Establishing Cultural Continuity through architecture in the Global South A case of SESC Pompeia by Lina Bo Bardi
Abstract What establishes a cultural association with a place? Is it the ability of the space to connect to customs of the past or its characteristic to keep evolving by continuously integrating itself into the lives of its users? Over the course of the establishment of societies, the concept of ‘culture’ has been quintessential. However, the need for an external push towards establishing continuity in that culture is predominantly seen after a period of decadence, fragmentation, or colonization, phenomena which were quite frequent in the global south in the past century In such a scenario, it is important to question whether architecture can play a role in establishing cultural continuity. The city of Sao Paulo, much like most cities in the global south is prosaic in nature. Characterized by a sharp economic divide between its citizens, it faces a challenge in retaining its roots from the past while catering to a diverse but polarized public realm. However, the city manages to respond to these issues of cultural continuity by the introduction of urban artifacts - one such being the SESC Pompeia. The SESC Pompeia, designed by Lina Bo Bardi revolutionizes the idea of culture by incorporating it within everyday life. The essay tries to map the journey of the project with regards to the strategies undertaken to deeply anchor the project into the culture of brazil while responding to the ever-changing lives of the people through the lenses of programmatic organization, circulation, and detailing. This essay attempts to argue the possibility of the reflection of cultural continuity in the built environment through the study of SESC Pompeia and tries to understand and analyze the various architectural strategies undertaken by the architect Lina Bo Bardi that enables the building to offer a common ground and a medium to reflect one’s culture onto the fabric of the otherwise prosaic city.
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Introduction Imagine yourself in the 1980s. Brazil is almost at the end of a 20-year military dictatorship, a regime that paralyzed the idea of its public realm, making attempts to oppress and homogenize its ethnically diverse population. The breach in the Brazilian culture influenced the masses to such a degree that the sense of belief in one’s customs and ideas has almost been forgotten. The city of Sao Paulo is now characterized by the precedence of socio-economic disparity within its inhabitants - causing impairment to its city life. This period has not only contributed to the architectural mediocrity but also oppressed the voices of the people to such an extent that even after they were removed from the shackles of the military rule, they found themselves unable to speak up. It is precisely at this moment that SESC Pompeia is born- a leisure centre in the heart of a working-class neighbourhood. It structures the idea of culture without necessarily prescribing it by integrating itself into the everyday lives of the people, giving its restrained public realm an opportunity to express themselves, giving the disconnected society a chance to reconnect again. This essay tries to map the journey of the project, SESC Pompeia with regards to the strategies undertaken to establish cultural continuity as an attempt to heal the broken public realm of Sao Paulo. It seems as though there are three primary strategies used to achieve this- Rejuvenation of the old by preserving life that is already present in the dilapidated drum factory and amplifying it , Making people see each other to make the users navigating through the factory aware of the diversity that the city offers and the use of Associations and Symbolism which have been incorporated in the detailing of the factory.
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Rejuvenation of the old The site chosen for this endeavour was the location of an old drum factory designed by François Hennebique. When architect Lina Bo Bardi arrived on site, she saw that sports and cultural activities were already being organised in the factory in an improvised manner by the people living in the neighbourhood. It was in order to preserve this life that Bo Bardi decided to retain the factory building and amplify the use by rejuvenating it. (Ferraz, 1970)
Fig 1 : The old drum factory becomes the site
The preservation of the factory building is one of the most crucial design decisions for the project. The decision was undertaken to acknowledge the fact that the presence of a familiar entity would allow smooth taking over of the place by the people, something that was essential to rejuvenate the spirit of the newly independent nation. If the factory was torn down and a new building were put in its place, the community would not use it with the same amount of freedom. The rejuvenation of the old factory also allowed for greater dignity for the people of the community through the most humble of means.
Further, the structure of the old factory had been created by one of the early 20th-century pioneers of reinforced concrete, Frenchman François Hennebique and was the only concrete building of its kind in Brazil. (Ferraz, 1970) Bo Bardi’s not only rejuvenated the old, but also put a new a structure next to it, to try and contrast the old and the new (Fig 1,2), a decision that would always remind one of the factory’s past while marking the beginning of its new life.It is to be noted that not only was this decision reflected in the larger massing of the building but also made its way into the finest details, a strategy that she had also employed in the making of Solar do Unhao.
