A COUNTRY OF CITIES

VISHAAN CHAKRABARTI

AMERICAS MOST LETHAL EXPORT: THE SUBURB

OF HIGHWAYS,
HOUSES, AND
HEDGES

RATE OF LAND USE= 2 x POPULATION GROWTH

11 MILLION+ AMERICANS ARE UNDERWATER

AT WHAT DENSITIES DO AMERICANS LIVE?

ANNUAL FEDERAL INFRASTRUCTURE BUDGET

ANNUAL FEDERAL ENERGY SUBSIDIES

THE MORTGAGE INTEREST DEDUCTION IS

OUR LARGEST FEDERAL SUBSIDY

AMERICAS OUTSTANDING MORTGAGE DEBT,

1960-2010

WHY
CITIES
ARE
GOOD

PROSPERITY
AND
GLOBALIZATION

JANE JACOBSS THEORY OF IMPORT

REPLACEMENT IN CITIES

DOCTOROFFS VIRTUOUS CYCLE OF THE

SUCCESSFUL CITY

WHERE AMERICAN PROSPERITY IS PRODUCED

AMERICAN CITIES ARE MORE PRODUCTIVE

THAN THE VAST MAJORITY OF STATES

AMERICAN MODEL VS. CITY-STATE MODEL

SUSTAINABILITY
AND RESILIENCE

BILL MCKIBBEN:
GLOBAL WARMINGS TERRIFYING NEW MATH

THIS IS NOT SUSTAINABILITY

placeholder: this
is not
sustainability

ENERGY CONSUMPTION AVERAGES BY

HOUSEHOLD TYPE

SUSTAINABILITY = DENSITY

THE WORLDS POPULATION

COULD FIT IN TEXAS

If you love nature,

dont live in it.

HYPERDENSITY LEAVES NATURE NATURAL

HEALTH AND JOY

ARCHITECTURE TRIES TO TAME THE CITY

NATIONAL HOMICIDE RATES

PER 100,000 RESIDENTS

COMMUTING DISTANCE AFFECTS

PREVALENCE OF OBESITY

ROMANCE AND COMMUTING TIME

OUR MOST DANGEROUS ACTIVITY

THE ADVANTAGES OF MASS TRANSIT

AND WALKABILITY

CITIES APPEAL TO YOUNG PROFESSIONALS

NEW URBAN PARKS

Frank Gehry

Nelson Byrd Woltz

The Office of James Burnett

KNOWLEDGE AND CULTURE

OMA

Foster + Partners

Morphosis

NEW URBAN WATERFRONTS

SHoP Architects

HOW TO
BUILD
GOOD
CITIES

BUILDING
HYPERDENSITY
AND CIVIC
DELIGHT

STEREOTYPES OF HYPERDENSITY

A MODEL FOR THE FUTURE?

DEFINING HYPERDENSITY

placeholder:
densities needed
to support rapid
mass transit

DENSIFICATION AROUND
RAIL-BASED TRANSIT

HYPERDENSITY CAN BE BEAUTIFUL

SHoP Architects

NADAAA

Stanley Saitowitz

THE HIGH LINE PARK

DS+R, Field Operations

PRESERVATION OF LIGHT AND AIR THROUGH

FLOOR AREA TRANSFER

NEW DEVELOPMENT ALONG THE HIGH LINE

HOW TO BUILD THE HIGH-LOW CITY

HYPERDENSE LONDON

BUILDING AN
INFRASTRUCTURE
OF OPPORTUNITY

DENSITY FOR DENSITYS SAKE

DEFINING AN INFRASTRUCTURE
OF OPPORTUNITY

PUBLIC/PRIVATE PARTNERSHIPS

HUDSON YARDS

EXTENDING THE #7 SUBWAY LINE

HUDSON YARDS

BUILDING THE
EQUITABLE CITY

SUCCESSFUL PUBLIC HOUSING

DEFINING AFFORDABILITY

1986-TODAY: HOUSING TAX CREDIT SYSTEM

LAND COSTS GET AMORTIZED OVER

INCREASED DENSITY

MODULAR CONSTRUCTION: A POTENTIAL

NEW MODEL FOR AFFORDABLE HOUSING

IN A COUNTRY OF CITIES: HYPERDENSE

DEVELOPMENTS AND AMENITIES

OF TRAINS,
TOWERS, AND
TREES

TODAY: A COUNTRY OF HIGHWAYS, HOUSES,

AND HEDGES

TOMORROW: A COUNTRY OF TRAINS,

TOWERS, AND TREES

HYPERDENSE DENVER

HYPERDENSE CHARLOTTE?

