As an architecture student I am thrilled to find material on how public works, buildings, and urban planning SUCCESSFULLY acheive public goals, going beyond making pretty buildings. This was the case with ex-architect turned mayor of Medellin, Columbia, Sergio Fajardo, who envisioned his city's problems of drugs and crime as a problem that stems from poor urban design.
A few words from Fajardo:
“our most beautiful buildings must be in our poorest areas,”
“People who say that a beautiful building doesn’t improve education don’t understand something critical. The first step toward quality education is the quality of the space. When the poorest kid in Medellín arrives in the best classroom in the city, there is a powerful message of social inclusion.”
The last quote speaks immensly to me as an ex-detroiter, who understands that the illnesses of Detroit have largely been issues of inclusion and exclusion. It has taken the form of inner-city to suburban zones, race and ethnicity, the auto industry and employment in Michigan.
Please read more about Sergio Fajardo and how design relates to public revitalization:
Article from The Design Observer Group
Above Photo: Jardin Botanico, designed by Sergio Gomez Photo from Iwan Baan (www.iwan.com)
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