Scarcity of Cultural Spaces and Sustainable Awareness in Villa El Salvador

Abstract

The creation of cultural spaces where creative development, discussion of topics on well-being, sustainability, and culture are prioritized is essential, to allow the awakening of the interest of young people and increase their active participation in the community, promoting identity and social cohesion (Spinozzi, 2018). This research examines successful sustainability, cultural, and community wellness strategies in spaces in Tucson, Arizona, and their potential adaptation to the context of Villa El Salvador, Lima, Peru. The community development legacy of Villa El Salvador offers another valuable chance to adapt these strategies to help alleviate the district's gap concerning the cultural spaces and active community participation. Qualitative methods, such as observations and case study analysis, are employed to identify practices that were evaluated to determine their potential use in Villa El Salvador. The use of grey water for irrigation, the organization of cultural and artistic workshops and the use of native plants in green spaces. The results reveal that these practices effectively transform neglected spaces into community spaces. Overall, this research contributes to the urban planning literature by demonstrating how Tucson's strategies can be adapted to Villa El Salvador and similar communities. These findings contribute to the broader body of literature on sustainable and inclusive urban spaces, emphasizing the importance of cultural and environmental initiatives.