On the outskirts of some of the world’s largest cities exists an informal way of life. It’s unlike any other. To most, these spaces are defined as slums, shantytowns, or favelas. The list of stigmatized words associated with these settlements is never ending. Regardless of their delineation, the sheer mention of their existence conjures up an endless sea of negative associations—rampant crime, dismal infrastructure, impoverished communities, filth, and a severe lack of education. Yet the reality is not as simple as all that. While our assumptions are not wholly dishonest, they are wildly deceptive.

Heliopolis, the largest favela in Sao Paulo, grew out of a need for proximity to the amenities that the city had to offer. When this informal settlement was first established in the 1940s, the demand for it was low, thus the population was much smaller and much more spread out than it is today. Over time, as Sao Paulo expanded so did the desire to be situated within its reach. But housing within the urban area was not affordable to a large number of low-income residents. So they settled down on un-owned and non-delineated land areas, like Heliopolis. Today, the densely lined streets of this three-quarter square-mile favela, is home to roughly 100,000 inhabitants.

When we first see Heliopolis, all of the stereotypes we could imagine about an informal settlement are at play—the tin roofs are rusting, the streets are sprawling and unorganized, brick buildings are crumbling, and crime is rampant. There is no denying that these characteristics are a reality. What surprises us, however, is that an average home within the perimeter of Heliopolis costs $100,000 USD. As a matter of fact, one of the most prestigious hospitals in Sao Paulo sits along the edge of Heliopolis. Read more…

We spent a semester designing—and redesigning—our project for the Highbridge Pool and Recreation Center, located in the Washington Heights neighborhood of upper Manhattan. Now we’re ready to build it. The only thing that remains is…more designing.  We now know that making architecture requires a perpetual zoom in and zoom out of our work, in a constant dance of reexamining the relevance of each move, from several perspectives. It is at this fine-tuning stage that the design team finds itself hovering over plans and computer screens debating a handrail, among other things. This attention to detail is crucial. We know that it will pay off in the end.

This summer the Parsons Design Workshop, a group of 7 grad students and 1 undergrad enrolled in The New School’s architecture programs, under the leadership of director Alfred Zollinger and instructor Joel Stoer, is working on enclosing the lobby at the historic Highbridge Pool and Recreation Center. The project is part of the school’s ongoing pro bono architectural and construction services to nonprofit organizations. In the process we get hands-on experience with how buildings are made and with designing a real project for a community. In this instance, we worked with the NYC Parks & Recreation Department and the City Parks Foundation to design and construct Highbridge in flux.

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