Look what they did in Medellín

When you mention Columbia here most people think about drugs like cocaine and maybe they remember stuff about Pablo Escobar. If you think Coatesville has a murder and drug problem, check out Medellín.

Medellin's Metro

My daughter danced with the brothers of my new cousin Maria Pitcherella at Vince and Maria Pitcherella's wedding reception.  My daughter was sort of impressed by their dancing skills  she said, “They dance like girls.” Actually were dancing like they do on “Dancing With the Stars”. Anyway since Maria married my cousin Vince and I met her parents and brothers and sisters from Columbia, articles about Columbia draw my interest.

Medellin"s Metrocable

Although it wouldn’t hurt, I’m not saying we need great architecture here in Coatesville to make a change.  But look what they did in Medellín.

If you’re interested in urban planning you need to read the whole article. But this quote in the article basically sums up the philosophy of urban planning in Medellin

“Obviously it’s not just that we built and renovated schools,” he said. “You have to work on the quality of teaching and nutrition in conjunction with architecture. But the larger point is that the goal of government should be providing rich and poor with the same quality education, transportation and public architecture. In that way you increase the sense of ownership.” 

“Twenty-odd years ago, this was Pablo Escobar’s town, with an annual homicide rate that peaked at 381 per 100,000.”

 May 18, 2012

“A City Rises, Along With Its Hopes 

By MICHAEL KIMMELMAN  

Medellín, Colombia 

FOR some time now, if you asked architects and urban planners for proof of the power of public architecture and public space to remake the fortunes of a city, they’d point here.”

There are photos of the architecture mentioned in the article “A City Rises, Along With Its Hopes” in a separate article in the LA Times here:

Medellín architecture

Creative Commons Copyright photos from:

Medellín