Seeing Sao Paulo from a different perspective

Day 01
Who’s planning?

Fast growth of the city fabric in the last century has led to an unstructured urban organization, in which major parts of the fabric have long been neglected by planning institutions. Where housing policies fail, the people that are not facilitated by these policies come in to action and start building a city for their own. It has been clear that not acknowledging this kind of urbanism is not an option. These people are as much Paulistanas as are the people living in the developed city. It surprised me to see how people without the support of municipality have proven to be creative enough to fulfill their needs, although they are not the needs that we think of as priorities. Start from scratch, build what you need, expand when necessary and improve when possible. These people have built a city of their own within a city that has not let them become true citizen. All they need now is to get connected: logistically, economically and finally, socially.

Day 02
The pursuit of happiness.

Paraisopolis impressed me a lot, having grown into this organic structure with alleys like veins that go where the sunlight can not. Again it was clear that achieving a proper sewage has not been possible without the support of municipality. Lack of hygiene and education has not diminished the people’s eagerness to improve their own situation, while accepting their fate. Later that day this became even more evident when we visited a social housing project, built by the inhabitants theirselves. It took them 12 years to finally be able to move in, but this made them even more proud of their success. Working every day and building every weekend have given them the opportunity to become part of the public. Obviously, only few people are helped in an inefficient way but if there is one thing that has proven to be true it is the inexhaustible willingness of man to pursue their own happiness.

Day 03
The gate to where?

The contrast couldn’t be any bigger between the favelas we have visited on the first 2 days and the gated community of Alphaville. But besides being opposites when it comes to their economical and social situation there are also similarities. Both favela and gated community are impossible to penetrate when you are not invited. There is no space for intruders. If there is one thing that would perfectly describe the closedness of the gated community of Alphaville it was the big hassle we experienced when we tried to pass the gate, even when invited. And for what reason? Who wants to live in a place with deserted streets and where you know your neighbour by car anyway?

Day 04
The unprivatized public.

You have bad living conditions and bad living conditions. And then you have cortiços. Seeing the favelas was impressive but their inhabitant’s acceptance of their situation and their joy and positiveness made me get used to the idea of living in a slum sooner than expected. Nothing compared to the lives of the people that live in the unused building in the inner city. With the commercial center and rich cultural investments right across the street, or right next to the highway that takes hundreds of thousands of people from their work and leisure to their safe homes, few people know the unbearable conditions these people face every day. Private empty space has been intruded by the public that can’t afford their privateness. A revolution? No, like us they deal with the flaws of our private housing market. Having no other place to stay, owners of these properties on valuable locations ask prices that in no way resemble the environment they offer in return. If anywhere, here it’s time to take control and intervene.