SOCIAL HOUSING ON SLOPES São José do Vale do Rio Preto

Brazil

Phase 3

Universal design for social housing in Pedras Brancas

Menno Trautwein, Arnold Blankenstijn & Martijn Blom

SOCIAL HOUSING ON SLOPES São José do Vale do Rio Preto

Project team Hogeschool van Amsterdam

Research based trainer: Friso ten Holt MArch

Postgraduate student:

Menno Trautwein

Final project for the students: Arnold Blankenstijn

Martijn Blom

an Alfa-Aurora project May 2006

PROJECT PHASE 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS Introduction page 3 PART 1: FIRST DESIGN FOR UNIVERSAL SOCIAL HOUSING page 4 The way to a universal design Main starting point Modular system Basic unit Basic unit and extensions The first design Variant on the design The first design, a closer look Building method Extension facilities Architectural elements within the design Functional elements within the design Variation within the same modular system Possibilities for linking the extendable house Possibilities for urban structures PART 2: DESIGN FOR SOCIAL HOUSING IN PEDRAS BRANCAS page 20 Looking back at phase 2 Maps, cross section and photos of the project location What is needed for Pedras Brancas? Our proposal in numbers The small house The large house Possibilities for the street plan and the allotment in Pedras Brancas Recommendations concerning social and organisational aspects More colours in Pedras Brancas Acknowledgement of sources page 34

INTRODUCTION By splitting up our project in four phases, we try to work on different scale levels. In the first phase we have investigated the total municipality of São José do Vale do Rio Preto (SJVRP) and selected Pedras Brancas as the most help-needing neighborhood. In the second phase we have done research on Pedras Brancas specifically and developed an urban vision on the neighborhood. Within that vision we have concluded that Pedras Brancas will need now and in the future new housing areas. Based on our research and our urban vision we selected a location for the first new social housing area. In this phase we will make a design for 20 to 30 new dwellings on the area we selected in phase 2. This phase has been split up in two parts. To give our project a higher value than only new housing in Pedras Brancas, we will make in the first part a universal design for social housing which can be applied on several places. In this way it could be used for other future housing areas in Pedras Brancas, in other neighborhoods in SJVRP and even in similar places all over the world. We will make a first design which could be adjusted in a later stadium of the project if necessary. In the second part we will try to show our first ideas about the implementation of our universal design on the project location in Pedras Brancas. Within this phase we have made this split up because both parts are now in a primary stage and will individually develop at the same time trough the project (probably phase 4).

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PART 1 FIRST DESIGN FOR UNIVERSAL SOCIAL HOUSING

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The way to a universal design In the previous phases is ascertained that Pedras Brancas has a need for new social housing. Therefore we will make in this phase a start on our design for new dwellings on the chosen location. Because the need for new social housing is an enduring problem, we will try to make a design which can be used in many situations and not only in Pedras Brancas. Therefore we will get loose of the specific situation in Pedras Brancas and will make a universal design for social housing which later shall be implanted in Pedras Brancas. A universal design should be interpreted as a dwelling which can be used in various situations. Situations which can differ in the physical and social environment, the political and economical aspects, the number of inhabitants and the wishes of the different parties. To create a design which is actually possible to use in various situations we started designing from the idea of a modular system. This modular system have led to a design with a basic unit on which different extensions can be attached. By combining the basic unit with a number of extensions, starting dwellings of different appearances and sizes can be realized. One of our most important starting points is that the dwelling should be easily extendable by the inhabitants themselves. The design includes five extension possibilities. A starting dwelling consist of a basic unit with one or more extensions. The other extension possibilities can be used by the inhabitants to extend their house themselves in a future period. In the next few pages we have tried to visualize these ideas by simple schemes. Our ideas have led to a first design for a universal dwelling.

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The first design, a closer look The previous few pages have shown the way how we got to our first design and what this first design looks like. In the next coming pages we will go a little more deeper into the design and try to visualize all the important aspects. We will show what our thoughts are behind the design decisions, what the many possibilities with the design are and which important elements it has.

