Planning

The España Library Park was conceived during the administration of Mayor Sergio Fajardo Valderrama (2004-2007) as part of his "social urbanism" strategy. This model sought to transform the most vulnerable areas of Medellín through the construction of cultural and educational facilities that integrated communities into urban life and promoted human development.[24]​.

The Northeast Comprehensive Urban Project was a city initiative to improve infrastructure in the two poorest areas of the northwest. A scheme was planned for five library parks, the fourth of which was built and the most famous of which today is the Biblioteca España. The other libraries added as part of the city's educational development program and redevelopment efforts included the León de Greiff, San Javier, Belén and La Quintana library parks. After the initial 2009 program, another five libraries were added to the plan by 2011, for a total of ten library parks.

The initial confrontation that the España library park project faced in its search for a location occurred between the perspectives of the space of the planners, experts and government authorities, and a social space that the residents have cultivated for four decades on the Santo Domingo Savio hill, where spatial practices such as self-construction and invitations for the construction of housing and urban facilities stand out.[26]​ The planning vision, which combines knowledge of architecture and engineering, generates a rationality based on multiple logics. One of these logics addresses the relationship between society and nature, raising the question of "what role does that world commonly seen as extreme play in social dynamics and in the structuring of social space."[27]​ In this sense, it can be stated that the Municipal Library Plan, as a document that articulates the criteria, ideals and objectives of the public competition that gave rise to the España Library Park, conceives the Santo Domingo Savio hill as a natural landscape devoid of human activity, a rustic space to explore and a territory without inhabitants. Therefore, it is presented as a receptacle or geometric space that will be intervened through planning that seeks its ecological conservation, the creation of public spaces and the establishment of a tourist destination.[28]​.

public competition

The España Library Park was the result of a public competition launched by the mayor of Medellín, in conjunction with the Urban Development Company and with the advice of the Colombian Society of Architects of Antioquia. This competition, which was made public in May 2005 through the local, national and international press, had the architect Giancarlo Manzzati as the winner.[29]​.

The competition program required the creation of a building that integrated various services, such as a library, training classrooms, an exhibition hall, administrative spaces and an auditorium, all in a single volume that promoted social integration.[30]​.

The winning proposal for suggested organization consisted of segmenting the program into three groups: the library, the classrooms and training areas, and the auditorium, which are connected through a lower platform. This arrangement favors greater flexibility and autonomy in the use of spaces, promoting more active community participation and allowing each volume to operate independently.[23]​[31]​.

The library was designed by Giancarlo Mazzanti,[7] an architect from Barranquilla who had previously designed the León de Grieff library park in the La Ladera neighborhood of the commune 8 Villa Hermosa "Villa Hermosa (Medellín)") of Medellín. It was completed in 2007, after plans were approved in 2005. The construction area was 5,500 square meters, with a final constructed area of ​​3,727 square meters. The construction of the library cost $15,152 million pesos.[32][8][33]​.

The library consists of three interconnected buildings, decorated on the outside with dark stone tiles. Each of the three buildings houses different programs: the library, the training rooms and the auditorium, which was donated by the Spanish government through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation who donated approximately one million euros.[4] The three buildings are connected by a platform. New trails and roads were also built nearby to connect the library with the neighborhood.[34]​.

Experts in disciplines such as architecture, engineering and geology carried out a study on the consequences, benefits and challenges posed by this project. For geologists and engineers, despite the geological risk of the hill and the constant landslides on the northeastern slope, this site was the one that generated the greatest social and political impact, even though it was necessary to drill sixteen meters to reach solid ground. From the perspective of the designer architect, the main challenge is “to design and regularize all those geometries of inclined and faceted planes; This building faces two challenges: one is to contain the earth and the other is to lay its foundations."[35]​.

In relation to the objective of the municipal library plan, which pursues the recovery and mitigation of environmental risk on the Santo Domingo Savio hill through the España library park, tension was generated due to its size, surface and cost, in contrast to the processes of social construction of the habitat that the communities have developed over time, with the support of the academy and various non-governmental organizations.[Note 2]​[36]​ The leaders advocated for local planning that was participatory, effective and democratic, that considered the needs and territory priorities. In contrast, the residents of the homes that were planned to be demolished demanded fair prices. This event manifested itself as a concretion of the expression that usually accompanied the neighborhood movement, carried out in 2014, and the demands for the right to the city in contemporary Medellín:[37]​.

Rosalba Cardona, neighborhood leader, wondered about this paradox: «How was it not a risk to build a structure as heavy as the Library in the same place? This is not a place of high risk, but rather a place of high investment».[38]​.

Acquisition of land

In 2005, the municipal government purchased approximately 126 popular homes, which were later demolished. This event is interpreted in various ways by urban planners and residents; The former consider it an informal and illegal settlement, while the latter maintain that the intervention caused a process of deterritorialization, in which the demands of citizens forced to leave their home and territory were often not met.[39]​[40][41]​.

The demolition of spaces led the owners of the threatened homes to chain themselves and go on hunger strike in 2006, demanding the participation of the community in government decisions and defending their right to decide on the urban projects that should be carried out and their location.[42]​For its part, the municipal government carried out a set of political and legal strategies with the aim of continuing construction and addressing disagreements. While the homes were acquired through different legal figures, political and media tactics were deployed. Likewise, negotiation commissions were created with the support of the archdiocese of Medellín and the Pastoral Social.[43]​.

