cure. Architecture World”, Medellin is also famous professional- is isutilised utilisedby bypoliticians, politicians,cartels cartelsandandparamilitary paramilitary World”, Medellin is also famous forfor thethe professionalisation gangs. most enduring legacy is that groupsas asa ameans meansof ofconducting conductingthetheeveryday everyday isation of of gangs. TheThe most enduring legacy is that of of groups PabloEscobar, Escobar,thetheMedellin MedellinCartel Cartelandandthethe workings workings their respective organisations. Therefore Pablo of of their respective organisations. Therefore Narco-War. Violence crime became a business it isit ais weapon a weapon that operates a socio-political level. Narco-War. Violence andand crime became a business that operates at at a socio-political level. that penetrated aspects city. It was a 15 year Furthermore, Furthermore, hundreds explosions throughout that penetrated all all aspects of of thethe city. It was a 15 year thethe hundreds of of explosions throughout international between cartel leaders, paramilitary thethe 1990’s clarifies that architecture a casualty international warwar between cartel leaders, paramilitary 1990’s clarifies that architecture is ais casualty of of groups,politicians politiciansandandPolice PoliceSpecial SpecialForces Forcesthat that violence, violence, a target a victim. Finally, architecture groups, a target andand a victim. Finally, architecture resulted a man hunt eventual assassination works works as compensation Medellin’s violent past resulted in in a man hunt andand thethe eventual assassination as compensation forfor Medellin’s violent past at aat a Escobar. However, attempts reviving regenerativecapacity. capacity.TheThesecond secondnarrative narrativeis isthethe of of Escobar. However, attempts at at reviving thethe citycity regenerative after death were futile. current emphasis architecture being cure after hishis death were futile. current dayday emphasis of of architecture being thethe cure city’s violent corrupt previous history. forfor thethe city’s violent andand corrupt previous history. During 1990’s, homicide numbers reached their Here, Here,architecture architectureas ascompensation compensationis isexaggerated exaggerated During thethe 1990’s, homicide numbers reached their peak with infiltration numerous cartel obscures previous narrative. peak with thethe infiltration of of numerous cartel andand andand obscures thethe previous narrative. guerrilla groups engaged violent wars. guerrilla groups engaged in in violent turfturf wars. In In an an attempt pacify network gangs, munici- What What connects these narratives is the socio-politattempt to to pacify thethe network of of gangs, thethe municiconnects these twotwo narratives is the socio-politsecurity entity COOSERCOM hired militia icalicalhistory historyof ofMedellin’s Medellin’smunicipality, municipality,narcotics, narcotics, palpal security entity COOSERCOM hired ex ex militia members heads security Medellin’s barrios. paramilitaries paramilitaries militia groups relations members as as heads of of security in in Medellin’s barrios. andand militia groups andand thethe relations
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between them. Cartels did not reign in a time of economic and urban decay, but rather, Narco-profits filtered into the city’s economy through property rights and money laundering. Similarly, the paramilitaries infiltrated the political and economic composition of the city by dabbling in construction and real estate. The context of Medellin consolidates that architecture is a symbol for the expression of power and ambition that constantly shifts according the political landscape that surrounds it. Therefore, architecture moves through the roles of weapon, target, victim and healer. The exaggeration of architecture as cure reveals its transformative value in other roles. A Network of Relations: The emergence of the narcotics trade in the early 1970’s and the influx of money that came with it, triggered economic growth and a rise in property development. From this point, to the present understanding of Medellin as an example of civic renewal, architecture has embodied all roles; weapon, target, victim and cure. Architecture, in this context, responds to a vast number of agents working within the city. However, here it becomes clear that built objects can never be categorised into a playing a single role. They shift between and adapt to various roles and often play several roles simultaneously.
roles are embodied consecutively, acting accordingly to each respective party. These roles are given meaning through a chain of associations motivated by characters, organisations and events where the balance of power determines specific outcomes. In light of this, architecture in Medellin becomes understood as a collection of instances that exist within the larger framework of city. There is no consistent order or timeframe. It is not a series of static objects. Instead, the reading of architecture in Medellin prioritises relationships over physicality and proximity in time. The vast network of relations is not merely the backdrop for past and present socio-political agenda; it is a network that also instils value within the framework of weapon, target, victim and cure and the subtle nuance of the roles that architecture plays. In the case of Medellin, it is a dynamic tool that is authoritative, preventative and transformative consecutively. This allows for the richer understanding of the city, but also reflects the numerous ways architecture is perceived, interpreted and developed in the context of violence.
Architecture is always present, what changes are the socio-political circumstances and associated parties that surround it. In Medellin, the narrative of the built fabric appears to move between the old and the new, however this is misleading. Recent projects and infrastructures, such as the Metro Cable and Library Parks, are supported by their ability to figuratively provoke and produce social change. The merit and value of each project is ascribed through its societal impact rather than its physicality. It is the invisible set of relations between buildings, events, characters and agendas that drives the force behind the city’s transformation. However, this has also been the case for buildings constructed before and during the Narco-war. As a result, the significance of architecture varies radically and obscures its ability to belong to a consistent time or location.
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If architecture is then understood not as an artefact, but rather in terms of the meaning that is ascribed to it, the network of relations caused and affected by it becomes more clear. Built form comes to be perceived subjectively both locally and globally. These perceptions are either real or manufactured and constitute the movement of architecture through its roles. Consequently, roles are dependent on the parties associated with each building where various
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Global Perception of Medellin
Presence of Architecture 3 4
5
7
6 8
9
16 17 10
25
22
26
28
30
32
58
38
33
64
57
40
31
19
12
56
Botero’s Bird Statues
68 65 66
60
34 20
La Violencia
36 37
23
46
2
45
1
47
Metro Cable
Espana Biblioteca
Infrastructure and Growth
3
Pablo Escobar is born in Rionegro, Columbia on the 1st of December 1949.
