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Belgium

Fifth episode of a mini series about Belgian contemporary architecture commissioned by Wallonie-Bruxelles Architecture in the framework of EUMiesAward 2022. Let’s discover Mexico, a social housing in Molenbeek designed by Vers.A Architecture.

Brazil

The project of improvement of the residential area of the favela in Brasilia is made in the form of a three-dimensional layout using the following materials. The project provides layouts of public toilets. They are painted with white, brown and pink acrylic paint. Next to the toilets, trees -birches, maples - are planted at a distance of 5-7 meters. These trees pull up to 200 liters of water out of the ground in 24 hours. This solution significantly reduces sewage waste water. Drinking taps should be provided on the streets of favelas.

Germany

The invasive reed plant typha, growing in large abundance at the Sénégal river, could be one of the most radical and innovative building materials in Africa. Because of his great insulation properties it is mixed into BTC's, compressed earth bricks. Architects, activists and entrepreneurs explore the possibilities of typha and the larger idea of plant supported architecture in this particular region.

Azerbaijan

The movie is about nature preservation and how human and animal habitats could co-exist together. In this area where the movie is filmed, people have free access to give a visit and be in touch with animals. The interviewer explains the importance of the preservation of animal species and nature. Baku is a very busy and noisy city. Sometimes people want to escape the chaos of the city, but unfortunately, there are not very well-designed parks or other places where people can be easily in contact with nature. The filmed site is one of the examples where people could visit and be in touch with nature. Although Baku does not have the best nature scene, other regions of Azerbaijan are covered with beautiful nature and green areas. However, another problem is about access to these places. Sometimes they charge unreasonable prices for entrance tickets, or you need to take a seat at a facility (cafe, restaurant, etc) around the place (which charges a lot) in order to have access to nature. Escaping the noise of a big city and finding peace in public natural places is every citizen’s right. Restrictions on access and lousy design (as well as location) of parks in Baku are other urban problems of many.

Germany

"Unlocking the inner child" portrays the everyday difficulties of Sophia, who, due to her ADHD diagnosis, sometimes has problems letting her energy run free in an urban environment. That's why she likes to come to the trampolines at the harbour to exercise between her work and other commitments. Here she can live out her inner child and feel free. Leah Meinhof directed, shot and edited the film. Sophia Livecchi tells her personal story.

USA

The world watched as Milwaukee residents struggled to express their right to vote when only 5 polling stations of 180 remained open to serve a population of over 600,000 in this COVID-19 pandemic. The locations that remained open were not accessible to all neighborhoods. This is what voter suppression looks like. Communities, especially those without reliable transportation, need polling stations to participate in our democracy. The Boys & Girls Clubs of Milwaukee identified a need and took action. Three club locations have already been approved to serve as polling stations and seek more prior to the November election. The clubs are trusted places for kids, parents, and the community. This civic gesture can be deployed in cities across the nation, and only takes the foresight to look at the current built environment and recognize the spaces already serving communities. Communities can use existing space to remove barriers and make it possible for everyone to vote.