New Ideas of Urban Design a Matter of Equality for Architecture Professor

In November, School of Architecture Professor Francisco Sanin and his 13 studio students will travel to Medellín, Colombia, to visit a city transformed.

Once known as “the most dangerous city in the world” for its drug cartels and dangerous streets in the 1980s, Medellín has been reawakened through the work of a progressive mayor—and his successors—and a continuing collective of politicians, city administrators, urban designers, artists and architects, including Sanin. Their plans to take back the city focus on using big and small measures of urban design to revive the social fabric and promote equity among all citizens.

Sanin grew up in the South American city and has traveled back countless times to contribute to and promote the ideas of thoughtful design in helping rejuvenate the city.

Beginning in the early 2000s, public spaces, such as libraries, medical centers, parks and transportation systems were constructed within neighborhoods that were plagued by violence, insecurity and poverty. The philosophy of then-Mayor Sergio Fajardo was to build the most beautiful buildings in the most disadvantaged areas—instead of creating impressive structures near the seats of wealth and power—to give dignity and create opportunities for these communities.

“They used architecture and urban design as a tool for social and political transformation,” Sanin says. “Within the span of four years the mayor had empowered the city and the city was completely turned around.”

In recent years, the city has won international prizes for its stunning transformation, including the Lee Kuan Yew World City Prize in Singapore and the Curry Stone Prize in the U.S., and was recognized in a “60 Minutes” story.

“It was an incredible turnaround from a city where nobody would go or touch to a city that is now recognized for its social and urban transformation,” Sanin says.

Read the full story at SU News.