HYPERDENSE DALLAS?

CONNECTION TO THE TRINITY RIVER?

EXTEND THE CITY

EXTEND THE LANDSCAPE

HYPERDENSITY // HYPERLANDSCAPE

HYPERDENSITY // HYPERLANDSCAPE

HYPERDENSE BROOKLYN

BARCLAYS CENTER

ARCHITECTURE

TRANSIT-BASED

MODULAR

VARIATION

placeholder:
better barclays
images

CIVIC DELIGHT

THE HUB AND SPOKE ANACHRONISM

NETWORK OF LIVE-WORK NEIGHBORHOODS

WILLIAMSBURG BRIDGE BOOKENDS

ESSEX CROSSING

ANDY WARHOL MUSEUM

SECTIONAL STRATEGY

MARKET CONCEPT

URBAN SECTION

MARKET

DOMINO: EXISTING

PREVIOUS SCHEME

GET TALLER AND SLENDER

GET POROUS FOR LIGHT AND AIR

GET RESILIENT

GET SPECTACULAR WATERFRONT

GET MATERIAL

GET MIXED USE

GET AFFORDABLE

GET APPROVED!!!

THE HYPERDENSE CITY OF CULTURE & EQUITY

SITES + SERVICES
A HYBRID MODEL FOR RIO DE JANEIRO

COLUMBIA UNIVERSITY GRADUATE SCHOOL OF ARCHITECTURE, PRESERVATION, AND PLANNING

SPRING 2014 MSRED/MARCH STUDIO | VISHAAN CHAKRABARTI + HILARY SAMPLE + SHAWN AMSLER

RIO DE JANEIRO
SUMMARY
Total population 2010: 18,171,711
Rio de Janeiro: 6,323,037
Metro area: 11,848,674
Density: 4,781 km2
2nd largest contributor to GDP
22% of the total population lives in favelas.
1,071 Favelas according to the 2010
census
Affordable Housing Crisis

FAVELAS IN RIO DE JANEIRO

Favelas and High Rise Housing in Rio de Janeiro

FAVELA CHARACTERISTICS
FAVELAS TODAY
Neighborhoods that emerge from a need for housing
Established and developed without external or government
regulation
Their original blueprint established and developed organically and
by residents themselves
Continuously evolving based on culture, access to resources and
jobs
Run by Residents Associations
No legal protection to the property owners/no access to secure
land tenure
Limited upward mobility in the formal sector
Health/Safety/Welfare no enforcement of building codes, drugs/
gangs/violence is a continuing issue, and militias have a stronghold on the residents welfare
Gentrification leads to rising rents and displacement; UPPs have
increased safety in many favelas, further amplifying price increases

Rio das Pedras 2014

FAVELAS IN BRAZIL
HISTORICAL APPROACHES
1937: Federal District Building Code: favelas are declared illegal
and announced demolition
1950s-80s: State and Church sponsor favelas improvements
1982-1990:
Brizola Administration several infrastructure upgrades are
undertaken (water & sewage hookups, trash collection, public
lighting)
Cada Familia, Um Lote: land regularization-14,000 lots
Mid 90s: IDB creates urban upgrade program Favela Barrio.
Infrastructure investments worth US 600mn
Programa Morar Legal: regularization of 24,000 households
Today: 3rd phase of IBDs program Morar Carioc, which aims to
upgrade all favelas in Rio by 2020
Initial round only covers 30 favelas in Rio and 6 irregular settlements
through a 150 million loan

Rio das Pedras 2014

DEMOGRAPHIC TRENDS
HIGHLIGHTS
Urbanization Rate
Growth of domestic consumer class & rise
of credit usage
Vehicle registration up 21%
Rio das Pedras 2014

Growth of middle class

SOCIAL MOBILITY: RISE OF THE MIDDLE CLASS

(A) 3.5%
(B) 3.6%

(A) 5.3%
(C) 6.4%
55.3%
(B)

