Social area in Belo Horizonte, Encontro.
Encontro was the final project of Maria Ortiz. It was located in Belo Horizonte (Brasil), in the favela Morro das Pedras. It involves the area of Rua da Cachoeira de Minas and Rua Santa Maria do Salto. This area was the point where the favela and the formal city encountered. It had a lot of potential, but the current solution was non-existent.
The project plans a aggregate of several buildings and urbanism that connect both favela and formal city, and makes the translation natural and useful. In the main street, Rua da Cachoeira, are included a vertical garden and orchard, where the inhabitants can openly grow their products, helping the maintenance of the garden, and recreation area (music and sport areas) that involves and includes a current social center.
In the street that links the main Avenue with the favela, Rua de Santa Maria do Salto, are included workshops and a public and bigger orchard. Moreover, a space for public marquet is set, in order to profit the local economy.
Finally, in the crossing of both these streets, we have the master building. It existed as ruin and used as parking space, and we plan to restore and take advantage of it. We locate a social and culture center, with a public library, an open art space (with shop included, to also profit the local current and future artists), an arts school, that includes painting, dancing and music, and a cooking school linked to a public restaurant and cafeteria. In the outer space, a theater with open steps is located to profit the patio and be used by the whole community.
Renders by Miguel Leal.
In the street that links the main Avenue with the favela, Rua de Santa Maria do Salto, are included workshops and a public and bigger orchard. Moreover, a space for public marquet is set, in order to profit the local economy.
Finally, in the crossing of both these streets, we have the master building. It existed as ruin and used as parking space, and we plan to restore and take advantage of it. We locate a social and culture center, with a public library, an open art space (with shop included, to also profit the local current and future artists), an arts school, that includes painting, dancing and music, and a cooking school linked to a public restaurant and cafeteria. In the outer space, a theater with open steps is located to profit the patio and be used by the whole community.
Renders by Miguel Leal.