Portfolio Juan Sebastián Benitez B. by Juan Sebastian Benitez

POR TF OLIO JUAN SEBASTIÁN B E N I T E Z B. 1

WHO AM I AND WHAT ARE MY PASSIONS?

WHERE HAVE I WORKED?

INTEGRATED AND SUSTAINABLE PLA NNING STRATEGIES

? P. 5

P. 6

P. 8 • U r b a n F a r m i n g. E n h a n c i n g s o c i a l l i f e i n K e r n e r v i e r t e l p. 1 0 • N E C K A R L A B. B r i n g i n g L i f e t o t h e R i v e r p. 1 4 • A Path for Dorcol. A coomunityl e d p l a n n i n g s t r a t e g y. p. 1 8

TACTICAL URBANISM, PLACEMAKING AND A CTIVATION OF UNUSED & PUBLIC SPACES

RESEARCH

ENGINEERING

P. 2 2

P. 40

P. 42

• F r a m e t h e N e c k a r. p. 2 4 • N e c k a r L a b p. 2 6 • S e l f i e a m N e c k a r p. 3 0 • N e c k a r l o w e r y o u r f e n c e s p. 3 2 • S t u t t g a r t a m N e c k a r. P u b l i c S y m p o s i u m . p. 3 4 • T h e r o l l i n g b o t t l e. p. 3 6 • Stuttgart am Neckar N e w s p a p e r. p. 3 8

• Informal Economy in the Public Space as a Driver of Social R e s i l i e n c e. p. 4 1

• 97 x 11. Structural Design. p. 4 4 • Diagnosis of the Current State of Pavements Recycling in Colombia. Recommendations for i t s e f f e c t i v e i m p l e m e n t a t i o n . p. 46 • T h e M e d e l l i n M e t r o. C a s e s t u d y. p. 4 8

J U A N S E B A S T I Á N B E N I T E Z B. M . S c. I n t e g r a t e d U r b a n i s m a n d S u s t a i n a b l e D e s i g n B. S c. C i v i l E n g i n e e r i n g

WHO A M I A N D W H AT AR E MY PA S S IO N S ? Channeling my efforts and capabilities towards more just and l i v a b l e c i t i e s, I h a v e d e s i g n e d s u s t a i n a b l e a n d i n t e g r a t e d p l a n n i n g s t r a t e g i e s t o a d d r e s s c o m p l e x u r b a n i s s u e s l i k e p o v e r t y, i n f o r m a l i t y, n a t u r a l h a z a r d s, l a c k o f s o c i a l c o h e s i o n , u r b a n a n d e c o l o g i c a l degradation and lack of empowerment in different contexts of Latin A m e r i c a a n d E u r o p e. I h a v e a c a d e m i c a n d p r a c t i c a l e x p e r i e n c e i n t e g r a t i n g p a r t i c i p a t o r y p l a n n i n g m e t h o d s, p l a c e m a k i n g, u r b a n e x p e r i m e n t s, u r b a n a g r i c u l t u r e, d i f f e r e n t m a p p i n g a n d d a t a c o l l e c t i o n t e c h n i q u e s, a s m a i n t o o l s f o r d e v e l o p m e n t a n d t r i g g e r i n g c h a n g e. M y e x p e r i e n c e o f w o r k i n g f o r 3 y e a r s i n t h e e n r i c h i n g w o r l d o f c o n s u l t i n g, c o o r d i n a t i o n a n d s u p e r v i s i o n o f i n f r a s t r u c t u r e projects in the context of Colombia, provided me with tools to build u p v e r y s t r o n g a n a l y t i c a l a n d r e s u l t - o r i e n t e d s k i l l s. I have participated in international workshops and design studios through which I acquired skills for international cooperation for development, collectively solving issues in difficult urban e n v i r o n m e n t s, i n v o l v i n g s t a k e h o l d e r s f r o m a l l l e v e l s o f t h e s o c i e t y a n d l o c a l i z i n g S D G â&#x20AC;&#x2122; s i n d i f f e r e n t c o n t e x t s. I h a v e d e v e l o p e d , t h r o u g h o u t t h e y e a r s, s o f t s k i l l s s u i t a b l e t o c a r r y o u t m o d e r a t i o n a n d n e g o t i a t i o n t a s k s i n f o c u s - g r o u p s a n d d e s i g n - m a k i n g p r o c e s s e s. I am a sports-fan, bike-lover and I enjoy exploring rhythms and d a n c e s f r o m d i f f e r e n t c u l t u r e s. I seek to be part of enthusiastic and committed teams that do not s e t t l e f o r t h e s t a t u s q u o, t o t r e a t e v e r y o n e a s e q u a l a n d t o a l w a y s give my best. 5

