Santa Elena
Urban regeneration project and children’s public library
Constrained space, difficult topography, and constant flooding were the initial conditions for the urban transformation of a neighborhood that used to be an informal settlement. The program was the direct result of a series of participatory exercises and conversations with the community of Santa Elena which resulted in a consensus of designing and building a children’s public library.
In the context of a post-industrial city with a need for public spaces, our design considers the neighborhood’s existing infrastructure beyond their original utilitarian condition and as alternatives towards more livable cities.
The project’s main intervention is the conversion of an abandoned stormwater drainpipe into a children’s library.
The structure of the drainpipe, including the original graffiti, was left untouched as we acknowledge a layer of the neighborhood’s history and as a reminder of the potential of change.
