2022 portfolio worksselected architect / urban planner maria victoria mourelle
contents4 about me 6 curriculum vitae 8 professional works 2016-2022 32 academic projects 2011-2016 50 photography 2012-2019 68 research projects 20203
4 architect / urban planner maria victoria mourelle born: october 7th, 1992, Buenos Aires adress: 44 rue des Pyrénées, Paris, 75020, France. +33 07 58 50 57 77 Skype : vicky.mou LinkedIn : mv.mourelle@gmail.com/mvmourelle
5 about me hello!
I was born in Buenos Aires, Argentina, in October 1992 and it was in that amazing city where where I grew up. I am an architect graduated from the University of Buenos Aires and currently living in Paris, where I did a master on urban studies and public policy at the Ecole d’Urbanisme de IParis.am interested in research on spatial justice and I work on the articulation between the informal and the formal city... If it even exists as such. In my spare time, photography is my means of expression and whenever I can I go out with my camera to save as many memories as possible. As an architect and urban planner, I look forward to creating an environment focused on projects of public interest and social impact in order to make a concrete contribution to society. I seek to develop integration and urban design strategies to address the complex problems facing urban planning, always focusing on the most vulnerable.
apr 2011 mar 2017 languaje skills C1native(professional) B2 (advanced)frenchenglishspanish software skills + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Adobe Illustrator Adobe Lightroom Adobe Photoshop Adobe AutoCADArcGis/QGisInDesign + + + + + + + + + + + + + + + Microsoft Excel Microsoft Project SketchupRevit + Vray Adobe Premiere research seminars and courses development and planning in african cities. UCL + SLURC (online)feb 2021 Course on gender issues - UBA (online)mar 2020 interests - Photography - Cultural events - Cinema - Participative projects - Cooking - Spatial Justice Social Public Management (60 hr) – FADU, UBAdec 2017 Building on-site organization and practice (120 hr) - FADU, UBAdec 2016
Architect - assistant teacher in University course – Urban Planning - Professor Enrique García Espil. FADU, UBA. (Mar 2019 - Sep 2019) Internship “Social Furniture”. Proyecto Habitar + Ministerio de ciencia y Tecnología de la Nación. (2016) - research Internship “Management strategies for the recovery of degraded urban areas. Towards new paradigms of habitability policies and the right to the City”. Professor. Rodolfo Macera. FADU, UBA (2015) - assistant teacher in University course – Architectural History – Professor Guillermo Rodríguez. FADU, UBA.(Mar 2016 - Mar 2018)
Facultad de Arquitectura diseño y urbanismo - Universidad de Buenos Aires
research
6 academic + works curriculum vitae education Ecole d’urbanisme de Paris - Université Gustave Eiffel Msc. Urban Regeneration & City Planning in Europe - professional Internship: Actes et cités Association (may 2020 - 6 months) sep 2019 aug 2021
oct 2014 oct 2018
mar 2018 sep
jul 2017 sep 2019
may 2020 jan
today
aug 2019
oct 2021 aug 2022
nov 2017 aug 2018
freelance architect - Design and Execution Planning Phase for family homes and smal offices inclusive spaces workshop - Gender perspective as a starting point open house buenos Aires festival - volunteer architecture workshop for kids - Instituto de la Vivienda de la Ciudad + Banco de trabajo asociation atelier silohuete urbaine urban planner - creation of thematic maps in GIS - design of urban design diagnostics and development of scenarios - organization of participatory workshops, terrain surveys, and urban walks with elected officials and residents urbanSATHYproject manager - design of urban design diagnostics and development of ZACs - organization of participatory workshops, terrain surveys and activities -
aug 2022
7 professional Experience
2015 mar 2018
AIR architectures / actes et cités project assistant - urban development projects and improvement of informal settlements in Mayotte - assistance in the risk reduction operation in Mayotte - data analysis and creation of GIS maps based on on-site surveys - realization of documentation for architectural competitions 2021 instituto de vivienda de la ciudad de Buenos Aires slum upgrading project architect - technical team in re-urbanization and slum upgrading project “villa 20” - on-site survey of the neighborhood and creation of new types of plots for the integration of the slums and settlements to formal cities - project for improvement of single-family homes in poor living conditions - organization of participative town planning workshops with neighbors - GIS thematic maps and data analysis 2019 aires resourcerenewablesanalys - selection of strategic sites to develop wind and solar projects - reporting, certifications, site visits - autoCAD technical drawing - administrative tasks in general feb personal projects
professionalworks2017-.....2022
