Site: Barrio Mariana de Humacao, PR
Timeline: February – April 2019 (Opening date: June 10 2019)
Team: Marién Vélez, Lorna Mulero, Stephanie M. Soler
Local Partner: ARECMA

CONTEXT

The Recreational and Educational Community Association of Barrio Mariana de Humacao (ARECMA) is a community-based, non-profit organization created to work and ensure the well-being and integral development of the neighborhood and its people using the participation of its inhabitants as the main mechanism. The mission of ARECMA is based on self-management and individual and collective social responsibility. They aspire to be a catalytic agent that integrates and mobilizes residents and collaborators to have a community that maximizes its human and socio-cultural potential, while preserving and protecting a healthy and sustainable environment that promotes social integration, a sense of belonging and self-identity, community participation, cooperativism, solidarity, aesthetics and diversity.

ARECMA has been working on the design of a community playground with the nonprofit La Maraña and the communities of Mariana de Humacao.

PROCESS

Before installing lighting on the playground, our team conducted two workshops with the communities of Mariana de Humacao. The first one was held at the Centro de Imaginación with a multigenerational group of 20+ participants; they learned a few lighting fundamentals and convened in groups to create visual stories using light and shadows.

The second workshop was held on the playground itself. Participants collectively identified the locations of the pole lights and our team guided the process by providing expert knowledge. The pole lights were installed by the community a few weeks later.  

Our team also conducted landscape lighting tests with sample solar floodlights, and will lead a final workshop with the community to highlight access points and enhance the aesthetics of the playground with landscape lighting (pending funding).

PROJECT

Night images coming soon…

Participatory events

2 workshops

Equipment donated

5 solar streetlights

50 portable lights