New urban quality for the expressway footbridges: the introduction of new BRT lines is an opportunity to rethink the way they work with the stations.
Urban planning workshop for 60 students in architecture organized by three major universities of Columbia (Universidad de Los Landes, Pontificia Universidad et Universidad Nacional de Colombia), in association with with the Rogelio Salmona Fundation and the urban development Insittute of the Municipality.
Two international experts (Antón Salvadó and Eleni Gigantes) and 21 national invited specialist and profesionnals in architecture, sociology, engineering
29/10: presentation – 30/10 au 2/10 : workshop – 3/10 : presentation of the final projects and debate with the group of experts
60 architecture students in 16 groups presented their projects in front of international experts (Antón Salvadó et Eleni Gigantes) and 21 Chilian professionals in architecture, sociology, ingineering…
Presentation of a few projets
The site proposed for the workshop is the section of BRT located on the Avenue Calle 80 (first phase of Transmilenio, already built), the intersection with Avenue Boyacá (study phase conducted by the Urban Development Institute of the City) and its area of influence.
This site is emblematic since it presents features due to the first consequences of the BRT in Bogota, namely a stronger separation between neighborhoods but also new connections between the Transmilenio stations and shopping areas. The site is under a strong urban development (Pontevedra), but also have traditional neighborhoods whose peripheries densify around these avenues (Bonanza, St. Mary Lake, Minuto de Dios). The presence of natural elements, components of the ecological structure of the city, such as the wetlands of Santa María del Lago and of Juan Amarillo and the former Salitre River (now a canal) is an important issue in this area.
Monday 29 September
10h00-12h00 : presentation of the workshop at the Universidad de Los Andes
14h00-19h00 : beginning of the workshop at the Universidad Javeriana
Tuesday 30 september- Wednesday 1rst – Thursday 2 October
14h00-19h00, Workshop, Universidad Javeriana
Friday 3 October
11h00-12h00 : presentation of the projects at the Museum of Architecture Leopoldo Rother, Universidad Nacional
Presentation and debate with the experts: 14h00-17h00
On the expressway of Bogotá, dominant mobility space of the city, pedestrian bridges appear to be the most appropriate passages to cross barriers and connect separated neighborhoods and activities. But these bridges are often poorly designed and unstable, have become places of insecurity and therefore are rarely used, sometimes even abandoned. With the construction of the first lines of the BRT system of Bogotá (Transmilenio), those footbridges become indispensable because they give access to the BRT stations. Space of connection of the whole system, these artifacts also generate a new urbanity, facilitate access to the surrounding neighborhoods and connect to other means of transportation (taxi, bicitaxi). These places also generate new facilities and services, including street vendors.
Universidad de Los Andes, Architecture and urban planning department (project and theory) ; Pontificia Universidad Javeriana (workshop on public space) ; Universidad Nacional de Colombia Sede Bogotá (Project)
Steering committee
Isabel Arteaga, Claudia Mejía, Camilo Salazar (U. Andes), Germán Ramírez (U. Javeriana) andXiomara Mojica, Tatiana Urrea (U. Nacional)
International experts
Eleni Gigantes (AAA, London, United Kingdom, Greece).
Anton Salvadó (Estudio STEM, teacher at the shool of architecture of Barcelona, Spain and Reus).
National experts
Leonardo Alvarez, Carolina Blanco, Lorenzo Castro, Edgar Duarte, Hernán González, Maria Elvira Madriñán, Amparo Martínez, Mario Mayorga, Susana Morales, Daniel Páez, Germán Ramirez, Eduardo Restrepo, Maria Cristina Rojas, Claudio Rossi, Viviana Rozo, Fernando Rubio.
Institut for Urban Development
Rogelio Salmona Fundation (Maria Elvira Madriñan, Director)