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PART 2 SOCIAL HOUSING IN PEDRAS BRANCAS

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Looking back at phase 2

In phase 2 of our project “Social housing on slopes” we have made an urban analyse for Pedras Brancas and we have given proposals for future urban development. Pedras Brancas is a small and isolated neighbourhood, with quite a poor population. We calculated that the population will double in the next twenty years, from 800 to more ore less 1750 inhabitants. Besides the fact that some existing houses are bad constructed, this means that Pedras Brancas needs a lot of new houses now and in the future. We have chosen a project location for social housing, grounded as follows:

• easy to reach • next to the main street • connected to the central area • only a little inclinated • current 5 farmers can be offered new grounds • the builded area is extendable in the future • open space • large enough for more than 30 dwellings

As we mentioned in phase 2, we will try to look further than just the technical aspects. We will use building engineering, architecture and urban planning to improve social bottlenecks. The following subjects will be integrated in our design:

• A street plan with good connections to the adjoining areas, without dead ends • Accessibility for cars • Name the streets and number the houses • Regulation of rainwater • A public space with street furniture, playgrounds, meeting places, trees, plants, colors • Visibility lines to interested sights and for social security • A design that visually improves the look of Pedras Brancas

In the first part of this phase we have made a first design of a universal dwelling. In this part we will show our proposals and first ideas about the implementation of the dwelling in Pedras Brancas. We will also explain our proposals considering the organisational and financial aspects of this housing project.

The figures from Phase 2: - urban inventory - proposals for improvement - urban planning

The following pages show the urban situation of the project area.

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What is needed for Pedras Brancas? After talking a lot with inhabitants of Pedras Brancas and with the local authorities, we could formulate the following needs: 1. Large houses for large families and small houses for small families Our housing project is meant for the families that have the biggest need for better housing. The main subjects for the selection of this families will be: income, current living situation and the size of the family in comparison with the size of the house. And because not every family has the same number of people living together, we concluded that we need to offer different sizes of houses to different sizes of families. Our proposal might sound too obvious, but in reality it rarely happens like this in social housing projects. We propose to offer two different starting houses; a small house (34 m2) and a large house (44 m2). We integrated this idea in our universal design. We presented it to members of the local authorities, to the co-financing state bank Caixa Federal and to representatives of different social groups of the municipality and they all agreed with us strongly. 2. First selection of the families, than building the houses As a result of our previous conclusion, it is necessary first to select the families that will be offered a new house, than to determine how many members the family counts and than to build the houses. 3. Durable materials and nice colours

To enforce the social, economical and cultural development of Pedras Brancas, we believe that it is very important to build decent and durable houses, with durable materials and nice colours. The neighbourhood needs a new and fresh look that is directly visible. The inhabitants need to be happy and proud on their neighbourhood. We will work these ideas out in the next phase of our project. 4. Houses with a garden for vegetables or fruit trees Because many people in Pedras Brancas have little money and a lot of time, a garden for vegetables or fruit trees is very useful. And there is enough space as well. Many inhabitants already have a garden, although some of them are in a bad condition. At this moment the local authorities are working on a community garden in Pedras Brancas, so the individual gardens do not have to be too large.

A house in the municipality with many extensions.

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5. Only new houses for the people from Pedras Brancas In interviews the people of Pedras Brancas told us that they do not want new houses in Pedras Brancas. They told us that they prefer new jobs, more money to buy food and cloths and more social activities. We discovered that the reason behind their reaction was, that they are afraid for new inhabitants from outside Pedras Brancas. With the social housing project of 2002 the local authorities assigned many of the 50 new houses to very poor and unemployed people from different parts of the municipally and, as they say, this people caused many social problems in the community. We propose to assign new houses only to families from Pedras Brancas.

