Reinventando práticas na América do Sul : os casos do Coletivo Escalar e da Fundación Oasis urbano entre 2010 e 2024

Abstract

This thesis investigates the work of urban architect collectives working in self-built neighborhoods in South America, focusing on the analysis of their methods, tools, and impacts, using the collectives Escalar (in Salvador, Brazil) and Fundación Oasis Urbano (in Medellín, Colombia) as case studies, covering the period from 2010 to 2024. The thesis is based on the principle that contemporary urban architect collectives combine architecture and urbanism in practices, methodologies, and tools that break with traditional models of professional practice. In Brazil, technical advisory services stand out for more explicitly linking their practices to political and territorial disputes. The research analyzes the historical, social, and urban contexts that influenced the emergence of these initiatives in Brazil and Colombia, bringing a historical perspective to the consolidation of the neoliberal model in Latin American cities. The collectives emerge as critical agents that work with popular territories, proposing alternatives to hegemonic practices and placing participation at the center of transformation. An analysis of the trajectory and activities of the two collectives, based on projects developed in Salvador and Medellín, reveals methodologies guided by listening, mediation, and collective construction. The research identifies similarities and differences between the experiences, pointing out both the transformative potential of collaborative practices and their limitations, such as incompatibility with institutional timelines, neoliberal appropriation of local initiatives, commodification of knowledge, and the fragility of community representation. Although these actions are closer to local dynamics and needs, they do not always produce structural or lasting changes, especially when absorbed by market logic. Thus, the thesis proposes a critical reflection on the paths and challenges of collective action in the construction of a more democratic city situated in the Latin American reality.