Minha Bacia, Nossa Cidade : how do water management challenges in a marginalized community influence the dynamics of urban expansion in São Paulo?

Details

Supervisors

Cavalieri, Chiara ; Descheemaeker, Basil ; Lerchs, Lucas

Faculty

Faculté d'architecture, d'ingénierie architecturale, d'urbanisme

Degree label

Master [120] en architecture, à finalité spécialisée (Bruxelles)

Abstract

enThis thesis explores how water management challenges in a marginalized community on the southern edge of São Paulo shape the dynamics of urban expansion. Situated within a protected watershed, the community faces overlapping pressures: environmental restrictions, lack of infrastructure, and threats of eviction. By analyzing how residents adapt to water-related issues, such as flooding, drainage, and pollution, the research reveals how these informal practices reflect broader tensions between ecological preservation and urban growth. Focusing on the urban edge highlights the city’s margins as active spaces of transformation, where social, environmental, and spatial dynamics converge, offering lessons for more inclusive and sustainable urban planning.