Diseño de residencias universitarias en el municipio de El Socorro, Santander, enfocadas en el modelo de Coliving

Abstract

El Socorro, Santander, has consolidated as an academic center in the southern part of the department, attracting a growing number of non-local students, of whom 39% live in housing that does not meet the needs of student life. In response to this issue, the project aims to design a university residence building based on the coliving model, providing functional and habitable housing that promotes integration among students and the local community. The project development followed a general-to-specific methodology: first, the urban and environmental context of the site was analyzed; then data were collected through institutional sources and student surveys; finally, the theoretical foundations of coliving and Germán Samper’s concept of urban enclosure were applied to the architectural design. The project addresses urban renewal by integrating public space and densifying the area. As a result, a building composed of two linear, staggered volumes is proposed, adapting to the slope of the terrain and forming a central, walkable axis. Open-plan floors and internal and external plazas function as interaction spaces between students and the community, aligned with Germán Samper’s vision. On the upper levels, housing typologies respond to students’ needs. The modulation and rationalization of spaces and façades, along with the building’s sobriety and purity, ensure a feasible project coherent with the socioeconomic and physical context, integrating aesthetic aspects that harmonize materials, heights, and colors with the surroundings.