(D) 21.6%
(C) 41.1%

(C) 55.3%
(D) 16.6%

(E)21.6%
30.2%
(D)

(E) 16.4%
(D) 16.6%

(E) 30.2%

AGE DISTRIBUTION
100

100

95-99

95-99

90-94

90-94

Age

70-74
100
65-69
95-99
60-64
90-94
55-59
85-89
50-54
80-84
45-49
75-79
40-44
70-74
35-39
65-69
30-34
60-64
25-29
55-59
20-24
50-54
15-19
45-49
10-14
40-44
5-9
35-39
0-4
30-34
5.0
25-29

4.0

3.0

2.0

20-24

1.0

0.0

Percentage of Population

1.0

2.0

3.0

75-79

4.0

5.0

15-19

10-14

10-14

5-9

5-9

0-4

0-4
5.0

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0

Percentage of Population

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

5.0

12

237
308
394
237
408
308
524
394
528
408
635
524
693
528
383
635
693
383

10
14
8
12
6
10
8
6

4.0

3.0

2.0

20-24

15-19

14

FAVELAS IN RIO DE JANEIRO

80-84
70-74
100
65-69
95-99
60-64
90-94
55-59
85-89
50-54
80-84
45-49
75-79
40-44
70-74
35-39
65-69
30-34
60-64
25-29
55-59
20-24
50-54
15-19
45-49
10-14
40-44
5-9
35-39
0-4
30-34
5.0
25-29

Urca

HOUSEHOLD
Average for Favelas DISTRIBUTION

(E) 16.4%

85-89

RIO DE JANEIRO (EXCLUDING FAVELAS)

Age

Age

75-79

Age

80-84

Do Rocha
Santa Cruz
DaRocha
Mare
Do
Rocihna
Santa
Cruz
Barra
Tijuca
Da Mare
Barrier Vasco
Rocihna
Humaita
Botanical Gardens
Barra
Tijuca
Urca Vasco
Barrier
AverageBotanical
for Favelas
Humaita
Gardens

(A) 5.3%
(B) 6.4%

(A) 3.5%
(C) 41.1%
(B) 3.6%

85-89

MONTHLY INCOME PER CAPITA

1.0

0.0

Percentage of Population

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

4
2
0

-14 15-1

10

9
9
9
9
9
9
-44 45-4 0-54 55-5
-24 25-2 0-34 35-3
-64 65-6 0-74 75-7
3
7
40
5
60

20

80

4.0

3.0

2.0

1.0

0.0

Percentage of Population

1.0

2.0

3.0

4.0

5.0

-14 15-1

10

9
9
9
9
9
9
-44 45-4 0-54 55-5
-24 25-2 0-34 35-3
-64 65-6 0-74 75-7
3
7
40
5
60

20

80

SITE

AMBEV SITE

RIO DAS PEDRAS SITE

RIO DAS PEDRAS

70.9 Hectares
81,000 Residents est.
3 Public schools
7 K-4 Private schools
2 Day facilities

AMBEV

1 Residents Association office

1 Public plaza
1 Health center
1 Community health station
1 Mobile library
6 Soccer fields
1 Public safety trailer
Rio das Pedras 2014

RIO DAS PEDRAS

Rio das Pedras 2014

RIO DAS PEDRAS: LESSONS LEARNED

Learning from Rio das Pedras

Affordability
Mixed-use
High density to support community, commercial and transit
Pedestrian-oriented
High use of bicycles and public transportation
Organic, incremental architecture
Strong community networks and exchange between residents
Entrepreneurial

Areas of Opportunity/Improvement

Additional open space & recreation

Community facilities
Safer construction methods
Public health
Education
Sanitation
Rio das Pedras 2014

Rio das Pedras 2014

AMBEV
28.5 Hectares of vacant land
Factory partially still in
operation

AMBEV

AMBEV Site

RIO DAS PEDRAS

AMBEV Site

MINHA CASA MINHA VIDA: PLANNED FOR AMBEV SITE

Primary affordable housing program at a federal level.
Government has promised to deliver millions of units within the
current presidency.
Residents given voucher to purchase housing.
Shortcomings:

Mono-Use Residential
Low Density Housing
Restrictive in design
Public gathering spaces are poorly designed, if not lacking
completely.
Developments are often located far from sources of
employment
Lack adequate public transport access
Quality vs. Quantity - Government less concerned with
construction quality. New developments located in virtually
worthless land.
All these factors often lead to failed developments, where new
communities are afflicted by high vacancy, credit loss or crime. The
Minha Casa Minha Vida Program fails to recognize and replicate
the positive conditions of informal settlements, proposing overlyformalized housing communities. This model of development often
leads to housing stock which depreciates, rather than appreciates
over time.