This section shows some of the works carried out during my first years as a professional. Always pursuing a personal interest in directing my professional career towards the design and planning of policies that improve public spaces, guarantee collective wellbeing and contribute positively to the environment in which people develop. I am passionate about how architecture can contribute ideas for rethinking public spaces, while taking into account multiple pre-existing constraints. I experienced this from a technical point of view. But I have had a socio-political approach to these issues, as I worked for a public institution in Buenos Aires and an association in Paris dedicated to guarantee the right to the city. There, I developed projects for the recovery of degraded neighbourhoods by carrying out on-site diagnoses and applying participatory design. I have experience in teaching and in hosting workshops where I have managed to develop the interaction between architecture and design in the context of social sciences, 2017-2022 professional works
In order to complete my studies in the framework of the Master’s degree program of Social Science in Urban Regeneration & City Planning in Europe, from the École d’Urbanisme de Paris, I did my professional practices in the association “Actes & Cités” created by the architect Cyrille Hanappe. This association actively works together with the agency AIR Architectures both with a focus on the human and social dimension of architecture and urbanism projects. The most important project was a riskreduction operation in Mayotte, a French overseas department. We worked on two neighbourhoods in the commune of Mamoudzou that struggle a huge complexity for urban planning, they face problems of natural risks, intense migrations, and urban Myinformality.main tasks within the project of improvement of degraded neighborhoods were planning from micro urban interventions through furniture and equipment; the design of roads and infrastructure, the conception of public scale meeting spaces to the architecture of small facilities and housing units. Also, data analysis, the creation of GIS cartography based on social surveys and urban diagnostics on site.
Mamoudzou - Mayotte, France, 2020
10
risk reduction operation
11 potentialities mapping generated from field data GIS diagnostic mapping generated from field data © Actes et Cités
12 handdraw field survey elevation plans of a dwelling © Actes et Cités
13 survey analysis © Actes et Cités the vulnerability index vulnerability index comparison © Actes et Citéshanddraw field survey plans of a dwellings © Actes et Cités
Thue et Mue - Normandy, France, 2021 evolution history of the site © Atelier Silhouette Urbaine
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Development of a new residential district in the historic centre of Bretteville l’Orgueilleuse. Based on a detailed site diagnosis, a market study, and an exhaustive work with the inhabitants and elected officials of the city, we have elaborated different scenarios that define the development possibilities of a housing project adapted to the needs of the city.
The main objective of this project was to rebuild the essence of the historic centre, enhancing the existing patrimony and restoring the attractiveness of this city in constant demographic growth. This new neighbourhood contemplates local commerces, intergenerational housing, soft mobility development and an integration of the surrounding green heritage.
development of a new district
15 first development scenario 3,5 ha © Atelier Silhouette Urbaine analysis of the morphology of the site according to its urban fabric © Atelier Silhouette Urbaine
16 I worked as an architect for a public body in the City of Buenos Aires focused on urban regeneration. I was part of the redevelopment team of “Villa 20” (Neighbourhood 20), a well-known settlement in the city’s southern district where its 30,000 residents have unsatisfied basic needs. There, we assess the state of the houses in order to propose improvements. Furthermore, we consider the configuration of new types of blocks for the proper integration of the neighbourhood of the city, and we conduct workshops about collaborative and participative design with the inhabitants. It is essential to emphasize that the soul of this project was the residents’ participation in every decision. To achieve this I worked in an interdisciplinary group with sociologists, anthropologists, and social workers that provide the necessary support for the residents throughout the slum upgrading process. villa 20 - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2018-2019 slum upgrading project
17 slum upgrading project for a group of 250 houses © IVC, 2019
18 noli map of project © IVC, 2019 noli map of previous state © IVC, 2019 schema of lot conformation
19 services and infrastucture © IVC, 2018 plot conformation © IVC, 2018 houses to be demolished © IVC, 2018
Participation and awarded with a jury mention in the architectural design challenge with an interdisciplinary team. The competition challenged the participants to submit an innovative design proposal for a girls’ development center to welcome girls from Nepalese municipalities, spreading knowledge to support rural areas and above all provide a safe environment for deeply vulnerable women. Our project mixes comfort and respect of the environment in order to best welcome not only the teenagers from the program but also people from the surrounding communities. It has been designed considering the practicality of each space using local materials. Therefore, the structure is meant to become a safety shelter for the surrounding inhabitants in times of natural disaster.
