Mayor’s Office of the City of Barranquilla
The Pitch
The Mayor’s Office of Barranquilla, a medium-sized coastal Caribbean city, addressed decades-long economic decline and stagnation by recovering parks and plazas through a co-design process with local residents.
The Problem
Economic stagnation and associated disinvestment and decline in health and safety are common problems for cities worldwide. Ten years ago, Barranquilla was stagnating economically with 43% of its residents living in poverty. Over 60% of neighborhoods lacked quality public spaces, causing issues with health, safety and environmental sustainability.
The Process
- Accounted for the needs of children, the elderly and people with reduced mobility in park design: For each park, 37 technical specifications were evaluated to ensure a safe, inclusive and healthy environment for all
- Followed a two-step, collaborative process to guarantee community involvement and ensure project sustainability:
- 1) Hosted a workshop at the Mayor’s Office with architects and community leaders from targeted neighborhoods, allowing them to present their ideas and co-design the park
- 2) Convened representatives from the local administration with community members to include final recommendations and approve the final plan
The Impact
- Changed the way parks are planned and maintained, expanding Todos al Parque’s reach across all neighborhoods in the city
- Helped Barranquilla become Colombia’s first “BiodiverCity”
- Founded a network of eight South American cities to share best practices
- Recovered 1,453,620 square meters of public space
- Regenerated and expanded 202 existing parks and built 48 new ones
- Positively impacted Barranquilla’s most deprived neighborhoods: 53% of recovered parks are in low-income areas and 33% are in low-middle-income areas
- Revived local biodiversity: Between 2018 and 2021, a total of 4,305 native trees were planted in parks
- Improved parks by adding tree cover and shade, making the spaces more enjoyable throughout the day
- Procured materials and equipment, such as electro-welded wire mesh to replace fences and nets, to ensure longevity and reduce maintenance costs.
- Promoted climate resilience and reduced soil erosion through addition of native trees and permeable soil
- Created a culture of public trust in local administration: Tax collection used to be a major challenge for local authorities, however, by 2019, property tax payments increased by 11% in neighborhoods where parks and public spaces were recovered or established
- Helped Barranquilla more than double its income (from 1.5 billion pesos in 2011 to 3.5 billion in 2020)
- Significantly impacted property values: Between 2010 and 2020, Barranquilla had a property appreciation of 74.4%, the second highest appreciation nationwide
- Strengthened local economies and improved public health through the makeshift markets set up in its parks (82,598 residents visited market vendors during 2020 and 2021 to buy local produce), nutritional campaigns and public health activities
- Supported the community through the COVID-19 pandemic: Parks became sites for vaccination and testing, and provided communities with access to recreational activities and sports
- Created safer neighborhoods, with an average 20% reduction in thefts near the parks
