A corner forgotten by the Cuban government between the Havana Malecon and Italy Avenue (Galiano) has been transformed by young hands, vibrant colors, and the desire to envision a more livable, inclusive, and human city.
In the heart of Centro Habana, discarded tires, recycled wood, and paint were enough to transform the space into a vibrant and useful corner for the community.
The intervention is part of the Avenida Italia project, promoted by the Italian Agency for Development Cooperation (AICS) in partnership with the provincial government of Havana and the municipality of Centro Habana, AICS stated in a post on Facebook.
With the participation of architects, artists, students, designers, and neighbors, this initiative embraced tactical urbanism, which focuses on quick, low-cost solutions with high social impact.
“What matters is not the outcome, but the process”, asserts Kiovet Sánchez, architect and founder of the Ad Urbis collective, who accompanied a group of 16 young people in the design and execution of the project.
For two weeks, during workshops on sustainable urbanism, participants envisioned the future of this strategic intersection by the sea. They identified issues, proposed solutions, and built with their own hands benches made from rubber, painted games on the ground, rest areas, and murals that now form part of the urban landscape.
This collaborative experience shows that even with limited resources, real changes can be made in urban life. From cleaning the land and installing drainage systems to designing furniture, the entire process was carried out with citizen participation and practical training.
“It has been an exercise in bringing together the souls of a piece of Centro Habana”, AICS published on social media. And that phrase encapsulates the spirit of the project: to create not just infrastructure, but a sense of belonging.
In addition to the physical impact, the intervention promotes values of sustainability, equity, and youth empowerment. Many of those involved were young professionals or students from disciplines such as geography, sociology, design, and art, who now see their efforts materialized in concrete and color on one of the most iconic corners of the Cuban capital.
The project is part of a broader strategy that, since 2022, aims to revitalize deteriorated public spaces in Centro Habana, under the agreement between the Provincial Government of Havana and Unioncamere Piemonte (Italy). The intention is to replicate this model in other critical areas of the city, with a special focus on the inclusion of women and youth.
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