20 Prithvi Nagar - Devachuli, Nepal, 2021 her place, building trust
21 site plan © L. Dubert, A. J. Yarza Perez, M. Chapey, L. Lepigeon & V. Mourelle, 2021
22 section © L. Dubert, A. J. Yarza Perez, M. Chapey, L. Lepigeon & V. Mourelle, 2021 axonometric plan of the complex © L. Dubert, A. J. Yarza Perez, M. Chapey, L. Lepigeon & V. Mourelle, 2021
23 exterior collage © L. Dubert, A. J. Yarza Perez, M. Chapey, L. Lepigeon & V. Mourelle, 2021
24 Témperley - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2020
Participation in the competition of ideas for the “Common Cities” project of the IDB program Cities in Context COVID-19. It was requested to look for alternatives for the new normality, rethinking public spaces. Our project took up the experience of ALDO VAN EYCK’s PLAYGROUNDS.
Considering this, we attempt to create a temporary occupation of residual spaces next to the train to transform them into vital and meeting places on a small scale. It turns a limit into a link through the incorporation of a few elements. A series of collaborative design workshops were proposed so that the local residents themselves can propose what uses to give to the structures. ciudades comunes
wavy bench design © S. Candrea & V. Mourelle, 2021
25 location © S. Candrea & V. Mourelle, 2021 location © S. Candrea & V. Mourelle, 2021 site plan © S. Candrea & V. Mourelle, 2021 role play area © S. Candrea & V. Mourelle, 2021easy cubes © S. Candrea & V. Mourelle, 2021
University of Buenos Aires - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2019 inclusive spaces workshop
26 event promo poster
Gender perspective does not strive to transform urban theories, but rather to vindicate the place of all differences as the essential subjects in the social relations and practices that take place in the city. It is concerned with equal opportunities in the planning of urban activity, as well as the promotion of inclusion, taking into account access to and use of spaces, infrastructures and facilities.
The workshop for the Bienal of Architecture of the University of Buenos Aires organized with two colleagues. The main idea was to make young students think inclusive spaces from the gender perspective. We proposed a set of activities to approach these concepts and then analyze our own context by imagining a more just and inclusive city.
27 mapping collage - daily routines brainstorming about gender, inclusion and the city group mapping
Organization and setting up of an architecture workshop for kids during summer holidays with a local association (Banco de Trabajo). The idea was to work with kids from humble areas that should be relocated to new urban houses built by the government. The children learned through games and activities concepts about the city and living in community. For three months we organised playful activities with the children so that they could approach public space from a different perspective. The end of the workshop consisted of experimenting the construction of an intervention in the public space. For this we collected a lot of recycled materials to build a shelter. We got everyone to work as a team and then take it over through play.Villa architecture workshop for kids
28 drawing and collage tecniques
20 - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2017
29 the spiderweb shelter colouring the city - daily routes spiderweb shelter roof construction
30 architectural plans for a single family home Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2017-2019 freelance architect
I worked at the design and operational stage for refurbishments as a freelance architect - Aires office (2017) Design and Execution Planning Phase for a 150m2 Offices loft renovation in Buenos Aires - GB Abogados (2018) Design and Execution Planning Phase for a 120m2 Office renovation in Buenos Aires - Blanco Encalada (2018) Design and Execution Planning Phase for a 60m2 apartment renovation in Buenos Aires - Guardia Vieja (2019) Prefeasibility and Preliminary Project for a whole 200m2 family historical house in Buenos Aires
31 survey sketches and floor plans redrawn using revit sections for a multifamily huouse using revit
academicprojects2011-.....2016
This section will show a selection of works completed during my full training as an architect at the University of Buenos Aires. These works cover all possible scales of design. Starting with a macro urban level through the planning guidelines for an area starting from a diagnosis and culminating with the design of buildings and programs that match that scale. Then on a more architectural scale, the design of socially sustainable buildings that put the user at the centre of the question by promoting local industry and the working class without losing the link with its context.
