Studies on the physical rearrangement of spontaneous urban settlements: the Guarapiranga Program in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo

Abstract

This paper presents the results of a research study on the on the physical rearrangement of spontaneous urban settlements that are characterized by precariousness in different respects: social, urban, economic and sanitary. This study focused on basic sanitation aspects through the investigation of recent rearrangement experiences in the Metropolitan Region of São Paulo, particularly in environmental recovery areas. An evaluation of the design and construction processes for those rearrangements were carried out as well as field observations on the settlements. The results indicate the need to enlarge and make flexible the design technical guidelines in order to make it possible the development of broader alternative solutions and more appropriate technologies, with the aim of making the built environment more durable and sustainable, which is very important in environmental fragile areas.