“Sensitive to the climate and coherent with the Amazonian culture”

Regional Jury Report – Latin America

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    Buoyant Housing in Brazil

    Section in perspective showing the 3 distinct levels of the complex. A floating level built on logs of Açacu (low density local wood) offers a space for a diverse use (resting, events, fishing). At the street level there are collective spaces (markets, education center, restaurant). On the upper floor the dwellings are located.

Last updated: June 16, 2021 Eclépens, Switzerland

Project description by jury

The project’s objective is to provide housing for the low-income riverside population of Manaus currently living in precarious and risky conditions. The design takes inspiration from the traditional stilt and floating house typology to not only suit the local environmental conditions (including the seasonal fluctuation in water levels of the river) but also to recover and recognize the value of indigenous cultural identity. The complex is organized on three different levels: a primary floating level mainly used for fishing and resting, a second floor above the water where collective commercial and cultural spaces are located, and an upper level occupied by dwellings. The project also includes a landscape intervention that connects with public leisure areas. Particular attention is paid to the optimization of natural resources through the adoption of water reuse and solar energy systems. To strengthen the local economy, material supply consists almost exclusively of local wood, and the local labor force is involved in the construction.

Jury appraisal

The work is a compelling alternative to the prevalent social housing provisions currently offered in Brazil, which too often ignore social and cultural specificities of local communities. The LafargeHolcim Awards jury Latin America applauded the quality of the project, sensitive to the climate and coherent with the Amazonian culture. The design emphasizes the importance of rescuing the vernacular riverside architecture while offering high quality spaces. The interplay of solids and voids that characterizes the complex was acknowledged as both very functional and of aesthetically merit. The modular structure assembly system, which allows for self-construction and replication, becomes an incentive for social inclusiveness. The jury also highlighted the attention paid to water treatment, which indicates a real awareness of ways to minimize environmental issues linked to water pollution in the area. The high quality of this resilient architecture was unanimously acknowledged and considered an inspiration for similar projects elsewhere in the world.