São Cristóvão is a central neighborhood in Rio de Janeiro with a complex over-layering of history and with contemporary coexistence of contrasting urban realities. Taking advantages of the leftover spaces along the railways and weaving landscape and infrastructure, the proposed system aims to link the different adjacent urban elements. The design recovers the natural elements previously eroded by urbanization, extending the green structure within the city. Attending to the valley configuration of the site and recovering the former courses crossing the area, the water become the structuring element, particularly, the hard spine of public space.
Ana Beja da Costa, Barbara Roosen, Sabina Favaro / EMU – MaHS KULeuven / 2007