4 ELN and EPL founded 5 FARC Established 6 Escobar begins cocaine exportation
7 US President Nixon Political
declares war on drugs
8 M-19 Emerges
9 Medellin Cartel Founded
Major Events
President Betancur grants 10 guerillas amnesty
11 US Extradition Treaty
Service Industry 13 supercedes Textiles in Medellin
14 Pablo Escabar is elected to congress
e people of Medellin
15 hold strikes against
increased transport costs
Carlos Lehder begins
16 tra cking to US via Bahamas
Initiated
21 Palace of Justice Siege Lara Bonilla Memorial 22 Bomb Attack in Bogota, bombed by Escobar in 1986
23 Medellin Cultural Plan Initiated
24 Luis Carlos Galan Assasinated
Tranquilandia, a very large 25 OVNI Building, Pablo
17 cocaine producing jungle
kitchen is destroyed by the government in March 1984
1991 Constitution bans
Paramilitaries become
elected not appointed
CONVIVIR
Villatina Massacre in which Columbian
29 Policemen kill 8 innocents
in search of gang members
Antanas Mockus as Mayor of Bogota followed by
41
44
42 Operation Orion in Comuna 13
43 Alvaro Uribe Becomes President
35 Enrique Penalosa, then
44 Bomb kills 20 at
36 Medellin Metro Opens
Economic Strategy 45 "Medellin Cluster City"
again Mockus
Inauguration of Uribe
Dallas Building, Personal 46 Mayor Fajardo implements New EPM Building 30 Property of Escobar Bomb 37 Opens "social urbanism" Attack, 2 desceased, April Peace and Co-existance Northeastern Urban 20th 1993 47 38 Counsel of Medellin helps Integration Project Begins mediate gangs` Escobar Dies, Don Berna
Escobar’s Communication 31 inherits Medellin Cartel HQ Bomb Attack, May 25th 1990 32 M19 and the EPL Disarm
Minister of Justice Rodrigo 26 Polilica Estacion Poblado 33 Botero's Bird Statue 18 Lara Bonilla Assasinated Bomb Attack, June 14th Bombed, Killing 25 1990 with 4 deceased and Escobar wars with Medellin 97 wounded 19 Police
President Arango begins
39 peace talks with guerillas 40 New Dove Statue by Botero installed
41 US $1Billion in aid from US
48 Metrocable opens
Construction of rst ve
49 library parks
50 Antioquia the Best Corner
in Latin America Campaign Begun
51 Orquideorama opens
52 Mass Protests in Bogota against con ict
Government release FARC
53 guerillas
54 Uribe begins 2nd
Presidential Term
Spain Library Park, built in
55 2007 56
Valenciano and Sebastian ght for O ce of Envigado Cartel leadership
Don Berna extradited to 57 US, sentenced to min. 324 months imprisonment FARC & ELN unite to
58 form Columbian Armed Forces
Construction of second ve 59 library parks
2020
29
27 extradition, new mayors are 34 legalised under 28 Escobar surrenders
39
1990
21
24 27
52 53 54
42 43
2000
18
1980
1970
1960
1950
1940 Civil War
2
La Violencia, Civil war killing 250,00 civilians
Medellin Metropolitan
20 Development Plan
35
2010
14
Palace of Justice
Militias in Medellin
63 67
Comuna 13
15
Presidential candidate Jorge
62
51 55
EPM Building
13
1 Eliecer Gaitan is assassinated 12 Strengthen
Jardin Infantil Pajarito La Aurora
69
Edi cio Dallas
11
61
59
48 50
e Ovni Building
Drugs
49
60 FARC negotiations resume Jardin Infantil Pajarito La Aurora, one of the new
61 childcare centres around the city, contructed in 2011
62 Line 1 of Metruplus BRT opens
63 Nationwide Protests against FARC
64 Valenciano arrested 65 FARC rebels resume hostage taking
66 Final 10 FARC Hostages released
67 Government acknowledges FARC
68 Sebastian arrested 69 Medellin Voted Most Innovative City
POLITICS & POWER
The relationship between competing parties within MedellĂn extends beyond direct ownership and use or geographical location. A network of competing interests connects otherwise disparate parties around the power, funding, and historical significance of architecture. Violence has been catalytic to the development of the city, and though a much publicised narrative of heroic political figures using architecture to redeem their city encompasses one aspect of architecture in MedellĂn it does not capture the whole breadth of relationships that exist.
