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6 The Pentagram Papers: A collection of photographs documenting ways of recycling in Cuba.

Due to the political context of Cuba and the resulting lack of materials, the Cuban people became masters in reusing and recycling whatever was available.

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1. Direct immersion water heater made from salvaged electrical components.

2. Spoon fence & lamp 3. Recycled kitchenware made by mixing plastics from various sources 4. Handbag made from nylon threads found in medical packaging & Sunglasses made from transparent plastic sheets 5. Washing machine & washing line made from candy wraps 6. Pencil razor 7. TV made with components from computer monitor and TV sets 8. Pedal propelled vehicle & taxi sign made from plastic bottle 8

Also on the building scale, people have to invent ways to repair, reuse and recycle materials.

Also on the building scale, people have to invent ways to repair, reuse and recycle materials.

Havana - A City Adjusted by its People Because of the country`s economic situation, people invent ways to get along. By reusing and adjusting objects, materials and spaces, the city has been refigured and shaped by its people.

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The Centro Habano District and its Open Spaces

A series of sections through a road within the Centro Habano show an array of the variety of the open spaces. In comparison with the Plaza de la Revolucion, everything is built towards a much more human scale or adjusted and changed by the people.

The Plaza de la Revolucion marks a void in the city. In co,pqrison to the rest of Havana, the Plaza is not only a massive shift in scale but also it is controlled by the military. Whats was originally meant to be a square for the people, has become a dead space in the city.

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community around them.

Due to the political context of Cuba and the resulting economic independence, people have to produce all of their food themselves.

The Organoponicos are small farms growing vegetables for the

Organoponicos: Urbqn Farming in Havana

The Organoponicos: Urban farming next to the Plaza de la Revolucion

Cuban man buying fresh vegetables for his family. He lives around the corner. He also works in the organoponico.

Cuban women buying fresh vegetables.

She lives right next to it.

View from the top of the monument JosĂŠ Marti. Eight different organoponicos are visible.

Urban Farming in Havana

The project takes on the subject of urban farming in Havana.

These farms first appeared in the so called "special period", in 1991 after the Russian economic crisis. The so called "organoponicos" are small lots of urban wasteland turned into productive landscapes. Each one of them is owned by one person or a small collective to grow vegetables and sell them to the community around them, establishing a collective on a slightly larger scale.

Advantages: - economic and therefore political independence of the country - direct food availability - healthy - making Havana a „Green City“ - using dumpspaces - creating a feeling of community - creating roughly 130.000 jobs in Havana only Main problems: - water availability is scarce (bec of leaks, 55 % lost) - urban soil is bad - lack of diversity of seeds and crops - energy

Organoponicos - Productive farms 41.5 % of the whole Havana are Productive Landscapes/ urban farms that produce for a community around them.

Buildings Water cleaning station

The project takes on the subject of urban farming in Havana. These farms first appeared in the so called "special period", in 1991 after the Russian economic crisis. The so called "organoponicos" are small lots of urban wasteland turned into productive landscapes.

Each one of them is owned by one person or a small collective to grow vegetables and sell them to the community around them, establishing a collective on a slightly larger scale.

Each organoponico is obliged to sell the produce immediately to the community that lives around it. This ensures the availability and quality of food. Also it establishes responsibility and social exchange within the area.

Water storage and irrigation system Tent structure providing shade Compost Soil Electricity Agricultural fields for growing vegetables Administration Sale: Fresh produce is directly sold to the community Rum and wine production