Juan Esteban Aristizábal

Columbian architect creating sustainable housing solutions for informal settlements

Juan Esteban Aristizábal is the visionary behind EcoCasa, a social enterprise that designs affordable eco-friendly housing for Colombia's marginalized populations. Launching in 2015, his modular housing system uses recycled materials to create earthquake-resistant homes at 40% lower cost than traditional construction. By 2019, EcoCasa had provided over 3,000 homes in Bogotá's informal settlements, reducing carbon footprints by 70% compared to conventional builds. Aristizábal's Participatory Design process involves residents in every stage, ensuring cultural relevance and long-term sustainability. His 2017 partnership with UN-Habitat expanded the model to Peru and Haiti, addressing post-disaster housing needs. The architect's Zero Waste Construction technique won the 2018 Global Innovation Award from the World Green Building Council. His TEDx talk How we can build homes that heal our communities (2019) highlights the psychological benefits of dignified housing. The Colombian government now uses his designs as national standards for affordable housing, impacting over 50,000 families by 2023.