MINHA CASA MINHA VIDA PROJECT

WHAT IS SITES AND SERVICES?

INCREMENTAL GROWTH STRATEGY
Government provides and prepares land with essential
infrastructure needed for habitation
Prepared plots sold or leased to beneficiaries
Beneficiaries use their own resources to construct their homes
Basic Infrastructure - Supplied by Government

Water Supply
Electrical Service
Sewage System
Storm Drainage
Street Lighting

Access to infrastructure - Supplied by Government

Each plot set up to connect to water, power, sewer
Planned Community Services & Facilities - Supplied by Government

Schools
Health Centers
Community Centers
Playgrounds/Recreation/Open Space
Security post
Bus shelters

INFRASTRUCTURE

PROPOSAL

Builds Frame

Individuals

Option to Buy Frame

Land

Community
Land Trust

Phased
Payments $/
Yr

$$/Year

Infrastructure

Voucher available for affordability

Government

COMMUNITY LAND TRUST

Join CLT

Government
Provides
Services

Builds
Infrastructure

Residents

Community
Land Trust

Pays installments to offset infrastructure costs

Gives land to CLT

Governing
Board
Water

Roads
Education

Sewage

AMBEV
SITE
Build Housing
Frames

Electricity

Maintenance

Define
Guidelines

Health

Waste

Security

Collaborates with SESC to provide adtl. services

Hold Title
to Land

Library

Recreation

Community
Center

SESC

Stabilize
Values

Use
MASTER Land
PLAN
PROPOSAL
AMBEV Site = 32.5 ha

LAND USE

CONDOMNIO
CAPIM MELADO

Po

Po

m
C

CONDOMNIO
ALDEIA

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M

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M
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VILA HELENA

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M

CONDOMNIO
ALDEIA

CONDOMNIO
NOVOS RUMOS

PED
M

65C02
65C01

85C01

85C02

265C01

265C02

195C01

195C02

205C01

205C02

212C01

212C0

225C01
225C02

200C01

200C02

210C0
210C0 1
2

235C01
235C02

245C01

220C0
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245C02

230C01
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255C01
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105C02

115C01

115C02

125C01

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240C01
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95C01

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135C02

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45C02

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55C02
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MOV. DE

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TERRA

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85C01
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120C02

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120C01

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TERRA

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MOV. DE

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110C01

T
T

100C02

100C01

90C02

390C02

80C02

80C01

70C02
70C01

LT 8 QD D

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M
M

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5688

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340C02

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5724

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T

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T
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320C01

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R
R
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Circulation
25%

LT 13 QD D

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601

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M
M

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QE
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R
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TICA
ANTR

TRIA
INDS

C
COBRA
INDSTR
EMBARCA IA DE
ES

Open Space
15%

Residential &
Commercial
53%

PED
C

Po

PED

M
C

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PAL 39948

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TERRA

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PAL 39948

PED

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DIQUE

18

LT 13 Q F
PAL 39948

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PAL 39948

34

37.8 ha

LT 15 Q F
PAL 39948

LT 16 Q F

PAL 39948

LT 18 Q F
PAL 39948

M
M

M
M
C
M
M

CONDOMNIO
BOSQUE DOS
ESQUILOS

C
M

72

M
R

R
M

140

152

132

POSTO

135

GAS.

13

PED

M
3

182

Man

Bos

208

Health Facilities
Schools
1%
6%

Man

M
1

C
C

Man

Man
R

Man

Bos

Man

19

Man

Bos

Bos

210

M
2

AMBEV Site= 32.5 ha

C
C

Man

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C

M
Po

451

BOSQUE DOS

CONDOMNIO
R

PED.

195

522

M
DE

ASSO
MORA C.
D.

M
MOV.

TERRA

DE

MOV.

Man

CONDOMNIO
BOSQUE DOS
ESQUILOS

POSTO GAS.

