Cidade Informal. O caso de Caracas e o Barrio Julián Blanco de Petare

Abstract

The following thesis selects an urban sector of the City of Caracas as case of study, specifically of the Julian Blanco barrio of Petare. The study intends to encompass the theme of the spontaneous city; and to explore the different subjects with which the social architecture is associated, to understand the different intervention opportunities in informal settings, based on structures that provide support to life in the community. The interest in this topic is part of a personal experience. I am originally from the city of Caracas; and as every citizen, being in contact with these types of structures at any point in life is inevitable. As an Architecture student at Universidad Central de Venezuela, I had the opportunity to be part of academic experiences that showed me and allowed me to look closely into this reality. The barrios of Caracas, are a mix of multiple types of structures surrounded by an informal context presenting a wide range of variables and peculiarities. However, in general, in some of these structures, it is possible to recognize the lack of utilities, services, and equipment typically provided in every city; as well as the lack of public spaces of quality. This situation is intensified in barrios located on steep hills, in which cases accessibility and sources of employment become additional issues. According to inquiries conducted by ENCOVI, poverty levels due to low income in Venezuela have increased significantly in the last few years; with 23.6% of extreme poverty in 2014, and 61.2% in 2017. By 2015, of 7,380,618 houses, 52.3% corresponded to houses catalogued as single-family housing, including houses in informal settings. This confirms that the problem associated with the barrios has little to do with the quality of the housing, but instead, the real problem is the lack of public and communal services, as well as the physical and environmental, social and economic vulnerabilities. The reclaim of public spaces and urban interventions allow communities to develop a deeper sense of belonging and community, increasing the probability of social development. Considering this, the proposed strategy for the Julian Blanco barrio, is to explore new opportunities and spaces to maximize interaction between communities. This, in exchange, provides dynamism to the barrio with services and necessary equipment, by recovering common spaces and giving value to the physical environment. A participatory methodology will be proposed as an intention of guaranteeing the success of the intervention, serving as an impetus for future interventions of larger scales.