Regenerative Urbanism

Guayaquil Airport Rehabilitation: The New City Cultural Futures for New Rochelle: The Next Generation Live/Work City - 2014 2006 - 2011 -

Columbia University GSAPP Uni de Especialidades Espiritu Santo

American School of Guayaquil

MSc. Arch. & UD B. Arch. High School Diplomalinklinklink

04/2015 - 09/2019 11/2014 - 03/2015 09/201408/20201037-12-116154510/2014-10/202082388709/2019-12/201909/2019-07/202108/2021-Present

regenerative

As our society continues to expand at rapid speed, we must find that balance between our placemaking and the environment in order to enhance human relations and landscape. Through urban design and sustainability guidelines, I explore escenarios on urban rehabilitation, public space, and masterplanning.

I am an architect and urban designer with a passion for data visualization and computational programming and its multiple forms of exploration. Data informs us about human and environmental behavioral patterns that, when taken into account, drives design into successful solutions.

Working in international teams and collaborating with different disciplines has amplified my sensitivity towards human centered design and its harmony with its context. I specialize in thorough research and I am delighted with the challenges of complex projects. My main focus is on social inequality, benefits of public cultural spaces, urban sustainability and resiliency.

By considering a place’s past, present and future, I strive to create a regenerative urbanism for a sustainable society’s eco-system.

WATERSCAPESCULTURAL

Building social infrastructure on New Delhi’s heritage

Project: Cultural Waterscape 2014

Location: New Delhi, India

Description: Master of Science in Architecture and Urban Design

Columbia University GSAPP Tasks: Research, theory, concept design, 3d modeling, rendering, video editing, presentation

Team: Zahra Alwash, Belen Ayarra, Marco Sosa, Silvia Vercher Publication and Exhibition: Densification in Delhi, India. Delhi, India 2015

Award: Lucille Smyser Lowenfish Prize

Project SummaryBrief

The project proposes to reorient Delhi’s future growth by addressing infrastructure issues concentrating on lack of water, seasonal flood and pollution. Furthermore, the project aims to reestablish the relationship between the city and the Yamuna River using water as a productive landscape that will generate social spaces. Through the lenses of culture and water the

project imagines Lutyens Plan transformed from an imperial symbol of power and inequality, to a democratic space allowing social interaction. Finally, water is the catalyst for future growth of services and densification that will support the city at a regional scale.

Agrasen Ki Baoli

Hauz Khas

RECHARGING + STORING NODES

Collection, retention, filtration

It starts with a bottom-up approach by reactivating existing water nodes (Baolis and Hauz) to stimulate a network system for collection, retention, filtration and recharge of water. Through

creating ecological zones, it aims to generate more culturally public spaces that would support future growth. The first ecological zone, the Baolis will work as a recharging unit and social catalyst.

Existing

Potential densification of existing service area Market School Bungalows

TRANSPORT + COLLECTOR SYSTEM

The block’s core as engine

The second ecological zone aims to provide a new rain and gray water collection system while activating the core of the block. The block’s core is the engine that uses the water as a tool to create public spaces related to its tradition and culture, taking into account the climate change. The reservoir will strengthen the existing cultural and educational

programs, providing a socioecological node that allows a sustainable densification in the surrounding area of influence. The new typologies that we imagine recuperate their traditional construction to engage and enlarge the internal community.

EXISTING CONDITION

PHASE

The top-down approach in the third ecological zone, the Raj Path, a democratic national symbol in Lutyens’ Plan, will work as to collect, filtrate, retain, and discharge clean water to the Yamuna River

SOCIALBUILDINGINFRASTRUCTURE

Raj Path Pools Filtration System

To social spaces

To storage unit and Yamuna River

Guayaquil’s Airport future rehabilitation

Project: The New City - La Ciudad Nueva 2017-2019

Location: Guayaquil, Ecuador

Description: Masterplan Study + Concept Design

Tasks: Research, Data mining, theory, concept design, 3d modeling, rendering and visualization, presentation

Team: Perkins Eastman, CVA, Metros Cuadrados, ARUP, RWDI

Publication and Exhibition: The New City Vol. I, II, III. Autoridad Aeroportuaria de Guayaquil, Municipio de Guayaquil

Award: Design Award of Merit. Society of American Registered Architects - New York Council in recognition of Professional Design Excellence. Nicholas Leahy Project Architect/Designer.