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13
Línea K Metro Cable en la Comuna Nor-oriental
Violence
Plan Parcial Simesa Ernesto Samper Pizano (1994 - 1998) MAS: Muerte a Secuestradores
Texas Petroleum
ACC - Self Defense Forces of Casanare
North Coast Cartel
North Valle Cartel
Los Rastrojos
Los Machos
Luis Perez Gutiérrez (2001 - 2003)
Los Paisas
ERPAC
Castaño Brothers
AUC - United Self-Defense Forces of Colombia
Nueva Generación
Los Urabeños
ACCU - Autodefensas Campesinas de Córdoba y Urabá
Renacer Bloque de Búsqueda (Search Block)
Los Pepes - Perseguidos por Pablo Escobar Bloque Meta
CIA & DEA Los Gaitanistas
FARC - Revolutionary Armed Forces of Colombia
DAS - Departmento Administrativo de Seguridad
ELN - National Liberation Army
Planes de Manejo de los Cerros Tutelares
Red de Escuelas de Música
Spanish Government
OMJ (opportunity for the Majority)
HET (Panama)
Parque Explora
EEGSA (Guatemala)
Linea J Metro Cable Comuna Occidental
TRELEC (Guatemala)
Centro Cultural Moravia Uribe Administration
ENSA (Panama)
Paseos urbanos para Civilizar la Calle
RutaN
COMEGSA (Guatemala) EPM - Empresas Públicasde Medellín
DELSUR (El Salvador)
Parque del Bicentenario y Casa de la Memoria Ánibal Gaviria Correa (2012 - 2015)
Unidad Deportiva Juanes de la Paz
Political Figures
IX Juegos Suramericanos Medellín 2010
GENHIDRO (Guatemala)
EDEQ (Colombia) CENS (Colombia)
Viviendas con Corazón
CHEC (Colombia) ESSA (Colombia)
Parque E UP - Unión Patriótica
Chiquita Brands International
Calidad del servicio del Hospital General de Medellín
La Biblioteca España Alonso Salazar (2007 - 2011)
Álvaro Uribe (2002 - 2010) Coca-Cola
Produced
Nuevos Colegios de Calidad
Liberation Army Colombian Military
Collaborated
Recuperación Ambiental del Morro de Basuras de Moravia
Orquideorama del Jardín Botánico Sergio Fajardo (2004 - 2007)
Funded
Paseo Carabobo
Medellin Cartel
Cali Cartel
(Don Berna) (El Cebollero) Libertadores del Vichada
Ejército Popular de Liberación
Ovni Building
Centralidad de Nuevo Occidente
Monaco Building
Mejoramiento de les Terminales de Transporte
Dalllas Building Barrio Pablo Escobar
Doble Calzada de la vīa Las Palmas Ampliación de le avenida Regional en el tramo Solla - Tricentenario AFD (Agence Francaise developpement)
Avenida 34 DAS Building CAI Immediate Attention Centres Botero Bird Sculpture
Expansion of Gas Generating Plant
IDB (Inter-American Development Bank)
Medellin River clean up Hydroelectric Development Clean and Renewable Energy Project
CAF (Development Bank of Latin America)
Botero Museum
Legitimate Organisations
Paramilitary Organisations
Prominent Organisations
Illegitimate Organisations
Narcotics Related Building
Architectural Insertions
Major Funding
Secondary Funding
Directory
MedellĂn: a city documented since 2003. In order to extend the understanding of Medellin’s architectural renewal in the 2000s, knowledge of the preceding years is necessary. The following directory seeks to establish prominent events within the greater narrative and explores violence, inequality and corruption. Events vary over time and through location, but trends between locations exist. There are clusters of activity. Explosions of assassinations are not exclusive to a particular area. Events cannot be read in isolation, nor can they be read solely in relation tho their physical location.
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4
5
2 6
7
8
N
9
10 11 12 13 14 15 16 17 18 19 20 21 22 23 24 25 26 27 28 29 30 31 32 33 34
50 Location AburraValley, CentralRegion of the AndesMountains,South America
35 36 37 38 39
40 41
42 43 44 45 46
47
48
49 MUNICIPALITY OF MEDELLIN Department of Antioquia
Population Metropolitan 2.44 million Regional 3.5 million
Catalogue
Medellín comprises a collection of peculiar scenarios. Raw data is not sufficient in understanding the varied landscape of buildings and events. To fully realise their significance, examplar scenarios are investigated to build relationships between points of interest and expand the established network. These snapshots build an understanding of Medellín untethered from geographical location and chronology, and primarily exhibit the complex set of relationships that contribute to Medellín’s urban landscape.
Police patrolling the neighbourhoods in 2013 16
17
Nacional Atletico
te ndien
e Indep
18
Atletico
Naci ona l
Map 29
Map 29
Estadio Antanasio Girardot
Aquatic Complex, Medellin
Built in 1953 as part of an extensive sports complex including the Aquatic Centre and Coliseo Mayor, the stadium is the main venue for soccer competition in Medellin. It houses two major soccer teams, Independiente Medellin and Atletico Nacional. Atletico Nacional is infamous for its close association with MedellĂn Cartel leader Pablo Escobar. Today the team continues to play, but publicly disassociatesitself fromany illegitimate forms of funding.
The Medellin Aquatic complex was originally constructed for the South American Games in 2009-2010. It now serves as a publicly accessible facility along with the Anastadio Girardot Stadium and Coliseo Mayor to provide world class facilities that encourage the city to be involved in sporting events and take part active leisure activities.
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Avenida Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, Bogotá
Avianca Flight 203
Rodrigo Lara Bonilla, while serving as the Minister for Justice under President Belisario Betancur, was shot through the back window of a car on 127th Street in Bogota in April 1984. The assassination was conducted by the Medellin Cartel,a large part of their motivation came from resisting extradition laws supported by Bonilla. Immediately after the death of Bonilla, the Betancur government approved key extradition laws.
Avianca Flight 203 was bombed over Soacha, just outside Bogota, November 27th 1989 . The Medellin Cartel took responsibility for the attack, with many suggesting that it was targeting presidential candidate for the 1990 elections César Gaviria Trujillo. Gaviria was not on the flight, however 2 American citizens were killed and this event has been linked to increased US Government opposition to Colombian Drug Cartels in this period. The girlfriend of a leader of the Cali Cartel was also on the flight and was killed, and many suspect that this was the rival Medellin Cartel’s motivation for the bombing.
A memorial statue is built on the same street in order to honour the life of the former Minister for Justice. This Statue was bombed by the Medellin Cartel in November 1986, shortly after it’s construction. The assassination, the construction and destruction of the statue are all symbolic of the violence, and continuous power struggle between various organisations throughout Colombia.The Street is named Avenida Rodrigo Lara Bonilla in his honour. 20
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Barrio de Pablo Escobar, Calle 38B, Comuna 9, Medellin
Biblioteca EPM/Plaza Cisneros
At the height of Pablo Escobar’s power, out of compassion or perhap s out of a desire to win over the population of Medellin, Escobar built hundreds of public houses for the people living in the slums of Moravia. Now, thousands of houses occupy the area north of Loreto. A mural is situated near the entrance to the suburb, which reads “Welcome to Barrio Pablo Escobar, Here One Breathes in Peace”.