Stuttg

GERMA Bogotá & Medellín

COLOMBIA

WH ER E H AV E I W O R KED ?

gart

Belgrade

Amman

ANY SERBIA JORDAN

I N T E G R AT E D A N D S U S TA I N A B L E P L A N N I N G S T R AT E G I E S

URBAN FARMING ENHANCING THE SOCIAL LIFE IN KERNERVIERTEL, STUTTGART. Kernerviertel is a neighborhood located in a very centric l o c a t i o n i n S t u t t g a r t , G e r m a n y. Its urban fabric is characterized by dense blocks with mostly residential buildings and very few streets with high levels of activity in the ground level. After decades of expansion of t h e c i t y, i t s p r o x i m i t y t o m a i n highways has turned it also into one of the most polutted areas o f t h e c i t y. L a c k i n g s o c i a l l i f e a n d e n v i r o n m e n t a l q u a l i t y, t h e neighborhood has lost its â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;touchâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;

EXPERIMENTING

and a t r a c t i v e n e s s. Current inhabitants do not perceive any pleasure on walking its streets and very few places are r e c o g n i z e d a s s o c i a l a t t r a c t o r s, making them move much more to get recreation, sometimes even i n c r e a s i n g t h e c a r u s e. I t s s e m i public and semi-private spaces are also easily recognizable by the presence of car parking s p a c e s, t r a s h c o n t a i n e r s, a n d e m p t y s p a c e s w i t h n o u s e. Through

PILOT & EVALUATION

urban

e x p e r i m e n t s,

IMPLEMENTATION

m a p p i n g t e c h n i q u e s, s u r v e y s a n d i n t e r v i e w s, a n a l t e r n a t i v e vision and planning strategy was produced aiming to reactivate the social and spatial fabric of the neighborhood by introducing u r b a n f a r m i n g a s m a i n s t r a t e g y. Urban gardening offers a new purpose to otherwise abandoned a n d u n d e r u s e d s p a c e s. B e s i d e s creating a pleasant atmosphere and giving aesthetic qualities to t h e s p a c e s b e t w e e n b u i l d i n g s, urban farming contributes

GROWTH

EXPANSION

to the enhancement of the environmental qualities on a micro level. The linkage of eventual productive clusters with the existing vehicular and pedestrian flows allows the creation of a network that facilitates the exchange of knowledge and goods between neighbours and e x t e r n a l p a r t n e r s. t h i s c o u l d lead to a diverse range of activities like urban gardening w o r k s h o p s, s a t u r d a y m a r k e t s, c o m m u n a l k i t c h e n s, f a r m i n g related conferences or seasonal neighbourhood Festival.

Google Earth Pro 7.1.5.1557

Base map source: Google Earth Pro V 7.1.5.1557. (23 June, 2016). Kernerviertel, Stuttgart. 48º47’11.79” N, 9º11’37.89” E , Eye alt 1352 feet. Image Landsat, Copernicus. http://www.earth.google.com [February 26, 2017].

Urban gardening

Local market

Workshops 13

Food Chain receive

Input provide

Spatial Platform

NECKAR LAB BRINGING LIFE TO THE RIVER Stuttgart, Germany. The Neckar Lab was born after months of analyzing the areas surrounding the Neckar river in Stuttgart and combining urban experiments with creativity in order to understand the area and the context. First, it was understood that it was not possible to apply the same recipe as in other “river cities”, simply because in Stuttgart the river is mainly surrounded by b i g i n d u s t r i e s, l o g i s t i c c e n t e r s a n d l o w d e n s e r e s i d e n t i a l a r e a s. Those industries are isolated and function as “islands”, having their own dynamics but no communication with their neighbors Despite the great relevance of those industries for the economy of the entire Stuttgart 14

Spatial Reaction

region, this spatial segregation translates into a negative perception of the area by the common citizen, who sees this zone as a blank space in the i m a g e o f t h e c i t y. This blank space is indeed marked by the lack of urban f u r n i t u r e a n d p l a c e s t o s t a y. And it is not only the scenery potential, but the current activities on the site are also unknown. The sense of belonging is almost non-existent t h e r e, s u r r o u n d e d b y f e n c e s, high speed cyclists and warning s i g n s. T h e n , h o w t o b r i n g constant and permanent life around the river Neckar? This is the question that this strategy a i m s t o s o l v e. This NeckarLab is constantly

talking about awareness and engaging people’s curiosity in t h e u r b a n i s s u e s. I t a c h i e v e d to reveal its main purposes: raise public space awareness and instigate people to discover the potential of their neighborhood. As its event motto “Hi, I’m your neighbor!”, the visitors could know a little more about the two ‘neighbors’ brought together to promote this event, the GrossMarkt a n d t h e K G S K a n u k l u b. Tw o companies of the Grossmarkt interested in connecting with t h e i r c o n s u m e r s, p r o v i d e d f r e s h fruits and information about t h e i r p r o d u c t s. T h e i n f o r m a t i o n was tailored by the NeckarLab so people could have a first glimpse of how steps of the food production chain are closer than they thought.

