The CASOENAC project in Colima, Mexico, emerges as a landmark collaboration between the Universidad Autónoma de Madrid (UAM) and UNESCO, aligning environmental psychology and participatory urbanism to foster age-inclusive public spaces. Spearheaded by José Antonio Corraliza, environmental psychologist, and Anto Lloveras, architect, the project involved extensive fieldwork across 50 green zones in Colima and Villa de Álvarez, encompassing diverse neighborhoods and socio-urban contexts. Through direct observation and a WHO-inspired evaluation protocol, the team assessed variables such as accessibility, physical comfort, signage, mobility, and recreational infrastructure, with a specific focus on the needs of older adults. Complementing this empirical approach, a series of institutional dialogues—spanning from municipal planning offices to local universities and elderly support organizations—ensured that the proposed urban recommendations were both feasible and community-rooted. The analysis revealed major spatial inequalities between the well-maintained city center and the under-resourced peripheral areas. The resulting proposal advocates for a network-based intervention strategy, connecting key plazas through accessible, shaded, and amenity-rich corridors. Emphasis was placed on retrofitting sidewalks, increasing seating, and integrating cardio-friendly exercise equipment in quiet zones, while enhancing public transport usability through affordability, frequency, and senior-friendly vehicle design. CASOENAC thus becomes a model for translating academic insight into pragmatic urban policy, weaving together data-driven diagnosis and human-centered design to improve everyday life in Latin American cities.
Corraliza, J.A. & Lloveras, A. (2016) ‘CASOENAC – Proyecto UNESCO – Colima, México’ Available at: https://antolloveras.blogspot.com/2016/11/casoenac-proyecto-unesco-colima-mexico.html
