"City Planting" is a capacity building program that supports underprivileged communities in Venezuelan cities to build public spaces in their neighborhoods. It is sponsored by Citibank Venezuela, and executed by Fudep Venezuela.

To date the program has supported 12 communities. Participation entails a varied mix of out door activities such as walks, games, theatrical productions and construction workshops that focus on recognizing the potential for transformation in specific urban spaces, identifying activities that can take place in these spaces and designing and building public space projects. 

In Negro Primero, the community decided to transform the edge of a property they had reserved for a future school into a children´s playground. First they negotiated with a neighbor who was illegitimately using the land to repair automobiles, and then they formulated the project. Enlace Arquitectura engaged the community in a participatory design process where they formulated a project that includes a new playground with swings, benches, vegetation and trees. It even contemplates a swing for handicap children.

Client: Citibank Venezuela and Fudep Venezuela | Team: Fudep Venezuela, Enlace Arquitectura, Community Negro Primero, Los Guayos Municipality | Photography: Fudep