Finally, in a smaller scale, a work showing in detail different manual techniques for the development of spaces and design objects. projects
2011-2017 academic
34 analysis different scales infrastructures © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016 infrastructure and scales San Martín - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2016
35 different types of infrastructures classified by scale © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016
diagram of actors © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016
Complete social-urban analysis from San Martin area. The project consisted in the renew of the railway area and proposal of new cultural buildings to improve damaged areas of the city.
36 first intentions for the public space © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016 San Martín - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2016 temporary occupancy halle
37 Temporary occupancy project for the reuse of a disused railroad warehouse. The aim is to conclude the urban path with a sports center open to the community. section b-b’ © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016 section a-a’ © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016 masterplan axo © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016 location of future interventions © G. Guillén & V. Mourelle, 2016
38 main explanade view San Martín - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2016 the worker’s power pavillion
39 main section the worker’s halle
A final academic project based on the urban plan in San Martín, Buenos Aires. The project consisted in a new technology cluster to impose new national industries and to bring new opportunities for local people, and shops. diagram
access
40 photo description
41 photo description
42 front view perspective cmd exposition center Barracas - Buenos Aires, Argentina, 2014
Regarding the project materialization, the main section is used to explain the special constructive technique of steel and glass that was made specially for this place. The idea was to recreate the former sheds and factories aesthetics in the area. ground floor plan
43 main section Cultural center project in Barracas, Buenos Aires using steel and glass. The idea was to recreate open spaces and flexible floors. Detailed constructed section of the Cultural center project in Barracas, Buenos Aires.
44 spontaneous hand drawings
Drawing techniques, experimentation and creation of an utopic architectural landscape, using manual and digital collage. The final work was a manual collage made with cutouts of works by the architect Clorindo Testa as a tribute.
45 architectural collage technique non looking portraits
46 University of Buenos Aires, 2012 geo representation systems digitalized pop up paper piece
47 piece transformation color transformations Morphological experimentation from models and geometric representation in order to create living spaces. piece plans and elevations
48 positions and multiple uses calalog © N. Yudchack & V. Mourelle, 2011 University of Buenos Aires, 2011 the zero waste chair
2011
©
A prototype of a chair made of recycled cardboard. For its execution, we used discarded materials for everyday use at our university, such as the cardboard from models, and plotter tubes. By folding and assembling it was not necessary to use any kind of glue or mechanical fixation. The chair folds and unfolds to form 5 different positions and supports approximately 80 kg. folded chair N. Yudchack & V. Mourelle,
49 extended chair © N. Yudchack & V. Mourelle, 2011 constructin phases © N. Yudchack & V. Mourelle, 2011
photography2012-2019city&live
Also, I made my first incursions in fashion photography, photoproduct and editorials. Currently I focus on doing editorial work more related to urban and community life.
2012-2019 city & live photography
During my studies I actively collaborated with a digital magazine dedicated to cover the independent scene in Buenos Aires. This not only allowed me to get to know new sounds but also to get involved in the organization of exhibitions and cultural events of all kinds in order to promote independent culture. Also it gave me tha chance to work with very important internatinal groups and work in big festivals.
