Virginia Tech and University of Virginia faculty and students come together to explore a Rio de Janeiro community

Publication Date: June 22, 2023

Dr. Vanessa Guerra, Assistant Professor of Urban and Environmental Planning at the University of Virginia (UVA) School of Architecture, visited Blacksburg on April 6 with 22 students enrolled in her studio, “Planning and Design,” to present their research on urban resilience on Maré, Rio de Janeiro, a diverse neighborhood in the North Zone of that Brazilian city. The students presented their work in the Creativity and Innovation District (CID) building on campus.

Maré is densely populated; with a population of approximately 140,000. Indeed, it is the most closely settled community in the Western Hemisphere. While the 16 neighborhoods that comprise the area contain individuals from many countries and throughout Brazil, a significant share of its populace is descended from former slaves or individuals who have migrated from Northeastern Brazil.

Guerra and her students studied the issues confronting these citizens and their community with the support of Andreza Jorge and Henrique Gomes, representatives of Redes da Maré, a major nongovernmental organization operating in the neighborhood. Ms. Jorge is presently also a student in the ASPECT PhD program at Virginia Tech while Mr. Gomes, is working closely with a number of faculty at VT interested in Maré, as outlined below.  Dr. Guerra received funding for this effort from UVA’s Center for Global Inquiry and Innovation.

The class’s trip to Blacksburg was the culmination of a semester-long study of Maré. Dr. Guerra organized the planning studio into three modules that addressed: context analysis (understanding the unique conditions of Maré), issue analysis (identify one issue of interest), and community engagement (meeting with Jorge and Gomes to present findings). This visit came after Jorge and Gomes had visited UVA last year to discuss their work in Maré.

“Student feedback has been really positive” Guerra said. “Students enjoyed meeting Andreza (Jorge) and Henrique (Gomes) who know first-hand the experiences of Maré and referred to that exchange as helpful to strengthen their projects and appreciation of the value of co-production. Students have also mentioned how this experience expanded their understanding of the impact and significance of informal urban practices in cities across the Global North and South.”

Guerra also participates in the Maré research group at Virginia Tech, where she earned her PhD in 2020. The initiative is co-led by Dr. Desiree Poets of the Department of Political Science and Dr. Max Stephenson, Jr., Director of the Virginia Tech Institute for Policy and Governance and Professor of Public and International Affairs. The group, with members from four different universities from the Global North and South, is collaborating with Redes and seeking to support the NGO while also producing relevant scholarship. The group’s research has led to library exhibits at Virginia Tech and UVA, roundtable discussions, and several written works.

Stephenson, who was also in attendance to provide feedback to students when they presented their work, served on Guerra’s doctoral dissertation advisory committee. For him, it is a privilege to continue to work with his former student as a colleague.

“This ongoing opportunity to work with Vanessa is a personal joy for me” Stephenson said. “She is flourishing in her faculty role and providing her students rich and rare learning experiences.” 

Guerra indicated she likely will use her studio again next year to continue to study Maré before she shifts its focus to another context. However, she will remain involved with the Maré research group. She is broadly interested in exploring urban resilience in Latin American cities, particularly in informal urban settings.

Overall, it was a nice homecoming for Guerra and a full circle moment to have her students present in the CID space for which she co-developed the Rhizome Living Learning Community as its Interim Program Director and a research associate with Virginia Tech’s then College of Architecture and Urban Studies.

“I have wonderful memories of Virginia Tech,” Guerra said. “In a way it will always be my home. I feel privileged to partner and collaborate with the School and my inspiring mentor there (referring to Stephenson). I hope to continue our collaboration for years to come.”