Urban and Architectural Reflections Series***

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Urban Plinth Ground level of the city

***Urban and Architectural Reflections Series

Analytical Phases

What is a Plinth?

The analytical phase seeks to understand the meaning of the term "plinth" from various influential sources. These definitions, extracted from diverse contexts, offer us a comprehensive view of the concept:

A. The lower body of a building or structure, used to raise the foundations to the same level (Source: Wikipedia).

B. The main square of a town or city, a term commonly used in Mexico.

C. The lower part of a pedestal where the shaft or column rests, according to the architectural dictionary.

D. A horizontal band of materials such as wood, tiles, or fabric, which adorns or protects the lower part of a wall (Source: Architectural dictionary, local context).

These definitions provide valuable insights into the essence and function of the architectural typology of the plinth.

Regarding its identity, we can translate this component through the analysis of vestiges present in our city. These vestiges incorporate the typology of the plinth and allow for functional public transition. Formally, the plinth is located at the bottom of the element, horizontally.

The architectural project, which incorporates civility and prioritizes human interaction, serves as a mediator between cultural and social activities. It encourages congregation and encounters between people on a public platform, thus promoting a horizontal dynamic.

The protection of the element, as defined in the source (C), is reflected architecturally as an essential component that initiates a composition and ensures its stability. This aspect is also related to the preservation of the activity or use it generates.

The etymological analysis of the plinth also has a significant aesthetic impact. It allows the plinth to differentiate itself in the composition without losing its integration with the homogeneous urban layout.

How does the architectural piece construct and contribute to the city?

The architectural piece of the Bavaria Complex plays a fundamental role in the city by identifying endogenous axes and providing continuity to urban morphology. Transversal communication is resolved, and recognized sector dynamics are incorporated through the endogenous axis.

The mix of uses allows for free and permeable interaction with the building, fostering commerce, recreation, and supporting cultural activities. This contributes to the activation of the sector and the generation of homogeneity in its urban reading.Urban tensions are addressed in the southern and western directions, where the circumvallate and the city center are located. The aim is to suture the urban fabric worked on for years, thus reclaiming the sector's importance within the city.

Architectural Implementation:

Following the analysis, the architectural intentions are to utilize the architectural typology known as the plinth to address the specific territorial demands of the area. Initially, the potentials and challenges in the traditional use of the plinth are identified. It is understood that in the context of Pereira, where urban space is closely tied to commercial use and public transition, employing the plinth is an appropriate approach for buildings where its use is shared among various users.

Upon understanding the typology and its response to the given scenario, a reinterpretation is made through a rotational gesture, preserving the essence of the plinth and exploring methods of its application. This reinterpretation aims to facilitate movement at ground level and enable the use of upper levels by pedestrians or floating populations.

The understanding of territorial dynamics transcends into project intentions. At a broader scale, flows and endogenous axes are interpreted to form an urban fabric that builds upon existing recognized elements. However, one side of the sector is marked by the most significant access route to the city, framed by the viaduct, which serves as a symbolic orientation point for citizens within the territory.

The architectural object and its role as an urban guide require an understanding of physical distances and activities in its vicinity to include non-motorized transportation systems in its urban proposal. Additionally, it should incorporate proximity to the city center, providing residents with access to various amenities such as institutional buildings, central parks, banks, supermarkets, and other entertainment venues like shopping malls.

The distances, measured in kilometers, are crucial for enhancing the quality of life, not only for permanent occupants of the building but also for those who contribute economically or enrich human interactions as users. These walkable distances promote pedestrian activities and facilitate the movement and development of communal activities.

Consequently, the location serves as a plinth, capturing already delineated flows of the city and integrating them into an architectural circuit. This nodal fragment distributes activities to its surrounding uses, enhancing cultural proposals and those aimed at social and service areas. This ensures that the site ceases to go unnoticed by residents and becomes a fundamental piece of Pereira's urban dynamics.