THE NEW CITY LA NUEVA CIUDAD SummaryBrief

The project to move the Aeropuerto Jose Joaquin de Olmedo from its present location, in the geographic center of Guayaquil, to a location outside the current city limits is the unique opportunity for the city to study, rethink and realize a new version for the metropolis and its context. The site is very large at 240.5 HA and situated at the geographic center of the city, close to the river’s edge. The main strategies along a central spine stream are: to reconnect the city to the new airport outside the city; revive the convention center; and rediscover something special

(invest in natural resources). This translates into 3 main districts: Marina District, Central Business District, and Garden District. This is the catalyst that can start the evolution of a new “smart city” that can invigorate development, bolster and realign the city’s infrastructure from transit to traffic, from cultural amenities to ecological and resiliency measures thereby improving the quality of life for all its citizens across all strata. Done right it can become the heart of the rejuvenated economic engine for the city: The Guayaquil of the 21th century.

IDENTIFYING

MISSION AND VISION

Turning the city into a destination hotspot

The site now sits at the geographic center of the Great Guayaquil Metropolitan Area and has the potential to become the heart and engine of the 21st century city by connecting in it to the city’s unique history, culture and environment. The following objectives ensure the strategic design and civic responsability of the project:

1) Create a global and local world class destination

2) Contemporary planning and in novative technology in a human scale.

3) Improve traffic and circulation.

4) Improve the connectivity to the site, upgrade the existing transit centers and link the site to the new airport in Daular.

5) Engage with the surroundings to encourage renewal and development.

6) Reconnect with Rio Guayas wa terfront and its natural environment.

7) Link the site to the existing natural features: mangroves, forests, river, and recreational, cultural and historic sites.

8) Continue to support tourism and business

ContextDestination

DEVELOPMENTCONCEPT

Density, Ecology and Main Axis

The design proposes an open and flexible framework of 3 distinct walkable mixed use live /work districts. Each district is centered around one or more unique attractions that are aimed at the citizen, the tourist ,the busi nessman , children and parents alike. Districts where different in dividuals can have diverse expe riences.

To set the stage for such a catalytic transformation the con cept design is built upon on four principal drivers •Fast, reliable and secure connec-

tion between the site and the new airport location

•A new and larger state of the art Convention Centre as an eco nomic generator and destination at the heart of the development. •Creating a unique tioneducational/researcheco-tourism,destina , that celebrates the unique ness and abundance of the local flora and fauna that will attract visitors from all around the world

•Re-establishing and reconnecting the site into the city and its environs as well as connecting it to the waterfront

Density Studies: New York City’s Midtown built and population density on Guayaquil’s Airport site.

Density Studies: Barcelona’s built and population density on Guayaquil’s Airport site. Best scheme that adapts to city’s needs and growth projection.

Redefine the existing airport terminal as a transportation hub. Travelers will board and alight to and from the airport.

Districts connected through 2 green axis: Long axis Estuary, and Botanical Gardens.

Main green spaces connecting within the site and its main surrounding natural ecosystems.

Waklable, safe, linear park surrounding the site that seamlessly unites neighbor

Main connection of Marina, Convention Center, Business, and Botanical Garden as triggers for development and tourism.

Districts, neighborhoods, and main activi ties

NARRATIVEVISITOR

MASTERPLANPROPOSED

Reimagining the city’s ecocultural heritage

The design concept is part of a large Park composed of the Botanical Garden, the Convention Center and the Cultural District located in the Center of the Site. These districts are connected to El Palmar Islet through the Integrating Park. To the north of the Avenue is the Marina, which serves as a connection to important tourist points of the City such as the Historical Park and the Malecón,

among others. These districts are supported by the development of other residential, business, and hotel brands, as well as a Commercial and Entertainment Strip that is directly related to the existing Commercial Zone. Finally, the Transportation Center is of vital importance for its relationship with the New Airport and the rest of the City.

