Life in Vila Laboriaux : a social and physical analysis shaped into guidelines for a Rio de Janeiro favela landscape development

Abstract: The urbanization is a rapid movement that has been continuously increasing for the last one hundred years in several places around the world. In Brazil, poverty and urban migration have led to informal settlements, also known as favelas, in cities such as Rio de Janeiro. Several favelas deal daily with challenges due to densely constructed buildings with insufficient natural light, narrow roads and alleys that affect transport possibilities, risks of landslides and incomplete water and cleaning systems. Several of these problems can be solved with better planned landscape architecture and management of public spaces in the favela. Lack of communication and dialogue between the government and the citizens has resulted in that public spaces and landscape architecture in the favela has not been designed for the citizens. Possibilities for communication and dialogue with the residents in the favela should be investigated to collect planning material that can create good landscaping and urban development. The purpose of this master's thesis is to investigate and gather information about citizens' perceptions and values about their living area, in the chosen area of Vila Laboriaux in Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro. The study focuses on creating design guidelines and a planning material based on the inhabitants’ knowledge and information about Vila Laboriaux shared in the interview and survey, as well as our observational and inventory studies, for future landscape development of the area. The result shows that there is inadequate communication between residents of Vila Laboriaux and the government of Rio de Janeiro. The result from the interview and survey studies shows that most inhabitants have not been involved in the decision making regarding their neighborhood. Furthermore, they appreciate and wish that the government invested more resources in Vila Laboriaux and the favela. The residents of Vila Laboriaux primarily want a well-functioning infrastructure with better transportation options, better access to health care and schools, preventions for future landslides and a better waste management system.