52 photo description
53 live concerts
54 photo Ratatatdescription-NicetoClub
55 photo description
56 photo descriptionWild Nothing - Niceto Club
57 photo description
58 photo Spiritualizeddescription-Vorterix Theater
59 photo Warpaintdescription-Niceto Club
60 photo EdwarddescriptionSharpe& The Magnetic Fields - Music Wins Festival
61 photo description festivals
62 photo FestivaldescriptionAhora-CC Konex Festival Ahora - CC Konex
63 photo FestivaldescriptionNuestro- Tecnópolis Festival Ahora - CC Konex
64 photo descriptionNathy Peluso - Festival Nuestro
65
66 photo descriptionUrban informality - Mayotte
67 Urban informality - Mayotte
research2020-projects
Finally, in this section introduces some of the issues that I am interested in researching. My field of study is related to urban and spatial justice applied to the informal context. This path began as being part of research groups in inclusive cities in the university of Buenos Aires and has continued in Paris at the Ecole d’urbanisme de Paris, where I was able to enter the world of planning policies by analysing different actors and scales of intervention. In this case, three extracts of papers are presented that seek to help understand the universe of the informal, financial bubbles and largescale interventions in global cities. projects
2020research
In this context of tensions, informal neighbourhoods and settlements are developing at a hectic pace. Situated on the edge of what we usually call “formal” city, these urban agglomerations appear on land that has been ignored by the governments for years. This happens mainly for one reason, they are in most cases unsuitable for construction: high and unstable slopes, ravine bottoms, polluted riverbanks, etc. These territories are the place of exclusion for the vulnerable population and illegal immigrants who do not have access to the formal city. In Mayotte, French overseas department, this type of city based on informal auto construction has become the main form of production of urban space. After years of denial of the right to proper housing, in 2011, with the changing of status to “department”, the state has committed itself to continue and reinforce its development according to the French model, with its regulations, and the standards of the
“(the informal) a system of norms that governs the process of itself“transformationurbanAnanyaRoy,2005
70
Over the past few decades, rapid urbanisation and infrastructure provision have played a significant role around the globe. Cities are now home to more than half of the world’s population, and this number is increasing (ONU, 2015). In such circumstances, cities are the focus of numerous research, and informality is a fundamental aspect of comprehending how cities are developed today.
71 informality:Urban regularisationaChallenging policyEuropeanthoughdeficit
metropolis. But these standards are not easy to achieve if the context in which they are applied is not considered. Mayotte is one of the most vulnerable sectors in France, not only exposed to multiple natural risks, but also a goes through a deep social crisis. In this sense, is it possible that these regulations contribute to reinforce and create new vulnerabilities in already fragile ThisDualpopulations?cityarcticleoffers to deepen the knowledge on what the “informal” is and how it is created while questioning their binary understanding of the formal-informal duality. To answer one of the questions whether it is possible or not to regulate
72 the informal is fundamental to understand what does informal mean in the context of the urban in order to push policy makers to recognise its fundamental contribution in the development of cities. When talking about urban informality, many negative concepts are used to describe it. Being “slums” or “shantytowns” one of the most used to describe irregular, unhealthy, precarious, spontaneous, illegal, and substandard settlements. The term “slum” usually has pejorative connotations and thus its use can imply that a settlement needs replacement or can legitimise the eviction of its residents (Rigon, 2020). In some cases, some networks of informal neighbourhood organizations choose to identify themselves with a positive use of the term “slum” aiming to neutralize this negative connotation by re-appropriating the term. Arguing that this reinforces the identity as collective. This diversity of terms expresses the wide variety of their forms and its complexity but also it implies the difficulty of defining them. To qualify slums, UN-Habitat (UN-Habitat, 2003). gives a definition based on 5 criteria: - Insufficient access to safe water - Inadequate access to basic services such as sanitation and infrastructure - Poor structural quality of housing - Overcrowding, when more than three people sleeping per room - Insecure residential status when tenures are no protected against eviction. This definition characterises these kind of neighbourhoods based on their deficiencies and weaknesses in relation to a reference model which is the “formal” city. It does not take into consideration their emergence and transformation dynamics and history nor the relations they have with the “formal” city or how it contributes to the development of cities. Although incomplete, this characterisation is now used as an international reference.