Fig 2: Contrasting the new with the old- long exposed concrete towers have been next to the fairly horizontal old factory
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Fig 3 : The exposed brickwork serves as a reminder of the factory’s past
Much like in the refurbishment of the sugar mill, in the case of Solar do Unhao where Lina stripped back the structure, while making valuable additions in the form of a huge spiral staircase in the main space, the walls of the drum factory too, in the case of SESC Pompeia, were sandblasted to reveal the brickwork, making references to its raw past (Fig 3). The roof system was exposed and the wooden framework was reinforced by red-painted fittings- trying to create a contrast between the old and the new (Fig 4). The floor was covered in rough sandstone paving (Fig 5) - to make the user aware about the hard work that once happened in the factory- an attempt to mark its new beginning without erasing its history. (Handhome, 2016)
Fig 4 : The old trusses preserved have been fitted with new joints which are painted red
Fig 5 : Flooring is fitted with pebbles
Making People See Each Other With the precedence of economic disparity, the city of Sao Paulo was composed of a fragmented public realm. This was a hazard to the city’s urban life and there was a need for a space that would relinquish these divides even if it was momentary. Much like in her other works like the MASP (Sao Paulo Museum of Art), Lina translated the aspiration of a unified public domain by employing the strategy of ‘To see and be seen’. Whether it is the MASP, Solar do Unhao or the SESC Pompeia factory itself, Lina uses this strategy primarily in the designing of the circulation devices.
Fig 6 : To see and be seen
Whether it is the separation of buildings to construct the internal street, or the offsets created on the sky bridges at different levels, Bo Bardi constantly makes the people navigating through the building constantly aware about the presence of ‘the other’ to show the cultural diversity of the place. The circulation devices have been designed in such a manner that they become of primary importance. In the case of MASP too, the colour of the staircase enables the activity circulation to grab everyone’s attention, adding to the strategy of ‘To see and be seen’. 05
Fig 7 : The user friendly area
Fig 8: Plaza at MASP
Another way in which Lina employs this strategy is to create spaces that make the user aware of their coexistence in a larger public realm. This is achieved through the design of large-span open spaces. Whether it is the large plaza in the case of MASP or the user friendly area of the SESC, making a human inhabit a monumental space, makes him accept the diversity displayed in the space while reinforcing his own identity.
The same scheme is employed in the theatre too where the audience, instead of overlooking the performance, faces each other. Navigating through the building is like being part of a theatrical experience where one becomes the performer and the audience. (Handhome, 2016) A closer look at Lina’s drawings reveals her intent of creating various kinds of circulation devices to enable a continual flow throughout the space. Allowing smoother movement through the space would encourage circulation, enabling the user to confront more people. This confrontation on a daily basis would enable greater integration of diversity in the community.
Fig 9 : Theatre where the audience faces each other
Fig 10 : User movement through the factory as predicted by Lina Bo Bardi
Associations and Symbolism There is an intensive use of associations to Brazilian culture in the building. One of the primary reasons for such symbolism is to establish a sense of familiarity with the users as that would enable a sense of ownership over the space. The associations employed seem to be used to break the monotony by contrasting with the existing condition.
Fig 11 : Water body- a symbol of fertility in brazilian culture
Fig 12 : Postcard (1929) Painting depicting brazilian culture
For example, in two spans of the factory, referred to as the user-friendly area, the large floor area is divided by the introduction of a water body which is seen as a symbol of fertility in Brazilian culture. Bends, branches and backwaters- the introduction of this curvy element structures the area by creating smaller areas which are more agreeable to living and more assuring. The edges of the waterbody are furnished by modular arm chairs which can be assembled in different fashions further enhancing the ownership. (Handhome, 2016) 06
Similarly, the chimney which was already present at the factory has been retained to mark a point of reference in the large open plan. This reference is further enhanced by the functioning of the chimney as a heating devicegathering people around it in cold conditions. This gathering also makes a reference to home-like conditions. Similar references are made in terms of aesthetics and detailing- whether it is the colours of the basketball court referring to the four seasons, or the handrail of the skywalks detailed like a fruit, the use of these details is to offer contrast.
Fig 13 : Chimney is used as a gathering device
Fig 14 : The colours of the basketball court
Fig 15 : The handrail detail
For example, the windows of the sports complex that resemble the spanish war holes were designed to contrast with the dull skyline of Sao Paulo and break the monotony of the large concrete facade.
Fig 16: Windows resemble spanish war holes
Fig 17: Windows break the monotony of the facade and offer contrast
It seems as though the use of the associations is two-fold. While they do provide a sense of familiarity of the user, their primary intention is to break the monotony. Hence, it could be argued that the use and nature of such a detail came first and only the aesthetic of it was informed by a certain symbol of Brazilian culture. Thus, the use of a particular symbol could be fairly coincidental.
