Role: Managing Director of IMPLANG
The following work centers on the creation of equity-driven urban interventions that bring high-quality spaces for all. Such efforts aim to narrow the gap in access to resources that directly impact health and well-being, addressing systemic inequities in the urban setting of San Pedro.
As the Managing Director of IMPLANG, the San Pedro City Planning Institute from 2020 to 2024 in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area, my work went beyond planning and design, we made sure projects were delivered on time without losing its purpose, in coordination with more than 10 municipal agencies, the city council and community stakeholders.
San Pedro, a city considered to be the richest municipality in Latin America, had a historic disinvestment in the public realm, allowing a reproduction of an abandoned spaces and an abandoned sense of community.
Our work focused on creating the conditions for all current and future residents to thrive, through land use changes, public space improvements and the provision of accesible essential services.
As the Managing Director of IMPLANG, the San Pedro City Planning Institute from 2020 to 2024 in the Monterrey Metropolitan Area, my work went beyond planning and design, we made sure projects were delivered on time without losing its purpose, in coordination with more than 10 municipal agencies, the city council and community stakeholders.
San Pedro, a city considered to be the richest municipality in Latin America, had a historic disinvestment in the public realm, allowing a reproduction of an abandoned spaces and an abandoned sense of community.
Our work focused on creating the conditions for all current and future residents to thrive, through land use changes, public space improvements and the provision of accesible essential services.
Parks not only provide green areas to the city, they enhance our relationship between humans and non-humans, below you can find the 5 most important interventions we did to approximate this goal.
Located at the northwest part of the city, where 30% of the territory houses 50% of San Pedro’s population, Parque Clouthier caters to a low-income community in an area historically rich in public spaces but poorly maintained.
As the municipality’s most equipped park, it features amenities for everyone, including sports courts, walking paths, and scenic viewpoints that honor the area’s natural vistas.
The park incorporates water management systems to handle runoff effectively and serves as a hub for social integration. Its skatepark, for instance, attracts visitors from wealthier neighborhoods, promoting integration and community building.
Parque Mirador Garza Ayala (3)
Design: Ecotono
Date: 2022 - 2024
Design: Ecotono
Date: 2022 - 2024
Historically, the city's west side lacked high-quality public spaces, with existing ones largely driven by community effort.
The redesign of this park emphasized participatory design and set higher standards for accessibility due to its proximity to a center for children with Cerebral Palsy.
The project navigates the park’s hilly terrain to meet accessibility standards and integrating streets into one cohesive area.
The result is an inclusive park that serves diverse age groups and abilities, fostering stronger social and cultural connections with the neighboring special-needs community.
In San Pedro’s Historic Center, an aging population and the loss of historic buildings called for public spaces that support active living and preserve community heritage. To address this, the city introduced zoning changes and invested in safer, more walkable streets.
Originally designed with a small-town feel, the district's streets had become car-dominated and unsafe for pedestrians. The project reimagined them with wider, tree-lined sidewalks, new seating areas, and a design that blends historic charm with modern comfort.
Just west of Plaza Juárez, García Naranjo Park was reactivated as a vibrant urban space. The redesign introduced flexible areas for play, rest, and cultural events—welcoming everyone from children and teens to municipal workers and older adults.
Images and Photos by GDU
Parque Bosques del Valle (9)
Design: Prohábitat
Date: 2019 - 2021
Bosques del Valle Park project transformed an underutilized space in a well-established residential neighborhood into an accessible, safe, and vibrant public park. Through a design that responds to the local context and community needs, the project prioritized walkability, inclusivity for people of all ages and abilities, and the use of native vegetation to improve climate comfort.
The park’s main attraction is its open-air amphitheater, a community space that offers free daily activities ranging from yoga classes to live music performances. Today, the park serves as a gathering and recreation point, strengthening neighborhood ties and enhancing the quality of public space in San Pedro.
Design: Prohábitat
Date: 2019 - 2021
Bosques del Valle Park project transformed an underutilized space in a well-established residential neighborhood into an accessible, safe, and vibrant public park. Through a design that responds to the local context and community needs, the project prioritized walkability, inclusivity for people of all ages and abilities, and the use of native vegetation to improve climate comfort.
The park’s main attraction is its open-air amphitheater, a community space that offers free daily activities ranging from yoga classes to live music performances. Today, the park serves as a gathering and recreation point, strengthening neighborhood ties and enhancing the quality of public space in San Pedro.
Parque el Capitán (10)
Design: GDU Mario Schjetnan
Date: 2019 - 2021
El Capitán Park is the second largest park in San Pedro, spanning 14 hectares. After a long battle to recover it from a private concession, the neighboring community made possible to make this public space a space for all.
The design integrates 3 previously separated spaces into a large park that is articulated by a soft and hard surface path along its whole length, crossing by a series of open lawns, playgrounds and sport courts.
One of the key elements of the park is its relationship with water. The name of the park comes from the creek that passes through it wich was restored back into a natural condition - removing the concrete walls that channeled the water through. Also, the park hosts the first water treatment plant in the city, stored in the central this water body not only provides a cooler microclimante and a spectacle, its treated water is used for irrigation for El Capitán and other neighboring parks.
Design: GDU Mario Schjetnan
Date: 2019 - 2021
El Capitán Park is the second largest park in San Pedro, spanning 14 hectares. After a long battle to recover it from a private concession, the neighboring community made possible to make this public space a space for all.
The design integrates 3 previously separated spaces into a large park that is articulated by a soft and hard surface path along its whole length, crossing by a series of open lawns, playgrounds and sport courts.
One of the key elements of the park is its relationship with water. The name of the park comes from the creek that passes through it wich was restored back into a natural condition - removing the concrete walls that channeled the water through. Also, the park hosts the first water treatment plant in the city, stored in the central this water body not only provides a cooler microclimante and a spectacle, its treated water is used for irrigation for El Capitán and other neighboring parks.
Images and Photos by GDU