Designed by Fabiano Ravaglia, Liebert Rodrigues, Vinícius Philot, Fernanda Marx, Tiago Mendonça, and Karen Novaes, the DAF: Designing for Adaptable Futures competition proposal focuses on expansion and flexibility to create a new way of thinking about Brazilian social housing. Based on practices developed by the low-income residents of the social housings of Rio, the team objective is to formulate a set of strategies that could enable and encourage the expansion of housing but in a neatly way. By taking advantage of the existing structure and implantation and inside the constructive knowledge of the population, this will allow the enlargement when it suits them. More images and architects’ description after the break.
Built in the late 19th century, the first favela of Rio de Janeiro emerged and reproduced as a poor housing model of Brazilian cities until nowadays. The expansion of these informal agglomerations for low-income people began in central areas close to work place, reaching the urban limits. In mid-20th century, Brazilian government adopted a policy of favelas “clearance” in valued areas of Rio de Janeiro, moving the residents to news housing estates on the outskirts of the city.
