After successful completion of the course, students are able to work independently on complex design tasks of urban transformation and create original, contemporary design approaches in a precise design language. The students are able to conduct independent research and to gather basic information on specific topics. They have the competence to recognize fields of action within an (informal) urban context and to develop appropriate urban design solutions especially for affordable and productive neighborhoods. They are able to create retrofitting design concepts and to comprehensively present them in the form of strategy, design and detail plans.
Issue
A growing urban population, a global housing crisis, an increasing gap between rich and poor and an urgent need to adapt and mitigate climate change are some of the most important contemporary challenges in urban design. Retrofitting is an effective strategy to meet these issues. It deals with the development of existing neighborhoods through densification, re-greening, diversification of residents, uses and activities. By adapting the already build the cities save resources and benefit from existing infrastructure. Retrofitting tends to improve the urban environment for the local population and creates potentials for the future development. In huge metropolises like Bogotá, Retrofitting is especially needed in deteriorated low-income neighborhoods.
Location
Las Cruces is a neighborhood in the historic city center of Bogotá, the capital of Colombia. The Latin American metropolis with 8.2 million has experienced rapid population growth in the last century, which urban design has not been able to keep up with. As a result, the city has a dispersed structure with strong socio-economic polarization and micro segregation. Informal settlements developed on the outskirts and marginalized inner-city neighborhoods in the city center.
Las Cruces is part of the “Arrival City Bogotá” located within 10 minutes walking from the commercial and political city center it is separated by an invisible border of stigmatization due to poverty and insecurity. While the colonial architecture is still present the neighborhood shows a high evidence of physical deterioration and there is a great number of tenements. Las Cruces has around 11.000 residents and a surface of 48 hectares. It is a predominantly residential neighborhood with low story buildings, many of them “productive dwellings” with local commerce, crafts and micro industry. The living conditions of Las Cruces are very precarious, and the neighborhood urgently needs Retrofitting strategies to be able to tackle actual and future challenges.
Project
The urban design project focuses on the global emerging topics of affordable housing for the local, socioeconomically disadvantaged population and of productive neighborhoods. In our case this means respecting the local identity and retaining as well as increasing local workplaces and job opportunities in Las Cruces. Within the neighborhood several locations characterized through vacant and underused plots, buildings or blocks are identified as potential locations and up for Retrofit-interventions.
Video presentation: RETROFIT Las Cruces, Bogotá - TUpeerTube (tuwien.ac.at)
Didactic
The course is characterized upon the longstanding local academic and practical experience of the teaching team. It is structured into two parts: 1) Intense immersion in the local context and the issues of affordable productive neighborhoods through analysis, interpretation and good practice examples. There will be input presentations and discussions as well as a 3-day workshop. 2) Urban design task: Starting with the definition of the project site, emerging topics and design goals we will work out site specific concepts and develop urban design proposals for a livable neighborhood. For mid-term and final presentations, we will invite local architects.
Teamwork will be an important issue.
Additional information
The design studio “Retrofit Las Cruces” will have content synergies with the course: “Architecture, Construction and Settlement” (260.223 VU) as well as with the Modul “International Urban and Regional Development” (280.017; Coordinatior: Rudolf Giffinger)
The participation in both is highly recommended, but not required!
Participants
10-12 students Master
10-12 students Bachelor
Participation requirements
Bachelor students: successful completion of Studios Städtebau
Interest in a creative engagement with a pulsating metropolis of enormous social contrasts
Ability to work in a team and willingness to actively participate in an international working process
Language: English
Cooperation partners in Bogotá
Santiago Pradilla, tbd
