EAFIT’s main campus, located in La Aguacatala neighborhood on Medellín’s south side, comprises blocks of classrooms, offices, laboratories and other spaces for teaching, research and cultural activities.
Its nearly 165,000-square-meter area includes spaces equipped with state-of-the-art technology that are aimed at transforming the teaching-learning concept and supporting teaching and research processes.
These facilities include the more than 40 laboratories located on the premises, including the Hydraulics, Optics and Seismology labs; the Gesell Chamber; Project 50; the television studio; the Media Lab; the School of Law’s Hearing Room; the Financial Laboratory; and many others.
In addition, 100 percent of the classrooms are technology-equipped and wireless internet connection is available in various parts of the main campus.
The institution also has acquired several houses in La Aguacatala neighborhood in recent years that now house the Asia-Pacific Studies Center and the southern branch of the Confucius Institute, the Artistic Development Department, the Executive Program in Foreign Languages, the Institutional Marketing Department, the Urban and Environmental Studies Center (Urbam) and other divisions.
Another project of great significance in recent years, the Engineering Building, marks a true milestone in sustainable construction in Colombia due to its natural façade insulation, rainwater harvesting and reuse system, low-wattage lighting and air flow control system for air conditioning optimization.
EAFIT also boasts various sports facilities, including the Vivo Physical Conditioning Center, an artificial turf soccer field, a semi-Olympic-sized swimming pool and an indoor court.
All of these spaces coexist alongside different species of flora and fauna, sculptures and places to relax amid nature, a vision that has earned EAFIT the moniker of University – Park.
A Place to Stay
The architect commissioned a decade ago by the EAFIT president’s office to change the campus layout, Juan Fernando Forero, found the university was oriented toward the Medellín River and decided to move it more towards its physical center, where the Student Plaza is presently located.
Thanks to these and other changes, EAFIT now serves as a green lung for the city and a tranquil area for strolling in which flora blend harmoniously with the physical infrastructure, making the campus a great place for people to meet and spend some time.
Gardens, trees, regional fauna and water mirrors dot the landscape and complement sculptures such as Hugo Zapata’s El Ágora and Rony Vayda’s Los Propileos.
But one of the University – Park’s biggest achievements has undoubtedly been the Lapiz de Acero Award, conferred on town planners Carlos Uribe and Jorge Mesa in 2008 in the Public Spaces category.
www.eafit.edu.co/campus