**3.2.2 Solution attempts from the urbanism perspective**

Local authorities have carried out laudable efforts that have propitiated a wide recognition of the recent development of Medellín throughout the world. There are two outstanding programs that exemplify those efforts: social urbanism and PUI.

Social urbanism is an innovative urban development strategy oriented to solve the conflicting circumstances that had driven the city to a critical situation. It consisted in to investing in grassroots communities in order to pay the "historical debt" that society owed to these urban links of the ignored city. It is not just intended to solve the underlying problems related to housing, employment and poverty. By building metro cables, parks, libraries, schools in highquality architecture, public spaces, and other projects with a high aesthetic and social impact (Figure 9) it seeks not only to "make the best architecture, which raises pride and self-esteem of the community, an architecture that generates a sense of belonging", but also implement projects to" lead a profound social transformation. "(Mayor of Medellin, 2008).

Fig. 9. España Library, Metrocable transport system, the bamboo bridge. Three of the many works recently developed as part of the program "social –urbanism", developed in the east side slope of Medellín.

Integral Urban Projects (known as PUI, in Spanish). "PUI is an urban intervention instrument that gathers physical, social and institutional matters, with the aim of solving specific problems on a defined territory. In this way, the City Hall, using all development tools in a planned and simultaneous manner, gets that actions oriented to development reach vulnerable zones"(Mayor of Medellín 2009).

According to local planning and development authorities the PUI components, in order, are:


An Approach to Landscape Planning in Borders 97

The nature of a site's landscape is the result of many interactions; that is why the approximation to its complexity makes it necessary to split it up in parts that aren't just elements or physical subdivisions, they're systems or layers, in a cartographic language. With this premise, we proceed to identify the different parts that in this case are defined as components and subcomponents (Table 1). Such disintegration allows a precise analysis, a settled research and a well-balanced result of the weight assigned to each part, in the general definition of work. In this matter, once there's a certain grade of clarity about the circumstances and the meaning of each analysis component, we proceed to confront ones with others and to identify its interferences. This constitutes the first step to a new and necessary aggregation. Gradually, after retrospective revisions, that aggregation was consolidated, as complex as certain limits allow it to be, to conclude with a work of an

The work, according to the expressed methodology, was organized selecting the following landscape components and subcomponents that in the context of this research were

Table 1. Disaggregation in components and subcomponents for landscape diagnosis.

It is necessary to point out that even when the hydrologic matter is part of the nature component, in attention to the streams importance in the work it was decided to develop the

To start, it is pertinent to select some concepts that express our interpretation of landscape and simultaneously support the landscape axis of the research. For such purpose, some substantial reference parts on the matter have been extracted, and are presented as follows.

integral proposal.

considered the most relevant:

hydrologic component apart.

**3.4 Landscape principles** 


A prominent official plan on the topic is the Borders Master Plan carried out by the Urban Development Agency (known as EDU in Spanish). The plan represents a good institutional effort to develop an interdisciplinary exercise, focused on two particular sectors of borders, and that resulted in specific projects, already executed and of good reception from the community. It must be credited to this process the involvement, of a moderate contribution from the landscape discipline. This circumstance opens the door to professional landscape participation in projects leader by public institutions.

The advances in Medellín to improve the urban habitat in all senses deserve all admiration, but it has to be said that landscape has not been attended as much as it ought to have. Many times it is considered a superfluous activity that may be present or not, depending on the budget remaining and that could be solved by planting some trees. That is the landscape professionals' challenge.

#### **3.3 Borders from the landscape perspective**

Similar to many places in the world, Medellín has followed the planning process characterized by: functional emphasis, social emphasis, environment regards. The last, up to a level that could not be properly considered an emphasis jet.

Landscape is the core of the research, variable in itself, and in the case of the matter, that variation depends on other research variables like border, hillside and streams.

The "border" from institutional consideration, is usually seen as a line that the planner draws on a map, attending the use conditions more than the natural realities. As a line that, even in the recent past, some governors have pretended to identify by a particular colour (difficult or even impossible to materialize, but with a good reception from a naive point of view), to be seen from as many places as possible. A line almost without thickness that it is sometimes referred to as a "membrane"; a border as fragile as an administrative division that ignores or contradicts natural limits such as watersheds.