One of the tactics adopted was the invocation of culture, access to information, reading and public space as collective rights, considered superior to the demands of the inhabitants for the restitution of the right to housing or permanence in their only home. This illustrates a strategic use of the legal framework.[44]​.

One of the strategies of the Urban Development Company was the organization of "imaginary workshops",[Note 3]​ whose purpose was to consult residents about the services, programs and activities they wanted for the Santo Domingo Savio library park. However, this initiative overlooked a right that was in dispute: the right of citizens to decide on interventions in their territory, according to their own needs and desires. Consequently, the inhabitants saw this exercise as a form of legitimization of hierarchical and authoritarian planning.[45]​.

Construction

The construction of the library park began in March 2005,[46]​ under the direction of the Urban Development Company") and with the participation of the company Arquitectura y Concreto S.A.S., directed by Jorge Ernesto Bacci, was in charge of carrying out the construction, following the design of Giancarlo Mazzanti. For its part, Ingeniería Structural S.A.S. was in charge of the structural designs, and A.C.I. Proyectos S.A.S. assumed the intervention function.[47]​.

In 2006, inter-institutional contract number 351-06 of 2006 of May 6, 2006 was signed for the construction of the España Library Park.[48]​ In September: EDU hires new supervisors for the works, with an initial investment of COP $15,152 million.[32]​ In November, significant progress is made in the structure and, finally, in December, the construction of the España Library Park ends.

Opening

The tensions associated with construction on a hill that houses residences and families were covered up almost as if by magic thanks to media coverage. In the middle of the building process and a few days before the inauguration, Mayor Sergio Fajardo Valderrama and the Secretary of Citizen Culture, Jorge Humberto Melguizo, proposed, through municipal agreement number 2 of 2007, the modification of the name of Santo Domingo Savio Library Park to España Library Park. The reasons given were aimed at paying tribute to a "nation that has contributed to our city in different social, economic, political and cultural dimensions."[49]​.

The España Library Park, now called Santo Domingo Savio Library Park, was inaugurated on March 24, 2007[2]​ as part of a social urban planning project to improve a vulnerable area of ​​Medellín. The ceremony was attended by the Kings of Spain, Juan Carlos I of Spain and the queen consort of Spain Sofia of Greece, princess of Greece and Denmark,[50]​ who donated 108 computers to support the educational and cultural activities of the space.[51]​ This event symbolized a positive change in the lives of the inhabitants of Commune 1 Popular. The kings, along with Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and Mayor Sergio Fajardo, arrived on Metrocable, highlighting the urban transformation.[52]​ The library was seen by the community as a light of hope after years of violence.[53]​.

Structural failures

Since its opening to the public, peeling of the library's veneer has been a constant inconvenience; However, in April and August 2013, the situation worsened for no apparent reason and affected larger areas. "In 2009, maintenance and waterproofing was carried out with a guarantee until 2014, so the problem is not due to a lack of care," said Claudia Patricia Restrepo, former vice mayor of Education, Culture, Participation, Recreation and Sports of Medellín.[54]​.

The problems on the façade and the façade detachments were clearly manifested in September 2013, when the district of Medellín commissioned a study of pathology, vulnerability and a proposal for intervention and repair of the façade system of the España library park; through the Ministry of Citizen Culture, perfected by contract number 747 of 2013 between the Pilot Public Library, the National University of Colombia; and the district.[55]​ The comptroller's deductions were the following:[56]​.

1. • Constructor Arquitectura y Concreto S. A. S. did not fully comply with the architectural and structural guidelines of the designs, and this was allowed by A. C. I Proyectos S. A.

2. • Part of the changes between design and work were consulted with the Urban Development Company and agents of the Mayor's Office of Medellín, who approved them. However, the designer of the work was not announced, omitting his technical opinion.

3. • Errors in decisions when changing designs may have arisen from haste or lack of technical skill. The EDU and the municipality must consider this when executing new projects, improving their recruitment process of personnel with experience and technical knowledge.

4. • The poor filing and collection of registration plans by the EDU and the municipality is an obvious fact. This Comptroller's Office has already detected this failure before, which has negative consequences on the monitoring and maintenance of the works carried out. It is not strange that, despite the plans, they do not coincide with the works delivered, losing their purpose. It is necessary that the Mayor's Office and the EDU take measures to prevent this from happening again.

5. • It is the obligation of the executing entities to monitor the stability and quality of the works delivered. In this case, the work showed flaws in the facades and waterproofing, which were resolved with warranty processes or complementary works. An accurate and timely diagnosis could have made it possible to detect problems before starting new works and thus avoid the expiration of fiscal and civil actions to repair the damage to the municipality.

Intervention and repowering

In September 2015, contract number 4600062238 of 2015 was signed, the purpose of which was the intervention and repowering of the structure and construction of the façade of the España Library Park and complementary works. Includes network design update and installation, awarded to the Medellín 2015 Works Consortium made up of LAB Construcciones S.A.S. with a 50% participation and Constructora CREARQ S.A.S. with a 50% participation, for an initial amount of $9,746,051,513 Colombian pesos for an initial term of 16 months. And contract number 4600062119 with the purpose of intervention for the intervention and repowering of the structure and construction of the façade of the Spain Library Park and complementary works. It includes the audit for updating the network design and its installation, awarded to Civing Ingenieros Contratistas S. en C., for an initial amount of $969,422,069 Colombian pesos for an initial period of 17 months.[61]​ Contract in which the consortium committed to finishing the work by December 14, 2016.[62]​.

