Morro Santa Teresa, an area of 87 hectares in Porto Alegre, Brazil, is knitted into the urban fabric of the city. At present, the area contains media installations, a social reintegration institution for young people, a home for elderly poor and a football sports center. It is an urban area subject to constant social tension due to these buildings, facilities and upper class residences being closely located to low income neighbourhoods.

The proximity to Guaíba Lake provides the site a physical and visual landmark, which makes it one of the most significant areas of the city of Porto Alegre. The view of the historic center of the city along with the rich landscape that opens up from the highest point of the area makes Morro Santa Teresa a strategic spot for formulating innovative proposals that take into consideration urban scales at the street, neighbourhood and city levels.

It is expected that the projects submitted for the International Student Competition will propose answers to the complex reality described above. For complete details please go to the competition’s official website. Seen at Death by Architecture.