CENTRO CULTURAL PARA LA MEMORIA DEL PATRIMONIO INDUSTRIAL DE LA CIUDAD DE TUNJA _ BOYACÁ LOTE ANTIGUO SECTOR INDUSTRIAL “Vestigios de historia material que revelan fragmentos en la arquitectura contemporánea”

Abstract

This research focuses on exploring the ruins of historic architectural elements as a project tool in contemporary design. The architectural project is developed within an industrial heritage environment in Tunja, Colombia, specifically focusing on the ruins of the former Ferroalloys Factory of Boyacá. Architecture, as a response to social dynamics, faces the challenge of adapting to rapid urban evolution. The obsolescence of industrial buildings has created urban voids, impacting the city’s image and collective memory. Therefore, the identified problem is the abandonment of buildings that, due to their historical context, are part of the city’s industrial heritage memory but cannot adapt to new urban needs, resulting in a state of "ruin." This causes urban voids, disruptions to the city’s image, and loss of collective memory. Architectural ruins, seen as remnants of the past, need to be re-signified to integrate with the demands of the contemporary city. The main objective of this research is to apply and develop project strategies to balance the urban void generated by industrial heritage ruins with their adaptation to the current needs of the contemporary city, without losing the sense of collective memory of the space or resorting to vast operations such as completely removing an active element of the city’s history. The aim is to re-signify the former factory as a project resource, integrating the old with the new through architectural strategies. The methodology is based on a qualitative analysis of case studies of ruin interventions, allowing for the identification of intervention strategies that serve as a basis for architectural design. The approaches of architects such as Martí Aris, Joaquín Arnau, and Bernard Leupen are referenced, as they advocate for the conservation and re-signification of historical architectural remnants by understanding the function and structure that shape the project. This project contributes to the field of architectural design by proposing the reuse and re signification of ruins as a project tool. It concludes that the integration of ancient elements with new urban and architectural strategies not only preserves historical memory but also revitalizes the urban fabric, enhancing cohesion between past and present through architecture