A social project in the city of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, has taught low-income women how to renovate or extend their homes without the assistance of a professional. Created by the architect Carina Guedes, the project named Arquitetura na Periferia teaches how women can design their houses by themselves.

Image © Carina Guedes e Pedro Thiago

The idea was born from Carina's master's thesis in collaboration with her advisor and the research group MOM (Morar de Outras Maneiras). 

Through a process where the groups of women are presented to the practices/techniques of project design and planning, the provision of technical assistance for the improvement of housing is able to conduct the construction with autonomy and without waste.

Image © Bruno Figueiredo / Arquitetura na Periferia

In a country where the most economically vulnerable population sees self-construction as the only alternative, the results of this initiative do more than increasing the housing quality: the project changes how these women envision life by itself. 

According to an interview given to Catraca Livre, the participant Ana Paula affirms that her vision of the world has changed. "Today I look at things and people in a different way. For example, I look at people knowing that any of us can do anything we want".

Image © Bruno Figueiredo / Arquitetura na Periferia

Image © Bruno Figueiredo / Arquitetura na Periferia

Image © Bruno Figueiredo / Arquitetura na Periferia

Top image © Carina Guedes e Pedro Thiago

> via Catraca Livre & Arquitetura na Periferia