Estudio De Una Intervención Urbanística Que Apunta A Ser Modelo De Ciudad Y Eje Articulador Del Valle De Aburrá: Caso Parques Del Río Fase 1 2020-2023

Abstract

This work does not aim to find or define the city model that Medellín should adopt—that would be ambitious. Instead, it seeks to understand how public space in the city requires innovative solutions but, above all, needs political will rather than temporary leaders who dismiss projects without arguments or alternative proposals.

In a city that serves as the core of a group of interconnected municipalities, growing rapidly and becoming a model not only locally but internationally, the urban intervention project Parques del Río, located in the Conquistadores sector, could be the city model this metropolis of the Aburrá Valley needs for its future sustainable development. This would align with international demands for environmental protection and the preservation of the region's rich biodiversity, ensuring that sustainability and resilience guide the city's sustainable growth.

Among its fundamental objectives, this project sought to restore the river’s value, reclaim it, and turn it into a territorial connector, creating high-quality public spaces along the Aburrá River (or Medellín River). However, it appears to lack clear continuity due to its total cost, which exceeds 4 trillion pesos, compounded by the private interests of political leaders who seemingly do not prioritize expanding public space for residents—a crucial aspect of sustainable territorial development.

In this sense, the case study aims to "identify whether this type of urban intervention points toward a sustainable city model as a territorial axis for the Aburrá Valley" through documentary review and community participation via a perception survey on the Parques del Río case.