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Center for Community Development

Federico Cairoli

A place for nurturing social cohesion.


In a poverty-stricken context, where marginalization and exclusion prevail, a public building is of vital importance to turn social, urban and political instability into cohesion. The Center for Community Development was designed by OCA+BONINI and was built with this purpose. The short film by Federico Cairoli introduces the project by showing its simple volume, its rough and irregular surfaces, and its seemingly unfinished appearance.

The local community itself was involved in the construction of the Center for Community Development. By participating in the making, people learned new techniques of self-construction they can apply also to their daily needs. It was also an occasion for all involved to take confidence with the place, born from their own hands. This fostered a sense of appropriation.

The Center became an icon to create a social identity for the community. Children and adults almost use the space in the same way, mainly by chatting under the porch or by playing outside in the open space nearby. The building is more like a shelter than a space with a functional program, but this is right what people need for nurturing social cohesion.

Credits

Architect: OCA, Bonini
Mentioned project: Centro de Desarollo Social
Project location: Luque, Paraguay

Paraguay 2015
Duration: 3'08''