Patrimonialización social en paisajes de agua: Mecanismos para reconocer y promover el patrimonio hidro-turístico en Villavicencio

Abstract

This project proposes a Social Heritage-Making process aimed at recognizing and activating the water landscapes of Villavicencio as cultural assets. Although the city possesses significant landscape richness—particularly related to water—these spaces have not been sufficiently incorporated into heritage policies, leading to limited management and weakened local identity. Using the frameworks of Cultural Landscapes and Mixed Heritage, the research understands landscape as a combination of natural and human elements, with water serving as a territorial structure and a central component of community cultural practices. Through a participatory diagnosis, the study identified problems related to maintenance, infrastructure, and social appropriation, revealing a disconnect between the community and its water-related environments. In response, the project proposes “hydro-tourism” as a strategy to activate citizen participation and support bottom-up heritage processes. This approach seeks to strengthen collective identity, highlight the material and intangible values associated with water, and encourage social conservation of these landscapes. Overall, the research demonstrates that community activation and participatory management are essential to transforming heritage perception in the city and ensuring the cultural sustainability of its water landscapes.