Madrid, Spain
Connecting a school with its neighborhood
The Project
In the Canillas neighborhood of the Hortaleza district, the active community of the Luis Cernuda Public School proposed an initiative called “Common Sidewalks” to rethink and enhance the public space around the school building. The goal was to create an environment that responded through art to the academic and play needs of students and to the social atmosphere created by families and visitors to the school. The Public Art Department of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage supported the idea, which was carried out by the artist collective Boa Mistura, in collaboration with students and community members.
Transforming a Space into a Meeting Place for Children
“The placemaking intervention created together with the local community has turned a boring and gray space into a pleasant and sociable place made on a human scale. It has brought positive energy to the educational community and has strengthened the relationship between the center and the neighborhood.”
Carmen Hernanz Calderón, Head of the Public Art Department of the General Directorate of Cultural Heritage, City of Madrid
Use the slider to see the transformation
For inspiration and tips for the creation of art on roadways and public places, download the Bloomberg Associates Asphalt Art Guide which features successful plaza and roadway art activations around the world, as well as key steps for developing such projects.