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The Biblioteca EPM is a library funded by the EPM located in Plaza de Cisneros in central Medellin. Historically, the area was regarded as unsafe at night and it’s rejuvenation into a safe, public space was part of the campaign of Sergio Fajardo during his term as Mayor. The Library contains a public city hall that holds cultural exhibitions, a digital art gallery, art exhibition spaces, reading and study rooms and 2 auditoriums. It’s architectural presence and the installation of 300 light poles in the plaza helped it become a city landmarkand a public square for community interaction.
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Botero Bird Statue Bombing, Plaza de san Antonio, Medellin
CAI Immediate Attention Centres Bombing
On the 10th of June 1995, a bomb was detonated in San Antonio Park destroying a public sculpture by Fernando Botero known as the Bird of Peace. The bomb, located underneath the bronze statue detonated during a public concert, causing 200 casualties and 30 deaths. It is reported that the bomb was place by the paramilitary group FARC as a form as aggression against the Colombian Government, however the concert was allegedly hosted by members of the Medellin Cartel. The statue was not replaced, but rather a copy was placed adjacent to it as a representation of peace and in defiance to violence.
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Throughout the late 1980’s, a series of small ‘Centro de Atencion Immediate’ police stands were built throughout the streets of Medellin, especially on major intersections and areas of high crime rates. The Medellin Cartel offered reward money for anyone who shot at, or bombed these CAIs, with the highest reward being offered to an attack leading to the death of police officers. This reward was so enticing that even members of the police force were thought to have organised attacks. This series of attacks became symbolic of the weakness of law enforcement in the face of bribery and violence.
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Casa de la Memoria, Parque del Bicentenario
Centros de Atención Inmediata, Medellín
This urban project is a centre of memorial and a cultural facility to commemorate the victims of violent conflict especially in Colombia. It houses rooms for exhibits, an auditorium, children’s gallery, a reflection chamber and a documentation centre for meetings within the community.
A series of large ‘Centros Atencion Immediata’ police stations are built on the peripheries of Medellin with a focus on locations in neighbourhoods considered more dangerous. A total of 9 CAI Perifericos were built between 2008 and 2011, and form a part of a series of large public architectural interventions with an intent to improve the living conditions of the citizens of Medellin.
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Coliseo Mayor
Dallas Building, Comuna 14, Medellin
The Coliseo Major was originally built in 1955 but redesigned by Plan B and Giancarlo Mazzanti Architecture for the IX South American Sports Games in 2009. The venue is managed by INDER and it hosts a number of different sport events and programs. It is one of the most celebrated construction projects in the Municipality of Medellin and is symbolic of the community vision held by the government.
The Dallas Building has stood as a community icon for decades, representing the reign of the Medellin Cartel in the late 80s and early 90s. Once owned by Pablo Escobar, the building was bombed in 1993 by either the rival Cali Cartel or Los Pepes organisation as an affront to Escobar’s power. The attack occurred before the building was even completed, destroying the portion of the building that faced the road, and following Escobar’s death the property was acquired by the Medellin Government.
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DAS Building Bombed, Bogotá
Edificio Monaco, Comuna 10, Medellin
On December 6, 1989, the Medellin Cartel detonated a bus filled with explosives at the front of the DAS headquarters in downtown Bogota. With 49 dead, 600 wounded and the entire block with hundreds of businesses affected, the attack is one of the worst bombings in Colombian history. The Administrative Department of Security Agency as a defence of the state and intelligence agency were seen as an enemy to the Medellin Cartel and such were regularly targeted. The bombing’s alleged intention was to kill the director of DAS, Miguel Alfredo Maza Marquez, he however was unharmed in the attack.
The Monaco Building was a residential building in central Medellin with the penthouse used as Pablo Escobar’s family residence. As a concrete fortress, and featuring a pool and private tennis court, the building is a stark white, allegedly a conscious decision by Escobar to mimic the product of his wealth. In January 1988, a bombing took place resulting in the death of two body guards and injuring Escobar’s daughter resulting in her loss of hearing. The building, essentially non-damaged by the blast is now being used by the Medellin Government as a location of the Medellin Police Force after the death of Escobar and the resulting downfall of the Medellin Cartel.
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El Spectador
EPM (Empresas Publicas de Medellin)
The bombing is credited to be part of the conflict between the newspaper, and by extension the Colombian Government, with the Medellin Cartel. Carried out with the drug lords’ organisation called ‘The Extraditables’, the bombing killed 1 and injured 83 others in attempt to spread fear and terror within the newspaper and the community. As El Espectador was a very vocal public voice who denounced the narcotics trade and its leaders, the Medellin Cartel saw them as a very viable target to announce their unmerciful attitude to those who were against them.
The EPM Intelligent Building, built in 1993, are the headquarters of Empresas Publicas de Medellin. The company as a public utility companyis owned exclusively by Medellin’s municipality and contributes to the development of Medellin’s utilities such as water, energy, gas, sanitation and telecommunications. The building is anarchitectural icon with a surrounding green public square, 16 transparent elevators, rooftop gardens and vertical garden walls, as well as a contrasting square cub structure that serves as a public auditorium. It is located in La Alpujarra II as part of the administrative district and is in c lose proximity to other public leisure areas such as Plaza Mayor, Barefoot Park and the Medellin Metropolitan theatre.
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Escalators, Comuna 13, Medellin
Estadio Polideportivo Sur
Comuna 13 has a large proportion of informal dwellings and issues of inequality and access to facilities for citizens. These conditions led to a cycle of poverty and violence within the community. Inspired by Sergio Fajardo’s campaign of ‘new urbanism’, the escalators built in 2011, sought to alleviate the area by giving greater access to the lower parts of the city for the citizens. The escalators wind through informal housing and in various directions, and make a journey up 30 storeys worth of stairs both quicker and easier.
Estadio Polideportivo Sur is located in Envigado. Opened in 1992 to house Medellin’s local team, Envigado FC, the stadium is one of the most popular venues in the city and a key element to understanding Medellin’s complex relationship with sport. Similar to Atletico Nacional, Envigado FC finds its reputation frequently tarnished by accusations of involvement with drug cartels and ‘unclear’ methods of funding.
