(2005) COMMUNITY CENTER MARIA MILAGROS URBANIZATION, PISCO
(With M. Ballen, M. Leguía, E. Añaños and R. Aguirre)
On June 2004, the Pontifical Catholic University of Peru or PUCP (for its initials in Spanish engaged the challenge of developing the project for a Community Center on a 1000 sq. meter lot, ceded by the local government to the Catholic Charismatic Renewal or RCC (for its initials in Spanish) and located at the Maria Milagros Urbanization in Pisco. The Social and University Extension Projection Academic Direction (DAP-SEU for its initials in Spanish) was given the assignment of coordinating the process. Since Pisco does not currently posses a community center providing social services, the project will influence a greater population, therefore introducing a new flow of people from outside the neighborhood. It must therefore generate new urban dynamics around commerce, recreation and complimentary services, not only because of the programmatic conditions buy because of its privileged location in front of a 3,000 sq. meter lot destined to become a park. Integrating the community’s interests with those of the Community Center was then crucial for avoiding future interest conflicts and thus facilitating neighborhood organization. As a consequence, it became clear
that the project should be handled as a public space rather than as a public building and so it was designed through a community work participation process. Participative work with the RCC and the community carried on from August 2004 to March 2005. A series of dynamics were elaborated (which included questionnaires, drawings, SWOT method and the creation of model-toys) in order to identify their needs and desires, develop a program and design conjointly the building and the park’s spatial structure. It was important to develop a community vision of the public space that made it possible to create a space of social significance, identity, tolerance and citizenship. As a result of the collaboration in between the PUCP and the RCC, an agreement that gives the project a legal frame and formalizes the compromises assumed by both parties was reached. The project is currently on the fundraising process.