The public space as tool to enhance urban informal settlements in Colombia. A case study in the Aguacatal neighbourhood in Cali.

Like many Latin American cities, Cali is characterized for being a city with fragmented development, where there is a formally planned and structured central part, and in parallel, there are informal settlements on the city’s periphery. This urban growth is mainly based on socio-spatial segregation, with informal settlements far from the main urban corridor, first necessity services, collective facilities, and urban opportunities in general. In this context, public space becomes a crucial element in addressing these needs, as its proper configuration, connection, and equitable access can play a significant role in improving the quality of life and social integration of these populations. This thesis aims to formulate design strategies addressing food security, water access, sanitation, waste collection, and improved accessibility within the informal settlements through a case study located in the Aguacatal neighborhood in Cali, Colombia. The proposal seeks to improve living conditions in informal settlements by strategically transforming the residual public areas into appropriately designed collective space solutions that meet unsatisfied basic needs. Finally, integrating these strategies holds the potential to create a strategic methodology that contributes to proposing appropriate and contextualized answers in other parts of the city with similar characteristics, establishing vital relations with the city’s long-term urban projects.