Food Diary

A PAT H F O R D O R C O L COMMUNITY-LED PLANNING STRATEGY Belgrade, Serbia Dorcol is a place of transformation. Throughout h i s t o r y, i t h a s b e e n a b e a c o n of refuge and innovation, but also witnessed countless c o n f l i c t s, p o l i t i c a l t r a n s i t i o n s a n d e c o n o m i c v o l a t i l i t i e s. T h o s e aspects are embedded in the built environment, identity and t h e s p i r i t o f t h e p l a c e. M o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, D o r c o l i s H O M E f o r m a n y p e o p l e, t h e l i v i n g h e r i t a g e o f t h e p l a c e. C o n s t a n t l y challenged by all kinds of t h r e a t s, p e o p l e o f D o r c o l h a v e the potential to reshape their p a t h t o a m o r e c o n s c i o u s, p r o u d , a c t i v e a n d s t r o n g o n e, enabling its resistance to alien p r e s s u r e. T h i s p r o p o s a l s h o w s a possible path for its inhabitants to take action in strengthening their neighbourhood and use it as a physical and social platform to promote different w a y o f p l a n n i n g, t h a t r e s p e c t s i s t i d e n t i t y.

Create or Enhance Community Prepare & Organize for Action (Institutionalize)

Launching & Inception

Prepare to Scale-up

Exploration of Issues & Priorities Plan, Act & Evaluate Together

A N E V OL U TIV E C O- M M U N I T Y- LED S T R AT E G Y The structure of the strategy seeks to gradually strengthen the planning capacities and engagement of the community by introducing realistic but ambitious priority-based actions into the public ground. The limit of its scope and extension will depend on the level of preparedness to confront and address bigger and m o r e c h a l l e n g i n g i s s u e s. PA RT N E R SH I P S & R E S O U R C ES T HAT G R OW I N T I M E Great purposes require meaningful and useful partnerships that contribute intellectually or financially to the achievement of the established g o a l s. T h e l e v e l a n d- a m o u n t o f t h o s e partnerships should grow in time a l o n g w i t h t h e l e v e-l o f c a p a c i t y o f t h e community and the relevance of the issues on the agenda. A R E CL A IMIN G E VO L U T I V E IN T E R V E N TIO N Starting with small scale interventions a n d a c t i v i t i e s, t h e s t r a t e g y a i m s to gradually reclaim and revitalize spaces under threat of being developed by traditional top-down methods by â&#x20AC;&#x2DC;pushingâ&#x20AC;&#x2122; its boundaries and introducing projects planned and designed by the community alongside w i t h i t s p a r t n e r s.

Local Residents

Municipality of StariGrad

UNDP - Serbia

Local Businesses

City of Belgrade

Balkan Trust Fund

Local Associations

University of Belgrade

EU & European Investment Bank

Local Educational Institutions

KZM

Henrich Boll Foundation - Serbia

Building Assemblies

Institute of Architecture & Urbanism of Serbia - IAUS

GIZ - Serbia

FARMERS MARKET Considering that the strategy enables communities to choose their interests and fields of a c t i o n f o r t h e i r i n i t i a t i v e s, a range of possible projects are following presented. The project possibilities are targeting the fields of action identified in t h e a n a l y t i c a l p h a s e. H o w e v e r, t h e v a r i e t y i n t a r g e t s, s c a l e a n d users is an asset when presenting t h e s t r a t e g y t o i n t e r e s t e d p a r t s, highlighting that the nature of the activities are not the key to a successful implementation, but the process of engaging and putting communities on the steering wheel. The railway site is chosen here as a way to demonstrate that the regeneration of vacant areas can be led by and be on the i n t e r e s t o f t h e l o c a l c o m m u n i t y.

