Reference Centre for Babassu Coconut Harvesters
by Estúdio Flume
Sumauma, Maranhão, Brazil
Project details
Year
2024
Project year
2022
Land area
483 m²
project website
Location
Team credits
architects
- Estúdio Flume -
Noelia Monteiro,
Christian Teshirogi,
Marina Lickel.
contributing partners
Ana Lúcia Hizo,
Miguel Noleto Machado,
Maíra Acayaba,
Luara Oliveira.
commissioned by
Mandu inovação social
The Reference Centre for Babassu Coconut Harvesters is located in the Mata dos Cocais area of Sumauma village, in Vitória do Mearim, Maranhão, Brazil. It serves as a workspace for 40 women dedicated to the cultural traditions of coconut harvesting and food production.
The site posed challenges, particularly during the rainy season when transport relies on river access. To address this, the building features a large roof that acts as a protective canopy, providing shade and shelter.
The collaborative process of workshops and construction activities was meticulously coordinated, creating a reciprocal cycle influenced by the region’s strengths and limitations. The project utilized earth and certified wood as primary materials, and a double roofing system was implemented to enhance thermal comfort, natural lighting and protect the production of compressed earth blocks.
Enclosed spaces and strategic brick placement promote cross-ventilation, while courtyards encourage rest, interaction and community gatherings. These designs ensure visual and traffic permeability, allowing women to work while their children play nearby.
The Centre aims to strengthen local production, sustain communal living and encourage residents to remain in the area by fostering a sense of collective identity.
Studio Flume is committed to integrating architecture with positive socio-environmental impacts in alignment with the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals. Their approach emphasizes community engagement throughout the project lifecycle, from initial field mapping to final completion, prioritizing participatory processes that involve local residents in decision-making and design development.
The firm’s practice and academic research focus on developing socio-environmental projects that empower local communities through economic opportunities and income generation. They also aim to enhance the urban systems of small towns by studying their territory and geography to create more resilient structures.
The Brazilian Amazon faces significant challenges from forced migration and deforestation. The lack of opportunities in small Amazonian communities contributes to the growth of slums in major cities, while urban expansion results in the loss of fertile land due to increasing deforestation. In response to this reality, Studio Flume seeks to generate opportunities by fostering local development in small villages to combat poverty, ultimately improving the quality of life for residents with jobs situated close to their communities.
The prize money will be allocated for the design and development of panels for constructing gatherers’ homes, using natural fibres, particularly focusing on açaí seeds.
The plan involves researching a new material derived from local organic waste generated during açaí production for civil construction. In the current initiative in Belém do Pará, the team is collaborating with açaí gatherers to develop panels that utilize this non-timber forest resource, creating added value and enhancing local income.
- Information for the project text was provided by Estúdio Flume -
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Advisory Committee Statement
The ‘Reference Centre for Babassu Coconut Harvesters’ receives the award for Social Engagement for the exceptional way the cultural heritage of coconut production in connection to the local community has been preserved in this project. Next to the sustainable way of using local materials and skills, the project is also praised for the intangible capital it contains. The advisory committee was impressed by the way the collaborative process through which the traditional skills of the women is connected to the local economy and reinforces community local production.