Pedestrian Access Concept Sections

Transportation/Commerce

Garden Lake Arts & Culture Building

Charles Darwin Museum Media

Sports Center

Alameda Park

Convention Center CENTRAL DISTRICT

GARDEN CITY

Main Avenue Estuary Linear Park

Botanical Garden at Garden City

Charles Darwin Museum at Marina District

Convention Center at Central Business District

TOWARDS SUSTAINABLEA FUTURE

Estuary as Collection System

Given the site’s vulnerability to period of flooding, drought, seismic activity, and unreliable grid infrastructure, designing for resiliency is a key consideration for the project. Sustainable design guidelines include: a comprehensive water and energy strategy, productive landscapes, street-level vitality and efficient transportation systems

This. includes minimizing potable water use, providing dependable access to clean

water, managing storm water run-off and flooding potential, maximizing permeable surface areas, and improving overall water quality both off- and onsite. Energy considerations can be addressed by maximizing passive strategies and renewable energy sources, combined with battery storage and generators that are located above any flood zones. Design guidelines can include resilient design best practices at both the building and community scales.

Amazing

Natural Resources

CHALLENGESOPPORTUNITIESAND

Wetland

InfrastructurePublic Spaces MixedClimateUse

Lack

Walkability

MISSION AND VISION

A sustainable neighborhood through human engagement

The lack of access to healthcare facilities, nature and public spaces, public transportation, community and pedestrian friendly streets drive this project’s goal: to develop a world class medical city surrounded by a vibrant, sustainble, walkable, resilient community equipped to handle the challenges of the next hundred

Theyears.project

have 3 main pillars that act as the foundation for the main objective: Human

Experience, Human Emotion, and Human Environment. The purpose is to rely on these for the placemaking of the development.

An inviting place where people can live, work and heal; make connections with the environment and the community through places to stay, play and enjoy; taking care and engaging the natural resources by restoring, connecting it to the urban fabric and making them resilient through smart landscaping strategies.

REDESCUBRIR ALGO ESPECIAL - COMPRENDIENDO EL ECOTONO SOMETHING SPECIAL - EMBRACING THE ECOTONE

Integrating the community through resilient landscapes

The three islands are connected through land, green and water paths, providing a continuous walkable experience while giving each island a distinct character.

Flood Mitigation Strategies

Adapt to sea level rise

Protects against storm surge

Minimize wave action and prevent

Nature based solutions Setback

Rainwater Strategies

• Capture: Linear open spaces collect and drain storm water into the park.

• Store and Recharge: Open grass areas stop flooding and allow infiltration for ground water recharge.

• Filter and Clean: Diverse planting filter and clean storm water.

• Reuse: Filtered water is cy cled back for park and land scape irrigation.

Flow

INBIOPHILIAACTION

Masterplan vision

River edge goals

MASTERPLANPROPOSED

The living islands system: social health, well-being, resiliency

Rediscover something special

The site has amazing natural resources that can be repowered to create something extraordinary without losing the site’s identity. There will be a direct connection between nature and its users.

CONCEPTO DEL DISEÑO DESIGN CONCEPT

REDESCUBRIR ALGO ESPECIAL

El terreno cuenta con excelentes recursos naturales que se los puede repotenciar para crear algo extraordinario sin perder la identidad propia del terreno. Existirá una conexión directa entre la naturaleza y sus usuarios.

REDISCOVERR SOMETHING SPECIAL

TheT site has amazing natural resources that can be repoweredr to create something extraordinary without losingl the site’s identity. There will be a direct connectionc between nature and it’s users.

The Ecotone

The natural character of the site is recognized and embraced. The ecotone: a transitional landscape where two ecosystems meet and integrate - defines the framework around which Ciudad Santiago integrates to its surroundings.

COMUNIDAD CONECTADA 151.31ha ubicado en un lugar estratégico de expansión del cantón Samborondón. La comunidad será multi-generacional y estará interconectada a través de diferentes puntos de interés y estrategias de conexión. El corazón de la comunidad será enfocado en la salud y bienestar de sus usuarios.

CONNECTED COMMUNIT Y 151.31 ha located in a strategic place of expansion for the cantón Samborondón. The community will be multi-generational and will be i nterconnected by different points of interest and connection strategies. The heart of the community will focus in health and wellbeign of its users.

Connected Community

DESTINO GLOBAL Y LOCAL

El sector donde está ubicado el terreno se encuentra en desarrollo y está creciendo rápidamente. La zona requiere de lugares de entretenimiento, espacios públicos y zonas comerciales y servicios para atraer a turistas y personas locales.

