2025
THE BEST OF CEM
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THE BEST OF CEM 〰️
From climate action and artificial intelligence to urban regeneration and incremental urbanism, each of our projects reaffirmed our commitment to more humane and sustainable cities. None of this would be possible without working collectively with all of you. We invite you to relive Ciudad Emergente's milestones that marked 2025.
Salamanca Social Investment Fund
In 2025, we have maintained a strong presence in the Choapa Province, executing high-value projects for the residents of Salamanca under the CEM Architecture and Urbanism line. Together with Minera Los Pelambres, we have built over 6,000 m² of sports and community infrastructure this year, including the Club 11 Estrellas de Tranquilla field, the Club de Rayuela de Jorquera, and the facilities for the Club Deportivo de Coirón.
We love seeing concrete results and witnessing how they help strengthen social bonds and community life!
Alameda Bike Lane Under Construction
Do you remember the Alameda Experimental Bike Lane in 2024? Well, the permanent Alameda Bike Lane is now a reality. Using tactical urbanism methodologies, Ciudad Emergente led the citizen participation process that shaped these 8 kilometers of bike lanes, which are part of the New Alameda project promoted by the Metropolitan Regional Government.
If you haven’t tried it yet, take a ride down Alameda and start 2026 at full pedal!
HackLab-AI: Innovation and Technology for a More Sustainable Santiago
With the goal of becoming carbon neutral by 2050, we organized our project HackLab-AI: Zero Carbon Santiago in partnership with Google. The initiative was sponsored by the National Center for Artificial Intelligence (CENIA) and the Mustakis Foundation, with collaboration from major national and international institutions. HackLab-AI consisted of two days of intense collaborative work, where more than 100 participants developed innovative prototypes to decontaminate Santiago.
The winners were: FeFood, a platform to prevent food waste, saving up to 46 kg of CO2 per year per household and up to $30,000$ CLP in food costs; Fluvia, a flood prediction system where every prevented event means avoiding 5 tons of CO2 through savings in machinery and concrete; and Ruta Zero, an app to encourage walking and cycling that could prevent up to 400,000 tons of CO2 annually if 50% of short-distance car users joined this alternative!
HackLab-AI marked a milestone as Ciudad Emergente's first fully carbon-neutral project. We quantified and offset 2 tons of CO2 through the REDD+ Cuenca Alto Baudó project in the Colombian Pacific.
From Landfill to Natural Sanctuary in Quilicura
Together with Urban Ocean, Ocean Conservancy, Resilient Cities Network, and the Municipality of Quilicura, we successfully transformed an illegal landfill in the San Ignacio Canal into a space for ecological regeneration.
This project stands out for its innovation: we utilized phytoremediation—the natural power of the bulrush (totora)—and the ancestral knowledge of local totoreros to clean the water. After previously collaborating with Google in 2024 to remove over 180 tons of waste, and installing tactical infrastructure to protect the ecosystem, we have laid the foundation for the future Environmental Education Center. This center is coming to life through each of the incremental and innovative actions being carried out at the site on Galvarino Street.
The highlight? The impact has been so positive that the project was featured internationally in the Climate Action Agenda at COP16.
A true milestone for community-led environmental action!
Diploma in Tactical Urbanism and Incremental City Design (UC)
We proudly concluded the first edition of our diploma program in partnership with Pontificia Universidad Católica. It was an incredible experience where professionals from 7 countries (Chile, Peru, Argentina, Honduras, Guatemala, Mexico, and France) specialized in transforming cities through agile methodologies and citizen participation.
Thanks to Google’s AI Academy program, we amplified this impact by awarding 10 scholarships to train new leaders in urban sustainability. Our graduates are now ready to design more inclusive spaces and make data-driven decisions.
Interested in joining us? The second edition already has a date: from July 21st to November 19th, 2026.
More updates coming soon!
Taking the Pulse of Paseo Bandera
The city is in constant flux, and Paseo Bandera in downtown Santiago is no exception. This year, the Ministry of Transportation, together with the Metropolitan Public Transportation Directorate (DTPM), announced the transformation of this iconic pedestrian promenade into a shared corridor with public transit buses, set to open in early 2026. The news has been the talk of the town, and at Ciudad Emergente—alongside the UC Diploma in Tactical Urbanism and Incremental City Design—we have been "taking the pulse" of the promenade using Public Life methodologies and "Idea Trees."
Check here to see the results!
ISA Lab: Mobility Strategies in Pitrufquén
Throughout 2025, we continued developing our ISA Lab – Mobility program, this time deepening our work in the city of Pitrufquén, Araucanía Region. Together with ISA Vías, the Municipality of Pitrufquén, and Dinámica Plataforma, we set out on a major challenge: to transform the local roundabout into a public space truly designed for people. To achieve this, from September 4th to 6th, we conducted a key participatory diagnosis using the "Idea Tree" and a Public Life Study methodology based on Jan Gehl’s approach, in order to understand how residents currently use and perceive the roundabout. This entire process will allow us to design a transformation that prioritizes pedestrians, cyclists, and children, improving urban quality of life and fulfilling the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs).