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Conclusion Over the course of the last few years, the cities of Global south have become victims of decadence in culture. With the gaps formed due to changes in the political fabrics of these cities on one hand and growing pace of urbanisation on the other, the way of life in many of the cities is greatly under the threat of being completely detached from being part of a larger community accelerating further segregation, paralyzing the urban life of these cities This calls for an unassailable need to reflect upon our ways of life of the past as well as the present. This essay argues that architecture can play a predominant role in the realization of such reflections by studying the example of SESC Pompeia. The design of the cultural center clearly reveals Bo Bardi’s attempt to make the user engage with the past while trying to articulate their own present. The building’s scale, massing and circulation create greater acceptance in the community by the integration of diversity through confrontation. The response to the human in this large scale complex is integrated in the details which evoke familiarity and hence, a greater sense of belonging. The revolutionization of the concept of culture by integrating it into the everyday lives of the people enables a common ground for the city of Sao Paulo, a place that would enable greater dignity for the working class district, a place that would relinquish its divides and provide an opportunity to reflect one’s culture onto the fabric of the prosaic city. While bridging the gap to the history of the place and the people, and making the user ponder upon their everyday present, Lina has turned this workplace, in the heart of a metropolis a citadel of everyday culture, a place of belonging in the uncongenial city.
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References The Making of SESC Pompéia by Marcelo Ferraz. (1970, January 01). Retrieved from https://linabobarditogether. com/2012/08/03/the-making-of-sesc-pompeia-by-marcelo-ferraz/ Handhome. (2016, Aug 16).[46] Khu SESC Pompeia | Lina Bo Bardi. [Video file]. Retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=x5n_NlGCiCI SESC POMPEIA, A UNIQUE, HYBRID CULTURAL SPACE. (2019, January 18). Retrieved from https://www.edhec.edu/en/ news/sesc-pompeia-unique-hybrid-cultural-space SESC Pompeia Factory - Data, Photos & Plans. (2020, September 20). Retrieved from https://en.wikiarquitectura.com/ building/sesc-pompeia-factory/ Lina Bo Bardi fellowship travelogue 3: Solar Do Unhao by Jane Hall. (2013, December 22). Retrieved from https://design. britishcouncil.org/blog/2013/dec/22/LBB-fellowship-travelogue-3/
Image Citation Fig 1 : Ferraz, M. (1984). The old drum factory [Photograph]. LINA BO BARDI: TOGETHER Fig 2: Martins, R. (2016). The divisions of the functions [3D Model]. Behance Fig 3: Lanz, M. (2011). The exposed brickwork [Photograph]. ARTAFRICA Fig 4: Handhome. (2016). The old trusses preserved have been fitted with new joints which are painted red [Video Snapshot]. retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5n_NlGCiCI&t=824s Fig 5: Source: Unknown retrieved from https://i.pinimg.com/originals/5c/1c/56/5c1c56aecde73a2f69a83633670c603a.jpg Fig 6 : Aguirre, I. (2015). Sky bridges [Photograph]. DIVISARE Fig 7 : Disclosure (2015). The user friendly area [Photograph]. Sao Paulo Sao Fig 8 : Ortega, E. (2016). Plaza at MASP [Photograph]. Museu de Arte de São Paulo Assis Chateaubriand Fig 9 : Bo Bardi, L. (1977). Theatre where the audience faces each other [Sketch]. LINA BO BARDI: TOGETHER Fig 10 : Bo Bardi, L. (1977). User movement through the factory [Sketch]. LINA BO BARDI: TOGETHER Fig 11 : Paulisson, M. (2010). Water body- a symbol of fertility in brazilian culture [Photograph]. Wikimedia Commons Fig 12 : Tarsila do Amaral (1929). Painting depicting brazilian culture [Painting]. Tarsila do Amaral Licenciamentos Fig 13: Unknown (2019). Chimney is used as a gathering device [Photograph]. SESC Sao Paulo retrieved from https:// twitter.com/sescsp/status/1121408614235820033 Fig 14 : Handhome. (2016). The colours of the basketball court [Video Snapshot]. retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/ watch?v=x5n_NlGCiCI&t=824s Fig 15 : Handhome. (2016). The handrail detail [Video Snapshot]. retrieved from https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=x5n_ NlGCiCI&t=824s Fig 16 : Kon, N. (1984). Windows resemble spanish war holes [Photograph]. LINA BO BARDI: TOGETHER Fig 17: Lanz, M. (2012). Windows break the monotony of the facade and offer contrast [Photograph]. SESC Sao Paulo
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Annexure
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