Rigon, et al. (2020) on its article titled “Beyond formal and informal: Understanding urban informalities from Freetown” challenge and complicate five key ideas about informality that are still dominant in policy circles. The universal understanding that slums are unsafe or unhealthy places based five key ideas: - Informal activities are not rule based. - The informal is distinct from the formal. - Informality belongs to the poor. - Informal activities are local, and mostly located in informal areas of the city. - Changes to the informal sector only affects the wellbeing of those working in it.
73 Mayotte, France, 2020
In Mayotte, informality shapes the value chain of all urban activities and services.
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All these statements imply a dual formal vs. informal understanding where informality is conceptualised as strictly distinct from “formal”. This leads to the assumption that formality is the norm and informality the exception that needs to be fixed and corrected. But the question is how it is addressed when social practices linked to informality, such as access to land or the local economy, are the dominant norm in a territory. Also, looking closely at this definition, it demonstrates that “informality” is not just a phenomenon of the poor. The authors also argue for the need to consider informality beyond the dominant image of slums or precarious work in the global South, and to explore its forms in other spheres. What is labelled informal is intrinsically linked to what is labelled formal. Moreover, the “informal” has key characteristics of the formal and vice versa, as the formal often escapes or tries to evade the multiple regulations of the State but is socially accepted by the vast majority in power. Or even ignores the fact that most of the activities and goods produced in the informal economy contribute to the global economy. A clear example of this are slum dwellers that manufacture products for global markets.
In this context and trying to define a slum in based on our observations in Mayotte, it could be said that first of all is fundamental to have a significant proportion of dwellings with insecure tenure status. Roads within the settlement are inaccessible for motor vehicles, slums tend to have high levels of “walkability”, which could be a potentiality. We also agree that in slums the quality of construction is weak. But this does not seem to be a necessary condition as we have observed very well-built houses or houses in “ strong “ materials such as concrete which also fit into all the above categories. Moreover, in many cases, simpler or more lightly constructed houses (wood or metal) tend to be more environmentally friendly, either because of the materials used or because of the construction techniques and their impact on the environment is much lower. Another important issue is that these houses are generally exposed to all kinds of natural hazards or have high sanitary vulnerabilities, which makes the semipermanent houses easier to intervene in. In Mayotte, due to its high temperatures, brick or concrete houses tend to have significant ventilation problems, which are not good for the health of their inhabitants.
Mayotte, France, 2020
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For example, in terms of transport, either due to the lack of infrastructure or the absence of public buses, people tend to use taxis or private cars outside the formal system. The same applies to the trade and production of regional products. As part of the French territory, Mayotte has many of the products sold in supermarkets regulated by the European Union. As a result, not all of them are well adapted to the consumption patterns of the Mahorais culture. Many families tend to consume products from smaller local shops or grow their own vegetables or even raise their own animals. It is also important to mention that this whole informal economy system provides an important economic movement for the development of the neighbourhoods. It is known that in many metropolis, slums provide the workforce and many employment opportunities. In addition, employees from the formal sector depend on this informal mode of consumption of transport and street food due to it is very introduced on their culture. Same applies to the construction industry. As in many cases access to land happens spontaneously or through the division of collective plots or sub-letting to third parties, the constructions are very precarious and, in most cases, selfbuilt or built with unskilled labour. It was even observed how a significant number of people are working in the so-called “formal” sector, but in an informal way. This means people employed as casual and undocumented labourers in a formal construction company, agricultural jobs, or people with very precarious job contracts in small shops.
