Conuco Au / Capstone Book

CONUCO A’Ü CONUCO A’Ü

Bringing ontemporary.

It is a re lowed to flourish i kes both the ance c — it is cultivated, tr Conuco and A’Ü cre der that Venezuelan w places such as Miam ncestral and the contemp smitted, and allowed to fl

ROOTS IN MOTION:

Migration + identity shifting

SEEDS OF BELONGING:

Concept + research Final design

A LIVING CONUCO:

ROOTS IN MOTION

A’Ü

A’Ü“seed”inWayuunaiki, representinggrowth, heritage,andfuture generations.

Migration due to progressive economic deterioration.

Motives:

Currency control and expropriations.

Insecurity and shortage of basic products.

Preferred destinations: United States, Panama, Costa Rica, Spain.

Cumulative figure: 700,000 Venezuelans abroad by 2014

2018–2020

The Venezuelan Diaspora: A Timeline

Consolidation of the mass exodus.

Motives:

Worsening of the economic and health crisis.

Collapse of the health and education system

Official figure (UN): 5,415,337 Venezuelans outside the country in 2020

2024–2025

Circular migration and partial return.

Motives:

Internal political and economic changes

Return of some migrants for family or work reasons.

Emerging trends:

Professional migration toward specialized markets

Return conditioned by security guarantees and opportunities.

1999–2003

Beginning of change.

Main motive: Political polarization after Hugo Chávez came to power.

Migration profile: Departure of professionals, entrepreneurs, and middle classes to the US, Spain, and other European countries

100,000 migrants during this period

2015–2017

Migration explosion

Motives:

Humanitarian crisis: hyperinflation, collapse of public services, food insecurity.

Political persecution and repression

Pattern shift: Latin America becomes the main destination (Colombia, Peru, Ecuador, Chile)

Estimated figure: Over 2 million migrants

2021–2023

Resilient migration and regional reconfiguration

Motives: Family reunification

Search for job stability and migratory legalization

Trends:

Regularization programs in host countries.

Secondary migration (from Colombia to the US or Europe)

Migration and Identity Loss

Why Is This Important?

Venezuelans now make up one of the largest displaced populations in the world, and their presence is actively reshaping neighborhoods across Latin America, the United States, and beyond. This movement is not only about survival but also about the challenge of preserving identity and building resilience in unfamiliar lands.

7.7M+ Venezuelans displaced worldwide.

Migration carries risk: loss of heritage, language, and identity across generations

The challenge is not only survival but cultural continuity.

Migration

is more than movement, it reshapes families, cities, and identities is not only loss, it is also the chance to preserve culture and community abroad is not only memory, it becomes resilience when traditions are passed to the next generation.

Displacement

Identity

EconomicCollapse

Hyperinflationpeakedat 1,700,000%in2018, destroyingpurchasing powerandjobs.

Root Causes of Migration

PoliticalRepression

Ongoing persecution, lack of freedoms, and authoritarian rule drove many into exile.

HumanitarianCrisis

Severescarcityoffood, medicine,andreliable servicesforcedfamiliesto lookforsurvivalelsewhere.

Research Questions

How has Venezuelan migration reshaped the social , cultural , and economic of Miami , particularly in Doral?

What are the main challenges Venezuelan immigrants face in the U.S. across different generations?

In what ways does the Venezuelan diaspora maintain connections to its cultural roots while adapting to a new environment?

How do second- and third-generation Venezuelans connect (or disconnect) with Venezuelan traditions , language, and identity?

What role can cultural programs, gastronomy, and storytelling play in preserving Venezuelan heritage for younger generations?

How does the absence of direct experience in Venezuela affect identity formation among third-generation Venezuelan-Americans?

What types of community spaces best support immigrant integration while also preserving cultural heritage?

How can spaces like Conuco A’Ü empower Venezuelan immigrants through education , entrepreneurship, and cultural exchange?

What models of cultural hubs (from other diasporas) can be adapted for the Venezuelan community in Miami?

Venezuelan Population in the U.S.

27,000

Venezuelans call Doral home

SEEDS OF BELONGING

of Venezuelan immigrants in the U.S. face cultural displacement, economic struggle, and social isolation.

