Urban Plan for Internally Displaced People
2016 I Design Concept
LOCATION
Cartagena, Colombia
Discipline
Urban Design
Project Type




Project Details
The Urban Plan for Internally Displaced People (IDP) in Cartagena, Colombia, developed by Paola Moya, is an award-winning master plan addressing the humanitarian crisis faced by Colombia’s five million displaced individuals. Designed during her graduate studies at the Catholic University of America, the project received the NOMA Visionary Honor Award and the Professional Design Excellence Award in 2011 for its innovative urban solutions.
Spanning 16 acres, the plan integrates displaced families with residents from diverse economic backgrounds in a sustainable, mixed-use community. It features five residential towers, vertical and horizontal farming systems that supply up to 25% of food needs, and renewable energy solutions, including rooftop wind farms. Community-building infrastructure includes a school, healthcare center, daycare, and business support services, alongside cultural spaces such as a Gabriel García Márquez Cultural Center and a heritage museum.
In 2015, the project was selected by Geneva-based humanitarian councils and exhibited in 2016 at the United Nations World Humanitarian Summit in Istanbul, showcasing its potential as a global model for urban humanitarian response. Moya’s visionary plan demonstrates how architecture and urban design can empower displaced communities, support resilience, and create sustainable, culturally enriched environments for long-term recovery.
Designed under Paola Moya’s leadership as CEO of Marshall Moya Design
Facts & Figures
Client
Research for Housing Solutions
Size
16 Acres
25% of the Units Assigned to IDP
Status
Completed
Completion Year
2016 | Concept Design
Awards
2020
National Organization of Minority Architects | Visionary Honor Award