DE
2

M
4940

Man

M
M

Man

M
M

PED

PED.

M
PED

PED

2 Primary Schools for 800 students each

(50,000 sf / 4,645 sqm)
087

M
M

Man

M
M

Man

Man

M
Man

PP-260

DE
TERRA

Man

DE

PED

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DE

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TERRA

Bos

Man

Man

Man

Man

CONDOMNIO FLORESTA
DA BARRA

Man

TADA

Man

Man

Man

Playgrounds/Recreation/Open Space
(4.8 hectares)

77.55 ha

Man

ESCOL
JARDIM STA ENCAN
FLORE

1 Community Center (Converted factory/SESC)

Man

Man

PED

Man
Man

Bos

M
P

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DE
TERRA

Po

Man

1 Health Center for 50,000 to 80,000 people

(40,000 sf / 3,716 sqm)
Man

Man

Man

M
M
Man
Man
Man

MOV.

M
P
Po

Po

Man

M
M
M

Man

2 Pre-schools (2,000 sf / 186 sqm)

CONDOMNIO
FLORESTA AM

253

Man

PED

M
M

Man

M
PED

E
DIQU

2 Kindergartens (3,000 sf / 270 sqm)

Man

COUNTRY
CLUB
FLORESTA

TERRA

M
P

Po

M
M

M
M

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M
PED

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(BTE)

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Man

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(BTE)

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M

MORRO DA PANELA

P
Man

MORRO DO PINHEIRO
Man

Man

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(BTE)

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M
MORRO DA PANELA

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1

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C C

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Man

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PED

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TERRA

PROGRAM

DE

Man

M
M

MOV.
Man

Cl
Cl

Po

TERRA

ESQUILOS

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CONDOMNIO
VILAGE DA
FLORESTA

Cl
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Bos

M
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1
M

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1 Security post Incorporated into Community Facility

MOV. DE TERRA

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M
M

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M
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HV-3728

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Ls 1 a 3

Man

L 22

PAL 32767

Ls 14 a 20
PAL 32767
Destinada
a Escola

CONDOMNIO DA DELFIM
Man

Man

L2
QI

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PAL 30729

LT08

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rea
de

Parque

LT02

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3

M
Po
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de
Escola

Po

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L5
Q II
PAL 30729

LT 14
Q2

Po

Po

C
L4
Q II
PAL 30729

Day-care Facilities (Incorporated into Commercial)

Man

1
1

PED.
PED.

CONDOMNIO DA DELFIM

2
PED

M
PED.

L 28
QI

PAL 30729

C
361

PAL 32767

rea

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MASTER PLAN INFRASTRUCTURE & GRID

Secondary
Roads
1 lane
6m wide

Primary
Commercial
Coorridor
4 Lanes
22m wide

Roads

Water

Sewage

Electricity

Stormwater
Mgmt

Streetlamps

632 Sq M/per block

$28,500 USD/per block
220 M/per block
$105,000 USD/per block

36 Lots per 24 m x 64 m block

220 M/per block

$160,000 USD/per block
128 M/per block
$43,200 USD/per block
72 M/per block
$7,200

4 lights/per block
$2,100

Lot: 4m x 12m
Building Footprint: 4m x 8m

Housing Unit Framework:

Basic Frame with utility wall for
each plot with connect to water,
power, sewer
(1 per unit/$3,600 per unit)

CASE STUDY: ELEMENTAL

STRATEGY
Limited resources for affordable housing are invested to build half of
a good house, rather than a full house with poor construction. The
savings in construction are reinvested towards a site which is more
strategically located with a higher-land value. A better Location should
permit the property to appreciate in time, rather than depreciate.

INCREMENTAL GROWTH
The user will respond to this half-house by wanting to expand it over
time. The design accommodates for this incremental growth with
an adjacent void, mitigating the risk of structural failure and overcrowdedness.

Elemental Project

SELF CUSTOMIZED
The units are built with cheap prefabricated concrete panels and
assembled on site and left virtually raw, with limited finishes. Users
then self-improve their homes, selecting the tiling or exterior paint
color to their liking.