ADVENTURE R UN

MAKER STATION

MY DORCOL COULD BE

SUNDAY STREET SPORTS

WAGON CITY

HUMANS OF DORCOL

PARKING SPORTS

TA C T I C A L U R B A N I S M , P L A C E M A K I N G A N D A C T I VAT I O N O F P U B L I C & U N U S E D SPACES

FRAME THE NECKAR URBAN EXPERIMENT AND ACTIVATION W h a t d o P a r i s, B e r l i n , L o n d o n , P r a g u e, B u d a p e s t a n d C o l o g n e have in common? If you do a quick search in Google you will n o t i c e a c o m m o n f e a t u r e, a r i v e r. R i v e r s s o r r o u n d e d b y n e a t p r o m e n a d e s, r i v e r b a n k s a n d m o s t i m p o r t a n t l y, l i f e ! S t u t t g a r t a l s o h a s a r i v e r, t h e N e c k a r, b u t s o m e p e o p l e d o n â&#x20AC;&#x2122; t e v e n k n o w. Mainly used as a waterway for cargo transportation, the river is characterised by very narrow b i k e a n d p e d e s t r i a n p a t h s, factories and highways in both sides and almost no attractive f a c i l i t i e s. H o w e v e r, b e i n g t h e r e

is not unpleasent at all. The river offers a landscape which is equally brutal and c h a r m i n g. F a r from being n e g a t i v e, i t o f f e r s a u n i q u e n e s s not easily seen in other river c i t i e s. T h e N e c k a r i n S t u t t g a r t has a hidden beauty waiting to be unveiled. By framing it with what might seem like a trivial intervention, a debate was triggered on principles about the value of appropriation and highlighted the hidden potential of the river to become the cityâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s i d e n t i t y.

NECKAR LAB URBAN EXPERIMENT AND ACTIVATION The day started more colorful than usual in a small part of the r i v e r s i d e t h a t S u n d a y. T h e p l a c e, unknown or unnoticed to many S t u t t g a r t e r s, i s u s e d a s a c c e s s to the water for members of the KGS Kanuklub (Canoe club). Facing a gas tank, it is one of the few points where the view of the riverside is not blocked by d e n s e v e g e t a t i o n . C y c l i s t s t h e r e, usually with their heads down in high speed, were surprised, sometimes annoyed, to slow down and share the riverside with some curious people taking a m o m e n t t o e n j o y t h e s p a c e. Intended to break the monotony of a linear asphalt path, an alternative use of the space for a day was proposed. The stairs normally used for bringing the canoes to the water turned into

improvised bleachers where onlookers could enjoy the view o f t h e r i v e r. F o r t h e m o r e c u r i o u s o n e s, c h a i r s w e r e p l a c e d o n t h e p l a t e a u r i g h t n e x t t o t h e w a t e r, as people could also dip their t o e s. T h e v i e w w a s n o t t h e o n l y a t t r a c t i o n t h e r e. O n t h e o t h e r side of the cycle path, on the u p p e r s i d e, a r u s t i c l o u n g e w a s set. Pallets and cushions formed furnitures and large baskets with fruits invited passersby to e x p e r i e n c e t h a t p l a c e. The intervention aimed to raise public space awareness and instigate people to discover the potential of their neighborhood. As their event motto “Hi, I’m your neighbor!”, the visitors could know a little more about the two neighbors brought together

to promote this event, two companies of the Grossmarkt, Andretta Fruchtimport GmbH. and Gemüsering Stuttgart GmbH, were interested in connecting w i t h t h e i r c o n s u m e r s, p r o v i d e d fresh fruits and information about their p r o d u c t s. T h e information was tailored by the NeckarLab so people could have a first glimpse of how steps of the food production chain are closer than they thought.

SELFIE AM NECKAR URBAN EXPERIMENT AND SOCIAL MEDIA CAMPAIGN

What the citizens want... Selfie am Neckar consisted of a set of playful frames located in different spots along the Neckar river in Stuttgart. The t a s k w a s s i m p l e : “ Ta k e a s e l f i e with the Neckar”. For doing that, the dareful citizens were asked to answer one question: “What would you like to do in the Neckar?”, then to choose one or many actions from a wide range of options and take a photo with t h e r i v e r. W i t h t h e c o n s e n t o f t h e u s e r s, s o m e o f t h e p h o t o s were uploaded to social media as engagement strategy to a b r o d e r p u b l i c.

We w a n t e d t o s t a r t a c o n v e rsation with the citizens about the things that for them, were n e c e s s a r y t o r e v i t a l i z e t h e r i v e r, but also to show to the public that the river itself has a hidden beauty waiting for somebody to unveil it.

