Workers' villages as spaces of resistance to contemporary urban market dynamics

Journal title TERRITORIO
Author/s Busra Ince, Giulia Oldani, Xiangxiang Zhu
Publishing Year 2026 Issue 2025/112-113
Language English Pages 7 P. 76-82 File size 439 KB
DOI 10.3280/TR2025-112008
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Workers’ villages were originally built as workingclass housing in São Paulo, Mooca district. They are key elements of the district’s residential and industrial heritage, characterized by distinct typomorphological features. Despite existing redevelopment pressures, these villages have survived while mainly maintaining their sociospatial identities as living housing environments. This study critically explores Workers’ villages as spaces of resistance, highlighting the multiscalar potentials embedded in them. The main aim of the study is to discuss a third route for the future of the villages between demolition and strict preservation. Field observations and empirical analysis suggest two strategies to balance urban growth with its sociocultural signi?cance: (1) participatory legal reforms and (2) communitydriven, identitysensitive transformations.�

Keywords: workers’ villages; urban resistance; sociospatial heritage

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Busra Ince, Giulia Oldani, Xiangxiang Zhu, Workers' villages as spaces of resistance to contemporary urban market dynamics in "TERRITORIO" 112-113/2025, pp 76-82, DOI: 10.3280/TR2025-112008