The germinating city – 3rd place of cities of tomorrow competition
Oruro, la ciudad que germina
Summary
The City That Germinates” emerges as an educational and urban response to the environmental crisis in Bolivia. Oruro is a city marked by a cold, dry climate, only 0.17 m² of green space per inhabitant, and fragmented urban growth that leaves peripheral districts without access to environmental and social services. This project reimagines infrastructure as a green educational network, where schools become active hubs of regeneration. Planting trees is the starting point, but the core of the project is education. It is the generations raised in these schools that will reshape the city. The strategy unfolds over 30 years. As the system grows, schools evolve not only in their practices but in their architecture: solar rooftops, rainwater harvesting, green classrooms, permeable gardens. The goal is not just to plant trees, but to cultivate awareness, activate belonging, and establish an educational model that transforms the city at its roots.
Jury Comment
« We were inspired by the project’s clear call to action: do, not just talk. Where many proposals focused on systems and plans, this one puts the onus on mobilizing people, turning urban planning into everyday stewardship. The simple idea that each student plants a tree is emblematic, a modest act that scales quickly. This let’sdoit spirit has a refreshing, even wonderfully naive quality in the best sense, using participation to foster a stronger sense of shared ownership of the city. »
Project members
Aldrin Luis Villarroel Uño (Universidad Técnica de Oruro)
Itati Maritza Quisbert Martinez (Universidad Técnica de Oruro)
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