The Espiritu Santo University (UEES) participated in the Pronobis Architecture Awards contest, which aims to recognize and making visible young talents. The competition challenged to provide sustainable urban architectural solutions for real problems.
The team, led by architect Leonardo Rodríguez, and formed by the students María Elisa Peñaherreta, Ricardo Echeverría, Renatta Pezo, Guillermo Terranova, obtained the first place with their proposal named “Bosques de Alabeos”.
The project lasted four month and it required students to develop a proposal for horizontal housing on a 73.83-hectare plot in Guayaquil city. The team focused on green infrastructure, the strategy was understanding the environment where the project will be developed. Therefore, it proposes to reuse wastewaters, and implement eco-friendly systems such as urban gardens to create spaces where the residents are invited to be part of the change. This innovative proposal contributes to the reduction of flooding in cities, making it ideal for Guayaquil’s context. Furthermore, the wastewater system aimed to reduce pressure on the natural retention capacity of river basins by capturing water and preventing flooding.
“Bosque de Alabeos” envisions a sustainable city that offers all the necessary services. It proposes an innovative infrastructure based on the analysis of the behavior pattern of the target audience. Its slogan, “Everything in the right place”, refers to the implementation of green infrastructures such as sustainable drainage systems to promote the treatment of water to purify the existing estuary. The project also incorporates native species of the coastal ecosystem to build green corridors and contribute to the conservation of the environment.
The students considered the technical aspects to complete the project, but more than that, they envisioned an ideal city. This vision became a feasible proposal due to the deep understanding of the requirements and a clear study of the market and future inhabitants’ needs.
This project represented a big challenge for our students, yet it prepared them to work in their field. With this kind of events, students put into practice the knowledge acquired in the classroom and gained hands-on experience, providing them with a clear insight into how their future as architects will be. Also, students get to explore other areas outside the field of architecture, such as marketing and real estate sales.
As a bonus, for obtaining the first place against the other participating universities in the country, our students will soon travel to Merida in Mexico, to attend the Smart City Expo Latam Congress.
La Universidad Espíritu Santo (UEES), inicia sus actividades académicas en el año 1994 como institución privada, autofinanciada y sin fines de lucro. Su espíritu de compromiso y constante innovación están presentes en la calidad del servicio que ofrece a su comunidad.
