UEES participated in the Pronobis Architecture Awards competition, in which the group formed by students María Elisa Peñaherreta, Ricardo Echeverría, Renatta Pezo, Guillermo Terranova and their tutor architect Leonardo Rodríguez, won first place with their project called Bosques de Alabeos. In addition to rewarding and making visible the talent of our students, the contest aimed to confront them with a real problem and provide a sustainable urban architectural solution.
The project consisted of developing a proposal for horizontal housing in the city of Guayaquil, on a 73.83 hectare site, and the development time was 4 months. The green infrastructure was a fundamental part of the strategy, as it gives another life to the wasted water, accompanied by different eco-friendly systems such as urban gardens where the inhabitants are involved to be part of the change. This innovative proposal contributes to the reduction of flooding in the cities, it is an ideal option for Guayaquil, since it would serve as another water storage lung, replacing the rivers that often have no place.
On the other hand, the project was named Bosque de Alabeos, as it comprises the design of a sustainable city that offers each of the necessary and innovative amenities through the analysis of the behavioral pattern of the target public. Its slogan “Everything in the right place”, is given by the implementation of green infrastructure such as sustainable drainage systems, promoting water treatment for purification of the existing estuary arm and especially the incorporation of native species of the coastal area, in order to build green corridors for the conservation of the nearby ecosystem.
Beyond the technical aspect of the project, the students were allowed to dream of the ideal city, but through the knowledge embodied in their innovative proposal, it became a realistic and viable proposal over time thanks to market studies carried out in the process.
Although it was a great challenge for the students, it is a great contribution to their training as future architects, as it strengthens their soft skills and puts into practice their knowledge acquired in the classroom. It also includes other areas outside of architecture, such as marketing and sales focused on the real estate system.
Our students will soon travel to Merida, Mexico, to attend the Smart City, Expo Latam Congress, as a prize for having won first place among the other participating universities in the country.
Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES), began its academic activities in 1994 as a private, self-financed, non-profit institution. Its spirit of commitment and constant innovation are present in the quality of the service it offers to its community.
