|Digital Matter

|Rocinha-Cantha

Chitosan as the future of water filtration system

|Team

Amandeep Sasan, Jose Levy Rodriguez Suarez, Ziyad Wassef Abdelkader Youssef 

|Faculty

Areti Markopoulou, David Andres Leon, Raimund Krenmueller, Nikol Kirova

|Project year

2021-22

The project Rocinha-Cantha emerges as a response to the pressing global issue of informal settlements and slum living conditions, particularly focusing on Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro’s largest and oldest favela. With approximately 1.3 billion people residing in informal settlements worldwide, the United Nations’ call for inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable urban settlements echoes the urgency to address these challenges. Rocinha-Canta aims to delve into the complexities of this context by investigating living conditions, waste management, and cultural aspects within Rocinha, proposing innovative design interventions using upcycled materials to enhance the community’s living standards.

Rocinha-Cantha will look at how material performance through waste compounds enhances the execution of building techniques in the constant urban expansion of slums in aim for a circular material approach.

Rocinha-Canta focuses on assessing Rocinha’s living conditions, waste management, and culture. It aims to repurpose prevalent waste materials—plastic, paper, and organics—into innovative solutions like plastic blocks, roof tiles, and organic waste-based food. By integrating computational design, the project seeks to optimize these materials for sustainable construction, empowering the community and addressing challenges in slum urban expansion for resilient, inclusive housing solutions in Rocinha and comparable settlements.

The computational analysis involves selecting target urban zones and conducting CFD wind analyses to identify optimal solutions for each wall within these zones. Radiation analysis is also carried out to draw conclusions for the design optimization of the targeted walls. The proposed walls have specific objectives: regulating humidity through efficient ventilation, enabling airflow, and reducing heat while maintaining the aesthetics of the Favelas. This approach combines technical precision with a dedication to preserving the cultural and architectural essence of these communities.

 

The Rocinha-Cantha project experimented with new materials and advanced methods tailored to the challenging context. These experiments involved mold manufacturing, plastic melting, and customization of wall parameters in response to local humidity and radiation conditions. Community involvement mirrored the collaborative spirit found in favela construction practices. The outcome revolutionized recycled plastic manufacturing, simplifying the process to make it accessible for anyone using household plastic waste and an oven. This innovation holds potential for enhancing building techniques and improving overall quality of life through community-driven efforts.

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