Centro de vida comunitaria: Equipamiento integral para la vereda Granizal, Bello (Antioquia)

Abstract

This undergraduate thesis develops the project Community Life Center: Comprehensive Facility for the Granizal Rural Settlement in Bello, Antioquia, an architectural proposal aimed at addressing the structural challenges related to the lack of educational, recreational, cultural, and community services in one of the most vulnerable territories of the Aburrá Valley. Granizal, the second largest informal settlement in Colombia, faces severe conditions linked to state neglect, precarious housing, limited public infrastructure, and restricted access to learning and community spaces. The project approaches architecture as a tool for social transformation, capable of dignifying everyday life and strengthening collective identity. Based on a thorough territorial, social, and physical analysis, the study identifies the main needs of the community and establishes the guidelines for designing an integral facility that brings together educational functions, childcare, cultural and recreational activities, and public space. The methodology combines literature review, field visits, territorial analysis, case-study exploration, and interviews and surveys with residents, allowing the development of an accurate diagnosis and a proposal that aligns with the topographic, social, and economic conditions of the settlement. The resulting design operates as a socio-spatial device that fosters community interaction, reinforces local identity, and contributes to advancing the right to the city from the urban periphery. This project demonstrates that, with a contextual and human-centered approach, architecture can significantly support social development in informal contexts, offering pathways toward integration, equity, and improved quality of life for the inhabitants of Granizal.