Thirteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

In the last decades, Caracas, Venezuela has witnessed a dramatic rise and prevalence of vandalism, poverty, and violence. The current situation of the rising inflation rate, a lack of opportunities, abandoned children, and irresponsible parenthood are some factors that strengthen poverty symptoms. More than half of the population live in unacceptable conditions making education, and civil/human rights last things to worry about in the community. How do we empower youth to think of different futures through design? Fila de Mariche is a hybrid community of legal and illegal settlements. This study presents a participatory design exploration to expose youth to act on their future with the sense of ownership. Through a series of exercises done with children living in an orphanage named ACUNE. Twelve children between four and twelve years old participated through games, drawings, and poetry in describing the community they have and the community they want under the guidance of a student, native of Venezuela, studying in a public research one university on the southwest of the United States. ACUNE’s children participatory collaboration is an attempt to co-design with a population that often has no access to design or accessible ways to express their views, needs, and desires. The aim of the study is to promote education, and sense of community through co-design in the neighborhood.