José Luis Sert and Paul Wiener in Medellín: the pilot plan and the modern project

This article examines the participation of urban planners Paul Lester Wiener and José Luís Sert in Medellín in the late 1940s, with the aim of recognizing its implications in the implementation of the Pilot Plan. The arrival of Wiener and Sert not only allowed for a critical reassessment of Medellín´s urban planning but also facilitated compari­sons with other Latin American cities. The research underlying this article is structu­red in two stages: first, a review of the existing bibliography on the subject, and second, an analysis of archival material and specialized serial magazines of the time. While this topic has been explored within the local context, this study offers a dual contribution. On the one hand, it presents previously unpublished documentation resulting from ex­tensive archival research. On the other hand, it highlights the most significant traces of Wiener and Sert’s work in Medellín. Rather than reiterating existing scholarship, this article seeks to enrich the academic discussion on the process of construction, thought and practice on an urban scale. By addressing these issues, it aims to contribute to a more nuanced conversation on Medellín´s urban planning.