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Medellin, Columbia
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Golden Glades
Hacienda Napoles
According to Roberto Escobar, Pablos Escobar’s brother and the Medellin Cartel’s accountant, an empty housing development in Florida was used as the Cartel’s personal airstrip. Cocaine-laden planes would use the empty roads in the estate, Golden Glades, at night, bringing in tonnes and tonnes of the drug into the United States for distribution.
Hacienda Napoles is a private estate owned by Pablo Escobar located in Puerto Triunfo, Antioquia, 320 kilometres from Bogota. The estate is 20 square kilometres and was open to the public with a zoo with many exotic, imported animals such as giraffes and hippopotamuses, a bull ring, life size model dinosaurs and a Spanish colonial house. After Escobar’s death, the Colombian Government fought his family for ownership of the property and won. The estate however fell into disrepair and was then bought by an entertainment company which reopened it as a theme park. The theme park also features remnants of the Escobar’s original property such as a holiday house and a warehouse of vintage cars as an exhibit.
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INDER Soccer Field The INDER Soccer Fields are high quality soccer facilities built for the community to enjoy sport and foster connection within the community, but also between the public and the government. Their aim is to promote a healthy lifestyle, increase social activity and reduce crime. INDER has direct involvement with, and often ownership of, as many as 836 public venues in Medellin. Ironically, the Medellin Cartel were also allegedly the patrons of 800 soccer fields around the city.
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Informal Housing, Comuna 13, Medellin One of the most iconic images of Medellin is a series of informal houses perched on the hills stretching up to the outskirts of the city. The socioeconomic landscape inverts that of geography, with the lowest areas housing the highest classes, and the upper areas housing the poorer and the disadvantaged. As poorer citizens are pushed to the outskirts of the city these dwellings are born out of necessity.
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Jardin Infantil, Medellin
King’s Habour Apartments, Florida
Literally ‘Children’s Garden’, the Jardin Infantils are a set of architecturally designed child care facilities located in Medellin, most often on the fringes of the city, to provide world-class facilities and learning spaces for the children.
The Kings Harbour Apartment located at 3 Pine Island Road in Plantation in South Florida is just one example of the Medellin Cartel’s laundering of money into international properties. The seizure of the Kings Harbour Apartment along with numerous properties such as a bayfront mansion worth USD $500,000, a 45 unit apartment complex worth USD $1.9 million and a ranch near Ocala, all in Florida, are the result of the DEA’s crackdown on Colombia’s cocaine traffickers. These properties were reported to be seized by the Federal Marshals on December 1, 1987, and although are bought in relatives and friends names were able to be linked to key members of the cartel.
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electrical fence switch personal safe hot tub television comic book collection mega king bed
personal kitchen
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La Catedral, Comuna 14, Medellin
La Herrera Housing, Comuna 2, Medellin
La Catedral was Pablo Escobar’s personal prison after his surrender in 1991. It was negotiated with the Colombian Government in return for Pablo Escobar’s non-extradition to the United States. In 1992, after the Colombian Government turned a blind eye to his continuation of criminal activity, they decided they would relocate Escobar to another prison. In the process however, Escobar escaped which led to the conception of the Search Bloc, a special forces team trained by the United States Delta Force.
A government initiative under the Fajardo administration, La Herrera are a series of public housing projects throughout the city in order to house the citizens living in slums near Moravia. This project in the northeastern Medellin suburb of La Herrera connects citizens of different buildings through urban walks and pathways, leading to the Puente Mirador pedestrian bridge as you travel towards the MetroCable station in the south.
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Macarena Bullring Bombing, Medellin
Medellin Metro, Medellin
Killing 15 people and injuring 125 on the 17th of February 1991, it’s perpetrators are still unknown. It however formed part of the violent landscape in which warring drug cartels such as the Medellin Cartel and the Cali Cartel would often initiate violence in very public spaces. Further, the Medellin Cartel were explicitly killing police officers in defence of their trafficking. In the bombing, 6 policemen were killed, in addition to the paid assassinations of the police and the destruction of their stations.
First opened in 1995, the Medellin Metro was the first modern mass transportation in Colombia. This train line connects the city of Medellin from the north to the south. This service is supplemented by the MetroCable and the MetroPlus to to create a better connectivity throughout the suburbs in Medellin. The Medellin Metro serves a total of 27 stations across Medellin.
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Medellin, Columbia
Map 5
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Metrocable Station, Medellin
Money In Walls
Many of Medellin’s poorer citizens are geographically separated from the city center. They live in communities of informal housing in the mountainous areas on the outskirts of the city limits. The installation of the MetroCable has helped to alleviate much of the inequality that has resulted from community separation. It connects citizens to the centre of the city for work and pleasure. So far three lines of MetroCables have been installed.
In order to stow away their millions of dollars from the eyes of the government, the Medellin Cartel created a system of caletas in which the money was concealed in the walls of various houses and apartments all over Medellin. The properties were owned by the Cartel however were under regular civilians on paper, and they were also paid to inhabit them. Only the Medellin Cartel knew what houses and how much were being used, which prevented losing more than one’s properties riches in one go. The Medellin Cartel either distributed their cash to a caleta or a bank.
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Miami, United States
Medellin, Columbia
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Museo Interactivo EPM/Barefoot Park
Norman’s Cay
The Museo Interactivo is a museum funded and constructed by the EPM in 2000 as an interactive museum to educate the public about the processes of public utilities such as water, electricity, gas, sewerage and telecommunications. The exhibits focus on creating awareness of the role and function of the EPM as well as for the education of people about the environment and infrastructure systems in the city. It is also next to the outdoor public pavilion, Barefoot Park which features green areas, gardens, sand pits and water fountains.