151.31 Ha. located in a strategic place of expansion for Canton Samborondon. The community will be multi-generational and will be interconnected by different points of interest and connection strategies. The heart of the community will focus in health and well-being for its users. The area requires places for entertainment, public spaces, commercial zones, and services to attract tourists and locals.

GLOBAL AND LOCAL DESTINATION

The zone where the site is located it’s under development and it’s growing fast. The area requires places for entretainment, public spaces, commercial zones and services to attract tourists and locals.

COMPRENDIENDO EL ECOTONO

El carácter natural del sitio es reconocido y aceptado. El ecotono se convierte en un paisaje de transición donde dos ecosistemas se encuentran e integran, definiendo el marco alrededor del cual Ciudad Sanriago se integra a su entorno.

EMBRACING THE ECOTONE

The natural character of this site is recognized and embraced. The ecotone a transitional lanscape where two ecosystems meet and integrate - defines the framework around which Ciudad Santiago integrates to its surroundings.

RÍO BABAHOYO

BABAHOYO RIVER

PLAN MAESTRO CONCEPTUAL

CONCEPTUAL MAS TER

CRETA ISLAND

GRAMINIA ISLAND

Hospital Santiago District

This is the heart of the project focused on health and well-being of its occupants. This district will have a world class hospital, medical offices and commercial offices. It will include large green areas and access to parks and plazas. Since it is next to the main boulevard, it will have

access to the bicycle network and running trail of the development. In addition, the buildings will have priviledged views of the river, the Graminea Canal and the Central Park. The district is also really close to the Canal District where you can find restaurants, retail spaces, among others.

A lively district destined for young people and families.

The zone has townhouses with views of the main boulevard and apartment with views to the river. The large esplanade extends throughout the Babahoyo River

and will include a running trail, water plaza, green areas, and retail. Inside this district you can also find a secondary boulevard with wide sidewalks and a bike lanethat connects to the islands’ network.

Baho Harbour District

The district will be destined for high end residential zones. It has single family residences with big backyards, frontal green areas, private and public parking and big recreational parks. It will be a safe zone and walkable. The main boulevard

is at the entrance of this sector, followed by a linear park where you can find a running trail and access to the bike network of the project. Besides the residential areas, there are also tennis courts, children’s playgrounds, and closeby schools.

Creta Point District

This district will have townhouses with views to the main boulevard and single family residences with big backyards, frontal green areas, private and public parking and recreational parks. This zone

Mangrove District

will be protected by a green buffer and will be very safe and walkable. A police station is also located in the roundabout for neighborhood protection and guarding.

This district has an exclusive mixed use zone with restaurants and pedestrian streets, a daycare, parks and plazas. It is really close to the main boulevard with access

to the linear park that runs throughout the three islands as well as the running trail and the bike network. This zone will be safe and accessible to walk.

Riverside District

A VIBRANT

SMART SYSTEM+STATIONSAID

Blockchain technology for the future of healthcare

Project: Urban Health Chain 2017

Location: Case studies: New York City, USA; Juba, South Sudan; Kibber, India

Description: Breaking Through, Healthcare Design Firmwide Competition

Tasks: Research, theory, concept design, 3d modeling and rendering, Team:presentation

Melissa Ponce, Marco Sosa, Silvia Vercher, Hailey Landis, Ariela Lenetsky, Leanne Zick

Award: Perkins Eastman Firmwide Competition 1st Place

Project SummaryBrief

Recognizing the relationship between health, transpor tation, environment, sanitation, education, recreation, technolo gies, and the built environment; we can improve access to health services, decrease lifestyle and environmental risk factors and increase the availability of data for urban health decision-making.

Smart Aid System + Sta tions revolutionize public health by pairing a global health infor mation network with a flexible healthcare station to provide everyday access to preventa tive medicine and unify existing healthcare systems. The Smart Aid Stations create a communitybased, open-source kit-of-parts that can grow and change over

time to address health needs from local to regional to global.

