In a housing unit where its public space is located in a highly accidental topography and where its main function is to serve as a circulation axis to most of the buildings in the unit, ludens proposal focuses on turning a space exclusive to functional circulation into a space of social and interactive circulation.
Respecting the existing linear stair as main circulation path, a series of ramps zig-zag in and out of the stair and into the steep landscape to offer the units’ inhabitants alternative gentler paths. Each time the ramps meet with the existing stair, a small plaza equipped with pre-fabricated furniture is generated to offer a resting spots throughout the stair.
In the flattest topography, a much generous plaza consisting of a multiuse pavilion is placed. Benches, tables, and lighting allow the community to use the pavilion as an observation deck and a meeting point. As an extension to the main plaza, a playground area focuses on the view of the landscape as its main attraction, where swings face the natural view and where concrete concave plates serve as observatory platforms.
In-between the ramps and main stair, creeping plants cover the landscape creating an easy to maintain colored surface that contrasts with the concrete circulation paths. Within that colored surface, trees with linear trunks are planted to create points of reference and have a reading of depth within the landscape.
Lighting is brought down in scale from the existing three street posts into several more numerous points in order to create a softer, better distributed and closer to human scale lighting effect.
At the beginning and end of the main path, other plazas are created in order to serve as vestibule areas and as observatory decks.
As a result, what used to be a linear continual trajectory consisting of a main stair with more that 21 meters of difference from its highest to lowest point, now becomes a leisured walkway where people can enjoy the view, rest at strategic points and have small plazas where to interact with the rest of the community.
