Can Louisville learn lessons about Quality of Place from Medellin, Columbia?
Yes, in a word.
IdeaFestival, in the ongoing search for the most innovative ideas across the world, is bringing Alejandro Echeverri, who was awarded the 2009 Curry Stone Design Prize, in as a featured speaker for this year’s IdeaFestival at the end of September.
Echeverri offers a different perspective and maybe some new insights for Louisville as it contemplates the challenge of enhancing Quality of Place. Echeverri will talk about the bold and ambitious public works plan for the Colombian city of Medellín that helped revitalize its poorest areas and transform what was considered one of the deadliest cities in the world into a vibrant, urban hub.
In just four years Echeverri, then-director of urban projects, and Sergio Fajardo, former mayor, led the charge for innovative urban renewal and design, supported by a vast team of architects, technicians and community members buoyed by the belief that, "Our most beautiful buildings must be in our poorest areas."
Now, Medellín's transformation has become a model for other cities in the developing world. Check out the session, scheduled from 4:30 to 5:30 on Friday, Oct. 1 – only one of the many thought-provoking events at the 2010 IdeaFestival. Check it out at www.ideafestival.com.
Kris Kimel is the President of the Kentucky Science and Technology Corp, and the founder of the IdeaFestival.
Photo courtesy of Leo Weekly