GLENN LOWRY: Curator Andres Lepik
ANDRES LEPIK: The Manguinhos complex is very close to the center of Rio. And it has many favelas inside. And it's completely disconnected from the city with urban transport. There's only one rail line that cuts this area completely in two halves. A street that goes along this rail line is also called the Gaza Strip of Rio because this is the area where the highest criminality is in Rio at the moment.
Jorge Jáuregui started with the project in talking to the community leaders in this area to ask them, what would they expect from a slum upgrading in this area.
GLENN LOWRY: Architect Jorge Mario Jáuregui, interviewed at his office in Rio de Janeiro.
JORGE MARIO JÁUREGUI: They said to me that the area was deprived of all you need to feel like a normal citizen in aspects related to education, health care, leisure and public spaces. A community representative said 'Aqui no tenemos nada' that means ‘one don't have anything here.’
ANDRES LEPIK: The idea was to create a public park as a central element for the favelas in this neighborhood. This could be created by elevating the train track and creating a public park underneath with walkways and bicycle path, sports facilities, kiosks where people can hang out and have drinks and also relax.
JORGE MARIO JAUREGUI: I hope that residents use this space 24 hours a day, ensuring security and using this place as a powerful public space full of people of all ages.
