Heliópolis Housing Complex (Phase 2). São paulo, Brasil, 2023

Abstract

Housing units, buildings, blocks, the city. The Heliópolis Housing Complex and the Villa Panamericana and Parapanamericana offer insights into the construction of collectivity across various scales. In both projects, comprising multiple buildings and public spaces, attention is focused on the careful articulation between these scales. In Heliópolis, the site’s topography shapes the interplay between residential units, communal areas, and the broader urban fabric. Here, expansive accesses and soaring bridges traverse the interior courtyards, engendering vibrant squares and communal gathering spots. In the Villa Panamericana, the design of the landscape and the programs of public spaces are articulated with the location and circulations within the buildings. Both projects share the overarching principle of differentiated complexes, in other words, both offer spaces that are perceived as cohesive entities, yet their nuanced programs, materiality, location, or selection of plant species, are carefully curated to cater to specific user groups, thereby fostering a sense of inclusivity and belonging within the larger complexes.

Keywords

• social housing
• expansion
• urban design
• coexistence
• collective housing
• architecture