During a six-week summer course, students from CU Boulder specializing in environmental design and other fields study and work in La Honda, an unplanned settlement near Medellin, Colombia. This settlement emerged because people fled to the city due to violence. Over the years, thousands of residents have built infrastructure, businesses and community centers from the ground up. In 2024, students collaborated with residents to create community development plans and design infrastructure to address issues such as landslides, water access, public spaces and more.

The area surrounding metropolitan Medellin is characterized by numerous informal, unplanned settlements lacking mechanisms to prevent encroachment and urban sprawl. There are a total of eight municipalities in the region, and they are witnessing an influx of newcomers seeking safety and better economic prospects. Over the past decade, these areas have witnessed the emergence of entire neighborhoods with thousands of informal dwellers. La Honda in Medellin, Colombia, is a notable case study of this phenomenon, where informal dwellers have driven most development. Informal entrepreneurs and the community board of La Honda provide street networks, water supply, sewage and electricity services.

During their stay in Medellin, CU Boulder students  engage in various learning activities, including workshops, lectures, site visits, studio work and hands-on experiences. The first week focuses on developing research skills through fieldwork, including activities such as photography, video recording, sound recording and sketching of the Manantiales community. Additional information is collected through observations and interviews with the community. Students collaborate to compile a narrative of key learning objectives.

Week two is dedicated to enhancing skills for informed design through research. Students gain insights into the manifestations of informal forms and illustrate these relationships using drawings, diagrams, cartography and timelines. They present their research findings through multiple forms of media.

In the third week, the focus shifts to identifying community goals and their corresponding urban forms. This stage also involves exploring project alternatives and identifying potential stakeholders. After thoroughly analyzing these subjects, students create presentation boards to communicate their design intentions.

Weeks four through six are devoted to building physical interventions to enhance the community’s social and ecological performance. The most important task in the last week is delivering the revised student work to the community.

• Building Improvements in La Honda neiborhoods next event Summer 2024

  Additional Info

  Activity happens on weekends with community members in Capinelo 2 and La Honda.
  Get more info here:
  https://www.colorado.edu/envd/medellin-colombia
  

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  Location 1

  outside colorado

  Dates

  6/24/2024 - 7/5/2024

  Public or Private

  Private Program (by request only or for a specific audience or group)

  Program Fee

  Yes

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  Location 2

  on campus

  Dates

  4/25/2024 - 4/25/2024

  Public or Private

  Private Program (by request only or for a specific audience or group)

  Program Fee

  Not Applicable

• 2024 Working in Colombia La Honda

  Additional Info

  Program Activity Description:
  
  In the summer of 2024, 11 students from CU Boulder and two faculty members traveled to Medellín, Colombia, for a six-week immersive experience. We collaborated with the community in the informal settlement of La Honda, Medellín, to address pressing local issues. Our work focused on three main activities.
  
  First, we engaged with community members to identify their most urgent needs. The community prioritized sanitation, lack of meeting spaces, and cultivation as the top issues to address.
  
  Next, we collaborated with 14 students and one faculty member from the Universidad de San Buenaventura's School of Architecture to design solutions for these problems. We developed 14 project proposals, which were then presented to the community for their feedback and consideration.
  
  In the final stage, the community selected three projects: a community bathroom next to Casa Encuentro, a gathering space, and a community garden. Students, faculty, and community members worked together to complete these projects within the available time.
  
  On August 5, we held a gathering to celebrate the successful completion of the project and the collaborative effort that made it possible.

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  Location

  outside US

  Dates

  7/1/2024 - 8/5/2024

  Public or Private

  Private Program (by request only or for a specific audience or group)

  Program Fee

  Not Applicable