Huasipichanga
The Pitch
URBANO – Placemaking School empowered young people in Cuenca to transform streets, parks and other underused public spaces to be safer, greener and more inclusive. Through urban pedagogy and placemaking, the initiative improved youth well-being, mobility, mental health and civic participation.
The Problem
More than 55% of Cuenca’s population is under 25, yet young people are largely excluded from decisions about shaping the city. Unsafe public spaces, limited opportunities for civic participation, poor mobility and social isolation contribute to serious challenges, including mental health concerns.
The Process
- Launched an urban pedagogy program that trained youth to research, design and implement improvements to public spaces
- Developed a hands-on placemaking curriculum that enables young people to identify local challenges, co-design solutions and lead public space interventions
- Supported young people to collect data on safety, mobility and well-being
- Used local evidence to shape public space interventions and influence municipal decision-making
- Implemented flagship projects — including Streets for Kids, Bibliorío and Arteria — that transform school surroundings, green spaces and neglected urban corridors into safe spaces for walking, learning, recreation and community gatherings
- Established partnerships with municipal agencies, universities and community organizations to integrate youth-led placemaking into city planning and public investment
- Created the Inter-Institutional Placemaking Roundtable for Youth Well-being and Safety, bringing together municipal departments and youth representatives to coordinate policies and projects
- Expanded the URBANO model to multiple Ecuadorian cities, adapting the methodology to different local contexts while strengthening youth leadership nationwide
The Impact
- Directly engaged 500 young people and created public space improvements benefiting more than 7,500 residents, with an estimated 30,000 indirect beneficiaries across Ecuador
- Increased 96% of participants' self-esteem, 63% of participants’ sense of safety, 75% of participants’ independence and 80% of participants’ social connections, while increasing public space use by 25%
- Transformed unsafe public spaces through projects such as Arteria, restoring 1,750 square meters of urban space with 3,449 native plants, solar lighting and improved pedestrian infrastructure, resulting in a 99% pedestrian comfort rate and increased bicycle use
- Improved road safety around schools through Streets for Kids, increasing driver compliance with speed limits from 3% to 80% while encouraging more children to walk and play outdoors
- Mobilized more than $200,000 in municipal investments for youth-focused public spaces, climate action, mobility improvements and mental health initiatives, including plans for Cuenca's first youth park
- Scaled the URBANO methodology to Ambato, Quevedo, Riobamba, Rumiñahui and Azogues, demonstrating how youth-led placemaking can strengthen public health, community cohesion and resilient urban development across Ecuador
