01/06: Mine Sites and Informal Growth in Medellin

To continue on the same theme as yesterday, the poorest people in Medellin look to build their homes on the cheapest land, often free land or land illegally occupied. On the Southwestern fringe of Medellin much of the land is currently used for material exploitation, mineral exploration or strip mining. Sometimes these two forces converge and informal neighborhoods spring up in or around abandoned mine sites. The opportunity exists for a more controlled process of transitioning between strip mine and neighborhood development.

This analysis was part of a semester long investigation into how such a process should be structured and how these new neighborhoods should be planned so as to allow for equitable housing for all social and economic strata in Medellin. More to follow.