streets for kids recoleta

The Street For Kids pilot was developed outside Espacio Blanco Recoleta in 2023.

 

Ciudad Emergente, together with the Mustakis Foundation, developed an experimental intervention in the Recoleta district to make streets safer for children. The "Streets For Kids" pilot project involved using tactical urbanism methodologies to transform the path from the bus drop-off point to the entrance of Espacio Blanco Recoleta, where the Mustakis Foundation and the Káos program are located. Perceptions of the pilot were gathered using "Idea Tree" tools. Here is a summary of the experience.

Why is designing streets for children in Recoleta important?

Through active listening, we learned that students primarily walk to school, coming mostly from major avenues. To improve the safety and well-being of children in the neighborhood, it is essential to design streets with their perspective in focus. The "Streets for Kids" initiative follows the international program by the NACTO Agency, and Ciudad Emergente was selected to implement this project in Chile.

Ciudad Emergente is working with the Mustakis Foundation to bring the "Streets for Kids" initiative to the Recoleta neighborhood by developing a Childhood Route. The Mustakis Foundation is based in Recoleta and focuses on the integral development of children, youth, and adults. Within the foundation, Káos offers a creative, safe, and welcoming educational innovation space for children and young people.

 

TACTICAL INTERVENTION

The Streets For Kids as a Public Space Pilot

The project began with a pilot to assess the potential impact of various design components. The selected route is the one school groups use daily to access Káos. Since buses cannot park on nearby streets, children must walk 3 to 5 minutes from the bus to Káos along neighborhood streets that lack traffic lights or stop signs.

The pilot design has three main components: urban art, urban furniture, and speed reducers.

  • Urban Art:
    The most permanent feature is a sidewalk mural indicating that the street is shared and that children are walking there. The dot pattern adds a playful touch, as children can hop from one dot to another during their walk. The colors of the dots were intentionally chosen to match the wall of the nearest house, making the sidewalk feel like an extension of the home. This approach encourages residents to take responsibility for their section of the sidewalk, keeping it clean and caring for the children walking by. The painted street signals to drivers that they should slow down and stop at pedestrian crossings, making the street safer for the community.

  • Urban Furniture:
    Two swings have been installed to make the route a place where people can gather and linger. The vibrancy of the street creates a sense of safety for neighborhood children. Another goal of the furniture is to prevent cars from parking in the small plaza. This component of the pilot is semi-permanent, prompting questions like: What is the lifespan of these swings? How long will they remain in the plaza?

  • Speed Reducers:
    These consist of temporary cones placed along the route during children’s arrival and departure times to enhance safety and create separation between the sidewalk and vehicle lanes.

The Streets For Kids pilot in Recoleta uses tactical urbanism strategies to improve neighborhood safety, beautify the environment, and create a more welcoming path for children, families and neighbors. It serves as a test for a long-term plan to establish a permanent childhood route in the neighborhood, connecting community schools with key points such as bus and subway stops.

 

Viewing Streets from Child’s Perspective

Part of the Childhood Route project’s mission is to rethink how we design public spaces. By focusing on childhood, we can address multiple aspects such as protection, simulation, health, and support children need for the holistic development of their abilities.

Perceptions of the pilot intervention were measured using Ciudad Emergente’s “Idea Tree”, a public participation tool that allows for qualitative and open feedback about what people liked or disliked about the project. School groups attending Káos and broader neighborhood community answered questions such as “What do you like about this route? “What would you improve about the street?”

This highly visual and interactive tool worked well with children. The results will inform the design and implementation of permanent Childhood Route in Recoleta.

We hope children and neighbors enjoy the pilot route!