In Neiva, in southern Colombia, in the Veinte de Mayo neighborhood, there was a small, forgotten triangle of land. Ninety-four square meters of neglect, dust, and insecurity—one of those spaces that become invisible from being ignored for so long. Today that same triangle is a park. Small, yes, but full of life, color, and stories. It’s called Community Park Veinte de Mayo, and it is the result of a collective process that brings together architecture, sustainability, and participation.
The project is by Taller Ciudad Portátil, a Colombian studio that has chosen to rethink the city from the ground up—from neighborhoods, materials, and people. The project springs from a simple yet revolutionary idea: turning an urban void into a meeting place, built together with local residents and with what already exists.
The triangular shape of the lot became the key to everything. From that minimal geometry a spatial logic emerged that alternates green and paved surfaces, pergolas, and street furniture, in a perfect balance between solid and void. Fifty percent of the area is permeable and planted with native, low-water species, while the rest hosts paving, benches, and tables built with recycled materials.
Building the park wasn’t just a construction site; it was a shared experience. More than fifteen neighborhood families joined the workdays, contributing materials, tools, and time. This is how concrete with recycled aggregates, reclaimed pine wood, and donated metal profiles were transformed into columns, pergolas, plays of shade, and spaces for gathering. Color, too, was born collectively: a palette of reds, yellows, whites, and blacks chosen by residents and applied to floors, structures, and a large community mural.
The result is a place designed to breathe with the city. By day it becomes a meeting point; by night it lights up thanks to an autonomous solar system that ensures safety and energy efficiency. The ten cubic structures that rise from the ground serve as seating, chess tables, and structural supports, weaving function and form with lightness.
Beyond the physical dimension, Community Park Veinte de Mayo speaks to the possibility of a different kind of architecture: participatory, circular, and capable of generating social and environmental value. A project tiny in scale but enormous in impact. In a single triangle of land, Neiva has rediscovered a sense of belonging, the power of collaboration, and the beauty of building together.