Beach and Swimming facilities Gastronomy Sport Facilities Green spaces along the River Improve Infrastructure Improve visibility of river banks Accomodation near the Neckar Events near the river Experience the industrial heritage Playgrounds for Children

N E C K A R : L O W E R YO U R FENCES 1.0 URBAN EXPERIMENT & ACTIVATION In the first part of this urban experiment and activation, called ‘ N e c k a r : L o w e r Yo u r F e n c e s 1.0’, we built a door out in the open air leaning on one of the fences close to the river bank. The message on the closed door reads “Open me”. When opened, the user is offered an alternative view of what the Neckar could

b e. We c r e a t e d a v i s u a l i z a t i o n t h a t c o v e r s t h e f e n c e, w i t h i m a g e s o f p e o p l e s u n - b a t h i n g, reading a book, playing ball, or simply having a good time on the riverbank with their feet in t h e w a t e r. O n t h e o p e n l e a f o f t h e d o o r, we had a blackboard where we

asked people to write what they wished to have there if the fence didnâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;t exist. People participated actively and their interactions w e r e v e r y r e w a r d i n g. T h i s w a s w h a t u r g e d u s t o t a k e t h i s f u rther to a second part for this experiment.

STUTTGART AM NECKAR. THE CITY AS THE CLASSROOM “OPEN AIR” AND PUBLIC SYMPOSIUM

Just a few meters away from t h e N e c k a r r i v e r, a s f a m o u s a s neglected, the Hall of Fame (as it is known) under the König Karls Bridge in Bad Cannstatt, is a symbol of the street art in S t u t t g a r t . D e s p i t e o f i t s i m p o rt a n c e f o r s o m e, t h e p l a c e h a s a negative connotation for many: u n s a f e, u g l y, d i r t y, d a r k . Do you wonder about the beach chairs and the ‘classroom’ environment in front of these graffit i - p a i n t e d w a l l s, a l l a t t h e s a m e time? The main idea was to use a neglected or forgotten place a n d g i v e i t a n o t h e r m e a n i n g, u s i n g i t f o r a n o t h e r p u r p o s e. I n o u r c a s e, w e w a n t e d t o t r a n s form this place into a public exchange room next to the river in which we could present our ideas but also open a common ground for discussion.

We i n v i t e d s o m e o f o u r p a r t n e r s, c i t i z e n s, f r i e n d s, r e p r e s e n t a t i v e s o f t h e a d m i n i s t r a t i o n o f t h e c i t y, l e c t u r e r s. P l u s, b y d o i n g i t i n a public space we intended to also gather some passers-by who could feel attracted by the a c t i v i t y. Besides the purpose of opening up a fruitful discussion on the N e c k a r a n d i t s i s s u e s, o n e o f the main messages we wanted t o s e n d t o t h e p e o p l e, i s t h a t everything you perceive as ugly o r n o t a t t r a c t i v e, m i g h t e a s i ly and cheaply be transformed i n t o s o m e t h i n g e l s e, s o m e t h i n g you want, something you need, s o m e t h i n g y o u l o v e, y o u j u s t need an idea and tons of good energy to make it happen.

“THE ROLLING BOTTLE” AWARENESS CAMPAIGN

Have you ever imagined that a b o t t l e c o u l d t r a v e l ? We f o l l o w e d the trail of this water bottle born in Stuttgart and filled with a small reserve of mineral water f r o m o n e o f i t s m a n y f o u n t a i n s. The idea was to share the story behind Stuttgart am Neckar around this beautiful world. The rolling bottle began its trip by the end of 2017 and we can’t be more jealous about the places it has visited. H o w e v e r, w e k n o w t h a t w e a r e being very well represented. From places like the Neckar or Königstrasse in Stuttgart, to B r a z i l , E g y p t , G r e e c e, I n d i a a n d many more!

STUTTGART AM NECKAR Find us in Facebook and Instagram Stuttgart am Neckar 2017 @stuttgart_am_Neckar g_ _

Behind every great idea See page 06

Water and the city See page 10

Hello from Stuttgart! We are an independent initiative called Stuttgart amN eckar born in the M.Sc. of Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) of the University of Stuttgart. We are 22 students from around the globe committed to bring the river Neckar back where it belongs, in every Stuttgarter heart. Join us in our journey and let yourself be part of this initiative

Strategic City See page 12

Experimental City See page 22

Learning in the City

STUTTGART AM NECKAR NEWSPAPER EDITION AND LAYOUT

See page 42

The idea of reviving the riverbanks in Stuttgart is not n e w. A l m o s t e v e r y s u m m e r season, the theme of bathing in the Neckar comes to discussion in the city with unsatisfactory r e s u l t s. A p p a r e n t l y, t h e w a t e r i s too dirty and the fact of being a national waterway makes the direct interaction between citizens and the river almost i m p o s s i b l e. B u t t h i s i s n o t t h e one and only problem, the Neckar riverbanks are the least of the things why the city should f e e l p r o u d o f. L a c k o f p r o p e r i n f r a s t r u c t u r e, v e r y n a r r o w b i k e a n d p e d e s t r i a n p a t h s, l o n g distances without f a c i l i t i e s, almost non-existent pulling a t t r a c t i o n s, v e r y f e w a c c e s s p o i n t s, f e n c e s a l o n g t h e r i v e r, low maintenance and a sense of non-belonging are just some of the features that the few users of the river experience every d a y. As a response to all those p r o b l e m s, m a n y i n i t i a t i v e s h a v e r i s e n w i t h t h e y e a r s, c l a i m i n g

the right to enjoy the river and demanding more and better solutions from the city towards a better environment around the r i v e r.