Bought and controlled by one of Medellin Cartel’s top members, Carlos Lehder, the island located in the Bahamas was used as a landing strip for cocaine-laden planes on-route to the US. Using small planes and professional pilots, the Medellin Cartel bought out the loyalty of government officials and airspace controllers to maintain security whilst exporting their cocaine. The property was gradually acquired by buying as much as possible then, scaring off the other residents. The island facilitated the worldwide movement of hundreds of kilograms of cocaine everyday.
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Operation Orion, Comuna 13, Medellin
Orquideorama, Medellin
Operation Orion involved both the Medellin Police and Colombian Armed Forces, and was aimed at removing the guerrilla presence in Comuna 13. The operation began on the 3rd of October 2002 and involved helicopters, planes, armoured vehicles and foot soldiers to fight the members of the guerilla group. Approximately 100,000 people were caught in the crossfire, leaving many dead or injured, and many citizens disappeared following the conflict.
Orquideorama, completed in 2006, is designed by Plan B architects in collaboration with JPRCR and located in the Botanical Gardens of Medellin. It was built as an artificial canopy within the gardens that contrasted but complimented the natural canopy of the gardens. It forms a modern architectural space that encourages public interaction and develops a sense of appreciation in the community towards public spaces.
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Ovni Building, Medellin
Pablo Escobar Chapel, Comuna 9, Medellin
The OVNI Building was once the headquarters of the Medellin Cartel, working as a narcotics communications hub as well as their semi-legitimate fertiliser business. When the building was bombed on May 25th 1990 by Los Pepes, it was abandoned. It is now renewed with a traditional Colombian restauranton the bottom floor however the upper floors remain empty.
Pablo Escobar was well known as being very diligent to his family which included buying lavish presents and throwing enormous birthday celebrations. Part of this was seen in his building of a church for his mother in Barrio Pablo Escobar. Although the church was made because of his mother, it also serviced the local community and added to Escobar’s impressive record of assisting the poor through public infrastructure interventions.
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Pablo Escobar Killed, Comuna 11, Medellin On the run from the Colombian Government after his escape from La Catedral, Pablo Escobar is discovered to be hiding out in a house in central Medellin. During the manhunt, Escobar’s whereabouts are discerned with tracking devices to trace Escobar’s especially long call to his son. Climbing out of the house’s window, he makes for refuge but is shot and dies on the rooftop. The effort was carried out by the Search Bloc, a specially trained group for the hunt for Escobar which w as a combined effort by the Colombian and United States Government. The group, trained by the US Navy Seals and Delta Force were allegedly incooperation with Los Pepes, vigilante group made up of people who were persecuted by Escobar, which included many members of the Cali Cartel.
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Pablo Escobar’s Soccer Field in Aranjuez The soccer field in Aranjuez is one of as many as 800 soccer fields that were reputedly funded and assisted by the Medellin Cartel. The most common form of intervention by the cartel for the soccer fields was constructing flood lights and fences. Although it is unclear whether the intention of the gift was purely generosity or for creating a positive image for the cartel within the community, the flood lights and fences made it a safer location for games and social interaction. It is hypothesized that the projects could have also been a part of Escobar’s short lived ‘Medellin Without Slums’ political campaign. Ironically, adjacent to the soccer field sits an INDER soccer facility.
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Pablo Escobar’s Warehouse Bombing
Palace of Justice Siege
Pablo Escobar’s personal wealth from the Medellin Cartel allowed him to invest his money into luxury goods. This included vintage cars and art pieces which he stored in a warehouse in Medellin which was burned down by Los Pepes in February 1993. The resulting media coverage of the burning as the police investigated the area revealed to the public for the first time the extreme wealth of Pablo Escobar.
The siege took place in the Palace of Justice in the centre of Bogota on November 6, 1985. Carried out by the guerilla group M-19, allegedly by the instruction of Pablo Escobar, the intention was to hold the building and it’s residents hostage for an audience with President Belisario Betancur regarding the Extradition Laws. The aftermath included the death of many Colombian soldiers and building staff, 11 Supreme Court Justices and the destruction of the entire building. In the attack, the records of criminal activity for prosecution, and potentially extradition, of many drug cartels were also destroyed.
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Parque Explora, Medellin
Pharmacies
Parque Explora is an interactive science museum in the northern part of central Medellin built by the EPM in 2008. It’s facilities include interactive activities and attractions, an aquarium, 3D Auditorium, planetarium, a television studio and vivarium. Designed by Alejandro Echeverri, the Parque Explora is also located near Jardin Botanico, the planetarium and Parque de los Deseos, making the Parque Explora an active instigator of the public indoor and outdoor space and an example of Fajardo’s scheme of social development through architecture.
A typical strategy for both drug cartels and guerrillas to exert power over one another is the kidnapping of family and key members. This results in the negotiation of money, ceasefires or simply revenge. In 1985, the kidnapping of cartel leaders’ families by guerrilla groups was commonplace. A specific response was the installation of cameras in pharmacies across Medellin to monitor the purchases of specific medication to gain information on the kidnappers. Although the number of security set ups is unknown, such an infiltration of a common public utility is document to the physical presence of the Medellin Cartel and their influence over the city.
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Rolling Houses
Biblioteca Espa単a/Spanish Library, Comuna 1, Medellin
Narcotics labs, as the location of the production of cocaine, were highly protected and taken care of. One such lab lay in a desolatearea of the Venezuelan border called Los Llanos Orientales. The Medellin Cartel would set up a runway for their planes, but also built houses on wheels that were able to move on and off the runway in under an hour. This allowed planes to land, hide underneath the canopy of trees with the runway being concealed by rolling the houses over the top, protecting the labs from aerial view.
As part of the Northeast Integral Urban Project, five library parks were planned as urban interventions that create public space, strengthened by community involvement in order to provide for the poorest neighbourhoods in Medellin. The Parque Biblioteca Espa単a, designed by Giancarlo Mazzanti, is located in Barrio Santo Domingo in Comuna 1, which is historically remembered as centre for civil unrest and cartel corruption and warfare. As the final stop of line K of the MetroCable, it serves as central node for the Project as it envisions and places itself as a centre of knowledge, research and a refuge.