Venezuelan immigrants of 3rd generations

Families rebuilding life together

Youth bridging two cultures

Elders carrying memory and tradition

CULTURE PEOPLE

Food as memory

Music & dance

Art & crafts

Oral history & storytelling

Youth empowerment

COMMUNITY

Shared celebrations

Support networks

Diaspora pride Volunteerism & mentorship

RESILENCE Conuco

Starting over Facing displacement Immigration stories

FUTURE GENERATIONS

Bilingual identity

Building a legacy

Passing traditions

Turning hardship into opportunity

Designing a s by preserving building skills

PROPOSAL

Goals and Objectives

Primary Users: Children to Young Adults (16–25)

Born in the U.S. to Venezuelan families, these second and third-generation individuals are seeking to reconnect with their roots. They are curious, digitally active, and eager to explore their identity through creative and interactive experiences. At Conuco A’Ü, they find opportunities to learn Spanish, participate in workshops, and express cultural pride in a modern way that blends tradition with innovation.

Secondary Users: Adults (25–65)

This group includes recent immigrants and professionals adapting to life in the U.S. while maintaining strong ties to their Venezuelan culture. They are motivated and resilient, looking for entrepreneurship support, language learning, and a sense of belonging. Conuco A’Ü provides a platform for professional growth, community engagement, and cultural preservation through shared learning and collaboration.

Discovery

Exchange Expression

Celebration

Reflection

Continuity Learning

CO-CREATIONSPACES

WORKSHOPS EXHIBITIONS

EVENTS

CONCERTS

NETWORKING NIGHTS & CULTURAL FESTIVALS

STORYTELLING & ORAL HISTORY EVENTS

LANGUAGE CAFÉ GATHERINGS

ART & TEXTILE EXHIBITIONS

CULTURAL EXCHANGE WORKSHOPS

Key User Activities

MARKET

LANGUAGE & COMMUNICATION CLASSES

CULINARY INCUBATOR TRAINING

DAYS & POP-UPS

A LIVING CONUCO

DUAL IDENTITY, LIVING HERITAGE

Conuco A’Ü is a living expression of dual identity, a dialogue between Venezuelan roots and American life, between inherited culture and contemporary reinvention. It captures the feeling of being in between, not one place or another, but a space that evolves throughout the day: educational and reflective in the morning, communal and expressive at night

Inspired by the Venezuelan conuco, a shared land where families cultivate food and community, the project becomes a spatial conuco of culture where traditions, stories, and creativity grow together. The architecture transforms with its people, shifting through light, texture, and rhythm.

Through material warmth, repetition, and layered transparency, Conuco A’Ü becomes a living vessel of identity that celebrates continuity, nurtures dialogue, and redefines belonging as something always evolving and shared.

BELONGING

CONUCO A’Ü – THE LIVING VESSEL OF HERITAGE

Conuco A’Ü is a space where language dances between tongues, a place where generations meet, and where belonging is not inherited but created together. It reflects how Venezuelan identity transforms across generations, not through preservation, but through reinterpretation.

MoodBoard

“Entre tus playas quedó mi niñez, Tendida al vientoy alsol”

Study Models

DISCOVERY

ADJACENCY DIAGRAM

CREATIVE EXPRESSION ROOM

OFFICE

STORYTELLING ROOM

REFLECTION ROOM

2NDFLOOR

COLLABORATION HUB

Bubbles Diagram

Blocks Diagram

Floor Plans

1 RECEPTION&LOBBY

CAFEYCAÑA

5 KITCHENSTORAGE 6.WOMAN’SRESTROOM’S

KITCHENWORKSHOP

Floor Plans

1 CRUZDIEZCATWALK

2. LOSROQUESLOUNGE

3. ELLLANOLOUNGE

PODCASTROOM

SOUNDROOM

Hall to Entre fuego y Tierra

Entre Fuego y Tierra

Cultural Hall

Cultural Hall

Kitchen Workshop

Kitchen Workshop

El Rincon Coffee Lounge

“EMIGRATING IS NOT JUST ABOUT CHANGING GEOGRAPHY; IT IS ABOUT LEARNING TO UNLEARN, TO REBUILD YOURSELF IN AN ENVIRONMENT THAT DOES NOT RECOGNIZE YOU.”

- LEONARDO BUNIAK

“Migrarduele.Dueledejaratrásloconocido,loamado,loconstruido.”