bubble:theofburstThe asChinaofurbanizationthe
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China’s economic rise can be measured by a large number of new buildings. The old rural lands have been transformed into modern apartment towers. All this new real estate development pumped up China’s growth and helped drive the world’s economy. But it’s not for free, China is paying a heavy price for all this construction; the property boom has turned to bust and the sector that was once China’s engine for growth, has now left China with many ghost towns; whole new cities where few people live. To address this, we need to understand that cities receive just 40% of tax revenue but are responsible for 80% of their expenses. So, naturally, they need another source of income. In China, rural land is collectively owned (everyone, and also no-one, owns ofstabilizersprimarytheofone todaycapitalismglobal
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“the integration of financial markets have used their flexibility to debtfinance urban
Those developers who purchase that land, by the way, are required to use it, which leads to many, often quickly constructed, low-quality, houses. The irony, and what impacts us the most as future planners is that while cities like Beijing and Hong Kong have so little room, these millions of homes can’t find tenants. But these cities from scratch are also usually located outside city centres, where there aren’t any jobs or opportunities. The point is that for many, real estate isn’t just an opportunity, it’s a social necessity. Men (heteronormativity and marriage tradition related) are expected to own at least one property and also have a save a lot need to keep their savings. As you might know, China’s domestic stock market is just too risky, and its banks are often seen as unpredictable. This makes real estate a Chinese investor’s best choice. It is also important to remark, that property tax is 0%. When taxes are only paid upfront, why wouldn’t you buy as soon as possible, and just wait to resell? But, again the same story, when housing prices fall, so does city revenue. And, all those loans probably won’t
Davidarounddevelopmenttheworld.”Harvey,2008 it). So, the Central Government through a local Government Financial Vehicle (a state-owned company) gave Cities the power to rezone its areas; from rural to urban areas. With this simple action, they can sell those lands to developers at a much higher price. Eventually, cities start running out of land to sell and have no choice but to build more. Imagine that some cities are even blowing up the tops of mountains.
78 disappear. Beijing wants to avoid a housing crisis, but cities just want to survive... Meanwhile, cities continue taking loans and housing prices continue rising. The central government is aware of the bubble, the risks involved, and to try to solve this they had begun with some alternatives to fix a regulate a bit though a combination of slowing down lending, reining-in local governments, and introducing a property tax as they did in Shanghai. But the real problem is that real estate is so intertwined with its GDP, that any of these solutions would seriously risk slowing down China’s economy. Maybe we will see how in the coming decades, China does its best to carefully balance its enormous economic change by diversifying its revenue. As future planners, we should bear in mind the issues that cities are facing nowadays. With the growing influence of neoliberal policies and financialization of the market, the production of urban space has now become the most reliable way to accumulate capital. But most of the time, this money hoarding of the favoured has been done at the expense of the most vulnerable populations. Cases observed for now on enables us to make a few general statements about the functioning of the private housing market. First, the market itself cannot solve the population’s access to housing alone and call for regulation and parallel, often public, housing programmes. Second, urban regulations and the urbanistic code are not enough to balance the development of the city. Although they can participate in an efficient urban planning policy is the consequence of multiple actions and voluntaristic policy layers, both at a local and more global (national or federal) levels. The bubble burst also did also demonstrate collateral impacts from other spheres such as finance towards housing. Therefore, the balance of city developments relies on multiple sectors and Third,policies.thestate must provide access to the middle and popular classes to housing since the markets fail to address a more or less large part of their demand. It represents then a real stability vector for a city in case of economic crisis, by securing these populations in town with affordable rents. Finally, it seems that, in order to always align policies with the common good, actors should keep asking them this question: What kind of city do we want and for whom?
79 china’s ghost towns, 2020
“To distinguish the other cities’ qualities, I must speak of a first city that invisibleimplicit”remainsItaloCalvino,cities,1972
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City transformations are not only responsibility of urban planners and other habitat professionals, but they legitimize with their plans and projects the values of the city to intervene. In the name of globalization (ref. concept of entrepreneurial cityHARVEY 1989 - ; and global cities - SASSEN 1991 -) the competitiveness of the territory and cities is exalted, not only that, but this objective is achieved at the expense of legitimizing predatory actions, speculative operations, multiplication of enclaves, expulsion of vulnerable sectors from the qualified city and the precariousness of large sectors of the population. In this sense, the transformations of urban projects may not always be positive. The misuse of austerity and supposed “efficiency” ends up privatizing the collective services that we all need, or these are decapitalized and degraded. As a consequence, the rights conquered or promised by local authorities are deprived. (ref. concept of the Right to the city - LEFEVRE 1968-). Placing ourselves in the context of European cities, we could also refer to cities developed in a concentric way with a great reading of the urban landscape, where we find density and mixture (population, uses, activities, etc.). The European city could be seen as an opposition to neoliberal cities, which are the result of an alliance that, under “neutral and revitalizing” policies, faces weak politicians; global financiers; local actors who promote an urbanization whose engine is speculation; and professionals
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projectsurbanDo Europeantransform cities?