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Map 23, pt 11
Tranquilandia
Voting Booths
The largest of several hidden cocaine processing laboratories, Tranquilandia had 8 airstrips, it’s own power generators and water supply to sustain the small community and the process of converting the raw coca leaves into the white powdered product which would be flown out and exported all over the world. Located in the Caquetá jungles of southern Colombia, the laboratory was built and operated by Jose Gonzalo Rodriguez Gacha, also known as ‘El Gacha’ or ‘The Mexican’ who was a ring leader of the Medellin Cartel.
During the chaos of the Medellin Cartel’s war on the government, after the brief incarceration of its leaders in La Catedral, the elections were held for the position of Mayor. During the voting period, civil violence erupted resulting in community lockdowns and a fear of public buildings. Bombings and murders were commonplace and fuelled by the search for Cartel leaders. The everyday proceedings of life were restricted, along with the people’s right to vote. Medellin’s municipality and its leaders became obscured by corruption and violence.
The sheer scale of the operation is testament to the infrastructural diversity and power of the Medellin Cartel, so much so that it was difficult for it to remain undiscovered. It was destroyed by the Colombian Military and police in collaboration with the Drug Enforcement Agency of the United States, the DEA in March 1984. 62
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PROMINENT ENTITIES
Within the complex network of relationships running through MedellĂn are prominent groups and individuals who are deeply connected to the urban landscape that has developed and the historical development of the city. Political, economic and civil contributions combine through their competing interests, and it is their agency that gives meaning to architecture as it flows between weapon, target, victim and healer.
Luis Perez Gutierrez Sergio Fajardo Alonso Salazar Anibal Gaviria Correa (clockwise)
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Municipality of Medellin Medellin is the second largest city and the capital of Antioquia, Colombia. It has a population 2.44 million people in which the terms of Mayors run for 4 years, like that of the Colombian presidential term. Mayors of Medellin are essential to the development and growth of the city, especially through infrastructure projects and social programs that aim to improve the citizens quality of life. Key to the transformation of Medellin from violent to global city is centred around the terms of Luis Perez Gutierrez in 2001 - 2003, Sergio Fajardo in 2003-2007, Alonso Salazar from 2008-2011 and Anibal Gaviria Correa in 2012 to present. Luis Perez Gutierrez started public transport infrastructure after the installation of the Metro Trains in the form of the MetroCable system which aimed to connect the disadvantaged areas which lay on the outskirts of Medellin to the city centre. Sergio Fajardo during his term as mayor, implemented many public infrastructure projects under his campaign ‘social urbanism’ in order to rejuvenate public spaces and safety. This included the first 5 library parks which aimed to create public learning facilities for the poorer, most peripheral areas of the city, dozens of schools and public transport infrastructure in the form of an extension of the MetroCable and the Comuna 13 Escalators. Alonso Salazar cemented Fajardo’s Commitment Citizens Movement, which encouraged the promotion of education as a tool for social equity to help fight against corruption and violence. During his term, like Fajardo commenced architectural rejuvenation projects such as the Cai Perifericos and the Aquatic Centre for the South American Games. Anibal Gaviria Correa as the current mayor is continuing the transformation and growth of city after being named the most innovative city in the world. His projects focus on urban developments such as the Medellin River Park to transform the riverbanks into social, active spaces and the Metropolitan Green belt which aims to inject more housing, road infrastructure and public services within the city. 66
Antanas Mockus & Enrique Penalosa
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The Municipality of Bogota The city of Bogota is the largest city, and capital of Colombia and the Cundinamarca Department with a population of 12 million people. The mayor of Bogota is responsible for the city administration with terms lasting for 4 years. The Mayors of Bogota are therefore powerful instigators of change within the city and Colombia as a whole. The terms of Antanas Mockus, Enrique Penalosa and again, Mockus were particularly inspiring as their radical ideas transformed the city from violence into civic responsibility and peace. Antanas Mockus, as a Mayor of Bogota from 1995-1997 and in 2001-2003, was known for his unique and innovative public strategies in order to transform Bogota, physically and socially. Mockus implemented strategies to change the behaviour patterns of the citizens for the better such as honest advertisements featuring himself to ask people to save water, rewarding good taxi drivers, the creation of ‘Night for Women’ to encourage men to take care of the children and the carrot law which prohibited bars open after one to curb violence. Along with the rapid development of public transport infrastructure of his successor Enrique Penalosa, the growth of Bogota during their terms was enormous through their public spaces schemes to encourage pride of the city in the citizens, but also social programs that encouraged civic behaviour. Enrique Penalosa as Mayor of Bogota from 1998-2001, initiated many city-scale projects that aimed to improve public transport, urban spaces and overall quality of life. This included the Transmilenio mass transit system which was an extensive system of buses servicing 144 stations across Bogota to reduce traffic congestion, a Bike paths network to encourage active methods of travel, creation and renovation of city parks, renovation of main avenues in the city and imposing laws to reduce cars during rush hour. These city developments were often met with contention however led to Bogota being transformed into a city that encouraged good public interaction and activity from a past of intense violence and corruption. 68
AUC The United Self Defence Forces of Colombia, or AUC, are a militia group funded by narcotics trafficking, that were formed to defend against left-wing militia groups such as the FARC and the ELN in conflicts over land. Led and founded by the Castano brothers, Carlos, Fidel and Vicente in retaliation to their father’s death by the hands of the FARC in 1981, the AUC also worked in cooperation with the Colombian military to combat the left-wing groups, and were in approval from the Colombian public. This however deteriorated as their activities led to the increase of violence against regular citizens. As an apparent right-wing Colombian drug lord and AUC leader, Fidel Castano was also a key member of Los Pepes and had ties to the neighbouring Cali Cartel. It is presumed that he helped take down Pablo Escobar to further empower the Cali Cartel in the narcotics trade. The group was disbanded in 2006 after being disarmed along with many other right-wing paramilitary groups.
