Fourteenth International Conference on Design Principles & Practices

Abstract

Liminal spaces in the periphery of Bogota have expanded, yet remain sites of neglect and violence. Neighboring communities that were founded and developed through forms of pirated urbanism have been recognized and pertain to the municipality of Soacha, yet have received limited assistance to obtain essential services and are still lacking basic infrastructure. Inhabitants of these zones have struggled to create a sense of belonging in a place that has struggled with violence, endured tragedies such as “Falsos Positivos”, and served as a landing pad for internally displaced citizens in Colombia, as well as Venezuelan refugees. The paper ponders how notions of the right to the city can be appropriated by the community that lives in Ciudadela Sucre, a comuna in the municipality of Soacha. One disruptive urban tactic that has been tested with them is the co-creation of public space. Zig Zag park was constructed through a collaborative process of imagining, designing, developing, and building. This project is used to demonstrate that the negligence of governmental entities can be countered with disruptive tactics that empower citizens and help them define their environs. This paper describes and evaluates the participatory action research that was employed to transform both the imaginary and public space.