Critical roles of Architecture

Abstract

This article explores a concept of autonomous architecture that is endemic to post-neoliberal labour systems. Current housing production is directly influenced by the commodification process of living and by social practice tunes, which influence the space production. This directly implies city porosity, creative classes, knowledge economy, urban manufacturing, self-help and self-organization.
In the context of autonomous architecture, the classification of the dwelling system can be divided into three main parts. Firstly, a shift from art to craft that reflects on the dwelling system and which can expand the discussion on architectural autonomy. Secondly, the idea that post-neoliberalism expels people from the system of production allowing for emergent economic cultures to thrive (ex. knowledge economy) whilst underlining the concept that architectural autonomy can be both utopian and dystopian. Thirdly, most of the new forms of exclusion of the labour system move towards the negotiability of economic values instead of establishing a fixed frame of values. Therefore, this article describes spontaneous settlements as critical spaces to the aforementioned instances about autonomy, architecture and labour. Its porosity, labour dynamics, negotiation of values and increasingly active role in the global projection creates a particular scenario within the built environment. Ethnographic studies in the Favela do Telégrafo in Brazil contextualize a critique on the discourse of labour, architecture and autonomy. Thus, through this article the aim is to discuss Brazilian favelas through a critical analysis on the construction of labour systems within these communities.
Keywords: favela, planetary urbanization, labour, neoliberalism, informal architecture