In November of that same year, the Medellín Infrastructure Secretariat ordered the suspension of the contract due to non-compliance. Then, a report from the Comptroller's Office, which was made public in January 2017, indicated that the progress of the project was only 5.96%, and that the total billing reached only $580 million.[63][64]​.

Closing

The closure of the library park buildings was the result of a long process. In October 2013, the National University of Colombia, Medellín headquarters, was hired to analyze the construction, collect samples of the façade materials and reconstruct the building process. The study sought to find the causes of the deterioration and the necessary improvements. In that year, Comfama stopped operating in the Library Parks; Therefore, the Medellín Public Library System and the Medellín Mayor's Office assumed its management.[65]​.

Although an attempt was made to preserve the work through repairs, which had a period of 16 months to be carried out, it was discovered that it required a deeper intervention. Consequently, on August 27, 2015, it was decided to close the work. Since then, various organizations have considered different possibilities to reactivate the three black towers that functioned as a library, an auditorium and an area for community service activities.[66][67]​.

Impact of closure

The closure of the "northeast zone 1") without access to the reading room, the events room, the computer rooms with Internet access, in addition to the digital literacy courses, workshops, conferences and recreational activities that were organized in the España Library, designed to promote social inclusion and access to culture in the most disadvantaged areas of the city,[68]​ which generated new tensions and complaints in the community, becoming a topic of debate at the local and national level. It was questioned The investment of public funds in a closed building eight years after its inauguration. This situation provided an opportunity for the city, for the Medellín Public Library System and, above all, for the inhabitants of the northeastern area, promoting creativity among librarians and the administrative staff of the SBPM. The “Parque al Barrio” traveling library was developed, a project of the Parque Biblioteca España Santo Domingo Savio in collaboration with social and academic organizations in the area, a challenge that was taken on in 2015 after the decision to temporarily disable the building.[69]​.

In 2016, despite serious difficulties and the deplorable state of the building, that space continued to play a crucial role in the learning and cultural development of the community, and the first steps were taken towards the repair of said infrastructure.[70]​.

“Park to Neighborhood” Strategy

The aforementioned strategy, an initiative of the officials of the Medellín Public Library System and the library park,[71] intended to ensure the continuity of the activities that were carried out in the library park facilities, moving them to non-traditional locations within the neighborhoods of the northeastern area. This approach sought to decentralize services in the public space, using the Comprehensive Urban Project as reference points, based on the latter, the strategy included the offices of Interventions in Zonal Business Development Centers, the House of Justice and schools, as well as the headquarters of various social organizations, as points of operation.[72]​.

Legal and administrative processes

After the closure, multiple legal processes were initiated to determine responsibilities for the structural failures. In February 2017, the Comptroller General of Medellín ruled on the repair works on the façade of the Parque Biblioteca España, focusing especially on the causes that justified the need to carry out said works.[73]​.

In that period, the fiscal control entity indicated that the reasons behind the structural damage that led to the closure of the Library included, among other aspects, the lack of adherence by the construction company Arquitectura y Concreto S. A. S. to the architectural and structural guidelines present in the designs of the work.[74]​.

According to the Comptroller's Office of Medellín, the conduct in question was approved or tolerated by A. C. I Proyectos S. A. S., which carried out the audit, along with the supervisors of the work, the Urban Development Company") and the Mayor's Office of Medellín; however, the designer was not consulted, which implies an omission in the decision-making process.[75]​.

The Comptroller's Office highlighted, on the other hand, the existence of poor management of archived registration plans, which, according to this entity, caused unfavorable consequences for the monitoring and conservation of the works contracted, executed and delivered. This would have prevented the identification of problems on the façade, the completion of complementary works, the repowering work and the prevention of the expiration of the actions aimed at correcting the fiscal and civil damage to Medellín.[76]​.

One of the dimensions of this investigation is the alleged loss of the registration plans of the work. These documents include construction specifications and details on changes and completion. According to Juan Martín Salazar, Undersecretary of Planning and Physical Infrastructure of Medellín, these plans are not in the EDU where they should be: «the only plans we have are the initial design plans. I don't know where they are. We have done an exhaustive investigation, I have consulted the curatorships, the EDU, the general archives, everywhere, and those record plans are not there and were the responsibility of the project's construction company and the auditor that should demand them, and also on the part of the EDU. What we have concluded is that those plans were never executed. Not that they are lost or stored somewhere, but that they were never made».[77]​.

However, the construction firm Arquitectura y Concreto S.A.S. He defended himself by saying that he delivered the required plans to the EDU, with supporting documentation. He pointed out that the responsibility for the plans was not only that of the construction company, but that of the entire team involved, including the architect Giancarlo Mazzanti and the intervening firm ACI Proyectos. Gloria Arias, the construction company's engineer, stated that the plans were delivered and that if they were lost in the EDU it is a different matter.[78]​.