Artificial Intelligence in Action
As part of our institutional strengthening efforts, in 2025 we participated in the Artificial Intelligence in Action course at the Harvard Kennedy School (HKS). This experience has provided us with new tools and capabilities to implement AI-based solutions in our daily work. AI is a powerful force that must be placed at the service of people, and at CEM, we are rising to meet this challenge.
Colunga Impact Network and Leadership Community
We are proud to announce that our Executive Director, Javier Vergara Petrescu, was one of 15 leaders selected this year to join the Fundación Colunga Impact Network. This is the third generation of leaders supported by Colunga through mentorships and international internships. In 2026, we look forward to seeing how these insights begin to bear fruit both within and beyond Ciudad Emergente.
Thank you, Colunga, for all your support!
Ciudad Emergente Back at Harvard!
We kicked off 2025 by returning to Cambridge, Massachusetts, to participate in the Urban Beers series hosted by Professor Mariana Alegre Escorza, who is also a Loeb Fellow at the Harvard Graduate School of Design. Within a global context marked by political polarization and the weakening of democracies, we engaged in a compelling discussion on urban disobedience and ways to rebuild cities for people.
Care Infrastructure in Toronto and Detroit
For the first time, CEM was present at the American Association of Geographers (AAG) Annual Meeting. Although our presentation was remote, it was a wonderful opportunity to reconnect with a great friend of Ciudad Emergente, Dr. Chiara Camponeschi, founder of Enabling City. We also shared insights with her at the Dahdaleh Institute for Global Health Research Seminar Series in Canada, alongside the Director of Programs at the Bikuben Foundation, Jesper Christiansen.
Thank you for making us part of so many interesting events in 2025!
Always seeking to work collectively and collaborate with purpose-driven institutions, this year we participated in: the ÑAM Festival, to promote sustainability and urban innovation to a broad audience; the Microcine Estación LAV Festival, where we shared our documentaries “La Mesa Latina” and “Reconnecting Chile” in a cultural space located at the Baquedano Metro station; the 14th International City Conference (CIC - CChC) organized by the Chilean Chamber of Construction, focused on Urban Recovery; the GAM Cultural Center, where we shared our experience in tactical urbanism and incremental design; and the Genurbis Series at Universidad Católica, alongside Professor Roberto Moris and prominent urban academics and professionals.
Ciudad Emergente in the Media!
In 2025, we were featured across various press outlets, radio stations, and social media platforms, highlighting the impact of our work:
HackLab-AI: A Media Milestone. With more than 15 appearances, the project captured the agenda from its initial launch to the awards ceremony. Key highlights included in-depth interviews in El Mercurio and Las Últimas Noticias, as well as national radio stations such as ADN, Cooperativa, Pauta, and Concierto. Social media features on accounts like Green Circuit also helped position AI as a real ally in the fight against climate change.
Healthy Canals Without Landfills (Urban Ocean): we received special coverage in Ladera Sur and interviews on Radio ADN regarding the regeneration of the San Ignacio Canal and the innovative use of totora (bulrush). Additionally, we hosted a journalist from El País, who reported from the field during the project's inauguration.
What is Tactical Urbanism?: We joined the public debate through Letters to the Editor in La Tercera, explaining "in plain English" exactly what tactical urbanism entails.
Our projects inspiring at a global level
In 2025, our work was highlighted by the Ministry of Health of the Government of Spain, being included in the guide “Act and Transform! Tactical Urbanism to Improve Health in the Local Environment”. The CEM projects featured in the guide are the Sustainable Urban Mobility Plan (PMUS) of Comayagua, Honduras, and “Panamá Camina: Comparte La Central.”
If you want to learn more about these projects, click HERE!
New members join our team and Consultants Network: New faces, more ideas, and renewed energy at Ciudad Emergente!
We are happy to welcome the new members who joined our team and our Consultants Network this 2025. Each one brings experience, creativity, and a unique commitment to continue building more inclusive, sustainable, and vibrant cities.
Meet our team here!
2025 Ciudad Emergente Gatherings
Practicing what we preach, our teams grow stronger as we get to know and share with one another. Through relaxed meetings at our office in Espacio 1179 in Recoleta, as well as in Cajón del Maipo where we connected with nature, we shared experiences and strengthened our bonds as a team.
It was the perfect time to reflect on the year’s achievements and recharge our energy for 2026!
2025 in Figures
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2025 in Figures 〰️
7,557 people benefited from the transformation of their neighborhoods and cities.
16,000 followers on Instagram.
14 projects developed.
139 active consultants and collaborators in our network throughout Chile and the world.
3 countries where we maintained a presence, both in-person and remotely.
2 tons of CO2 offset through the REDD+ Cuenca Alto Baudó project in the Colombian Pacific.
1 Vision: Collectively building cities to make them more livable!
As we close the chapter on 2025, we reflect with satisfaction on the achievements reached and the fruitful collaborations that have strengthened our mission.
We thank all the collaborators, allies, and communities who have been part of this journey. We look forward to the future with enthusiasm, committed to continuing to create a positive impact and collectively building the cities of tomorrow.