How Venezuela’s Espacios de Paz Project is Transforming Community Spaces

Petare, La Y 5 de Julio / Caracas [TXP Todo por La Praxis + PGRC + Pico Estudio]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio

The Espacios de Paz (Spaces for Peace) project in Venezuela is turning “zones of danger” into “zones of peace” through participatory design in violent areas of the country. Led by Venezuelan firm PICO Estudio, Espacios de Paz was a six-week long workshop that involved five groups of architects from both Venezuela as well as internationally. Each group focused on developing a project in a community with a high presence of violence. By transforming unused spaces such as empty plots and unregulated landfill areas, the projects sought to create “social dynamics that invite new ways of living in communities, transforming categories that rule the daily life: the use of time and space.” Community involvement in project development was also key to the Espacios de Paz initiative, which sought to create “a space built not only "for" the community but "by" the community.”

Read on after the break to see the projects that were implemented…

Petare, La Y 5 de Julio  / Caracas [TXP Todo por La Praxis + PGRC + Pico Estudio]

Petare, La Y 5 de Julio / Caracas [TXP Todo por La Praxis + PGRC + Pico Estudio]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio

Pinto Salinas, Las 3 Marías / Caracas [Oficina Lúdica + PKMN pacman]

Pinto Salinas, Las 3 Marías / Caracas [Oficina Lúdica + PKMN pacman]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio
Pinto Salinas, Las 3 Marías / Caracas [Oficina Lúdica + PKMN pacman]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio

La Florida, Los Mangos / Valencia [Pico Estudio + 139 Estudio Arquiurbano + Al Borde]

La Florida, Los Mangos / Valencia [Pico Estudio + 139 Estudio Arquiurbano + Al Borde]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio
La Florida, Los Mangos / Valencia [Pico Estudio + 139 Estudio Arquiurbano + Al Borde]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio

El Chama, La Carabobo / Mérida [Abono + Pico Estudio + Arquitectura Expandida]

El Chama, La Carabobo / Mérida [Abono + Pico Estudio + Arquitectura Expandida]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio
El Chama, La Carabobo / Mérida [Abono + Pico Estudio + Arquitectura Expandida]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio

Capitán Chico, Santa Rosa de Agua / Maracaibo [HSF Habitat Sin Fronteras + Independientes]

Capitán Chico, Santa Rosa de Agua / Maracaibo [HSF Habitat Sin Fronteras + Independientes]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio
Capitán Chico, Santa Rosa de Agua / Maracaibo [HSF Habitat Sin Fronteras + Independientes]. Image Courtesy of PICO Estudio

About the Project:
Date: July / August 2014
Comisión Presidencial del Movimiento por la Paz y la Vida
Directed by: PICO Estudio

Architectural collectives
Abono / Venezuela
Al Borde / Ecuador
AXP Arquitectura Expandida / Colombia
HSF Hábitat Sin Fronteras / México
Independiente / Venezuela – España [Andrea Stanko Wolf + Elena de Oleza Llobet]
Oficina Lúdica / Venezuela
PGRC Plataforma Gestión Residuos de Ciudad / Venezuela
PICO Proyecto de Interés Comunal / Venezuela
PKMN pacman / España
TXP Todo por la Praxis / España
439 Estudio Arquiurbano / Venezuela

Communities
Petare, La Y 5 de Julio / Caracas, Distrito Capital Pinto Salinas
Las 3 Marías / Caracas, Distrito Capital La Florida
Los Mangos / Valencia, Estado Carabobo El Chama
La Carabobo / Mérida, Estado Mérida Capitán Chico
Santa Rosa de Agua / Maracaibo, Estado Zulia
Artistic Production 
Comando Creativo + PICO Estudio
Logistics
C-4 colectivo
Photo and Video 
Beto 369 
Catia TV
FIJU 
ViveTV

Institutions
Construpatria
Gran Misión Saber y Trabajo
Inparques
Frente Francisco de Miranda
Movimiento por la Paz y la Vida
PDVSA La Estancia

Image gallery

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About this author
Cite: Katie Watkins. "How Venezuela’s Espacios de Paz Project is Transforming Community Spaces " 13 Oct 2014. ArchDaily. Accessed . <https://www.archdaily.com/556620/how-venezuela-s-espacios-de-paz-project-is-transforming-community-spaces> ISSN 0719-8884

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