Recovery plan

In November 2019, the mayor's office formalized a contract to carry out studies and designs aimed at the recovery of this space. Subsequently, in 2020, the corresponding request to obtain a construction license was submitted to the Curator's Office, with the purpose of starting the work that is expected to be completed this year.[93]​.

In July 2021, the Medellín Council approved future terms for an amount of $10,800 million Colombian pesos for the repair work of the library in accordance with Colombian earthquake resistance standards, adding to the $20,000 million pesos assigned for that year, totaling an investment of $30,800 million pesos.[94] The Medellín Mayor's Office carried out the signing. of a new contract for the reconstruction of the Biblioteca España, with an initial value of 28,000 million Colombian pesos.[95]​ As additions were made to the contract, the total cost increased, reaching figures that vary between $50,000 million and $60,000 million pesos.[96]​ These additions included: expansion of the built area from 32.53% of its initial area, going from 3,727 to Approximately 4,479 square meters.[97]​ Natalia Urrego, who directed the entity at that time, explained that partial demolitions will be implemented and the service areas will be expanded. Regarding public space, Urrego assured the media that $8 billion will be invested in works aimed at improving the landscape and stabilizing slopes.[97] Regarding the appearance of the library, the Secretariat of Physical Infrastructure of Medellín) reported that the façade would be made with concrete reinforced with fiberglass, which will contribute to optimal regulation of temperature and lighting.[98]​.

Reconstruction of the library park

On the afternoon of December 22, 2021, the city's Physical Infrastructure Secretariat assigned the restoration contract to the company IDC Inversiones, which will have one year, starting January 1, 2022, to complete the work. The total cost of the project has been set at 3,800 million Colombian pesos, which would be financed with local resources.[99]​.

In January 2022, the Medellín mayor's office announced the start of works aimed at reopening the library, in a project that involved an investment of more than $30 billion. The reopening of the library park was planned for the end of this year although it was not possible.[100]​.

In May 2022 it was reported that the project would have a symbolic approach based on the Japanese kintsukuroi to repair fractures in the spine with gold. This criterion sought to redefine the “scars” of the library park as part of its history and collective memory; repair as an act of demonstration of adaptability, resistance and strength.[94]​ In November, the progress of the work reached 30%. The authorities confirmed that the project would be ready by 2023 and that it would include new cultural and technological areas.[101]​.

In January 2023, the Mayor's Office of Medellín reported that the reconstruction of the España Library Park was 50% complete.[102] The foundation system for the three buildings that will make up the new library park was completed. It was projected that the work would be completed in the second half of 2023.[103] In March, the new Spain Library building would have an area of ​​5,208 square meters, including platforms, viewing points, ramps, paths and stairs, which represents a 35% increase in the built area. Once completed, it was expected to receive more than 645,000 visitors a year.[103] Finally in December, the Medellín District Comptroller's Office recovered $4,473,949,164 pesos corresponding to an advance mishandled by the Consorcio Obras Medellín 2015. This amount was recovered through insurance companies such as Seguros del Estado and Compañía Mundial de Seguros, after a fiscal responsibility process initiated in 2019.[104]​.

In September 2024, the restoration, directed by the engineer of the Medellín Infrastructure Secretariat, Jaime Andrés Naranjo Medina, reported that building 1 of the library park was completely completed, reaching 100% progress. Building 2 was at 92%, while building 3 had a progress of 57%.[105]​.

Renaming

In June 2021, the Secretariat of Citizen Culture, together with the community, launched the citizen consultation process for the name change of the library park, in response to the historical tensions over the imposition of the name "Spain Library Park",[106]​ The decision to change the name was framed in a process of historical vindication with respect to the neighborhood, suggesting a change in this community space. The councilors who presented the draft agreement stated that community values ​​and identity were the predominant motivation.[107]​.

The District Council of Medellín, in a second debate, decided to approve the name change of the Biblioteca España, which has been closed to the public for several years. From now on, it will be called Santo Domingo Savio Library Park, in order to better reflect the identity of the neighborhood in which it is located and return its historical legacy to the community.[107]​.

Councilor Camila Gaviria, in her role as speaker coordinator, stated that this proposal responded to a historical demand from the neighborhood. He clarified that the previous name originated from the donation of computers made by the Iberian country. After dialogue with the community, including children and educators, it was concluded that the library would have a greater identity if it were assigned the name of the Comuna Uno neighborhood, instead of continuing with the reference to Spain, which prompted the change initiative.[108]​.

However, the name Spain Library Park was given in honor of Spain, whose government helped finance the project through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation by donating approximately one million euros,[4]​ the computer equipment was donated by the kings of Spain[51]​.

According to corporator Farley Macías, Domenico Savio Gaiato, whose saint's name is Domingo Savio and who was canonized by Pope Pius XII, gave its name to the neighborhood where the library is located. The inhabitants of this community have demonstrated a remarkable capacity for adaptation, resistance and strength, facing the inequalities of the environment. Therefore, it was crucial to rename this place for the commune, he emphasized.[109]​.

Santiago Silva, secretary of culture, indicated that the mayor's office carried out socializations in the community, where residents showed their approval of the change, which will allow them to recover their identity by renaming the library.[110]​.

• - Medellín public library system.

• - Library park.

