solar-panelled urban furniture made of wood shapes communal spaces in colombia

rEVIVing spaces with inclined multifunctional urban structures

Within the city Magdalena, Colombia, ‘Yuma lab–The River Workshop’ by the CORHUILA University and ESAA and architects Taller Ciudad Portátil, El Sindicato Arquitectura, Katherine Bello Gómez, is an urban intervention made up of five diverse prototypes that allow the articulation of different uses: viewpoint, agora, stay, picnic area, dining room, inn and dock. Composed of wooden structures with solar panels the interventions are located in four different strategic spots throughout the Plaza de la Gaitana and its surroundings. It raises the importance to collectively rethink the dynamics and interactions that build new city models. 

first inclined urban intervention in the plaza de la Gaitana

four collaborative, resting spaces FOR THE COMMUNITY

Taking urban setting into consideration, The Plaza de la Gaitana and its surroundings, the designer’s respond to the public structures with different social needs. The first project located in the Plaza has two urban interventions composed of the repetition of a truss that creates the stands, seat, viewpoint and shadow. One intervention functions as a viewpoint towards the Gaitana, and the other towards the Magdalena River.

In the middle square, by means of two trusses the structure creates furniture for resting with a shaded table. Under the trees along the river, two inclined platforms are placed by the river to allow users to have picnics, read a book or take a nap. Each of these urban projects optimize the use of renewable energies, with USB charging points and reading points with light through solar panels installed by renewable energy engineering students from CORHUILA and the company Sunny App.

structural strength of wooden trusses carry the inclined plywood

moveable interactive structures follow function versus form

After defining the functional strategies, the form, materiality and structure were identified. Each intervention is built with wooden trusses that structure and dimension the overall shape and design. Inclined plywood platforms and furniture of different shapes, sizes and colors identify the specific activities of each part of the intervention, and can be disassembled and assembled for other uses. 

On the roadway, a tactical urban planning intervention was proposed by the artist Katherine Bello Gómez to improve the connection of the intervention area with the city. Finally, three information guidelines facilitate instructions to users who visit the urban furniture. The prefabrication was carried out in three days through collaborative work between students, teachers, collaborators and the community and the on-site assembly took one day to complete. 

inclined plywood create a stair-like structure with many seating options

two urban structures fill the plaza

interactive inclined plywood

inclined steps of wood by the river offer various seating spots

third project by the river shaded by the trees

double sided seating with a solar panel shade

solar panels offer shade and electricity for charging ports

each project is built with wooden trusses

the first structure facing the Gaitana

view of the river

project info:

name: YUMA LAB | River Workshop
designer: Taller Ciudad Portátil, El Sindicato Arquitectura, Katherine Bello Gómez

designboom has received this project from our ‘DIY submissions‘ feature, where we welcome our readers to submit their own work for publication. see more project submissions from our readers here.

edited by: zaha mango | designboom