CEFE Chapinero

A dense mass of social and cultural activities foster public movement through a formally dense spatial pile  

In a city of extreme social divisions, culture and sport are the fundamental vehicles to integrate society. Thus CEFE Chapinero, a network of public spaces designed for one of the most emblematic urban areas of Bogotá, articulates cultural development in a sector historically defined by commercial and residential activities. The building generates new social integration through parks and small commercial “plazas” that reflect a common sense distribution of programmatic uses and a capacity to produce both social and spatial human synergies.

The cultural areas of the project are located above and below the ground-floor main entrance that welcomes the public through a double height passage. Here, the Cafe Chapinero on Carrera 11 and the art gallery for exhibitions form part of a “cultural plaza”: a space that opens to the corner while capturing in a kind of covered patio the playful spirit of art and contemporary culture. A stairway in the style of an urban theater connects to the second level where open balconies allow observation of both the double height gallery and the ground floor plaza. This space was designed to work in direct relation with the exterior, and independently from the rest of the building. Guaranteeing a polyvalent functionality, these spaces were conceived to host cultural events, exhibitions, gatherings, happenings, and presentations. The diversity of spaces in the cultural plaza allows intensive sporadic use by the public.

The versatility found here in terms of uses and operations is complemented with others marked by their specificity. A staircase parallel to 82nd Street gives direct access to the Auditorium located on the first level down. The performing arts room and playroom are on the second-floor descending, while audiovisual art rooms and learning rooms are on the third. Recreational areas including the gym are located on the fourth floor and occupy the entire floor.