Impermanent Substrates: Restorative Infiltrations in the Interstice | Architecture Thesis on Regenerative Architecture

Site Context

The project is being developed along the Cauca River in the Antioquia department of Colombia, a region of significant ecological and cultural importance that has been deeply impacted by the construction of the Hidroituango dam. This large-scale intervention has disrupted the river’s flow, altered biodiversity, and displaced riverside communities, affecting their way of life. In response, the project proposes a reconciliation strategy between infrastructure and the natural environment, integrating solutions to restore both ecological and social balance in the area.

The project’s approach focuses on sustainability and landscape regeneration. It includes adaptive crop support systems that optimize water use, waste treatment solutions to reduce pollution, and the rehabilitation of biological corridors. Additionally, it proposes floating spaces that enable communities to reconnect with the river, enhancing mobility through a system that facilitates fish and canoe transfers between different elevations of the landscape. These strategies aim to create a resilient and adaptable architecture that does not impose a rigid presence but instead evolves alongside the natural environment.

Design Process

The design process of ‘Impermanent Substrates’ is rooted in careful observation and analysis of the territory, focusing on the ecological, social, and economic shifts caused by the dam’s construction. It follows an experimental approach, studying various interactions between landscape and infrastructure while exploring materials, forms, and construction systems that enable adaptable and evolving interventions.

A key aspect of the design is the performativity of the landscape—its ability to transform and regenerate in response to different stimuli. To support this, the project employs strategies such as verticalizing the landscape with floating or suspended structures, restoring aquatic ecosystems through filtration devices, and using environmentally integrated materials that minimize negative impact.

Community participation is central to the design, fostering the co-creation of spaces that reflect local knowledge and needs. Rather than imposing a fixed architectural solution, the project envisions a dynamic, living system that adapts to environmental and social changes, acting as a catalyst for regeneration for both the landscape and its inhabitants.

Final Outcome

Intervening in landscapes altered by human infrastructure raises essential questions about the relationship between the built environment and nature. ‘Impermanent Substrates: Restorative Infiltrations in the Interstice’ goes beyond mitigating the negative impacts of the Hidroituango dam—it reimagines how architecture interacts with the landscape.

Rather than viewing infrastructure as static and unchanging, the project promotes a flexible architectural approach that adapts and evolves with its surroundings. By integrating ecological restoration and social regeneration strategies, it explores new ways to coexist with the territory without imposing rigid structures that further disrupt it.

This vision aligns with a holistic approach to sustainability, where architecture is not just functional but also serves as a tool for healing and reconciliation between technology and the ecosystem. Recognizing the landscape as a living, ever-changing entity, the project emphasizes the need for dynamic and resilient structures that create opportunities for both biodiversity and human communities. Ultimately, it demonstrates that architecture can be a force for positive transformation, paving the way for a more balanced and sustainable future.

Conclusion: The project rethinks architecture as a flexible and regenerative force, bridging the gap between infrastructure, nature, and communities. By integrating ecological restoration, social resilience, and adaptive design, the project fosters a more sustainable way of inhabiting and transforming landscapes, proving that architecture can be a tool for healing and coexistence.

[This Academic Project has been published with text and images submitted by the student]