The coastal city of Puerto Colombia presents many opportunities for new designs and building typologies. Residential buildings are of particular need as the population of the municipality is expanding as new development occurs.

Prior to my trip to Puerto Colombia, I hoped to observe the ways of life of the local people and understand what types of buildings and services could benefit the local community. During the trip, I noticed a lack of organized spaces for gathering. The Barranquilla Carnaval festivities are important sources of cultural pride to Puerto Colombia. Much of the housing was informal and there was a lack of defined community spaces and gathering places within residential buildings. While I was there, I started brainstorming possible building designs that could tie these together.

My design evolved into a mixed-use,mid-rise apartment building consisting of four floors of four three-bedroom apartments each, with around 1,300 square feet per apartment. The building also features a covered walkway to shade residents and visitors from the sun as they enter the building or lounge outside. The ground floor
is fronted by a plaza and contains two retail spaces, parking in the rear, and
a central lobby leading into the circulation core and a grand twenty foot by twenty-
four foot courtyard surrounded by cobogós, cement screens used throughout the
building. The sixth floor is an open-air community space to be used in various ways by locals and visitors, including Carnaval dance practices, performances,
weddings, club meetings, after school programs, etc. There is a roof top terrace to take advantage of the nearby ocean views and brilliant breeze that blows through Puerto Colombia for both daytime and nighttime gatherings. 

The Cobogó cement screen featured throughout the design acts as both an aesthetic piece and as a shading and ventilation device. The apartment units have both indoor and private outdoor spaces due to the screens. The sliding glass doors and windows in each room can be opened to allow for cross ventilation throughout the units. 

The residential and community center building design is meant to serve as a model for future mixed use mid-rise projects in Puerto Colombia.