Jd. Colombo and the Project Fazendinhando
Inside Jd. Colombo, a community in the south zone of São Paulo with high social vulnerability, there is a wonderful project that I was able to follow a little: an old dump was transformed into a park – the Fazendinhando Park, headed up by the local resident and architect Ester Carro.
Ester Carro briefly tells us about the history of the place and the fight for collective appropriation of the space that, with much effort, has become an area of socializing and collective learning, especially for residents of Jd. Colombo.
Up next, video link made by Ester Carro to the 13th BIA:
Ester also showed us some photos of this transformation process: first, the initial mutual self-help construction groups:
And, later, the proposed project in 3D and some records of the current situation, after much struggle:
(Transcript of the video of Ester Carro – Jd. Colombo)
My name is Ester, I am president of Fazendinhando, an institute of territorial, cultural, and social transformation, and I am here to present to you one of the “nós” of the Biennale: Fazendinha, inside Jd. Colombo.
It was affectionately given this name, this nickname, by the locals, because about 16, 17 years ago it was like a little farm. Seu Chico loved, cared for, took care of, protected this area, one of the few free spaces in the community. There he cultivated, planted, raised animals, children would run from side to side. Families could also consume what was produced there.
But then, unfortunately, the scenario changed. Seu Chico became ill and no longer had physical conditions to take care of and continue with the activities in the farm. The space eventually became a secluded place, a dark spot, forgotten, becoming a large garbage dump, with venomous animals. People could no longer be and stay there, the health of the residents of the community were even harmed. It was a very delicate and complicated situation.
At the end of 2017, we began a mobilization. And by uniting, by joining hands inside and outside the community, inspired by the project of Parque Sitiê, in the favela of Vidigal, in Rio de Janeiro, we began to transform, to revitalize, to rescue the essence, the memories of that place. And, parallel to this, we also began to carry out recreational, educational, socio-environmental, cultural activities, in order to show the community that the space is theirs, that they need to be there, as well as preserve and take care of the farm.
Well, at this year’s International Architecture Biennale (2022), you will be able to follow this and so many other “nós” like us. In addition, you will follow our resistance, our fight and our resilience. And you will understand that it is possible, that we, together, can make it happen, that we can propose these changes as well. Well, that’s it, thank you very much! Follow us! Bye, bye!