The football field at Gabilondo Soler Park in Ecatepec is the new pride and joy of the youth © Laure Nashed
1. visible joy about the new park Gabilondo Soler, 2. generous seating steps and nature-oriented park design, 3. the discovery of a child: sliding down the hill, 4. the invitation to climb and swing in the Parque Lineal in Ecatepec, 5. dignified design for the people of Ecatepec © Laure Nashed
Energetic, in a loud voice and wearing casual urban fashion, blogger Luis Castillo and DJ Pisga Mix introduce themselves in a Youtube video. The accompanying music is cumbia, a popular musical style in Mexican barrios, the most vibrant and cultural-driven areas of the cities and metropolitan areas from which the blogger and DJ hail. Perhaps unexpectedly for some, the two devote their video to architectural criticism: they review the Gabilondo Soler Park in Ecatepec, an hour’s drive from the historic capital core, the remodelling of which was completed in January this year.
Care about your park!
Their criticism in popular terms is overwhelmingly positive. The new large football pitch is commented on with the greatest enthusiasm. But they also like the landscaping and the way the slope has been approached. The video shows the approximately one-hectare park, which is structured by gabion walls, small squares, stairs, ramps and basically simple means. In between lie natural areas with red earth, trees, large natural stones and a small river. Picnic tables and a children’s playground invite the residents to «to get out of the routine», says the blogger. What follows is an appeal: people should not leave their litter lying around everywhere. A problem that exists in most public places in Mexico, among other things because there are usually no rubbish bins, as they are too often overfilled with household waste.
Nature in an inhumane environment
The Youtuber’s enthusiasm for the park may not be obvious to everyone. What makes it remarkable is its location: the park is in the middle of Ecatepec de Morelos, a city of over a million people adjacent to Mexico City. According to statistics, Ecatepec is one of the most dangerous cities in Mexico and one of the deadliest places for women in the world. The surroundings also appear harsh and often not people-friendly. The newly remodelled, open park provides a welcoming and important contrast with its connection to nature. Green spaces or even inviting public places are a rarity in the informally grown areas in Mexico. The ruling left-wing president Andrés Manuel López Obrador has also recognised this: With more than a thousand new infrastructures, spread all over the country, he wants to remedy exactly this deplorable situation during his six-year term in office. He calls these buildings «social architecture», which also includes the Gabilondo Soler Park.
Seven parks by Área Común
In early 2020, the Mexican architecture and urban planning studio Área Común was commissioned by the Secretariat for Agrarian, Land and Urban Development (Sedatu) to remodel seven parks. Less than one year and a minimal budget were available for the design, planning and execution of the green spaces in Ecatepec and the nearby municipality of Texcoco. The basis for planning often was imprecise – also because the topographers wanted to get out of the danger zone as quickly as possible. At the beginning of the project, the lead architect Gustavo Rojas talked to the local people to find out what they wanted for their public park. The answers were sobering: people said they believed neither in the politics on whose behalf the projects were being created nor in the manners of their fellow human beings.
Sichtbare Freude über den neuen Park Gabilondo Soler
Reichlich Sitzstufen und naturnahe Parkgestaltung
Die Entdeckung des Kindes: den Hügel hinunterrutschen
Würdige Gestaltung für die Menschen von Ecatepec
Die Einladung zum Klettern und Schaukeln im Parque Lineal in Ecatepec
Insights from waste
Thus, Rojas had no choice but to read the traces of the existing park to understand what activities were taking place here. The litter criticised in the Youtube video provided important clues: Chip bags and plastic cups pointed to meeting places, and empty baby jars and nappies pointed to a children’s corner. To increase safety in the facilities as much as possible, the architect opted for open designs that offer a better overview. The urban interventions of Área Común emerge from a remarkable sensitivity and reading of the place. They are so cleverly integrated into the places and inconspicuous that they receive little attention from the specialist media compared to some other Sedatu projects. Rojas was all the more pleased when he discovered the appreciation of the Youtubers. The joy about the park can also be read in around seventy comments on Google Street View so far. Ultimately, it comes down to the acceptance of these very park visitors, says Rojas.
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The article was published in werk, bauen + wohnen.