Our proposal in numbers In March 2006 the Caixa Federal already reserved 7000 reais subsidy per dwelling for a maximum of 30 dwellings for the housing project in Pedras Brancas. The local authorities of São José do Vale do Rio Preto choose as starting points a house with a surface area of ± 35 m2 and a price per square meter of ± 400 reais, concluding that the costs per house will be around 14.000 reais (5.600 euro). Therefore the local authorities reserved 7000 reais per dwelling as well. The local authorities only get a subsidy for the houses, all other costs, like for example infrastructure, have to be paid fully by themselves. With a surface of around 35 m2 in mind we started our design and found out that this is just enough for a house with only one bedroom. Grounded on the fact that especially the poorest families in Pedras Brancas have at least four children, we concluded that houses with more rooms must be offered as well, depending on the need of the family and the financial funding. Considering the financial situation and the social needs, we propose the following combination:

• a small house of 34 m2: basic unit with one extension • a large house of 44 m2: basic unit with two extensions • constructive facilities for future extensions

The following calculations show that, depending on the situation, a lot of combinations can be made, concerning small and large houses and extra facilities for extensions. Although these calculations are very basic and must be worked out in detail in phase 4 of our project, they can function as a first guideline for discussion. Therefore we have presented the calculations to the municipality and the Caixa Federal, where the calculations were received with enthusiasm.

Examples of gardens in Pedras Brancas.

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SCENARIO 1: 30 small dwellingscosts: financing:30 dwellings of 34m2 for R$400 per m2: 30x34x400= 408.000 Caixa Federal (30 x R$7000 per dwelling): 210.000remaining: 12.000 Municipality: 210.000total costs: R$ 420.000 total financing: R$ 420.000

Є 168.000 Є 168.000

SCENARIO 2: 15 small dwellings and 15 large dwellingscosts: financing:15 dwellings of 34m2 for R$400 per m2: 15x34x400= 204.000 Caixa Federal (30 x R$7000 per dwelling): 210.00015 dwellings of 44m2 for R$400 per m2: 15x44x400= 264.000 Municipality: 258.000total costs: R$ 468.000 total financing: R$ 468.000

Є 187.600 Є 187.600

SCENARIO 3: 15 small dwellings, 15 dwellings and 30 extension facilitiescosts: financing:15 dwellings of 34m2 for R$400 per m2: 15x34x400= 204.000 Caixa Federal (30 x R$7000 per dwelling): 210.00015 dwellings of 44m2 for R$400 per m2: 15x44x400= 264.000 Municipality: 303.00030 extension facilities for R$1500 per dwelling 45.000total costs: R$ 513.000 total financing: R$ 513.000

Є 205.200 Є 205.200

SCENARIO 4: 15 small dwellings, 10 dwellings and 25 extension facilitiescosts: financing:15 dwellings of 34m2 for R$400 per m2: 15x34x400= 204.000 Caixa Federal (25 x R$7000 per dwelling): 175.00010 dwellings of 44m2 for R$400 per m2: 10x44x400= 176.000 Municipality: 242.00025 extension facilities for R$1500 per dwelling 37.500total costs: R$ 417.500 total financing: R$ 417.500

Є 167.000 Є 167.000

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Recommendations concerning social and organisational aspects If one asks the inhabitants of Pedras Brancas what they need the most, they respond: “Work and leisure.” If one asks the inhabitants of Pedras Brancas where they would spend their spare money on, they respond: “Food and clothing for my children.” They do not talk about houses, because they already have one. The majority of the houses could be improved, but the people have more urgent problems. Here fore it is not only important to build houses for them, but also to contribute to their social, economical and cultural development. This is why we ask attention for the following recommendations: 1. Involvement of the inhabitants in the development process Involvement of the present and the future inhabitants in the development of the new housing area and the design of the new houses will create the best atmosphere for development. The inhabitants of Pedras Brancas will be active members in the development of their neighbourhood. 2. Clearness and honesty about the rules for selection of the future inhabitants The local authorities need to develop and publish a transparent policy for selection rules. This is especially important because the inhabitants of Pedras Brancas have fear that the local authorities will select poor and unemployed people from outside the neighbourhood again, which will cause disharmony too big for this small and vulnerable community. 3. New houses only for the people from Pedras Brancas It is not advisable to assign the future houses to people from outside Pedras Brancas, when most of the present inhabitants do not like this. 4. Clearness and honesty about ownership The property of the houses build in 2002 is still unclear. This emphasizes the existing feeling of the people that they have little influence on their future lives. Therefore it is important to be clear and honest about the future ownership of the houses and lands. 5. Compensated ownership of the houses for the inhabitants Giving the people ownership of the houses will contribute to their social and economical situation. When returning a compensation for ownership, the inhabitants will invest in and better look after their house. One can think of various ways of gaining ownership: paying back a part of the costs, investing a certain amount in the quality of the house or spending a certain amount of years living in the house. 6. Selection of the future inhabitants before building the houses This makes it possible to make an inventory of needs and wishes and to build according to this demands. 7. Consider possibilities of community participation When inhabitants of Pedras Brancas could participate in (parts of) the building process, it could enforce the involvement of the community in the whole project, increases their knowledge and it can also save money. 8. Consider founding a small cooperation for buying building materials This can make the construction of future extensions by the inhabitants cheaper and easier. 9. Give nice names to new streets and give every house a house number This is not only practical, but it will contribute to the feeling of identity and welfare of the community as well.

