Research Portfolio
MARIA AVILÉS GUEVARA Architect and Urban Manager Selected Projects 2019-2020
This portfolio embodies a sample of the research work I have developed in the past years in urban development, mobility, land use, and waste management.
Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
Profile I am an Architect and Urban Manager in constant development with a profound interest in the research and planning of integral projects on a macro and micro scale. I actively merge the design, and problem-solving skills from my architecture experience with the analytical, inquisitive, and research experience from my latest educational training. I consciously chose these fields to transform the way people live and perceive their surrounding space. My areas of expertise include architecture, public space, mobility, and sustainability. Content Planning vs Reality: Implementation of TOD projects in Modal Shift Centers (CETRAM) Nodes in Mexico City (03/2020) ........................................................................................................................ 03 Construction and Demolition Waste in Kosovo: A case study in the municipalities of Prishtina and Fushe Kosova (05/2019) ..................................................................................................................... 06
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Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
Planning vs Reality: Implementation of TOD projects in Modal Shift Centers (CETRAM) Thesis for the Master in Science Urban Management at the Technical University of Berlin. Supervised by Prof. Dr. Dirk Heinrichs. Background In the last decade, TOD became part of the National and Mexico City’s urban development framework. One of the four strategies for its implementation is the reuse of Modal Shift Centers (CETRAM). These CETRAMS are mobility nodes with the infrastructure to connect two or more modes of public transportation. In 2014 the government officially announced a plan to adapt seven of the fifty CETRAMs under the TOD principles through a public-private partnership. Objectives This masters’ thesis aims to analyze the planning, development, and implementation phases of a TOD project in a CETRAM. The main research question is as follows: • How does the CETRAM project for TOD respond to the context and address its users’ needs? Likewise, the secondary research questions assess the mobility and land use framework, question the project’s contribution to the city’s mobility issues, and explore the users’ needs. This research remains relevant as the projects in 2018 were incomplete and under review. It is possible to adjust and correct their program to obtain the TOD benefits. Challenges It was not possible to establish contact with the private developers of the project to understand the decision-making process leading to the program. The researcher had to formulate hypotheses based on the available data. Additionally, the project’s impact cannot be thoroughly assessed as any project concluded the implementation phase in 2019. Research Design
Figure 1 Research Design. Source: Self-elaboration, 2019
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Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
Figure 1 illustrates the methodology used for this study. It employs mixed-method research with secondary sources for the status quo, theoretical background, and policy review. It also includes primary sources through fieldwork observation, a survey in the case study area, and three interviews with government representatives. The methodology to select the case study to analyze included an information-oriented selection strategy considering the following criteria: • The project is part of the government’s TOD strategy. • The CETRAM has a high concentration of daily users. • The surrounding area is underused and underdeveloped compared to the land-use regulations. • It has the potential to integrate the TOD principles. Discussion The project for the CETRAM Constitución de 1917 fulfills the mentioned criteria. In 2014 the government authorized a private investor to develop the TOD project. The intervention encompasses a private children’s museum, the bus terminal, a shopping mall, and a hotel in a single plot next to the subway and bus station. After analyzing the field research, three main statements can be concluded. The first one is the relationship between the pedestrian flows and the physical infrastructure of the station. The origin-destination survey (Figures 2-5) for this research identified the CETRAM as a transitional space for users rather than a destination. The current conditions do not enable equal pedestrian and non-motorized activity in the station’s buffer zone. The above-ground subway line divides the neighborhood into a commercial lively part in the north and an isolated housing part in the south despite having equivalent land-use specifications. The second main statement is the original project’s failure to approach the mobility issues in a zone connecting the city center and the metropolitan area. By mapping the users’ origin, destination, and purpose of daily trips, it was possible to identify two main aspects: 1. Most of the users live in areas without access to mass public transport and rely on semiinformal buses. Thus, their commuting time and expenses increase. 2. The services work at their maximum capacity at 8:00 and 20:00 since “work” and “going home” are the leading commuting purposes. The final is the shortcomings in the planning stages of all the CETRAM projects. Even though the projects have specific locations and investors, the programs vary slightly. Relevant stakeholders are absent during the decision-making process, and the private actors have total control over the program. Conclusions According to the information collected, the CETRAM Constitución de 1917 project does not follow the TOD principles. The case study program ignored the users, disregarded its context throughout its development, and reacted only to market forces. Furthermore, this research highlights the existing gap between the current framework encouraging TOD and the proposals for the CETRAMs. The government needs to take an active role in urban development to prevent similar unsuccessful interventions. Finally, there is a vast potential in Mexico City’s first outline to diversify its land-use to reduce the extensive commuting distances that create social, environmental, and economic issues. While it is necessary to foster development in the cities, it is essential to enhance projects that use the characteristics of their environment and their inhabitants while contributing to sustainable development. 4
Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
Figure 2 Origin-destination from the CETRAM at 8:00. Source: Self-elaboration, 2019
Figure 3 Origin-destination from the CETRAM at 12:00. Source: Self-elaboration, 2019
Figure 4 Origin-destination from the CETRAM at 16:00. Source: Self-elaboration, 2019
Figure 5 Origin-destination from the CETRAM at 20:00. Source: Self-elaboration, 2019
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Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
Construction and Demolition Waste in Kosovo: A case study in the municipalities of Prishtina and Fushe Kosova Report on the Results of a Case Study Research Project (2019) for the Master in Science Urban Management at the Technical University of Berlin in cooperation with Deutsche Gesellschaft für Internationale Zusammenarbeit (GIZ) GmbH and the Municipalities of Pristina and Fushe Kosova. Authors: The Urban Management class of 2018-20120. Background With a history of changing borders, occupying forces, ethnic divisions, and land swaps, Kosovo has had little chance to develop as a nation. Due to the significant increase in the construction industry with post-war reconstructions, the country faces challenges managing the high amounts of construction and demolition waste (CDW). This topic is gaining importance in the country since the improper collection and treatment of CDW in illegal dumps pose a health threat to citizens, flora, and fauna alike. Objectives The project focuses on Kosovo’s legal and institutional framework development for a circular material economy. From the report’ five chapters, the author of this portfolio and her team worked on chapter four: “Incentives for prevention, reduction, and reuse, improving construction longevity.” Therefore, the focus of this summary mainly addresses that chapter and the answer to the following research question: • What viable incentives could more effectively prevent and reduce the generation of CDW in Pristina, Kosovo? This chapter prioritizes prevention in line with the waste minimization hierarchy outlined in EU waste legislation. Challenges Initially, the project’s objective included approaching the issue at a national level. The lack of quantitative information related to CDW and the low cooperation with other municipalities lead to a focus on Pristina and Fushe Kosova. Therefore, it was not possible to make statements regarding CDW with a country-wide validity. Research Design To gain insight into the current measures, challenges, and motivations of the stakeholders involved, chapter four employs mixed-method research. Primary sources include around 16 meetings with actors from civil society, public and private sectors, and a survey of people active in the housing market, whereas secondary sources constitute the best practices for CDW. The information obtained enabled the identification of challenges and motivations to suggest overlapping incentives for various stakeholders. These incentives correspond to five categories: economic, social, environmental, political, and technological. Furthermore, the literature review identifies the case studies with the highest potential for implementation relative to Pristina’s current context. Discussion After analyzing the actors’ matrix, two figures represent the main findings. Figure 6 depicts the challenges for CDW prevention, reduction, and management stated by the stakeholders and the category to which they belong. Overall, the complexity of regulations is an outstanding limitation for civil society and the private sector, whereas economic constraints represent the principal limitation
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Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
Figure 6 Actor Matrix Challenges Analysis. Source: Self-elaboration, 2019
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Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
Figure 7 Actor Matrix Motivations Analysis. Source: Self-elaboration, 2019
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Maria Avilés Guevara | +49160 99466275 | aviles.mg7@gmail.com
to all stakeholders. Likewise, Figure 7 depicts the drivers that can facilitate the implementation of incentives. As well as the former, the economic aspect prevails above the rest. It is possible to hypothesize that monetary incentives can alleviate the negative impacts of the CDW’s accelerated production and mismanagement. Regarding the case studies, the local cases demonstrate the benefits and opportunities of reusing materials and buildings. However, their replicability on a large scale is unlikely due to economic and logistic reasons. One of the three regional projects that stands out with the highest impact on the most transferable component is Ankara. Their system is profit-motivated for the reuse and recycling of CDW by using disassembly techniques. Other international practices include the procurement of green goods services and works by the public sector. In identifying potential prevention incentives for various actors within the local constraints of Pristina, this chapter encourages the improvement of the regulatory framework regarding reused materials, real estate, and the lifespan of buildings through the implementation of new policies and market mechanisms. Conclusions Considering the relevance of economic limitations and drivers, the promotion of disassembly over demolition in Pristina can effectively reduce the CDW while economically benefiting all the stakeholders. Nonetheless, a single strategy has its constraints. It is necessary to develop an incentive scheme that comprehensively addresses the components of the CDW chain. This chapter highlights the need to plan short-term communication and promotional strategies, medium-term measures to create jobs and market competitiveness, and long-term policies to comply with the EU guidelines. Besides, it intends to guide Kosovo’s policy-makers towards a reward scheme to minimize legal penalties to facilitate the establishment of a new market for environmentally-friendly goods and services, prevent CDW, and reduce environmental degradation through the reduction of illegal disposal of CDW.
Link to complete report.
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Research Portfolio
MARIA AVILÉS GUEVARA Architect and Urban Manager
Contact: +49 16099466275 aviles.mg7gmail.com Thanks!