Caminos del Agua Master Plan Landscape & Urban Design













2026

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Location:
 Ibagué, Tolima,  Colombia
Team:Luisa Brando Estudio
(Luisa Brando, Alejandra Vargas)
2Latitudes
(Andrés Hernandez, Rafael Ruiz)
Juanita Escobar Rossi
State
  















What if water could become the thread through which a different idea of the city is imagined?

Caminos de Agua is a 42-hectare urban and landscape masterplan for the expansion of Ibagué, Colombia. The project emerged from a territorial diagnosis that revealed a paradox: although the city has grown upon an alluvial landscape shaped by streams descending from the Central Andes, its urban development has progressively turned its back on water. Creeks have become boundaries, leftover spaces or protected corridors rather than places capable of shaping urban life.

Caminos de Agua responds by placing water at the centre of the urban structure. The proposal unfolds as a continuous sequence of parks and plazas de agua that follows the site's natural topography, weaving together public space, ecology and everyday life. Beginning at the civic and commercial plaza on Calle 103, this landscape sequence crosses the site until reaching the existing creek, where it becomes part of Ibagué's wider network of waterways and public spaces. Water is no longer conceived as an edge to protect, but as a living public landscape capable of connecting neighbourhoods, strengthening biodiversity and creating places for encounter.

Guided by the project's seven roots—Human Scale, Relationships, A City for All, Identity, Living Infrastructure, Economy and Safety—Caminos de Agua proposes a city where care, proximity and public life become the foundations of urban development. Landscape is understood not as an amenity, but as the living framework through which ecological systems, social relationships and everyday experience are woven together.








Territorial & Urban Context

Every project begins with a way of seeing. Before proposing a masterplan, we sought to understand the territorial systems that have shaped Ibagué over time. Situated at the foot of the Central Andes, the city has grown across a vast alluvial fan formed by water descending from the Nevado del Tolima and dispersing through a network of streams before reaching the Magdalena River basin. This hydrological structure has determined the topography, soils and ecological systems of the territory, yet it has rarely guided the way the city has expanded.

Satelite image of Ibagué, Tolima, and its waterways.




The territorial diagnosis revealed a disconnect between urban growth and the landscape that sustains it. Streams have largely been confined to protected setbacks, while roads and development have become the primary organizers of the city. Caminos de Agua begins by recovering this forgotten geography, understanding the watershed not as a constraint but as the foundation for a different model of urban expansion.


Diagram of the ecological context of Ibagué’s surroundings.












Designing with water

Diagram of water cylcing for Caminos del Agua, as an ecological and urban proposal. 


Water is the project's primary design tool. It structures the sequence of parks and plazas de agua, guides movement through the site and connects the project to the wider ecological network of Ibagué. Rather than treating stormwater as something to collect and remove as quickly as possible, the proposal understands water as part of a living cycle that can be retained, filtered, reused and experienced.

Rain gardens, bioswales, permeable landscapes, retention areas and natural drainage systems are integrated into the public realm, allowing water to become visible throughout the neighbourhood. These strategies reduce runoff, improve biodiversity, support climate resilience and contribute to the everyday quality of public space. Water is not only managed—it becomes part of the identity and life of the city.






Territorial gradient diagram. From an urban context to a natural one. 


The project responds to the character of its surroundings through a gradual transition of intensity. Beginning along the Airport Avenue, public spaces are more active and commercial, supporting higher levels of movement and exchange. As the sequence of parks approaches the stream, the atmosphere becomes progressively quieter, greener and more contemplative. This transition is expressed through changing uses, vegetation, materials, shade, sound and the presence of water, creating a continuous landscape rather than a series of isolated zones.










Our philosophy: The seven roots
Caminos de Agua is guided by seven interconnected roots that shape every design decision: Human Scale, Relationships, A City for All, Identity, Living Infrastructure, Economy and Safety. Rather than operating independently, these principles reinforce one another to create an urban model centred on care, proximity and public life.

Human Scale places the pedestrian experience at the centre of the project. Relationships understand the city as a living network between people, landscape and other species. A City for All promotes diversity, inclusion and mixed urban life. Identity emerges from the recognition of place, its ecology and its culture. Living Infrastructure integrates water, vegetation, topography and climate as the framework of urban development. Economy supports local activity, mixed uses and long-term resilience. Safety is understood not only through design standards but through active public spaces, visibility and everyday occupation. Together, these seven roots propose a city where wellbeing is not a consequence of urban growth, but its starting point.





1. Human Scale
Caminos del Agua is designed around the human experience, prioritizing walkability, comfort, and proximity. Streets, public spaces, and neighborhoods are shaped to create accessible, vibrant environments where everyday destinations are within walking distance.




2. Relationships
The project views the city as a network of relationships between people, public space, and nature. Active ground floors, connected public spaces, and ecological corridors encourage interaction, strengthen community life, and reconnect the urban fabric with its landscape




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3. A city for everyone
Caminos del Agua promotes an inclusive urban environment where accessibility, diversity, and mixed uses support people of all ages and abilities. Public spaces are designed to be active, welcoming, and shared by both communities and the surrounding ecosystem.






4. Identity
The project builds a strong sense of place by embracing Ibagué's landscape, culture, and public life. Through meaningful public spaces, local character, and connections to nature, it fosters belonging, community, and a shared urban identity.










5. Living Infrastructure
Ecological systems become the framework for urban development. Native vegetation, water management, topography, and climate-responsive design are integrated to strengthen biodiversity, resilience, and the relationship between the built and natural environments.







6. Economy
A diverse mix of uses, local businesses, and productive public spaces creates an active neighborhood economy. By combining housing, commerce, services, and community amenities, Caminos del Agua supports long-term economic vitality and sustainable urban growth.









7. Safety
Safety is achieved through design. Walkable streets, active public spaces, transparent frontages, universal accessibility, and environmental strategies create vibrant, comfortable, and secure places that encourage activity throughout the day.