Proposal for the preservation and comprehensive intervention of the CIT in Bogotá

In 2019 we participated in the structuring of the project for the CIT, as part of the interdisciplinary team formed by the National Development Finance Company. Because it is classified as an Asset of Cultural Interest of the National and District order, the CIT required the formulation of the Special Management and Protection Plan (PEMP) to establish the strategy and intervention criteria of the complex in the center of the city of Bogota.

Due to its strategic location, high connectivity and accessibility, the CIT constitutes an urban node with competitive advantages over other sectors of the city. However, the central problem of the complex was that, despite enjoying a great hierarchy in the metropolitan area, the physical deterioration of its infrastructure and the obsolescence of architectural standards did not allow a correct promotion and use of the spaces. This represented a significant disadvantage in the face of new developments in the sector.

Since 2002, the CIT has been considered an Asset of Cultural Interest of National Character, due to which it was necessary to develop a Special Management and Protection Plan aimed at preserving the Cultural Significance of the architectural complex within the framework of its urban context.

With this background in mind, at echeverrimontes we developed a comprehensive proposal aimed at ensuring the cultural and economic sustainability of the Tequendama International Center, meeting the preservation objectives through an appropriate intervention strategy.

Specifically, our strategy consisted of four stages:

1. An analysis of the current physiognomy of the set of buildings.
2. An assessment of the architectural and aesthetic integrity of the complex.
3. A critical analysis of the phylogeny and morphogenetic development of the artifact over time.
4. A comprehensive intervention proposal.

The comprehensive intervention proposal presented was aligned with the objective of consolidating the CIT as an international business center for Bogotá, putting into effect the considerations and development of the project that Cuellar Serrano Gómez carried out in the 1950s for the national military institution. as owner of the land. In that sense, the design parameters submitted included:

• A clear agora between Tequendama Sur Residences and the San Martín Complex and the Bavaria tower.
• 10,350 m2 of a 2-storey commercial platform.
• 80,000 m2 of development area:
  • with 23,000 m2 for shops on the first 6 floors (6 m mezzanine);
  • and 57,000 m2 of open plan # variable floors (3.8 m mezzanine).
• 1, 2 or 3 towers with an occupancy on the platform of 70%.
• a maximum number of floors 34.
• Minimum insulation 15 m.
• an elevated passage of the volume over the space of the agora

Additionally, a proposal was developed for the management of the space and the dissemination of its activities, aimed at achieving the objectives of cultural and economic sustainability of the complex. This proposal contemplated financial, administrative and cultural aspects, and was integrated with other developments in Bogotá such as smart city.

As always, having participated in the structuring of the project was very gratifying, since it allowed us to work on the particular challenges of the CIT and put all our capacity and creativity to work in the development of a superior proposal.