(senior year design and thesis)

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This essay analyzes, firstly, the theme of shared housing and its importance whithin the life of a college student. It also investigates the demographic and geographic appropriation of the center of a city block by the public, allowing the city to transform into an inviting and collaborative space that welcomes those students into the heart of a metropolitan city.

The object of study presented as a result to the research process is a Student Housing building, containing a variation of 18 different type of shared and individual apartment units for college students. The complex also features a ground level filled with services, restaurants and stores that support student lives, and a park/plaza that connects all four streets surrounding the block to ensure the safety of pedestrians.

The reason why Vila Buarque's neighborhood was chosen as the location for this project is because it is located in the central area of São Paulo, amidst a variety of urban equipments, shops, services, as well as a wide and extensive net of public transportation, such as subways, bus stops and bicycle paths. Another important aspect that supported the selection of this area was the closeness to the main Universities and Higher Education Institutions.
The objective of the thesis was to analyze the ability of adding value to the existing architecture, while rebuilding to bring more interest to an area that has already been throught a process of transformation and adaptation to new users and their needs over the years. The thesis also aims to reflect on the perspective of shared spaces versus common spaces, public and private, and how architecture can influence student lives, especially if it interprets the multi cultural, religious, societal backgrounds of the many students that compose our Academic hubs accross the country.

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