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Cali Cartel/Miguel Rodriguez
DAS
The Cali Cartel are a narcotics trafficking organisation that was founded in 1977 by the brothers, Gilberto and Miguel Rodriguez Orejuela and Jose Santacruz Londono. The cartel was located around the area of Cali and the Valle del Cauca in Southern Colombia and were geographically adjacent to the area that was ruled by the Medellin Cartel. As such, they were both rivals and many violent outbreaks, deaths and bombings can be accredited to their clashing. This includes the bombing of the Dallas which targeted Escobar and his family, links to Los Pepes and Search Bloc, and the bombing of Avianca flight 203.
The Administrative Department of Security Government Agency, is responsible for the security of Colombia’s state institutions and members. They work in close coordination with Colombian military and police and have close ties to US Government especially in operations concerning drug trafficking. The DAS have been also controversially linked to interacting with various guerrilla and paramilitary groups and drug cartels in their operations. As part of the role as a security and intelligence agency, the DAS were partly charged with operations to dismantle and defend against the drug cartels and were often a target for attacks as a part of the Colombian Government. This includes the numerous attempts by the Medellin Cartel to assassinate the director of DAS, Miguel Alfredo Maza Marquez such as the Bombing of DAS Headquarters which killed 49 people and left 600 people wounded. Marquez, however, was unharmed.
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EPM
FARC
The EPM, Empresas Publicas de Medellin, is a public utility company owned exclusively by Medellin’s municipality. The organisation has numerous associated companies which contribute to the development of Medellin’s utilities such as water, energy, gas, sanitation and telecommunications and as such, take part in many urban infrastructure projects which aim to increase the city’s standard of living. Such projects for example include the Medellin River Clean Up, Clean and Renewable Energy Project, CAI Perifericos and architectural public buildings such as the library parks, Biblioteca EPM, Museo Interactivo, the Jardin Infatil child care centres and the MetroCable.
Founded in 1964, the FARC are an active paramilitary organisation that started as a defence group during La Violencia, a civil war resulting in the death of 300,000 citizens. Funded mostly through the narcotics trade, the group’s violence is largely targeted towards the Colombian government, politicians and military members whilst Colombian citizens are victims to their methods of bombings, kidnappings, extortion, murder, hijacking and military attacks. This was escalated during President Uribe’s term, who in coordination with the US Government, started to crack down on the group. The FARC are also part of a larger organisation called the Simon Bolivar Guerrilla Coordinating Group (CCGSB) which also includes the EPL, ELN and M19.
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Los Pepes
Los Urabenos
The Los Pepes, Perseguidos por Pablo Escobar, are a group made up of people who were persecuted by Escobar and were formed purely to bring about the downfall of Escobar and the Medellin Cartel. They formed after the death of Moncada and Galeano brothers by their family members and employees, who were the leaders of the Medellin cartel’s assassination group, the Office of Envigado. They used bombings, assassinations, kidnapping and intimidation to damage the cartel and to lure Escobar into a position where he could be eliminated. Key members of the group includes Fidel Castano, head of the paramilitary group AUC as well as Don Berna, the head of the Office of Envigado.
The Urabenos are a very powerful paramilitary group with most of their income provided by dealings in drug trafficking. It was founded in 2006 from the conflict between drug traffickers and the FARC in which the group, previously called Centaurus, also warred with the AUC and the ACC, other paramilitary groups, over land. Over time, the group has at least 1,200 members (which is now presumed to be 2,366 in 2012) and functions in areas of Antioquia, Choco and Cordoba as well encroaching on Medellin and Bogota, making them enemies with other drug cartels, Los Rastrojos and Los Paisas.
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Medellín Cartel
Office of Envigado / Don Berna
The Medellin Cartel was founded in 1976 by Jorge Luis, Juan David and Fabio Ochoa with Pablo Escobar, joined later by Jose Rodriguez Gacha and Carlos Lehder. They were a highly successful narcotics trafficking syndicate, that ran numerous laboratories producing cocaine and various infrastructures to export the product overseas producing billions of dollars in profit. This included the small community of Tranquilandia organised by El Gacha, and the takeover of Norman’s Cay in the Bahamas by Carlos Lehder as a key strategic location for refueling of planes for the United States. From a past of petty theft, smuggling and kidnapping, the money raised was used to start up their narcotics business which grew so powerful that any opposition from anybody was met with violence. This led to unprecedented violence in Medellin, which included violent clashes with the Colombian Police and military, assassinations of key politicians and public figures and the victimization of citizens, leading to the breakdown of safety and quality of living in the city especially in the 1970s and 80’s.
The Office of Envigado originated within the Medellin Cartel as a specialised group of assassins in the municipality of Envigado adjacent to Medellin. Led by Diego Fernando Murillo, aka ‘Don Berna’, an ex ELP guerilla fighter, the Office of Envigado’s history began in the creation of Los Pepes with paramilitary leaders, Fidel and Carlos Castano, as response to the assassinations of the bosses of Don Berna, who had just escaped with his life. After the coordinated effort to bring down the Medellin Cartel, Don Berna, who was thoroughly well-connected, took over Medellin’s narcotics trade after the death of Pablo Escobar. They also allegedly funded the campaigns of the the Mayor of Medellin Alonso Salazar during 2008-2011. Don Berna, however was eventually arrested and negotiated his extradition with the government through cooperation which included the instruction to minimise the drug cartel’s murders rates, however he was extradited in 2008. From 2008 and 2009, internal fueding between Erick Vargas (’Sebastian’) and Maximiliano Bonilla (‘Valenciano’ ) increased violence until their arrests in 2012 and 2011, respectively. Los Urabenos then took over the territory.
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MetroCable system along the steep slopes of the valley 78
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Christina Deluchi Kim Angangan Marty Bowen Liam Corr Eduardus Intan
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