Putting People First in Porto Maravilha

The decline of historic urban centers and the proliferation of informal developments have posed economic and urban issues to a vast number of municipalities across the globe. The exploration of this topic by architects and urbanists, planners, economists and academics as well as the discussion on whether design can be effectively harnessed as a tool to reduce social inequality are as old as the issue itself. From the belief in the social dimensions of architecture and urbanism, and based on a design assistance philosophy built around a whole-systems approach to communities, a program was developed in which interdisciplinary teams provide community-centered ideas to an array of urban challenges on a pro-bono basis. Local architects from Brazil with support from the local municipality of Rio de Janeiro partnered with a team from the United States for a workshop in Rio which benefitted from the attendance of local architects, students from Rio’s architecture schools and students from an American school of architecture. The workshop focused on the port district of Rio de Janeiro (Porto Maravilha) encompassing adjacent neighborhoods including Morro da Providência. Students from both countries worked collaboratively to document each of these areas in coordination with team members. A presentation and report outlining eight key principles focused on design solutions that put people first, were provided to the Rio community.

Volume Editors

ISBN
978-1-944214-31-9