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More colors in Pedras Brancas Besides housing we also tried to do something with the ‘looks’ of Pedras Brancas. We organized a painting party for the children in the neighborhood. With almost 40 children we painted the walls around the sports field. This has given the neighborhood a better ‘look’ because of the added colors and, of course, the children loved to do it!

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Acknowledgement of sources Project Proposals for New Housing and Urban Renewal in São José do Vale do Rio Preto, Claudio Pavesi, 2005. Favela Bairro: uma outra história da cidade do Rio de Janeiro, Luiz Paulo Conde and Sérgio Magalhães, published by Vivercidades, Rio de Janeiro, 2004. Elemental, initiative of Gigiemo Reginal Tarapacá, Chili Barrio, approved by the city Iquiqueu, August 2003. Manual do Arquiteto Descalço, Johan van Lengen, published by Livraria do Arquiteto, Rio de Janeiro 2004. Ainda Moderno? Arquitetura Brasileira Contemporânea, Lauro Cavalcanti and André Corrêa do Lago, published by Editora Nova Fronteira, Rio de Janeiro 2005. db - Deutsche Bauzeitung, various volumes of this German architectural magazine from the last 10 years. AU - Arquitetura e Urbanismo, various volumes of this Brazilian architectural magazine from the last 15 years. Various data from the inventory study by José Antônio Martín Moreno and Federico Cazzaniga about São José do Vale do Rio Preto, the state Rio de Janeiro and the country Brazil, finished in March 2006. Various technical information about building with conrete blocks and a financial estimate of a social housing project in Contendas. Received 25-02-2006 from architect Julio Odoni (Cacao). Interview with Ivan Falcão 20-04-2006, construction engineer in São José do Vale do Rio Preto. Interview with Jorge Martín Jáuregui 04-04-2006, architect specialised in Favela-projects.

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Interview with Donna Mãgida 25-04-2006, involved by the selection of the inhabitants of the social housing project of 2002 in Pedras Brancas. Various interviews Nei Gonçalves Machado between February and May 2006, alderman Urbanism of the municipality São José do Vale do Rio Preto. Various meetings with Guilherme de Sá Pereira in May 2006, architect in São José do Vale do Rio Preto, discusses with us our work and gives us advises. Various interviews between February and May 2006 with inhabitants of Pedras Brancas and people who are involved in various aspects of Pedras Brancas:

- Darcí, ± 75 years, rents and cultivates agricultural land in Pedras Brancas. - Fabiano, ± 35 years, owner of a supermarket, the only shop in Pedras Brancas. - Walder, ± 70 years, one of the first inhabitants, lives 43 years in Pedras Brancas. - Lúcia (1), ± 35 years, mother of three children and without a husband, works seven

days a week in the agriculture or as a cleaner. - Lúcia (2), ± 35 years, mother of three children, works at the elementary school in São

Lourenço, lives in one of the nicest houses and the most extended house of the social housing project from 2002.

- Marcello, ± 25 years, DJ and inhabitant of Pedras Brancas, always in the main street. - Angelo, ± 65 years, farmer, cultivates the land of his brother. - Manuel, ± 40 years, the ‘waterman’ of Pedras Brancas, responsible for all the water

systems, wants to make maps with us of the whole system. Most of the pictures showed in this report are made by ourselves, some are copied from the sources mentioned above.

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