Housing and habitat - MUI: Medellín Urban Innovation

This theme explores the extent to which urban policies and projects in Medellin are helping improve housing and habitat conditions in the city. It particularly focuses on lower income groups in different types of tenure and of urban area, in connection with other aspects of urban and community development. It looks at a range of issues related to equity in terms of habitat conditions and considering the social construction of habitat. This requires the investigation of physical, socio-economic, cultural and institutional factors which influence both positive and negative impacts of urban policies and projects, as well as the scope for maximising positive impacts.

Research question

The general research question framing the research on the ‘Housing and habitat’ theme is:
In the context of the processes of peace building towards coexistence, what is the impact of urban policies on the habitat conditions of the most vulnerable sectors in the city of Medellín?

This Research Question will be examined with a focus on the following four sub-themes:

Evaluation of previous policies and programmes (such as PRIMED, ISVIMED, etc.)
Risk management and habitat
Social production on processes of Housing & Habitat
Housing and Habitat in the post-conflict scenario

Social production on processes of Housing & Habitat

Social processes and networks are fundamental in the construction of habitat. We are examining how self-contained rental rooms are increasingly becoming a form of tenure among low income groups and Juan Carlos Ceballos explains how public space is constructed through social networks.

Previous policies and programmes

We are evaluating previous policies and programmes, such as PRIMED, ISVIMED, etc.

Risk management and habitat

We are examining existing strategies for risk management. As an example, Carlos Velásquez is showing us the challenges for the Development Plan of Comune 8.

Housing and Habitat in the post-conflict scenario

The post-conflict is an emerging area of study in Medellín. María Clara Echeverría reviews work undertaken in a research unit at the Universidad Nacional sede Medellín called: El Centro de pensamiento UN en hábitat, ciudad y territorio: paz y posacuerdo. We are also examining emerging public-private alliances occurring within the Metropolitan Region of the Aburrá Valley, led by Carlos Montoya.

Workshop date

11-19th April 2016 in Medellín, Colombia

The itinerary for the Seminar week on Housing & Habitat can be downloaded here: Housing&Habitat-Seminar

To see information regarding the workshop published by the Universidad Nacional sede Medellín ( available in spanish only): Seminario sobre Vivienda y Hábitat