Category Archives: Urbanism

Estilingão

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foto Merten Nefs
Last Friday the new prestigious hanging bridge at the end of Avenida Roberto Marinho (named after the media mogul, founder of Globo) was inaugurated. The R$260 milion (EUR 100 milion) project is supposed to be the new “postcard” of São Paulo and solve part of the transit problems in the Berrini/WTC area. In popular language “Estilingão” already replaced the oficial names of Ponte Estaiada and Otávio Frias.

To built the expressway and the bridge, most of the favela Jardim Edith was removed in the late 1990´s. A small part next to the bridge is still there, increasing the social contrasts on the city´s new postcard.

Cyclists and social housing organizations protested at the inauguration and invaded the bridge to have a picnic before the official parade of oldtimers would start. The bridge has exclusive access for cars and motorcycles; buses, cyclists and pedestrians will not be allowed.
foto Merten Nefs
foto Merten Nefs
foto Merten Nefs
foto Merten Nefs

Also see:
www1.folha.uol.com.br/folha/cotidiano/…
http://apocalipsemotorizado.net/2008/05/11/ciclistas…

Networked cultures

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Network of artists and architects, developing theoretic projects in Europe with an unusual focus on the Balkans, the Black Sea region and Russia.
www.networkedcultures.org

“Networked Cultures investigates the cultural transformations under way in Europe through examining the potentials and effects of networked spatial practices. Based at Goldsmiths, University of London, the project collaborates with art, architectural and urban practices across Europe and beyond to look at ways in which contested spaces allow for a multi- inhabitation of territories and narratives across cultural, social or geographic boundaries. Sites of alternative urban engagement are collected on a database and will be presented in a variety of formats, including exhibitions, films and books.”

Barcelona - image networked cultures

One of the highlighted projects:
Lost Highway Expedition (School of Missing Studies)
www.schoolofmissingstudies.net

Habitation grid

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grelha de habitação

The grid contemplates the improvement of informal settlements without removing the inhabitants, by constructing an infrastructural grid with suspended building lots. The grid recycles water and includes space for food production and public activities. An integrated pig farm, besides producing pork meat, supplies organic material for a biogas electricity plant as a byproduct.

The habitiation grid is a student project by Bernardo Araújo, Éder Andrés, Isabel Brant, Mateus Andreatta e Thiago Campos, coached by professor Maria Lúcia Malard at the Federal University of Belo Horizonte.

Read more (in portuguese) at:
www.arcoweb.com.br/debate/debate116.asp

NDSM (2)

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The NDSM wharf has functioned for over a decade as a cultural breeding ground, acomodating various artists in the old warehouses. Because of this cultural life the area attracted big companies from the media industry, such as the MTV headquarters.
[See www.projetosurbanos.com.br/2007/08/23/ndsm-mediawharf/ ]
The city council now feels the time is ripe to develop the area with high-rise structures for working, learning and living. The new wharf should become a high-density neighborhood with subway connections, event infrastructures and nightlife.
The artist collectives at the NDSM wharf did not appreciate the city´s plans and intend to present an alternative project of development for the area, based on lower density residential occupation, maintaining the current artist breeding ground as the heart of the new neighborhood.

image Municipality of Amsterdam

Amsterdam municipality
www.amsterdam.nl/gemeente/…

Notice at Architectenweb
http://architectenweb.nl/aweb/redactie/…