Senderos Urbanos
Trail infrastructure and access to a cultural center in Petare.
Caracas, Venezuela.
2010
The competition, organized by the Metropolitan Mayor’s Office of Caracas in collaboration with the ECOCARACAS Foundation, sought to integrate the Simón Díaz Center, located on Calle La Florencia in Mariches, with the surrounding communities. The primary objective was to improve and diversify access to the center’s facilities while generating high-quality public spaces that foster community engagement. The central concept of the project revolves around the creation of productive spaces with minimal physical impact. To this end, the proposal introduces a system of Urban Pathways—pedestrian routes equipped with essential infrastructure that connect the Petare community to the Simón Díaz Center. These pathways are supported by a network of public spaces designed to enrich daily life and promote local interaction. The program includes a variety of community-oriented facilities such as amphitheaters, workshops for construction, carpentry, painting, sewing, and kite-making, as well as a dance space known as a salsódromo. Additionally, the proposal incorporates a recycling center, a community health clinic, and areas for urban agriculture. Rather than imposing a fixed design, the project establishes a flexible framework—a general development plan that is meant to be defined and shaped by the community itself. This approach encourages participatory design and allows the neighborhood to take an active role in its own urban transformation.
/// Simón Díaz Cultural Center public space.
Project: adjkm ///. Team: Alejandro Méndez, Daniel Otero, Khristian Ceballos, Mawarí Núñez, and José Castillo ///. Urban planner: Mariana Otero ///. Client: Alcaldía Metropolitana de Caracas /// Phase: International competition (honorable mention) ///. Surface: 26000 m² ///. Program: Public space, urban agriculture, and cultural facilities.