Cultural Regeneration in Rio's Favelas: The IMM Method at Rocinha

Gabriela Rossi, an urban architect and professor of Urban Sustainability at UFRJ, leads a field trip to Rocinha, Rio de Janeiro's largest favela with over 200,000 inhabitants, as part of the Italo-Brazilian research project 'Urban morphology and energy performances via integrated modification methodology.' The project, involving Polisocial Milano, IMMdesignLab at Lecco University, and the ONLUS Il Sorriso dei miei Bimbi, applies the Integrated Modification Method (IMM) developed by Massimo Tadi. This scientific approach identifies catalysts (urban elements that can trigger improvement) and reactants (voids, public spaces, green areas) to foster sustainable urban transformation through community participation. Barbara Olivi, president of the ONLUS, highlights the Garagem das Lettras, a self-managed library in Rocinha. Vera Schroeder, Superintendent of the Secretaria de Cultura of Rio's government, showcases the Rocinha C4 public library, one of four Bibliotecas Parque inspired by Medellín's model, aiming to bridge the favela community with institutions despite lingering distrust. The article, written by Emilia Antonia De Vivo, underscores the complexity of favela life and the slow, participatory path toward change.