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Natural City Parauapebas

Type:
Strategic Masterplan, Urban Design

Year:
2014

Location:
Parauapebas, Brazil

Team:
MAS Urban Design, ETH Zurich
Andreas Boden & Fernanda Tellez Velasco

The city of Parauapebas has the highest growth rate in Brazil. Every year, about 30,000 people move to the city from the countryside, attracted by the economic boom developed around the iron ore mine.
This enormous growth results in the implementation of large scale social housing programs with two main concerns: to build fast and for many people.
The MAS program conceptualized a strategic masterplan for the city in close collaboration with the Vale Foundation and the municipality of Parauapebas. Based on the strategic aspects of the masterplan, alternative housing typologies and exemplar plans for neighbourhoods were developed.









Carajas Mine









Existing Minha Casa Minha Vida Housing








Modified prototype enables further growth while keeping interior space







Proposed Prototype