Michael Lu's Blog

Asked by thesis chair to question the growth of Lima. What are the influences directing growth? Early settlement patterns suggest proximity to water dictated occupation. The population explosion evident in the 70s and 80s is most likely due to political turmoil and mass exodus from the highlands to the coast. The introduction of infrastructural systems such as the Panamerican highway spurs growth north and south along the coastline. Perhaps the same will be said of the Tren Electrico and Metropolitano. How can we design for these inflections of growth? What are ways of creating these inflection systems? Research the game “GO”. That is, design not for where action IS but where it WILL be.

Upon meeting with thesis co-chair, it was established that site selection needed justified. In McHargian fashion, the intersection and overlap of multiple systems reveals the approriate location of intervention and urban accupuncture.

An aerial image indicating the existing mass transit routes in Metropolitan Lima, Peru. Shown in blue is the Metropolitano Bus Mass Transit, in yellow is the newly functioning Tren Electrico of Lima. For deciding which district to select for the thesis, the latter was chosen as a location indicator to maximize daily visibility by commuters in similar vein as the PREVI Project had done.