Paletas Urbanas Distrito Hospital

Overview

Paletas Urbanas Distrito Hospital grew out of the Safe Cities for All program, promoted by UNICEF in eight cities around the world. In San José, the project was developed with the Municipality and the Comisión Sembrando Paz en el Distrito Hospital. Its goal is to strengthen public space at the points where children, schools, parks and health centers converge. The assessments included forums, surveys, participatory workshops and neighborhood walks.

The program is organized into 11 Paletas Urbanas, four of which have been built. The Escuela Omar Dengo entrance opens the gate to the schoolyard and adds light and playful backless benches that encourage play in both directions. The red color was chosen by the children in a participatory workshop. Parque Pinos opens its closed perimeter and adds a multipurpose court with a skating area, children’s play equipment and a stairway facing the community hall. Microcanchas Pochote turn a leftover area next to the El Pochote settlement into two open courts, with a mural by Francisco Munguia made with the community.

The CAI Barrio Cuba connector organizes, in a T shaped plan, a play strip with a micro park, a micro plaza and bus stops. It adds a roof that protects from sun and rain and lighting in an area that used to be dark. The four built paletas show that small, well placed interventions improve the safety and quality of life of a community, especially of the children who live there.