Urban Development As DériveThe city being a network of public spaces, the linkage of those creating urban space

URBAN PROTOTYPE | BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIACivic City - Places En Relation | ETH Zurich | Joel Zimmerli

Squares In BogotaPublic spaces at the moment are very isolated with hardly any interaction - as holes in the urban fabric

URBAN PROTOTYPE | BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIACivic City - Places En Relation | ETH Zurich | Joel Zimmerli

Bottom-up constructions

URBAN PROTOTYPE | BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIACivic City - Places En Relation | ETH Zurich | Joel Zimmerli

Vacant lots used as Courtyard Parkings (so called Parquaderos) can be found all over the city. The Project proposes to transform three of these lots along the pedestrianized street into structures working as community centers. A basic structure is given, consisting of ramps, stairs and elevators, as well as access to water, electricity etc. These Structures, designed as ‚Open-Buildings, allow for the inhabitant / user to finish the structure in a self-made manner. An already existing idea of bottom-up construction in the city is empowered.

Connecting diversity

URBAN PROTOTYPE | BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIACivic City - Places En Relation | ETH Zurich | Joel Zimmerli

Especially in the area above Avenida Caracas, many stores on ground level are partially informal because of a lack of regualation from the city. Because this part is cut off from the main commercial area, many smaller shops focus on retail of car parts or other hardware. To connect all those different areas with the pedestrianized street, in which the old railtracks are still visible, allows for this commercial district to develop, with programmatic regulations to promote more diverse ground floor uses.

Connecting through street

URBAN PROTOTYPE | BOGOTÁ, COLOMBIACivic City - Places En Relation | ETH Zurich | Joel Zimmerli

The project reconnects what has been seperated by the big streets cutting through the area. The new entirely pedestrianized axis reconnects not only three plazas to create one big public space, but also three segregated and very diverse areas. The historic administrative quarter, the busy market quarter and the more informal quarter above Avenida Caracas are brought back together, wherby each area benefits from the others qualities. With the new Metrostation as motor of the intervention as well as two ‚active ends‘ - the retrofitted old Trainstation ‚El Sabana‘ - and Plaza Bolívar, a new kind of social interaction is promoted. The acupuncture-like interventions along the pedestrianized axis serve as local activators, by providing public infrastructure and spaces.