90 / Public space design, on the U.S. + Mexico border / with Miguel Mendoza

Miguel Mendoza — founder and director of Nómada Estudio Urbano in Ciudad Juárez — is in good traffic this week for a conversation on tactical urbanism, placemaking, and cross-border design between Mexico and the United States.

From wooden pallet furniture in one of the most violent cities in the world, to Bloomberg Philanthropies–supported park and street projects, Miguel’s work in Ciudad Juárez and El Paso shows how small-scale public space interventions can improve safety, foster community engagement, while maintaining a city’s cultural identity.

We also look at how culture shapes design choices, why early childhood spaces can unite neighborhoods and political discourse, and what cities can learn from each other across the border.

Timeline:

00:00 Miguel Mendoza is in good traffic.

01:20 Growing up between Ciudad Juárez and El Paso.

04:22 Juárez was considered the most violent city in the world.

06:16 First pop-up interventions with recycled materials.

09:02 Why paint and furniture matter for public space.

13:08 From community projects to city partnerships.

16:27 Art, murals, and public perception.

22:07 Drawing on desert culture for design.

25:04 Working across the U.S.–Mexico border.

33:04 Malcolm X Park basketball court mural.

34:43 On a project in Juárez.

40:17 Life on the border vs. the American media narrative.

43:30 Sharing urban design ideas across cities.

45:09 Early childhood public space design in Tijuana & Mexicali.

48:03 Kids’ spaces as a unifying force.

50:26 Juárez’s identity and public space.

53:04 Miguel’s favorite commute.

Further context:

Nómada Estudio Urbano on Instagram.

Featured in ArchDaily.