Planning

The España Library Park was conceived during the administration of Mayor Sergio Fajardo Valderrama (2004-2007) as part of his "social urbanism" strategy. This model sought to transform the most vulnerable areas of Medellín through the construction of cultural and educational facilities that integrated communities into urban life and promoted human development.[24]​.

The Northeast Comprehensive Urban Project was a city initiative to improve infrastructure in the two poorest areas of the northwest. A scheme was planned for five library parks, the fourth of which was built and the most famous of which today is the Biblioteca España. The other libraries added as part of the city's educational development program and redevelopment efforts included the León de Greiff, San Javier, Belén and La Quintana library parks. After the initial 2009 program, another five libraries were added to the plan by 2011, for a total of ten library parks.

The initial confrontation that the España library park project faced in its search for a location occurred between the perspectives of the space of the planners, experts and government authorities, and a social space that the residents have cultivated for four decades on the Santo Domingo Savio hill, where spatial practices such as self-construction and invitations for the construction of housing and urban facilities stand out.[26]​ The planning vision, which combines knowledge of architecture and engineering, generates a rationality based on multiple logics. One of these logics addresses the relationship between society and nature, raising the question of "what role does that world commonly seen as extreme play in social dynamics and in the structuring of social space."[27]​ In this sense, it can be stated that the Municipal Library Plan, as a document that articulates the criteria, ideals and objectives of the public competition that gave rise to the España Library Park, conceives the Santo Domingo Savio hill as a natural landscape devoid of human activity, a rustic space to explore and a territory without inhabitants. Therefore, it is presented as a receptacle or geometric space that will be intervened through planning that seeks its ecological conservation, the creation of public spaces and the establishment of a tourist destination.[28]​.

public competition

The España Library Park was the result of a public competition launched by the mayor of Medellín, in conjunction with the Urban Development Company and with the advice of the Colombian Society of Architects of Antioquia. This competition, which was made public in May 2005 through the local, national and international press, had the architect Giancarlo Manzzati as the winner.[29]​.

The competition program required the creation of a building that integrated various services, such as a library, training classrooms, an exhibition hall, administrative spaces and an auditorium, all in a single volume that promoted social integration.[30]​.

The winning proposal for suggested organization consisted of segmenting the program into three groups: the library, the classrooms and training areas, and the auditorium, which are connected through a lower platform. This arrangement favors greater flexibility and autonomy in the use of spaces, promoting more active community participation and allowing each volume to operate independently.[23]​[31]​.

The library was designed by Giancarlo Mazzanti,[7] an architect from Barranquilla who had previously designed the León de Grieff library park in the La Ladera neighborhood of the commune 8 Villa Hermosa "Villa Hermosa (Medellín)") of Medellín. It was completed in 2007, after plans were approved in 2005. The construction area was 5,500 square meters, with a final constructed area of ​​3,727 square meters. The construction of the library cost $15,152 million pesos.[32][8][33]​.

The library consists of three interconnected buildings, decorated on the outside with dark stone tiles. Each of the three buildings houses different programs: the library, the training rooms and the auditorium, which was donated by the Spanish government through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation who donated approximately one million euros.[4] The three buildings are connected by a platform. New trails and roads were also built nearby to connect the library with the neighborhood.[34]​.

Experts in disciplines such as architecture, engineering and geology carried out a study on the consequences, benefits and challenges posed by this project. For geologists and engineers, despite the geological risk of the hill and the constant landslides on the northeastern slope, this site was the one that generated the greatest social and political impact, even though it was necessary to drill sixteen meters to reach solid ground. From the perspective of the designer architect, the main challenge is “to design and regularize all those geometries of inclined and faceted planes; This building faces two challenges: one is to contain the earth and the other is to lay its foundations."[35]​.

In relation to the objective of the municipal library plan, which pursues the recovery and mitigation of environmental risk on the Santo Domingo Savio hill through the España library park, tension was generated due to its size, surface and cost, in contrast to the processes of social construction of the habitat that the communities have developed over time, with the support of the academy and various non-governmental organizations.[Note 2]​[36]​ The leaders advocated for local planning that was participatory, effective and democratic, that considered the needs and territory priorities. In contrast, the residents of the homes that were planned to be demolished demanded fair prices. This event manifested itself as a concretion of the expression that usually accompanied the neighborhood movement, carried out in 2014, and the demands for the right to the city in contemporary Medellín:[37]​.

Rosalba Cardona, neighborhood leader, wondered about this paradox: «How was it not a risk to build a structure as heavy as the Library in the same place? This is not a place of high risk, but rather a place of high investment».[38]​.

Acquisition of land

In 2005, the municipal government purchased approximately 126 popular homes, which were later demolished. This event is interpreted in various ways by urban planners and residents; The former consider it an informal and illegal settlement, while the latter maintain that the intervention caused a process of deterritorialization, in which the demands of citizens forced to leave their home and territory were often not met.[39]​[40][41]​.

The demolition of spaces led the owners of the threatened homes to chain themselves and go on hunger strike in 2006, demanding the participation of the community in government decisions and defending their right to decide on the urban projects that should be carried out and their location.[42]​For its part, the municipal government carried out a set of political and legal strategies with the aim of continuing construction and addressing disagreements. While the homes were acquired through different legal figures, political and media tactics were deployed. Likewise, negotiation commissions were created with the support of the archdiocese of Medellín and the Pastoral Social.[43]​.

