Bairro Maria Vitorina

The project starts from this dual condition. On the one hand, the ilha is a fragile residential environment that often struggles to meet contemporary expectations of comfort and long-term use. On the other hand, its spatial economy supports a social proximity that many conventional housing models fail to produce. The proposal, therefore treats the site not simply as a set of units to be updated, but as a collective living structure whose underlying relationships are worth retaining.

MASSLAB’s intervention reworks the former ilha into a contemporary housing complex while preserving the neighbourhood’s communal character. The strategy concentrates on shared spaces as a way to sustain sociability without turning it into a theme. New communal areas are introduced to support informal encounters and everyday routines, reinforcing the role of thresholds, courtyards, and collective spaces as the social infrastructure of the project.