About This Resource
Medellín, Colombia installed a series of outdoor escalators in the Comuna 13 hillside neighborhood in 2011, replacing approximately 350 stairs that residents previously had to climb daily. The six-section, 384-meter escalator system has dramatically improved quality of life for residents while becoming a symbol of urban innovation and social transformation. The project represents creative thinking about how to address the challenges of informal hillside settlements. Comuna 13 has since become a tourist destination known for its escalators, street art, and transformation from one of the city's most dangerous areas to a symbol of urban renewal.