who legitimize non-planning. These cities usually exhibit ostentatious projects that prevent the sustainable development of the city. This creates a territory that generates inequality, a more atomized society based on economic speculation. Due to that, the responsibility of planners and politicians is to combat abuses of the global financial system mentioned before. In order to solve this, urban projects impact and transform cities in a positive way. These successful projects are based on regulating the public control of land in order to manage speculation; planning the city based on the compacity of what is built and the coexistence of social classes and urban activities; carrying out projects debated with social actors; prioritize positive actions
82 towards the most vulnerable groups; and create safe and multipurpose environments in public spaces. So, regarding this, largescale urban development projects take into action in many European cities. They are called “large scale” because of the size; the ambition; the amount of jobs needed; and mainly because of the complexity in their development (technical, financial, juridical). Always are based on urban renewal (land reclamation, functional change). They might be a combination of small scale projects and an umbrella project or Flagship, iconic buildings that are aimed to re structure for the city or the metropolitan areas in a Long-term. Large urban projects consist of large-scale urban renewal operations that produce at least three key modifications in the structure of the centrality of today’s metropolises: a modification in the profitability of land use; a functional and physical spatial modification of strategic central areas; and a modification of public management mechanisms. The specificities of large urban projects find their explanation in the process of globalization and economic, social and institutional restructuring that have marked cities in recent years. In this sense, these undertakings express and synthesize the changes that are taking place in the conditions of the production of central spaces, in the characteristics of the demand for such spaces, as well as in the modes of intervention of the state through its urban policies. There is a structural feature of large projects from the point of view of their articulation with the urban structure. With the decline of industrial areas in central locations or near to city centres in Europe. These strategies and plans of urban renewal, revitalisation and regeneration in decaying industrial cities and global cities sometimes led to an extraordinary increase in land profitability in strategic areas that become part of an international real estate market. This projects are situated in lands (public and/or private) located in strategic areas, with excellent accessibility, which have deteriorated due to the decline of the industrial uses and services they held. This new development are spaces for new forms of accumulation and consumption as we have seen in the last lecture of “convivial city”, where the meeting of people in many cases is based on generating a utility and reason for the occupation of public space through consumption. These projects can also be approached from the cultural issue through the contribution to physical, economic and social regeneration.
To sum up, large-scale interventions impact directly on European cities, most always have
83 large scale projects, canada square - london, 2019 positives effects but, during the last decades we had seen an effort in crating projects aimed to defeat neoliberal policies. This Projects as means for generating jobs and future growth and for waging a competitive struggle to attract investment capital but also for redistributing resources. Rely on a strong involvement from government sustained by national / European spatial policies and funding as a long-term process.
Nowadays, the main issues regarding the transformation of cities are related to “solidarity”, “civility”, “citizenship”. There is the idea that we share infrastructures, roads, building property. So, planners must find the way to ensure this though their projects. But, how can people feel this engagement in citizenship? Citizenship looks to embody the values of the society using public space as the solution. Also Creating conditions for the exercise of citizenship means making decent housing programs accessible and integrated into the city; promoting social mix; ensuring the quality of the environment and public space; facilitating mobility and the proximity of centralities. In his context, we must not forget about vulnerable sectors who are the ones that most need the city; to use public spaces in order to ensure coexistence and diversity.
name portfolio description portfolio year worksselected thank you! +330758505777 mv.mourelle@gmail.com / urban planner maria victoria mourelle