The story of a public space project : La Red de Alamedas de Bogotá

Abstract

La Red de Alamedas de Bogota is a new type of public space project consisting in a network of tree lined pedestrian streets with bicycle paths. Alamedas connect parks and natural systems as well as residential areas and urban facilities. In general, .£!,Iamedas have been proposed for the periphery of the city where there is a lack of public space. La red de Alamedas was developed during the administration of Enrique Perialosa, Bogota City Mayorfrom 1998 to 2000; improvement of the quantity and quality of public space was one of Penalosa's government plan priorities. Moreover, a new general plan for the city, Plan de Ordenamiento Territorial, POT was developed during those years. Thus, alamedas became public space projects in more comprehensive interventions in the city. Alamedas proceed from a range of concerns in the construction of the city such as the development of public space projects to overcome the difficulties of general plans when dealing with particular problems and specific areas, and as a way to improve the quality of life in the city. Besides, alamedas can be considered a reinterpretation of promenades and paseos, an urban type which has been present in the city since colonial times. Alamedas have been proposed as a new public space which is superimposed to the existing urban structure in certain areas in order to reorganize the urban structure and at the same time as a new way of building the city that is, through the construction of public space in the first place. Most the alamedas are still urban design projects, only two of the alamedas included in this document have been built. Alamedas have different characters according to the areas and the urban conditions of the proposed corridors. Alameda EI Porvenir, the most ambitious one has been studied in more depth. Alamedas work as an alternative path for pedestrian and bicycle circulation and are at the same time a recreational space; besides, alamedas have also started to become a representative space much in the way of the traditional plaza.