Day 4

Tuesday, March 5th, 2024

Day 2 at USM was quite productive. After a lot of brainstorming and a few too many ideas, we did our best to condense everything down into 4 main categories: Sustainability, Relaxation, Entertainment, and Aesthetics. We knew we wanted a low maintenance green space, so along with the trepadoras, we decided to use succulents as a way to add color to our space without making it expensive. Along the lines of adding shaded areas in the park, I suggested using a design I made previously for a class assignment: the Park Pod– built with recycled wood from the prevalent forest fires in places like Valparaiso. The USM student in our team also told us about a park near his house with a unique and practical layout, which we decided to adopt as well.

With those as our main ideas, we decided to start building the prototype and make additions or edits if further inspiration struck. It would be a regular playground with a fun rock climbing structure at one end, and a tree house at the other, all under a trepadora share. Green spaces with seating areas would be placed in sections on all 4 sides, and we would have pathways surrounding the oval-shaped playground, so people could walk through it easily. Something we were missing though was what would line the outsides of the park. Promptly, the USM student suggested using these bricks called “eco-ladrillos”, which are popular in and around Mexico; made out of plastic water bottles and bags, they not only promote sustainability, but also incorporated the unique prospect of community engagement in the creation of the park. Finally, after naming our park Plaza Verde, we wrapped up another productive day at USM, all set to go to Valparaiso!