SPECIAL THANKS TO... IUSD - Universität Stuttgart Master Program SI - Städtebau Institut Stuttgarter Change Labs ZIRIUS - Zentrum für interdisziplinäre Risiko- und I nnovationsforschung IER - Institut für Energiewirtschaft und Rationelle Energieanwendung Amt für Stadtplanung und Stadterneuerung Hünersdorff GmbH Andretta Fruchtimport GmbH Gemüsering Stuttgart GmbH Grossmarkt GmbH KulturInsel CriticalMass Stuttgart StadtLücken KGS - Kanu Gesellschaft Stuttgart e.V. Unser Neckar LIFT das Magazin Reallabor für nachhaltige Mobilitätskultur Friends, family and Neckar enthusiasts AND!!! To all citizens

Even though the efforts have not been prominently successful, they have started to build the ground to keep pushing for integrated solutions and calling the attention of citizens and o f f i c i a l s. S h o u l d w e l o s e a n y h o p e, t h e n ? These and more questions are addressed in this publication along with the efforts made during the summer season of 2 0 1 7 b y S t u t t g a r t a m N e c k a r, a n independent initiative born in the Master of Integrated Urbanism and Sustainable Design (IUSD) of the University of Stuttgart as part of the Integrated Research a n d D e s i g n s t u d i o, w i t h t h e a i m to find effective solutions and realistic strategies to revitalize the Neckar river and bring it b a c k t o t h e c i t y.

... for your constant support, exchange of ideas and joining forces t o make a better Stuttgart with its river Neckar.

IUSD ALUMNI SERIES Nº 1 Printed in Stuttgart, 2017. This publication is an open source. Please, feel free to use it for further development, adaptation or as an educational tool. Sincerely yours, Stuttgart am Necka r team. Integrated Urbanism & Sustainable Desi gn

Federa l Mini stry for Economic Cooperation and Developmen t

RESEARCH

INFORMAL ECONOMY IN THE PUBLIC SPACE AS A DRIVER OF SOCIAL RESILIENCE. CASE STUDY ON INFORMAL WORKERS IN T H E P U B L I C S PA C E O F B O G OTA , C O L O M B I A . MASTER THESIS RESEARCH The informal economy accounts for more than 50% of the nonrural working population in Latin America, Sub-Saharan Africa and South and East Asia. From t h i s g r o u p, t h e i n f o r m a l w o r k e r s in the public space (IWPS) are some of the most affected not only by being constantly exposed to the environment but also being subject of neglection from sectors of the society that perceive this practice as negative or illegal. It is often disregarded their great capacities to respond, recover and prevent in the face of social disturbances and t h e r e f o r e, t h e i r l e v e l o f s o c i a l r e s i l i e n c e. As a component of resilience o f c o m m u n i t i e s, t h e s o c i a l resilience has raised attention of researchers across a multitude of academic discipline but has been highly associated with e n v i r o n m e n t a l s t u d i e s. H o w e v e r, there is a growing need to articulate the resilient practices in the face of other stressors like social, political or economic d i s a s t e r s. U s i n g t h e c a s e s t u d y

of IWPS of Bogotรก, this research will provide empiric evidence of the adaptation and survival mechanisms of the IWPS and the inexorable relation between those and the production of s o c i a l r e s i l i e n c e. Te n a t t r i b u t e s clustered in five sub-dimensions of Social Resilience were mutually associable with the field of Informal Economy in order to contrast them with the r e a l i t y o f I W P S. F o r t h i s, 1 4 semi-structured interviews were conducted to IWPS in two d i f f e r e n t l o c a l i t i e s o f t h e c i t y. Field observations and analysis of institutional reports also complemented the qualitative a n a l y s i s. W i t h t h e e x c e p t i o n of one attribute (Community Engagement), evidence showed positive characteristics of the other nine attributes which can be associated with the production o f s o c i a l r e s i l i e n c e. T h r o u g h synthesizing the observations a n d t h e i r r e s p o n s e s, a s e t o f recommendations are raised to articulate the findings with u r b a n r e s i l i e n c e a g e n d a s.