From the landscape point of view, this is to say, from a perspective that gathers natural dynamics, values and forms, signs of permanent occupation or in consolidation process, affective and appropriation relationships to the site, borders are not a line, and not even a fringe. It is an elongated space, composed by fragments or subspaces that aren't anything else but micro-basin portions occupied and deformed or mistreated. These portions are curiously placed in a perpendicular position to the basin axis: the streams. This is, in terms of the reinforcement and prevalence of this site as a settlement, beyond its natural calling and shape identity.

As an academic work and counting on the experience, even brief as it is, of the Master in Landscape Design programme, an approach from the landscape discipline corresponds. The landscape, as people perceive it, is the result of the interaction of natural and human factors with an eye on ecological, social, functional and economic values. That means, as it was mentioned before, an integrated interdisciplinary focus.

A prominent official plan on the topic is the Borders Master Plan carried out by the Urban Development Agency (known as EDU in Spanish). The plan represents a good institutional effort to develop an interdisciplinary exercise, focused on two particular sectors of borders, and that resulted in specific projects, already executed and of good reception from the community. It must be credited to this process the involvement, of a moderate contribution from the landscape discipline. This circumstance opens the door to professional landscape

The advances in Medellín to improve the urban habitat in all senses deserve all admiration, but it has to be said that landscape has not been attended as much as it ought to have. Many times it is considered a superfluous activity that may be present or not, depending on the budget remaining and that could be solved by planting some trees. That is the landscape

Similar to many places in the world, Medellín has followed the planning process characterized by: functional emphasis, social emphasis, environment regards. The last, up to

Landscape is the core of the research, variable in itself, and in the case of the matter, that

The "border" from institutional consideration, is usually seen as a line that the planner draws on a map, attending the use conditions more than the natural realities. As a line that, even in the recent past, some governors have pretended to identify by a particular colour (difficult or even impossible to materialize, but with a good reception from a naive point of view), to be seen from as many places as possible. A line almost without thickness that it is sometimes referred to as a "membrane"; a border as fragile as an administrative division

From the landscape point of view, this is to say, from a perspective that gathers natural dynamics, values and forms, signs of permanent occupation or in consolidation process, affective and appropriation relationships to the site, borders are not a line, and not even a fringe. It is an elongated space, composed by fragments or subspaces that aren't anything else but micro-basin portions occupied and deformed or mistreated. These portions are curiously placed in a perpendicular position to the basin axis: the streams. This is, in terms of the reinforcement and prevalence of this site as a settlement, beyond its natural calling

As an academic work and counting on the experience, even brief as it is, of the Master in Landscape Design programme, an approach from the landscape discipline corresponds. The landscape, as people perceive it, is the result of the interaction of natural and human factors with an eye on ecological, social, functional and economic values. That means, as it was

variation depends on other research variables like border, hillside and streams.

Housing promotion

professionals' challenge.

and shape identity.

Environmental recovery

Improvement of public space and mobility

Alignment and construction of community facilities

participation in projects leader by public institutions.

**3.3 Borders from the landscape perspective** 

a level that could not be properly considered an emphasis jet.

that ignores or contradicts natural limits such as watersheds.

mentioned before, an integrated interdisciplinary focus.

The nature of a site's landscape is the result of many interactions; that is why the approximation to its complexity makes it necessary to split it up in parts that aren't just elements or physical subdivisions, they're systems or layers, in a cartographic language. With this premise, we proceed to identify the different parts that in this case are defined as components and subcomponents (Table 1). Such disintegration allows a precise analysis, a settled research and a well-balanced result of the weight assigned to each part, in the general definition of work. In this matter, once there's a certain grade of clarity about the circumstances and the meaning of each analysis component, we proceed to confront ones with others and to identify its interferences. This constitutes the first step to a new and necessary aggregation. Gradually, after retrospective revisions, that aggregation was consolidated, as complex as certain limits allow it to be, to conclude with a work of an integral proposal.

The work, according to the expressed methodology, was organized selecting the following landscape components and subcomponents that in the context of this research were considered the most relevant:


Table 1. Disaggregation in components and subcomponents for landscape diagnosis.

It is necessary to point out that even when the hydrologic matter is part of the nature component, in attention to the streams importance in the work it was decided to develop the hydrologic component apart.

#### **3.4 Landscape principles**

To start, it is pertinent to select some concepts that express our interpretation of landscape and simultaneously support the landscape axis of the research. For such purpose, some substantial reference parts on the matter have been extracted, and are presented as follows.

