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- Costa Rica[siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget]Background and Key Principles Costa Rica is a relatively well-off Latin American country: 98% of the country’s five million inhabitants have access to improved drinking water, and GDP per capita comes in at $17,000 per year.1 The majority of the country’s population has been urbanized since 1990.2 Nonetheless, this country still has its share of housing challenges. Recent economic crises have hurt households across the country, and housing instability has risen as a result. Around 30% of households live in poor conditions and illegal settlements.3 Fundación Promotora de Vivienda (FUPROVI), the Foundation for Housing Promotion, was founded in 1987. At this point, Costa Rica had a total accumulated deficit of housing units of 26%.4 It focuses on assisting the organization and construction of housing for low-income families in urban areas, and has evolved to incorporate community development into its mission. FUPROVI has facilitated the production of over 15,000 housing units, and is currently producing around 1,000 units per year.5 Importantly, it develops this housing in line with three primary objectives: Promoting the development of housing through assisted self-help construction and mutual aid, Promoting the improvement of low-income families’ economic conditions by increasing their ability to generate income, and, Bringing…
- El Salvador
- Uruguay
- Venezuela
The Projects
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  - Alexios Jafet
  - Condomínio Vila Patrimonial
  - Edifício Dandara[siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Button_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Button_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Button_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Slider_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget]The Process Design method with coordination: project discussion meetings / workshops. Preparation and approval bodies: The Workshops and Assemblies that are open and focused to all demand. Issues raised by families: difficulties in the face of the limitations of Retrofit [siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Video_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget] “It’s all women, all the work and coordination.” CONNECT WITH US | twitter | facebook |
  - Condomínio Marisa Letícia
  - Mutirões Florestan Fernandes e José Maria Amaral[siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Button_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Button_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Button_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Slider_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget]The Process Design method with coordination: the first discussions were with the coordination of the association, from the indication of land and the discussion of measured possibilities. Proposals were taken to the assembly and returned to the coordination. Support material: plans, presentations and models. Project method with families: from suggestions from the coordinators, the AT presentations, 3D images of the project and models to illustrate the proposal in assembly. So the technicians return with ideas and when there is consensus, families decide the final proposal. Task Force: each family participates with 2 working days monthly, in low-specialized tasks and that do not involve work at height, until the closing of the buildings. In addition, the surveillance of the land and the work is done by the families themselves in rotation. [siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Video_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget][siteorigin_widget class="SiteOrigin_Widget_Headline_Widget"][/siteorigin_widget] “It’s all women, all the work and coordination.” CONNECT WITH US | twitter | facebook |
  - Mutirões Dorothy Stang, Jerônimo Alves e Martin Luther King
  - Projeto Barra do Jacaré
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Mutirões Florestan Fernandes e José Maria Amaral

Mutirões Florestan Fernandes e José Maria Amaral are currently under construction. The proximity of these autogestão projects to adjacent city and state-owned housing, which were developed by the for-profit market, highlight the vast disparities in quality of construction. The autogestão projects are bigger, made from more sustainable and longlasting materials, and designed to fit the needs and desires of residents. This project in particular is noteworthy for its far-reaching accessibility design: in order to integrate accessibility into the design as opposed to creating separate access for residents who need it, a winding path weaves between the buildings. Once completed, the project will boast 396 units total.

Design Method with Coordination: The first discussions were with the coordination of the association, from the identification of land and the discussion of design possibilities. Proposals were taken to the assembly and returned to the coordinating committee. Support materials included plans, presentations, and models.

Project Method with Families: Decisions are based on suggestions from the coordinators, the TA presentations, 3D images of the project, and models to illustrate the proposal in assembly. The technical advisors returned with ideas and when there was consensus, families decided on the final proposal.

Mutual Aid: Each family participates for 2 working days per month, performing mildly specialized tasks that do not involve working at great heights, until the closing of the buildings. In addition, the surveillance of the land and the work itself is done by the families themselves in rotation.