UVA stands for 'Unidades de Vida Articulada', a Medellín municipal urban development program focused on social transformation through architecture.
The structure occupies space previously used by EPM (Empresas Públicas de Medellín) water tanks, repurposing industrial infrastructure for public use.
The design uses terracing to stabilize the steep terrain of the Robledo district while creating accessible pathways.
The project is specifically engineered to provide light-filled, safe public spaces in areas that historically lacked formal community gathering points.
UVA Nuevo Occidente is a public architectural project in Medellín designed to integrate community infrastructure with public park space. Built on the site of a former water reservoir, it functions as a social, cultural, and recreational hub for the surrounding neighborhood. The facility includes a public library, multiple outdoor sports courts, and terraced green spaces built into the steep hillside topography. Water management is a core design feature, with decorative pools and fountains reflecting the site's history as part of the municipal water infrastructure. The design emphasizes connectivity through a series of pedestrian ramps and bridges that link different levels of the hillside park. It serves as an active neighborhood node, hosting educational programs and community workshops alongside open-air exercise areas.
The upper viewing platform that provides a panoramic perspective of the northern Medellín valley and the park's cascading water features.
Bring a hat and sunscreen as the hillside location offers little natural shade on the exposed walkways.
Visit during late afternoon to observe the space being actively used by local youth sports leagues.
Carry a water bottle as there are several public hydration points located within the park facility.
Do not attempt to walk to this location from the city center; the incline is extremely steep and better navigated via local transport networks.
Maintains limited access or reduced programming on major Colombian public holidays.
Respect local sports teams by not walking through active court areas; maintain low noise levels near library windows.