One of the tactics adopted was the invocation of culture, access to information, reading and public space as collective rights, considered superior to the demands of the inhabitants for the restitution of the right to housing or permanence in their only home. This illustrates a strategic use of the legal framework.[44]​.

One of the strategies of the Urban Development Company was the organization of "imaginary workshops",[Note 3]​ whose purpose was to consult residents about the services, programs and activities they wanted for the Santo Domingo Savio library park. However, this initiative overlooked a right that was in dispute: the right of citizens to decide on interventions in their territory, according to their own needs and desires. Consequently, the inhabitants saw this exercise as a form of legitimization of hierarchical and authoritarian planning.[45]​.

Construction

The construction of the library park began in March 2005,[46]​ under the direction of the Urban Development Company") and with the participation of the company Arquitectura y Concreto S.A.S., directed by Jorge Ernesto Bacci, was in charge of carrying out the construction, following the design of Giancarlo Mazzanti. For its part, Ingeniería Structural S.A.S. was in charge of the structural designs, and A.C.I. Proyectos S.A.S. assumed the intervention function.[47]​.

In 2006, inter-institutional contract number 351-06 of 2006 of May 6, 2006 was signed for the construction of the España Library Park.[48]​ In September: EDU hires new supervisors for the works, with an initial investment of COP $15,152 million.[32]​ In November, significant progress is made in the structure and, finally, in December, the construction of the España Library Park ends.

Opening

The tensions associated with construction on a hill that houses residences and families were covered up almost as if by magic thanks to media coverage. In the middle of the building process and a few days before the inauguration, Mayor Sergio Fajardo Valderrama and the Secretary of Citizen Culture, Jorge Humberto Melguizo, proposed, through municipal agreement number 2 of 2007, the modification of the name of Santo Domingo Savio Library Park to España Library Park. The reasons given were aimed at paying tribute to a "nation that has contributed to our city in different social, economic, political and cultural dimensions."[49]​.

The España Library Park, now called Santo Domingo Savio Library Park, was inaugurated on March 24, 2007[2]​ as part of a social urban planning project to improve a vulnerable area of ​​Medellín. The ceremony was attended by the Kings of Spain, Juan Carlos I of Spain and the queen consort of Spain Sofia of Greece, princess of Greece and Denmark,[50]​ who donated 108 computers to support the educational and cultural activities of the space.[51]​ This event symbolized a positive change in the lives of the inhabitants of Commune 1 Popular. The kings, along with Colombian President Álvaro Uribe and Mayor Sergio Fajardo, arrived on Metrocable, highlighting the urban transformation.[52]​ The library was seen by the community as a light of hope after years of violence.[53]​.

Structural failures

Since its opening to the public, peeling of the library's veneer has been a constant inconvenience; However, in April and August 2013, the situation worsened for no apparent reason and affected larger areas. "In 2009, maintenance and waterproofing was carried out with a guarantee until 2014, so the problem is not due to a lack of care," said Claudia Patricia Restrepo, former vice mayor of Education, Culture, Participation, Recreation and Sports of Medellín.[54]​.

The problems on the façade and the façade detachments were clearly manifested in September 2013, when the district of Medellín commissioned a study of pathology, vulnerability and a proposal for intervention and repair of the façade system of the España library park; through the Ministry of Citizen Culture, perfected by contract number 747 of 2013 between the Pilot Public Library, the National University of Colombia; and the district.[55]​ The comptroller's deductions were the following:[56]​.

1. • Constructor Arquitectura y Concreto S. A. S. did not fully comply with the architectural and structural guidelines of the designs, and this was allowed by A. C. I Proyectos S. A.

2. • Part of the changes between design and work were consulted with the Urban Development Company and agents of the Mayor's Office of Medellín, who approved them. However, the designer of the work was not announced, omitting his technical opinion.

3. • Errors in decisions when changing designs may have arisen from haste or lack of technical skill. The EDU and the municipality must consider this when executing new projects, improving their recruitment process of personnel with experience and technical knowledge.

4. • The poor filing and collection of registration plans by the EDU and the municipality is an obvious fact. This Comptroller's Office has already detected this failure before, which has negative consequences on the monitoring and maintenance of the works carried out. It is not strange that, despite the plans, they do not coincide with the works delivered, losing their purpose. It is necessary that the Mayor's Office and the EDU take measures to prevent this from happening again.

5. • It is the obligation of the executing entities to monitor the stability and quality of the works delivered. In this case, the work showed flaws in the facades and waterproofing, which were resolved with warranty processes or complementary works. An accurate and timely diagnosis could have made it possible to detect problems before starting new works and thus avoid the expiration of fiscal and civil actions to repair the damage to the municipality.

Intervention and repowering

In September 2015, contract number 4600062238 of 2015 was signed, the purpose of which was the intervention and repowering of the structure and construction of the façade of the España Library Park and complementary works. Includes network design update and installation, awarded to the Medellín 2015 Works Consortium made up of LAB Construcciones S.A.S. with a 50% participation and Constructora CREARQ S.A.S. with a 50% participation, for an initial amount of $9,746,051,513 Colombian pesos for an initial term of 16 months. And contract number 4600062119 with the purpose of intervention for the intervention and repowering of the structure and construction of the façade of the Spain Library Park and complementary works. It includes the audit for updating the network design and its installation, awarded to Civing Ingenieros Contratistas S. en C., for an initial amount of $969,422,069 Colombian pesos for an initial period of 17 months.[61]​ Contract in which the consortium committed to finishing the work by December 14, 2016.[62]​.