An Approach to Landscape Planning in Borders 99

Fig. 10. Panoramic view on the west side of the Aburrá valley basin. Photo C D Montoya

reading even more intricate (Figure 11) and 12).

Fig. 11. Middle distance view of a place where a stream is hidden.

Fig. 12. Civil works on a natural environment


The first reference is taken from La Gro´s Ten perceptions of landscape meaning (La Gro 2008, pg.157) and adapted to drive the basis for the intended guidelines (Table 2). The aim of replying to the author ideas was to establish a starting point that would compromise the research team attitude from the beginning.


Table 2. Some principles of landscape design. \*Taken from La Gro James A. Jr. 2008. \*\*Proposed by the author of this chapter.

The second reference comes from Lucia Costa who says that landscape and city are destined to a permanent complicity relationship and supports herself on Lawrance Halprin (1981) when the landscape designer argue that the most interesting cities are those that allow to reveal that complicity (Costa 2006). These ideas encompass what we are daring to pursue through our work.

The third reference is taken from Anne W. Spirn who referring to her book The Granite Garden, says: after its publication in 1984, I was surprised how many people, including scientists and naturalists who refused to accept or ignored the evidence that human settlements, including cities, are part of the natural world. I have found that those ideas about nature and what is natural come from very deep feelings and beliefs. These views are personal and varied, and to change them is not simply a matter of some verbal arguments convincing, but to reach both the mind and the heart of people. Photography and landscape architecture are powerful ways to help people to feel, as well as reflect on the place of humans in nature. (Spirn, 2006). This reference drives our thought into the sensible and human side of landscape that could not be absent in a serious and complete landscape project.

From a more practical point of view it was agreed by the research team that the landscape of borders has to be seen at least in three scales:


The first reference is taken from La Gro´s Ten perceptions of landscape meaning (La Gro 2008, pg.157) and adapted to drive the basis for the intended guidelines (Table 2). The aim of replying to the author ideas was to establish a starting point that would compromise the

Table 2. Some principles of landscape design. \*Taken from La Gro James A. Jr. 2008.

The second reference comes from Lucia Costa who says that landscape and city are destined to a permanent complicity relationship and supports herself on Lawrance Halprin (1981) when the landscape designer argue that the most interesting cities are those that allow to reveal that complicity (Costa 2006). These ideas encompass what we are daring to pursue

The third reference is taken from Anne W. Spirn who referring to her book The Granite Garden, says: after its publication in 1984, I was surprised how many people, including scientists and naturalists who refused to accept or ignored the evidence that human settlements, including cities, are part of the natural world. I have found that those ideas about nature and what is natural come from very deep feelings and beliefs. These views are personal and varied, and to change them is not simply a matter of some verbal arguments convincing, but to reach both the mind and the heart of people. Photography and landscape architecture are powerful ways to help people to feel, as well as reflect on the place of humans in nature. (Spirn, 2006). This reference drives our thought into the sensible and human side of landscape that could not be absent in a serious and complete landscape

From a more practical point of view it was agreed by the research team that the landscape of


always present wherever the observer is positioned (Figure 10).

research team attitude from the beginning.

\*\*Proposed by the author of this chapter.

borders has to be seen at least in three scales:

through our work.

project.

Fig. 10. Panoramic view on the west side of the Aburrá valley basin. Photo C D Montoya


Fig. 11. Middle distance view of a place where a stream is hidden.

Fig. 12. Civil works on a natural environment

An Approach to Landscape Planning in Borders 101

context6. Within Medellin's jurisdiction7, more than 400 streams and 60 minor watersheds are reported; those conform 6 watersheds that tribute to the Aburrá river major watershed, a considerable water presence. In a closer analysis conflicts between streams, resource use,

After visiting several cases, observe, perceive experimenting and talking to local people, the analysis from each component was captured on a template designed to gather in an organized way the contributions from each sub-component to the landscape diagnosis. One of the records obtained from the spatial/perceptual landscape analysis is shown ahead as an example, selected because in some way it gathers other topics and because this specific topic

Fig. 15. Example of landscape analysis template, to be applied to each landscape component

To be able to identify the streams in the panoramic scale would contribute to recognize those landscape features, and would help to local and visitors to orientate themselves by the reading of the territory. It is particularly evident in the situation of the valley always present wherever the observer is positioned and because the skyline, a significant visual resource, sometimes is menaced by the urban expansion. That identification also would help local inhabitants to get familiar with the streams, as well as other landscape features, and even

urban uses or mistreatment were studied.

though to be proud of them.

