Three sites are identified: Molino Blanco South (Original), Molino Blanco West (New) and La Lagunita.
Molino Blanco South (original) situated at the southern fringe of the city limit, is a neighborhood of approximately 1000 families. This site was chosen because of its potential for doing park design and urban renewal within a planned street grid. There are current urban agriculture efforts on the site, including cooperative gardening that supply green markets sponsored by the municipality.
On the south west limit of the city, Molino Blanco West (to be built) is another neighborhood for about 224 new dwellings with potential for participating in demostration gardens and prototype housing design that would serve to inform future projects. Street grid and housing have already been done by the Servicio Público de la Vivienda (SPV) for this proposal development.
La Lagunita is a neighborhood currently undergoing urban upgrading effort as directed by the SPV, with potential for public green area design, incorporating urban agriculture features,as well as elements of urban renewal.
Molino Blanco South (Original)
The present site has an area of approximately 20 Ha which belongs to the Municipality. At the moment there is an upgrading programme coordinated by SPV intended to regularize the settlement, giving not only titles to residetns, but also providing them with the basic municipal services such as potable water, sewage, drainage, gas, electricity, paved roads, and pedestrian paths. For the purpose of this upgrading project, and as part of the Inter-American Development Bank (IDB) - sponsored "Rosario Habitat" project, 30% of the population will be displaced, who, according to the city team, are living on land that floods. However, the Rosario Municipality has arranged a new site to resettle the displaced families – the new Molino Blanco West.
The idea of the Making the Edible Landscape project in Molino Blanco South is to focus on its potential for creating a demonstration site on flood lands, plus incorporating urban agriculture features within the street grid proposed in the current upgrading program. The MCHG students have produced design charettes exploring ways to work with the community to enhance and include qualities already present in the informal settlement.
Aerial View of Molino Blanco South (Original)
Views of Molino Blanco South (Original)
Molino Blanco West
This site is meant to house the 30% of the population who will be displaced from Molino Blanco South. This new settlement will be situated in a low-density area at the south-western city limit. The selected plot is located between two main streets: Av. Provincias Unidas, which crosses the city in south-north direction, and Boulverd Segui, which crosses the city in east-west direction. The design proposal includes a Health Centre of 449 square meters plus 224 housing plots varying in size from 100 square meters to 122 square meters, smaller plots facing main streets and larger ones having inner locations. It is important to note that this proposal also provides dwellers with basic municipal services.
In Molino Blanco West the focus is on a demonstration garden and exploring ways to work on prototype housing ideas that would incorporate additional urban agricultural components. This project presents a unique challenge as the site is already planned and will be built according to pre-determined standards.
La Lagunita
La Lagunita, a community of 253 dwellings is situated in the West District that has emerged as an axis for city’s urban development. In the 1996 Irregular Settlement’s Report, this settlement was referred in accordance to its location: “Boulevard Segui and Provincias Unidas,” but following several floods in this area in the last few years, it started to be called La Lagunita or “the lagoon.”
According to the 2003 Census, this irregular settlement had a population of 1,046 inhabitants. The housing condition in the area is diverse; ranging from well-consolidated homes, most of them located along principal streets; to recently built shanties, most of them situated in the area which floods. The main problems faced by residents of the area include: regular flooding, lack of garbage disposal and urban infrastructure. How urban agriculture can be integrated with upgrading will be the focus of our work in La Lagunita.