City Case Study: Medellín

The Medellín MetroCable project (Alvaro Palacios)

Medellín, Colombia, has a dynamic urban history characterised by industrial growth followed by challenges like drug-related violence in the late 20th century. It has since undergone a notable transformation, gaining praise for its innovative urban development initiatives. Despite its progress, the city faces persistent liveability concerns and continues to strive towards eradicating crime and social inequality, ensuring equal access to essential services, controlling urban sprawl and providing sufficient housing. Sustainable development efforts are crucial for addressing these challenges and ensuring a better quality of life for all residents. Medellín’s urban development journey reflects both its successes and ongoing struggles while emphasising the importance of inclusive, sustainable urban planning to create a more liveable city.

Seeking "Win-Win" Scenarios Through Integrated Solutions and Whole-Of-System Thinking

Since the 1990s, Medellín has spearheaded a variety of initiatives and policies aimed at reducing crime and improving sprawling informal settlements to enhance social equity, the economy and sustainability.

One remarkable initiative was the introduction of the Medellín MetroCable, the world’s pioneer cable car mass transit system—connecting previously isolated hillside communities to the city’s main metro line and surrounding neighbourhoods. This initiative significantly enhanced residents’ quality of life, bolstered the economy and improved the environment.

Accompanying the development of the MetroCable were investments in social infrastructure, such as playgrounds and sports facilities at the base of the cable car pylons. Education was also prioritised in the process through the establishment of new schools, library parks and small libraries at metro stations. These investments not only encouraged residents to engage in positive activities, but for some, also facilitated their transition into becoming productive citizens, giving rise to a “win-win” scenario towards meeting both social and economic objectives.

Prior to the installation of the cable cars, navigating between Medellín’s hillsides and the city centre required multiple bus transfers, impeding access to employment, education and healthcare opportunities. The planning and development process for the project took this into consideration, along with other stakeholders’ needs. For instance, although the cable cars had a lower carrying capacity, their shorter design resulted in a smaller footprint required for the pylons and stations, reducing construction periods as well as impacts to properties and infrastructure within densely populated neighbourhoods. This approach not only saved considerable time and money, it significantly decreased the carbon footprint associated with demolition and relocation.

Preserving the existing urban fabric while minimising evictions and relocations was essential for safeguarding the social cohesion of the hillside communities. Moreover, community buy-in was recognised as integral to the project’s success. Social workers conducted workshops and gathered vital transport data to better understand residents’ mobility patterns and needs, while outreach efforts aimed to educate residents on how to use the system responsibly. The success of the MetroCable underscores the importance of coordination among various stakeholders and institutions in effecting transformative change in cities.

The MetroCable project highlights two key lessons: firstly, the importance of implementing complementary public projects to enhance urban areas, alleviate poverty and reduce car dependency; and secondly, that minimising the land acquisition required for the project, primarily for station construction, allowed the MetroCable to seamlessly integrate into existing communities—mitigating negative displacement effects and ensuring win-win outcomes for all stakeholders involved. These lessons reinforce the importance of a whole-of-systems thinking approach to urban solutions, with the two lessons working in conjunction to facilitate an integrated master planning and development environment, as well as a dynamic urban governance approach to achieve urban liveability outcomes.

A MetroCable station (Jose Figueroa)

Safeguarding Medellín's Future Liveability

Medellín’s urban development initiatives have significantly enhanced the city’s liveability outcomes, particularly through successful projects like the MetroCable. However, as the city continues to evolve and grow, it faces several liveability challenges.

First and foremost is the continued strain on transport infrastructure due to population growth and urban sprawl. Traffic congestion, inadequate public transportation, and limited access to transportation options in peripheral areas pose significant obstacles to mobility and economic opportunities for residents. To address these challenges, the city’s policymakers, planners and other stakeholders are focusing their efforts on improving mobility and transport, and building cycling routes. Some of the strategies being considered include expanding public transit networks, promoting active transportation options like cycling and walking, and implementing innovative solutions such as congestion pricing and car-sharing programmes.

Additionally, climate resilience and adaptation measures are being integrated into city planning and infrastructure projects. Given the risks posed by climate change, including flooding, heatwaves and landslides, incorporating green infrastructure and other resilience measures is crucial to safeguarding the future of Medellín’s residents and infrastructure. By proactively addressing these challenges and implementing strategic planning measures, Medellín continues to enhance its liveability outcomes to ensure a sustainable future for its residents.