Elemental Project

BUILDING TYPOLOGY
1 Unit
1 Unit
4m x 8m (13 ft x 26 ft)
4m x 8m (13 ft x 26 ft)
32 sqm (344 sqft)
32 sqm (344 sqft)
$3,424 USD
R$7,670
$3,424 USD
R$7,670

Utilities
Utilities

Unit A
Unit A

1 Unit Expansion
1 Unit Expansion
8m x 8m (26 ft x 26 ft)
8m x 8m (26 ft x 26 ft)
64 sqm (688 sqft)
64 sqm (688 sqft)
$5,136 USD
R$11,504
$5,136 USD
R$11,504

2 Units shown with shared expansion

2 Units shown with shared expansion
8m x 4m + 4m x 4m
8m x 4m + 4m x 4m
48 sqm (516 sqft)
48 sqm (516 sqft)
$6,848 USD
R$15,340
$6,848 USD
R$15,340

Unit B
Unit B

UNITS CONNECT ON THE BLOCK

Utilities

Utilities

Unit A

Unit B

Unit A

Commerical

Rear Yard

Unit B

Commerical

Rear Yard

AMBEV SITE: PHASE 1

AMBEV SITE: PHASE 2

AMBEV SITE: PHASE 3

AMBEV SITE: PHASE 4

PHASING
PHASING MODEL
PHASE
1 Constuction & Sell

2014

2019

2024

2029

2034

2039

2044

2049

2054

Initial Balance: $20.58 mn

455 Units/Yr

1 Permanent Bond

Refinanced Balance: $7.9 mn - Minimum Debt Payment/Month/Unit: $30.40 (R$68.1)

Bond Payoff

Initial Balance: $20.34 mn

2 Construction & Sell

581 Units/Yr

Refinanced Balance: $6.10 mn - Minimum Debt Payment/Month/Unit: $23.24 (R$52.05)

2 Permanent Bond

Bond Payoff

Initital Balance: $18.71 mn

3 Construction & Sell

553 Units/Yr

3 Permanent Bond

Refinanced Balance: $5.46 mn - Minimum Debt Payment/Month/Unit: $22.61 (R$50.65)

Bond Payoff

Initital Balance: $23.63 mn

4 Construction & Sell

577 Units/Yr

4 Permanent Bond

Refinanced Balance: $7.13 mn - Minimum Debt Payment/Month/Unit: $27.14 (R$60.79)

Bond Payoff

Assumptions
CLT Bond Financing Rate:

9%

Permanent Bond Term:

20 years

CLT Buy-In Per Unit:

$ 8,577

CLT REVENUE STREAM

R$92 per unit

25% of monthly housing expense

$$$
$$
$
CLT

R$2,638,950
8% credit loss (R$204,433)
30% operations & maintenance (R$791,694)
Infrastructure Debt Service (R$1,379,059)
Balance R$257,108
Revenue

FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS
INCOME + HOUSING AFFORDABILITY

RDP Area Average median

income per capita per month

R$ 543

30%

Pays installments to
offset infrastructure
costs

R$ 1,222:

Per Household or unit

2.25

Income earners per household

Micro-Loan Payment
R$367.00
-92.00 CLT
-45.00 Utilities
=229.89

PV = R$9,247.67

30% of Income on Housing =

$367 per month

FINANCIAL PROJECTIONS
PUBLIC SUBSIDY

PUBLIC SUBSIDY
Government provides land cost
per unit

R$3,033
Up to

R$ 19,214:
Buy In Unit Cost

Subsidy level differs per income bracket

Voucher system for houses with lower
levels of income

PHASING
Start Year
Size sq m
Size Acres
Size Hectares
Infr. As % of Total housing expense
Total Persons
Total Units

Phase 1
2,014
65,000
16.1
6.5
17%
9,068
2,400

Phase 2
2,019
65,000
16.1
6.5
12%
9,068
2,400

Phase 3
2,023
60,000
14.8
6.0
12%
8,342
2,208

Phase 4
2,027
65,000
16.1
6.5
12%
9,068
2,400

Total
255,000
63.0
25.5
0%
35,545
9,408

9%

Interest Rate on Bond

R$8,739
per unit

CONCLUSION

Sites & Services approach with a Community

Land Trust ownership model
Replicates the positive attributes of favelalike incremental growth
Legitimizes ownership structure
Provides adequate health/safety/welfare
services
Ensures long-term affordability and access
to land and housing for those who need it
most

Rio das Pedras 2014