The Revitalization of this fishermen village and ferry boat station, located in Caioba, Parana (South of Brazil), was created with the intent to preserve this indigenous community and to minimize the seaside “exodus” by attracting and anchoring new business opportunities through a guided development.
Located between two wealthy cities comprised mainly by Vacation Condos, Caioba and Guaratuba, this Fisherman Community has been seriously compromised by vehicle invasion. While the middle/ high–class driver waits comfortably for its turn on the ferry- boat, he witnesses a procession of bare-foot kids, young and older fishermen selling all sorts of goods and food in an attempt to survive.
The project proposes comprising two conflicting activities together (fishing and mass transportation), turning these bipolar forces into a one self-sustained integrated complex. The bridging element here is an open- space plaza that serves as a multi-purpose space for commerce, shows, art festivals, farmer markets, etc...connecting the urban visitor to the local nucleon.
While on one side of the complex, a Fishermen Cooperative organizes the fishing activity providing the fisherman the ability to sequentially process all fishing goods straight “from the sea to the truck” (including cleaning, packaging, storage and sales), on the other side of the complex the Ferry Boat Station, now with a rotational system that allows the stacking of vehicles accordingly, providing the driver the opportunity to leave the car and experience the spaces.
A program sponsored by the cooperative allows the relocation of existing shacks as well as the settlement of new low-income fisherman houses guiding an organized development along the coast.
A bridge over passing the lots for stacking vehicles allows two different traffic flows, local and itinerant, without conflicting crossing of these two activities.
Mass transportation provided by sea and land, ensures access and encourages use of buses in lieu of cars.