Huecos Urbanos (Urban Spaces)
Las Palmas' Huecos Urbanos turns disused plots into pocket parks with seating and shade, using simple designs and agreements with owners to create recreational spaces until redevelopment occurs.
Las Palmas de Gran Canaria's 'Huecos Urbanos' initiative converts abandoned or underused plots into small green and recreational areas. Municipal architects design simple interventions—planting trees, installing benches and shading—and the City Council finances construction while negotiating temporary agreements with private landowners to secure access.
The programme emerged from an abundance of vacant lots left by halted development projects and speculation. By transforming these eyesores into pocket parks, the city reduces urban heat islands, provides play spaces for children and meeting points for neighbours, and improves the image of neighbourhoods. Negotiations with owners are supported by tax incentives and agreements that allow land to be reclaimed for development when needed.
Implemented across multiple districts, Huecos Urbanos has shown that low‑cost, temporary landscaping can foster social cohesion and ecological awareness. The concept is easily transferable: local authorities need only a design plan, a modest budget and the willingness to partner with owners; clear legal agreements ensure that the land can return to development when market conditions change.