Water play: Innovative spaces for recreation help give the urban space back to the community. Photo: Courtesy Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín.

Integration of water, light and the city landscape to accentuate the place identity and become an urban landmark. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The use of photovoltaic panels, skylights, and reflective light on surfaces decrease the operating cost of the building in medium and long term. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Chimney Effect. Air currents rise through ceiling openings driven by temperature and pressure differences, and creating passive ventilation. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Solar protection provided by the green roof and eave overhang, generate shadowed areas that improve indoor comfort conditions. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Courting water: Created in a decommissioned municipal water tank, provides a place of reflection and contemplation of the value of water. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Performance amplified: Making the most of the new performance amphitheatre, local musicians enhanced celebrations on a sunny afternoon in Medellín. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Long-term view: Architects Mario Camargo and Luis Tombé from Colectivo 720 merge social imperatives with technical requirements to create a “socio-technical” landscape of magnificent beauty. Photo: Courtesy Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín.

Building communities: Flexible spaces and universal accessible urban design stimulate community activities. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Bright outlook: The architectural form adapts to the pre-existing elements to ensure minimal impact, and results in an affordable and sustainable building. Photo: Courtesy Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín.

Circular ecology: Tracing the site’s history, the architectural form takes its inspiration from the surrounding topography as well as from the structure of the existing tanks and pools. Photo: Courtesy Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín.

Game for change: A site once off-limits becomes a venue for children to play, and for communities to come together. Photo: Courtesy Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín.

Juan Calle, General Manager of Grupo EPM (holding microphone) at the site opening event. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín (holding microphone) at the site opening event. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Enjoying the celebrations of the official opening. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Ribbon cutting to symbolize enabling access to the site to the local community. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín (holding microphone) with guests at the official opening and media in the open-air amphitheater. Photo: Courtesy Mario Camargo, Colectivo 720.

Mario Camargo (right) was praised for the design of the project that celebrates a piece of infrastructure as a civic work of collective pride and beauty. Photo: Courtesy Mario Camargo, Colectivo 720.

Aníbal Gaviria, Mayor of Medellín (hands gesturing, center) at the tree-planting to mark the opening of the UVA de la Imaginación site. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The public space and pre-existing elements are transformed to create an outdoor auditorium and venues for a range of community activities. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

A plan for selective collection of glass, paper and cardboard to use in recycled Arts & Crafts projects, thereby increasing the community’s environmental awareness. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Water, light and the city landscape accentuate identity with place, and enhance an urban landmark. Photo: Courtesy Mario Camargo, Colectivo 720.

The site features imaginative play areas of children. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The project foregrounds the value of water as an important resource of urban life, celebrating a piece of infrastructure as a civic work of collective pride and beauty. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Use of eco-materials such as recycled concrete, old tires, concrete pipes and plastic. These prove an ideal thermal and acoustic performance to the climatic conditions of the site. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The project provides public space for leisure and vitality. Photo: Courtesy Mario Camargo, Colectivo 720.

The project rationalizes the use of water resources applying low water use methods. This program utilizes recycling technologies that involve rainwater and grey water harvesting through simple treatment systems. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

A hidden infrastructure within the city is opened up, made public, and transformed into a civic space. Photo: Courtesy Mario Camargo, Colectivo 720.

The site is uninterrupted and linked to the various surrounding neighborhoods. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The construction technology for the project was based on the use of available local materials and resources within a rationalized construction method, allowing active local knowledge and easy training manpower programs. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Members of the community examine the new facilities at the site’s official launch. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Tracing the site’s history, the architectural form takes its inspiration from the surrounding topography as well as from the structure of the existing tanks and pools, resulting in an intervention with minimal environmental impact. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The project foregrounds the value of water as an important resource of urban life. Photo: Courtesy Mario Camargo, Colectivo 720.

Enjoying the celebrations of the official opening. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The site features imaginative play areas of children. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

Concrete bleachers and stairs. Photo: Courtesy EPM.

The architects wanted to preserve the site’s positive qualities and create a multifunctional facility – using what already existed. Photo: Courtesy EPM.