ANNUAL CONGRESS 2025

Ecological Strategies for Historic Center of Lima: Camaná Linear Park

Not scheduled

20m

Yildiz Technical University, Istanbul

Oral SS 02 | Discussing spatial justice from/towards a socio-ecological perspective

Speaker

Mr Brandon Andía Concha (PROLIMA, Deputy Division of Planning, Management, Recovery, and Safeguarding of Lima's Cultural Heritage)

Description

The Historic Center of Lima is an urban palimpsest that reflects the various stages of the city's growth. The initial orthogonal and regular grid, typical of hispanic cities, was altered during the 20th century by massive road widening projects that prioritized automobiles over pedestrians. This process led to an inadequate distribution of available urban space, as vehicular asphalt areas prevailed over vegetated zones and shaded spaces. This street configuration contributed to the generation of heat islands and temperature increases in the Historic Center compared to other areas of Lima with greater vegetation coverage. Furthermore, the expansion of vehicular areas accelerated the degradation of air quality, as evidenced by pollution levels that exceeded the maximum permissible limits established by the WHO.
To counteract these effects, the redesign of road widening projects is proposed, transforming them into pedestrian boulevards that function as green corridors while maintaining minimal vehicular areas. This strategy seeks to restore the historical, urban, and ecological value of this heritage zone. In this context, the Camaná Linear Park emerges as a flagship project to provide green infrastructure for the city: it proposes the pedestrianization of an underutilized vehicular space resulting from an incomplete road widening project extending across only three blocks. The intervention envisions renaturalizing the street and converting it into an ecological corridor that connects public spaces near the Rímac River with the ‘Parque de la Exposición’, one of Lima's most important green areas.
This proposal not only promotes the integration of the area's commercial dynamics but also contributes to the revaluation of historical heritage and the renaturalization of the Historic Center. Moreover, it will provide the city with essential ecosystem services, such as temperature regulation and biodiversity conservation.