Una relación permeable: un campus en una ciudad

Abstract

Contemporary debate on architecture is focused on the characteristics that our buildings and cities should have. Unfortunately, most urban design proposals are not always in line with the challenges of the time. Despite this panorama, in various parts of the world, there are projects that break the inertia that is mostly observed in the profession and show a commitment to the present and the future of architecture, as is the case of the present work. It is a collective space design project on the campus of a public university, the University of Cuenca (Cuenca-Ecuador), which is conceived from the concepts of open city and collective space by understanding urban spaces as territories to pass through, with permeable borders that allow socialization, and with strong relationship between indoors and outdoors, and between public and private places; a project that works over different scales, from buildings to neighborhoods and the city. The design process that is adopted understands urban forms as a phenomenon that changes over time and generates social meanings; it also highlights the idea that urban acupuncture in residual open spaces allows a spatial configuration that transforms the sense of well-being of the entire community and strengthens identity and belonging. Careful attention to the quality of the design of the public, collective, and common space dramatically changes the experience and expectations of its users as it is explained throughout this project.