For full access to the research, please follow this link: https://www.researchgate.net/publication/327656553_Informal_Economy_in_the_Public_Space_as_a_Driver_of_ Social_Resilience_Case_Study_on_Informal_Workers_in_the_Public_Space_of_Bogota_Colombia

ENGINEERING

97X11 STR UCTURAL DESIGN - 2016 Located in one of the main business districts of the city of Bogotรก, Colombia, the 97x11 project would be developed in two stages; the first o n e, w h i c h w o u l d h a v e 1 7 l e v e l s ( 4 levels of parking underneath) and the second, 25 levels (4 levels of parking underneath). It will occupy an entire block and wouldl be used f o r h o u s i n g, h o t e l s, o f f i c e s a n d c o m m e r c e.

A B

Stage 1

Stage 2

Ground level 0.0m

Water table -2.0m

CHALLENGES A great portion of Bogotaâ&#x20AC;&#x2122;s territory is located within a h i g h - r i s k s e i s m i c z o n e. M o s t of the territory lays above clay soils and water tables very close t o t h e s u r f a c e. I n a d d i t i o n t o t h e location of the project, which is surrounded by main roads and i m p o r t a n t b u i l d i n g s, d i g g i n g f o u r levels of basements represents one of the main challenges of this project since it cannot be d o n e b y t r a d i t i o n a l m e t h o d s. The 15 meters-depth excavation will be completed with a foundation slab that must withstand the water table p r e s s u r e ( 1 2 To n / m 2 ) . T h u s, t h e design of the retaining structure will be vital both to withstand lateral loads due to adjacent soil and the water pressure under t h e b u i l d i n g.

Water pressure (12 ton/m2)

DESIGN AND CONSTRUCTION Moment-resistant reinforced concrete frames are selected to be the main structural system with concrete columns and beams resistances ranging from 21 MPa to 49 MPa. The slabs will be lightened and foundation p i l e s, w i t h d e p t h s b e t w e e n 4 0 a n d 5 2 m e t e r s, w i l l b e c o m b i n e d with a foundation slab which

will have the responsibility to counterbalance the building weight and the water pressure in its lower level. Aiming to avoid disturbing the surrounding water level, the tower will be isolated by the construction of slurry walls and instead of work being done from t h e b o t t o m u p, t h e g r o u n d w i l l be built first. A retaining slab at ground level will be constructed so the level below could be excavated. This process will be repeated for the second, third and fourth level. That will allow below-ground and above-ground construction to take place at the s a m e t i m e. One of the most important factors to be considered in the structural design of a retaining structure of this type is that the slurry walls must be designed to meet the stress states of all stages of excavation and not o n l y f o r t h e f i n a l - s e r v i c e l e v e l s. A d d i t i o n a l l y, i t i s i m p o r t a n t to perform a soil-structure i n t e r a c t i o n a n a l y s i s, a s w e l l as a dynamic analysis in order to understand the seismic behavior of the structure and to determine the horizontal forces o f t h e s t r u c t u r e. 45

D I A G N O S I S O F T H E C U R R E N T S TAT E O F R E C Y C L I N G O F PAV E M E N T S I N C O L O M B I A . R E C O M M E N D AT I O N S F O R I T S E F F E C T I V E I M P L E M E N TAT I O N BACHELOR THESIS RESEARCH, 2013. The Pavement Recycling mainly consists in the partial reuse of the materials the pavement is made up in order to build a new homogeneous structure of a certain depth. This new structure should be capable of withstanding the traffic loads p a s s i n g o v e r. I t i s c o m m o n t o a d d t o t h e n e w p a v e m e n t a d d i t i v e s, r e j u v e n a t o r s, s t a b i l i z e r s, or b i n d e r s, w h i c h h a v e d i f f e r e n t functions depending on the road r e q u i r e m e n t s. The incursion of the term Recycling in the road infrastructure area, has resulted in countless variations in its p r a c t i c e s, g o i n g f r o m t h e r e u s e of new materials previously r e g a r d e d a s w a s t e, t o t h e management of new asphalt mixtures at temperatures much lower than the traditionally used, generating significant savings i n t e r m s o f e n e r g y, e m i s s i o n s, virgin material transport and exploitation of nonrenewable 46

n a t u r a l s o u r c e s. This study identified both the most recycled materials by the year 2013, as well as the rehabilitation and construction techniques based on pavement recycling which, due to its importance and r e s u l t s o v e r t i m e, h a v e b e e n internationally positioned in

the road construction industry as a sustainability and savings e n g i n e. B e s i d e s, t h e s t u d y a i m e d t o assess the current state of Colombia in regard to the pavements recycling and to compare what had been done by t h a t t i m e, w i t h t h e i n f o r m a t i o n f o u n d o f o t h e r c o u n t r i e s.

