Urban Arcology

• Location:  Bogota, Colombia
• Year:  2022
• Work Type:  Student
• Institute:  Savannah College of Art and Design
• Status:  Conceptual
• Team Members:  Mateo Mantilla
• Instructor:  Prof. Huy Ngo

This project is based on the concept of Arcology, developed by the Italian architect Paolo Soleri, who was aware that cities were not adequate for humans since they were perceived as chaotic and detrimental to our well-being. As a consequence of his awareness, Soleri came up with Arcology (architecture + ecology): a concept for cities that presents an alternative to better, less disruptive ways of living, by letting nature and architecture intertwine. While Soleri’s Arcology is defined by a number of factors - one of which is that it needs to be sited in the middle of an open and uncluttered landscape - this thesis explores the impact of an Arcology in the urban context of Bogota, Colombia. This exploration will allow us to see how the Arcology needs to change to fit its environment, the impact it causes on its surroundings, and how the experiences within this Arcology can better the user’s lives in an urbanistic and architectural manner; all of these will lead us to find - What is the Urban Arcology?