In conjunction with an app that connects to the Smart Aid System, Smart Aid Stations fill in the missing links of the lo cal healthcare network. Smart Aid Stations act as data collectors feeding information into the glob al Smart Aid System blockchain network. This decentralized and secure network creates a publicly accessible data platform, facilitat ing analysis and communication across all healthcare stakehold ers. By using the Smart Aid Sys tem + Stations, stakeholders can understand local public health issues using real-time data. The infinite and reconfigurable Smart Aid Stations can be customized to local needs.

DISCONNECTION

The missing links among Stakeholders

Cities face a huge amount of challenges related to health. If we look closely the main problem is the disconnection between the community who suffers the consequences, the practitioners who design the cities, the system which organizes the information,

and the politicians who sign reg ulations and Currentlylaws. there are great ooportunities in advanced tech nologies such as blockchain, already used in other fields, that can link the missing pieces for a better work.

DISENGAGEMENT

DISENROLLMENT DISCONNECTION Sources

American College of Sports Medicine’s Fitness Index Report for 2015 World Bank; Institute for Health Metrics and Evaluation National Center for Chronic Diseas Prevention and Health Promotion

MOBILE HEALTH TRENDS

TAKING ADVANTAGE OF AVAILABLE TECHNOLOGY

New block chain technologies, have started being used in healthcar well as the new widely use mobile healthcare technologies, give the ability to record and share personal data and daily health information.

SHARED DATA COLLECTION

Taking advantage of block chain technology, each personal ledger and urban information, gets combined into a single, accesible, secured descentralized platform.

ROBOTIC COMPANIONS

INGESTIBLE HEALTH SENSORS

SMART NUTRITION TECH

SAFETY FOCUSED WEARABLES

SKINTIMATE TECHNOLOGY

INTEGRATED HEALTHCARE

DATA RECOLLECTION USING BLOCK CHAIN TECHNOLOGY

URBAN HEALTH DECISION MAKING TANALYTICALOOL

The new platform will map relationships between health records and urban conditions.

The platform will facilitate healthy commu nities design. It could inform performance based design and promote a more accurate

stakeholders and the fields of urban planning, urban design and public health

STATIONSpairingwill a network station to provide preventative medicine systems. create a open-source kit-ofchange over time from local to that connects the SMART AID links of collectorsSMARTtheAID–feeding

SMART AID This new accessiblenetworkdata analysishealthcare SMART AID stakeholders can health issues infinite and STATIONS can be local needs.

SMART SYSTEMAID

Finding solutions through a Global Blockchain

The SMART AID STATION is a community-based, opensource kit-of-parts that can grow and adapt according to the local community’s needs. It is a mod

ular system that offers a wide variety of services that can be customized to provide health solutions developed via the SMART AID SYSTEM.

CONNECTIVITY

Case Study: New York Food Deserts

Food deserts in the U.S. effect 23.5 million in urban neigh borhoods and rural towns. In New York City alone, 750,000 residents

live in food deserts.This contrib utes to a poor diet,higher levels of obesity, diabetes, and heart disease.

Connections are created by the SMART AID SYSTEM local businesses and the farmers fill in the gaps.

SMART AID connects grocery stores in food deserts to fresh food distributers.

SMART AID STATIONS provide information and access to fresh food and nutritional education.

PREVENTATIVE

Case Study: South Sudan

Conflict, climate & health

“South Sudan is a country that is affected by complex emer gencies resulting from prolonged conflict, climate change, a bro-

ken health system and outbreaks of communicable diseases.” Dr. Abdulmumini Usman, WHQ

SMART AID SYSTEM network connects hospital & physician to user

consultationTelehealth

SMART AID STATION is community specific kit-of-parts assembled, adapted, and added to by users.

ACCESIBILITY

Case Study: Kibber, India

Healthcare gender inequality

Gender is one of the main social determinants of health in India. It plays a major role in wom en’s health outcomes and access to healthcare. In most cases, healthcare is prioritized towards men due to their role in society.

This is even more prominent in in accessible places such as Kibber, India, which sits at 14,009 ft. As a result, making it only possible for 2% of medical professionals to reach these remote areas.

connected to a global portfolio of health

SMART AID achieves placemaking by locating SMART AID STATIONS near community assets

LET’S KEEP IN TOUCH!

Marco Sosa

If you have further inquiries you can contact me at: msosa.1986@gmail.com https://www.linkedin.com/in/marco-sosa-1023a74b/ (0) 152 24562854