“El Tercer Lugar” y su integración para la reactivación urbana

Abstract

This thesis proposes the project Mediateca Jipijapa as a cultural facility designed to act as a catalyst for social cohesion and the revitalization of public space. Located in the Jipijapa neighborhood of Quito, facing Avenida de los Shyris and adjacent to Parque Isla Tortuga, the proposal aims to consolidate itself as an accessible and dynamic urban node where culture, education, and technology converge. Conceived as a hybrid, flexible, and permeable environment, the project is organized through patios, plazas, and open circulation routes that integrate the park and encourage pedestrian mobility. Continuity of the public space is achieved through a deliberate break in the ground plane: a sequence of ramps and connected platforms forms a fluid exterior walkway that extends the park into the building. This strategy enables continuous and accessible movement, with the different levels operating as extensions of the public space, promoting social interaction and the appropriation of this place. In addition, the project incorporates a cross-laminated timber (CLT) structural system for its sustainability, lightness, and constructive efficiency, contributing to a reduced environmental footprint and enhanced spatial warmth. Overall, the project Mediateca Jipijapa is conceived as a contemporary “third place” a setting for encounter, learning, and community life that strengthens neighborhood identity and fosters new forms of cultural interaction in the city of Quito.+