In November of that same year, the Medellín Infrastructure Secretariat ordered the suspension of the contract due to non-compliance. Then, a report from the Comptroller's Office, which was made public in January 2017, indicated that the progress of the project was only 5.96%, and that the total billing reached only $580 million.[63][64]​.

Closing

The closure of the library park buildings was the result of a long process. In October 2013, the National University of Colombia, Medellín headquarters, was hired to analyze the construction, collect samples of the façade materials and reconstruct the building process. The study sought to find the causes of the deterioration and the necessary improvements. In that year, Comfama stopped operating in the Library Parks; Therefore, the Medellín Public Library System and the Medellín Mayor's Office assumed its management.[65]​.

Although an attempt was made to preserve the work through repairs, which had a period of 16 months to be carried out, it was discovered that it required a deeper intervention. Consequently, on August 27, 2015, it was decided to close the work. Since then, various organizations have considered different possibilities to reactivate the three black towers that functioned as a library, an auditorium and an area for community service activities.[66][67]​.

Impact of closure

The closure of the "northeast zone 1") without access to the reading room, the events room, the computer rooms with Internet access, in addition to the digital literacy courses, workshops, conferences and recreational activities that were organized in the España Library, designed to promote social inclusion and access to culture in the most disadvantaged areas of the city,[68]​ which generated new tensions and complaints in the community, becoming a topic of debate at the local and national level. It was questioned The investment of public funds in a closed building eight years after its inauguration. This situation provided an opportunity for the city, for the Medellín Public Library System and, above all, for the inhabitants of the northeastern area, promoting creativity among librarians and the administrative staff of the SBPM. The “Parque al Barrio” traveling library was developed, a project of the Parque Biblioteca España Santo Domingo Savio in collaboration with social and academic organizations in the area, a challenge that was taken on in 2015 after the decision to temporarily disable the building.[69]​.

In 2016, despite serious difficulties and the deplorable state of the building, that space continued to play a crucial role in the learning and cultural development of the community, and the first steps were taken towards the repair of said infrastructure.[70]​.

“Park to Neighborhood” Strategy

The aforementioned strategy, an initiative of the officials of the Medellín Public Library System and the library park,[71] intended to ensure the continuity of the activities that were carried out in the library park facilities, moving them to non-traditional locations within the neighborhoods of the northeastern area. This approach sought to decentralize services in the public space, using the Comprehensive Urban Project as reference points, based on the latter, the strategy included the offices of Interventions in Zonal Business Development Centers, the House of Justice and schools, as well as the headquarters of various social organizations, as points of operation.[72]​.

Legal and administrative processes

After the closure, multiple legal processes were initiated to determine responsibilities for the structural failures. In February 2017, the Comptroller General of Medellín ruled on the repair works on the façade of the Parque Biblioteca España, focusing especially on the causes that justified the need to carry out said works.[73]​.

In that period, the fiscal control entity indicated that the reasons behind the structural damage that led to the closure of the Library included, among other aspects, the lack of adherence by the construction company Arquitectura y Concreto S. A. S. to the architectural and structural guidelines present in the designs of the work.[74]​.

According to the Comptroller's Office of Medellín, the conduct in question was approved or tolerated by A. C. I Proyectos S. A. S., which carried out the audit, along with the supervisors of the work, the Urban Development Company") and the Mayor's Office of Medellín; however, the designer was not consulted, which implies an omission in the decision-making process.[75]​.

The Comptroller's Office highlighted, on the other hand, the existence of poor management of archived registration plans, which, according to this entity, caused unfavorable consequences for the monitoring and conservation of the works contracted, executed and delivered. This would have prevented the identification of problems on the façade, the completion of complementary works, the repowering work and the prevention of the expiration of the actions aimed at correcting the fiscal and civil damage to Medellín.[76]​.

One of the dimensions of this investigation is the alleged loss of the registration plans of the work. These documents include construction specifications and details on changes and completion. According to Juan Martín Salazar, Undersecretary of Planning and Physical Infrastructure of Medellín, these plans are not in the EDU where they should be: «the only plans we have are the initial design plans. I don't know where they are. We have done an exhaustive investigation, I have consulted the curatorships, the EDU, the general archives, everywhere, and those record plans are not there and were the responsibility of the project's construction company and the auditor that should demand them, and also on the part of the EDU. What we have concluded is that those plans were never executed. Not that they are lost or stored somewhere, but that they were never made».[77]​.

However, the construction firm Arquitectura y Concreto S.A.S. He defended himself by saying that he delivered the required plans to the EDU, with supporting documentation. He pointed out that the responsibility for the plans was not only that of the construction company, but that of the entire team involved, including the architect Giancarlo Mazzanti and the intervening firm ACI Proyectos. Gloria Arias, the construction company's engineer, stated that the plans were delivered and that if they were lost in the EDU it is a different matter.[78]​.

