Building Public Space with Limited Resources: Mesuca Sports Complex

2012 – 2013

Project Lead:

Ignacio Cardona

Team:

Oscar Rodríguez, Rodrigo Guerra, Jesús Belmonte, Manuel Zorrilla, Onofre Rodríguez, Santiago Rizo

Consultants:

David Colina, José M. Lárez, Haymara Bazo, José M. Gonzalez, Entelekia Engineering; José Suriani, Edisismo

Construction Management:

Ignacio Cardona; José de Freitas, Arpigra

Client:

Mesuca Community

Location:

Mesuca, Petare, Caracas, Venezuela

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In a dense self-produced settlement with a severe shortage of public space, the project transformed a former landfill and junkyard into a sports and community complex. Collaboration among residents, local government, designers, and technical consultants helped maximize public impact with limited resources.

The project introduced swimming pools, soccer fields, and recreational areas where access to this type of infrastructure was extremely limited. Community support was central to recovering the land and transforming it into collective space. More than 2,000 children attended the inauguration, many encountering a swimming pool for the first time.