Diseño a nivel de anteproyecto de un centro comunitario para atención a madres solteras en el centro parroquial de Sidcay, Cuenca - Ecuador

Abstract

Sidcay, located at northeast of Cuenca in the Azuay province, is a place that, being close to the city, blends urban and rural characteristics, creating a unique space with special characteristics that distinguish it from other parishes. The economy is based on two main pillars: the primary sector with agriculture, focused on the growing and selling of corn; and the production of handicrafts, especially the toquilla straw hat, an ancestral tradition of the parish. Over the years, population growth has been evident in urban and rural areas, which has a direct impact on the economy and quality of life. The Sidcay’s parish has an economically active population (EAP) of 52%, 31% of which are women, who work in agriculture, crafts, and housework, who are often unpaid. The increase in population, with a birth rate of 24%, is mostly evidenced by women at an early age between 12 and 21 years (55%), which manifests conflicts of different kinds, included social, cultural, economic or psychological aspects, emphasizing among some of the factors, the lack of access to sexual education. It’s necessary to understand and approach the situation from a community perspective, not just as a place of support, but also to emphasize the need to support a vulnerable group in the sector—in this case, women at various stages of their lives— seeking to enhance their skills in different areas, also generating job opportunities, while collaborating in an integrated system to improve their quality of life. This work afford this need. It presents a preliminary project proposal for a Community Center focused on single mothers. It emerges as a result of an urban-architectural analysis of the area and is complemented by a study of architectural references, resulting in a place that offers a support work that solves the diverse needs of the target population: training, production, commerce, and support. It also considers specific design strategies to create an architecture that guarantee optimal functioning, integrating it into the surrounding environment and optimizing the development and well-being of the community’s residents.