Hola and Bienvenidos to my second week in Mexico City, which was exhilirating, beautiful and productive, getting to the core of my role in this project!

Establishing final intentions 

The second week kick-started with an in-depth tour and understanding of what Huero Roma Verde is; what it's aims are and it's philosophy. After the catastrophic earthquake , the societal tapestry disintegrated and people needed an environment which had nature and dialogue at it's core. 

HRV is a forward-thinking community model that unites nature, environment, and coexistence. It promotes equitable social organization through self-managing systems, participative governance, and biosocial fabric enhancement. By reconnecting with Earth, it meets basic needs sustainably via environmental integration. Health is approached holistically, focusing on prevention and interdisciplinary care. Sustainable living is achieved through permaculture and appropriate technologies, ensuring resource accessibility and ethical use. The biocommunal economy prioritizes life and ecosystem services over profit, enhancing social equality. A wonderful thing, unique to, HRV is its regenerative culture, which addresses climate challenges and fosters resilience through diverse workshops, events, and discussions.

Therefore, understanding how this space embodies this and the different spaces/activities that take place here was essential to apply to our design process. 

Evolving Our Strategy, Design-Thinking and UX 

Using advanced design thinking, our team defined two user personas based on interview and survey data. We identified key pain points and why the current navigation system is ineffective. Our project aims include both a self-guided tour and a Huerto Roma volunteer-led tour, addressing the different desired outcomes for each user group. For locals, the goal is to encourage volunteering, while for visitors, it is to promote and solicit donations. Through customer journey mapping, we established user needs, considerations, and brainstormed solutions to create a successful and educational experience that would stay with the visitor.

Project Management

An especially exciting element of this week's work was getting to establish firm connections with the volunteers! Our team hosted a volunteer meeting focused on enhancing the user experience at Huerto Roma Verde for locals and volunteers. We ensured the meeting was clear, engaging, and fostered a sense of belonging, despite being held online. By facilitating effective communication and collaboration, we aligned our diverse team towards a shared vision of success, and adapted to the needs and expectation of the wider team. 

Visiting Rennueva - Sustainable development company

Visiting the other team's organisation was extremely insightful as it gave an incredible overview into how small interventions across so many areas can tremendously progress the overall wellbeing of the Mexico City and it's people. Rennueva is recycling plant who's aim is to "make a Circular Mexico, protecting the Earth and linking society, the government and the industry." Our visit to Rennueva provided insight into the limitations and possibilities of recycling waste. The founder's master's thesis focused on engineering an energy-efficient machine for recycling polystyrene. By utilizing friction instead of heat, adjustable disks vibrate to reconstruct polystyrene chunks into small, hard pellets, which then are then sold to companies for the production of new polystyrene materials. 

These trips to the other organizations within our community, was so beautifully expansive and really motivated me to think of my true ikigai of creating safe, healthy and holistically social! 

Inspiration drawn from Art, Culture and my new Community

Of course, equally as important as the work with the organisation was the absorbtion and stimulation through the citiy's heart: it's museums, events and everyday streets. 

Walking around independantly and listening to everyday conversations, habits, and customs, I felt much more connected to the people and the place. This raw exposure revealed the stark inequalities and hardships faced by many, but also highlighted the selflessness and generosity of individuals who help others despite their own challenges. Understanding what truly matters to people—such as the significance of relationships, greenery, and living in the moment—offered me a new perspective on how integrating community values and environmental harmony into design can profoundly impact both individuals and spaces.

I especially loved how people adapted the streets and buildings to suit their needs! It was interesting to see how these spaces became ever-changing and individual expressions of how people inhabit so much of Mexico City.

Looking forward...

In the upcoming weeks, I anticipate our thorougly established timeline will be a seedling for some resfreshing and fruitful outcomes that will be the result of the collaboration with the volunteers we'll meet in person next week. 

I hope as a leader I can motivate my teamates and volunteers and encourage them to use their unique talents and specialisations to really hone an integrated and diverse vision that fullfills the users needs. I look forward to keep learning about the world  and myself through the eyes of the beautiful Mexico City. 

¡Hasta luego!