Project Description

the FOOD SHORTAGE stands as a beacon of social responsibility, a vital plug connecting the community with a utopian vision in an increasingly dystopian climate. The SESC center of São Paulo hinges on its role in the cycle of materials as well as programmatically within the food cycle. A focus on food and sports as community engagers make it a vital force that not only shoulders the responsibilities of community activation but also embeds the notion of recycling into its architectural DNA. The project manifests these cycles by embracing lo-fi vernacular materials and visualizing the sourcing and transportation of food to the site and vertically through the building. The architectural concept draws inspiration from the ubiquitous ‘plug’ vernacular present throughout São Paulo. From air conditioning units to mechanical components, these elements represent the way in which contemporary visions can seamlessly integrate with an established structure. The SESC Center adopts this metaphor and makes it a tangible part of its design at multiple scales, embodying the idea of a foreign body inserted into an existing framework, highlighting the precarious implant as a force for change against the agricultural crises in Brazil and beyond decimating food storages across the globe.