Recovery plan

In November 2019, the mayor's office formalized a contract to carry out studies and designs aimed at the recovery of this space. Subsequently, in 2020, the corresponding request to obtain a construction license was submitted to the Curator's Office, with the purpose of starting the work that is expected to be completed this year.[93]​.

In July 2021, the Medellín Council approved future terms for an amount of $10,800 million Colombian pesos for the repair work of the library in accordance with Colombian earthquake resistance standards, adding to the $20,000 million pesos assigned for that year, totaling an investment of $30,800 million pesos.[94] The Medellín Mayor's Office carried out the signing. of a new contract for the reconstruction of the Biblioteca España, with an initial value of 28,000 million Colombian pesos.[95]​ As additions were made to the contract, the total cost increased, reaching figures that vary between $50,000 million and $60,000 million pesos.[96]​ These additions included: expansion of the built area from 32.53% of its initial area, going from 3,727 to Approximately 4,479 square meters.[97]​ Natalia Urrego, who directed the entity at that time, explained that partial demolitions will be implemented and the service areas will be expanded. Regarding public space, Urrego assured the media that $8 billion will be invested in works aimed at improving the landscape and stabilizing slopes.[97] Regarding the appearance of the library, the Secretariat of Physical Infrastructure of Medellín) reported that the façade would be made with concrete reinforced with fiberglass, which will contribute to optimal regulation of temperature and lighting.[98]​.

Reconstruction of the library park

On the afternoon of December 22, 2021, the city's Physical Infrastructure Secretariat assigned the restoration contract to the company IDC Inversiones, which will have one year, starting January 1, 2022, to complete the work. The total cost of the project has been set at 3,800 million Colombian pesos, which would be financed with local resources.[99]​.

In January 2022, the Medellín mayor's office announced the start of works aimed at reopening the library, in a project that involved an investment of more than $30 billion. The reopening of the library park was planned for the end of this year although it was not possible.[100]​.

In May 2022 it was reported that the project would have a symbolic approach based on the Japanese kintsukuroi to repair fractures in the spine with gold. This criterion sought to redefine the “scars” of the library park as part of its history and collective memory; repair as an act of demonstration of adaptability, resistance and strength.[94]​ In November, the progress of the work reached 30%. The authorities confirmed that the project would be ready by 2023 and that it would include new cultural and technological areas.[101]​.

In January 2023, the Mayor's Office of Medellín reported that the reconstruction of the España Library Park was 50% complete.[102] The foundation system for the three buildings that will make up the new library park was completed. It was projected that the work would be completed in the second half of 2023.[103] In March, the new Spain Library building would have an area of ​​5,208 square meters, including platforms, viewing points, ramps, paths and stairs, which represents a 35% increase in the built area. Once completed, it was expected to receive more than 645,000 visitors a year.[103] Finally in December, the Medellín District Comptroller's Office recovered $4,473,949,164 pesos corresponding to an advance mishandled by the Consorcio Obras Medellín 2015. This amount was recovered through insurance companies such as Seguros del Estado and Compañía Mundial de Seguros, after a fiscal responsibility process initiated in 2019.[104]​.

In September 2024, the restoration, directed by the engineer of the Medellín Infrastructure Secretariat, Jaime Andrés Naranjo Medina, reported that building 1 of the library park was completely completed, reaching 100% progress. Building 2 was at 92%, while building 3 had a progress of 57%.[105]​.

Renaming

In June 2021, the Secretariat of Citizen Culture, together with the community, launched the citizen consultation process for the name change of the library park, in response to the historical tensions over the imposition of the name "Spain Library Park",[106]​ The decision to change the name was framed in a process of historical vindication with respect to the neighborhood, suggesting a change in this community space. The councilors who presented the draft agreement stated that community values ​​and identity were the predominant motivation.[107]​.

The District Council of Medellín, in a second debate, decided to approve the name change of the Biblioteca España, which has been closed to the public for several years. From now on, it will be called Santo Domingo Savio Library Park, in order to better reflect the identity of the neighborhood in which it is located and return its historical legacy to the community.[107]​.

Councilor Camila Gaviria, in her role as speaker coordinator, stated that this proposal responded to a historical demand from the neighborhood. He clarified that the previous name originated from the donation of computers made by the Iberian country. After dialogue with the community, including children and educators, it was concluded that the library would have a greater identity if it were assigned the name of the Comuna Uno neighborhood, instead of continuing with the reference to Spain, which prompted the change initiative.[108]​.

However, the name Spain Library Park was given in honor of Spain, whose government helped finance the project through the Spanish Agency for International Development Cooperation by donating approximately one million euros,[4]​ the computer equipment was donated by the kings of Spain[51]​.

According to corporator Farley Macías, Domenico Savio Gaiato, whose saint's name is Domingo Savio and who was canonized by Pope Pius XII, gave its name to the neighborhood where the library is located. The inhabitants of this community have demonstrated a remarkable capacity for adaptation, resistance and strength, facing the inequalities of the environment. Therefore, it was crucial to rename this place for the commune, he emphasized.[109]​.

Santiago Silva, secretary of culture, indicated that the mayor's office carried out socializations in the community, where residents showed their approval of the change, which will allow them to recover their identity by renaming the library.[110]​.

• - Medellín public library system.

• - Library park.