Arriaga Linear Park
Public Space Reconnecting Regional Mobility with Local Life
As part of the “Ferrocarril Interoceánico” megaproject, a Mexican government initiative connecting the southeastern region of the country, the Mexican Navy carried out the construction and renovation of railway infrastructure, laying new tracks, building stations and public spaces surrounding them.
Within branch “K” of this system, which runs from Ixtepec, Oaxaca to Ciudad Hidalgo, Chiapas, lies the Arriaga station, in a town with a historical railway legacy dating back to the early 20th century when the “Pan-American Railway” project positioned it as a strategic point in the system. Today, Arriaga is renewing its urban life with a project that prioritizes public life, articulated by transportation infrastructure.
The project, carried out by the Mexican architecture office Laboratorio Regional de Arquitectura, transforms an area of over fifty thousand square meters in the center of Arriaga, along a 1.26-kilometer corridor parallel to the railway tracks, encouraging collective use of the space. The intervention includes several zones with distinct activities, such as: a family leisure area, a playground with wooden fixtures, a refurbished freight car for social gatherings, a waiting plaza for the new station, a skate park, a parkour area, and a sports area with a multi-purpose court.
These interventions rehabilitate previously abandoned spaces and transform them into safe spaces for community interaction. These spaces, integrated with designed crossings, nighttime lighting, street furniture, and landscaping, contribute to a comprehensive urban experience.