6 Colombian Law 2002, Decree 1729 7 An extension of 380 Kms.2

could be more relevant in the context of this book. (Figure 15)


Fig. 13. Experiential landscape

Fig. 14. Extremely hard stream treatment

#### **3.5 Research process**

As a basis, support was founded in the PIOM (Integral Plans of Ordering and Management) applied by now to seven streams in the area of Medellín. Those were analysed in searching their landscape approaches, if any, but also because of the wide and up to date basic information that they could provide, avoiding invert efforts in a job already accomplished.

The AMVA (Environmental Authority of the Aburrá valley) has produced a PIOM Methodology to be followed in the case of every one of Medellin's streams. It is worth to annotate that landscape factor is absent of all considerations, as it is frequent in local public documents. In the scarce cases that landscape is mentioned it is addressed as the vegetation piece of urban design, or in any case as a secondary matter.

In their development, some PIOM make emphasis on one component while others do on others. In order to get a balanced approach, the established components were analysed on the same basis.

The hydrologic component was analysed under general concepts of water cycle and functioning, while the major and minor watersheds were revised in the territorial ordering


As a basis, support was founded in the PIOM (Integral Plans of Ordering and Management) applied by now to seven streams in the area of Medellín. Those were analysed in searching their landscape approaches, if any, but also because of the wide and up to date basic information that they could provide, avoiding invert efforts in a job already accomplished. The AMVA (Environmental Authority of the Aburrá valley) has produced a PIOM Methodology to be followed in the case of every one of Medellin's streams. It is worth to annotate that landscape factor is absent of all considerations, as it is frequent in local public documents. In the scarce cases that landscape is mentioned it is addressed as the vegetation

In their development, some PIOM make emphasis on one component while others do on others. In order to get a balanced approach, the established components were analysed on

The hydrologic component was analysed under general concepts of water cycle and functioning, while the major and minor watersheds were revised in the territorial ordering

the perception of the place (Figures 13 and 14).

Fig. 13. Experiential landscape

Fig. 14. Extremely hard stream treatment

piece of urban design, or in any case as a secondary matter.

**3.5 Research process** 

the same basis.

context6. Within Medellin's jurisdiction7, more than 400 streams and 60 minor watersheds are reported; those conform 6 watersheds that tribute to the Aburrá river major watershed, a considerable water presence. In a closer analysis conflicts between streams, resource use, urban uses or mistreatment were studied.

After visiting several cases, observe, perceive experimenting and talking to local people, the analysis from each component was captured on a template designed to gather in an organized way the contributions from each sub-component to the landscape diagnosis. One of the records obtained from the spatial/perceptual landscape analysis is shown ahead as an example, selected because in some way it gathers other topics and because this specific topic could be more relevant in the context of this book. (Figure 15)

Fig. 15. Example of landscape analysis template, to be applied to each landscape component

To be able to identify the streams in the panoramic scale would contribute to recognize those landscape features, and would help to local and visitors to orientate themselves by the reading of the territory. It is particularly evident in the situation of the valley always present wherever the observer is positioned and because the skyline, a significant visual resource, sometimes is menaced by the urban expansion. That identification also would help local inhabitants to get familiar with the streams, as well as other landscape features, and even though to be proud of them.

<sup>6</sup> Colombian Law 2002, Decree 1729

<sup>7</sup> An extension of 380 Kms.2

An Approach to Landscape Planning in Borders 103

Table 3. Example of the guidelines matrix set, applied to the streams waterside.

In Figure 11, where middle distance scale is illustrated it is difficult to guess that a stream exists, because the scene is all starring by the buildings, road and bridge. An appropriated forestation of the waterside, completely missing, would help to identification and orientation of users and also to a harmonious equilibrium of the scene. The case illustrated in Figure 12 shows how sometimes public works go ahead of urban occupation against a beneficial use of natural features in the landscape.

In the experiential scale (examples shown in Figures 13 and 14) landscape is perceived as more dynamic than the other two scales mentioned, because of the detail that could be experienced and because that the atmospheric phenomena could be felt more strongly. Hearing, smell and touch become more noticeable and discomfort could become exacerbated.