Resonant Machines. (2005). Retrieved 1st of June 2013 from RMI Resonan: www. resonantmachines.com

An extensive literature review called attention about the contrast between Colombia and s o m e d e v e l o p e d c o u n t r i e s, i n which the history of research and investment in recycling techniques dates back more t h a n 4 0 y e a r s.

“Plastics – The facts 2010” – An analysis of EU Plastics. Production, demand and recovery for 2009. Source: PlasticsEurope

Distribution of use of scrap tires in Colombia. Source: Union Temporal (OCADE LTDA / SANIPLAN / ENVIRONMENTAL S.A.)

A s a n e x a m p l e, t h e f i g u r e s showed above were calculated with numbers from the same year (2009). In less than t e n y e a r s, E u r o p e w e n t f r o m recovering less than 50% of waste tires to recover almost 96% in most of the European U n i o n c o u n t r i e s. B y c o n t r a s t , in Colombia in 2009 it was reused only 28% of waste tires and almost nothing was used in c i v i l p r o j e c t s. T h e f i n a l r e s u l t s of the investigation showed deficiencies in the use of waste in pavements and it was one of the first research projects to not only compile current numbers but also to expose the countr y’s shortcomings that have hindered t h e d e v e l o p m e n t o f t h i s p r a c t i c e.

T H E M E D E L L I N M E T R O. CASE STUDY, 2013. The metro system of Medellin is one of the projects that generates more pride in Colombia and more specifically in the Antioquia region. This is mainly because it is the only metro system in the country and their “Cultura Metro” (Metro Culture), has become a b e n c h m a r k f o r c o e x i s t e n c e, social management and civic c u l t u r e. H o w e v e r, t h e M e d e l l i n m e t r o has been criticized because 48

it’s being said that it wasn’t planned in a sustainable way and that represents one of the largest embezzlements of money that has ever occurred i n t h e c o u n t r y. A s p a r t o f t h e course “Sustainable and Urban Tr a n s p o r t a t i o n ” , i t w a s d e c i d e d to conduct an investigation of this project from its early history to the year 2013, in order to establish the veracity of such criticism and draw conclusions that serve as a starting point for

s i m i l a r p r o j e c t s. In order to assess the appropriateness and efficiency of the project, a historical reconstruction was carried out and through costs analysis and p r o j e c t i o n s a t t h e t i m e, t h e Medellin Metro was compared to other metro-systems built i n o t h e r c i t i e s. S o m e o f t h e findings are summarized below: •

-The

initial

contract

•

was stipulated for USD $656Million (“turnkey contract”) -After the initial contract was signed, the original route was changed by p o l i t i c a l d e c i s i o n s. -In 1979 projections were Initial Layout

•

Final Layout

•

established using 335 million passengers per year for 1996. During the c o n s t r u c t i o n p r o c e s s, t h e projections were changed to 128 million passengers p e r y e a r. -The construction began in 1982. It was stopped between 1989 and 1992 and it was completed until 1995 -The metro was only going to provide the service for 14% of the total population of Medellín -The project valuation in 1995, after the construction was finalized, was USD $ 1,904 million (USD $1,248 million more than the initial budget)

•

-Having considerably less population, Medellin had to pay much more than Shanghai, Singapore and Cairo for their metro system.

T h u s, e v e n w h e n t h e M e d e l l i n metro has become iconic for the Antioquia region and in extension, for the rest of the c o u n t r y, i t s e e m s c l e a r t h a t m a n y mistakes were made during the p l a n n i n g p r o c e s s. D u e t o e v i d e n t corruption, political instability a n d m e d i o c r e t e c h n i c a l s t u d i e s, the Medellin metro represents a terrible precedent in terms of p l a n n i n g p r o c e d u r e s, f o r l a r g e urban transportation projects which may want to be developed i n t h e r e s t o f t h e c o u n t r y.

PLANNING COMPARISONS (DATA FROM 1990-1991)

Sanin, Jose Alvear. El Metro de Medellín (2000). Revista del Centro de Estudios del Trabajo.

C O N TA C T juancho@benitez.co +49 1783011932 C u r r e n t l y l i v i n g i n S t u t t g a r t , G e r m a n y. juan.sebastian995 h t t p s : / / w w w. l i n k e d i n . c o m / i n / j u a n s e b a s t i a n b e n i t e z b /