Jewel …Something that has value -Rio de Janeiro, Brazil
There has been a prevailing way to build in South America, in which people do not want to move into. It is essential to break the traditional form of homogeneous, suburban-like social housing into one that represents the specific context and residents’ identity.
In the current events of gentrification, due to the World Cup and Olympics, I am aiming to minimize displacement of those who live in these favelas, while attempting to better the conditions in the area. I believe that favelas shouldn’t be viewed as cancers to cities and society, but rather treasured. The favelas should be seen as a vertical neighborhood as a way to signify permanence and to influence the surrounding neighborhoods.
As for my intervention, I did not want to design the typical high-rise building, but instead use what is already there in the favelas – stacked unit blocks. I do not intend to the favela again, but to draw on its values, principles and strategies in the design process. It is essential to understand the complexities and eventually draw on the characteristics that give the favelas their qualities and uniqueness. This subsidized housing, The Jewel, is to last as a monument, but to remain flexible.
Project Credits: Chisom Ezekwo, ezekwo@gmail.com
About Chisom Ezekwo:
