Cidade, edificação e vazio

Abstract

The contemporary city, subjugated to the market dynamics, makes coexist the housing deficit and a huge grouping of vacant properties. The city of São Paulo, and the exuberance of its scale, has emerged (new) strategies to respond to such demand. Centered on the objective of undertaking a reading of these new formats of interaction with the city, this article briefly discusses the urban question and the coexistence between the usefulness and the nullity of buildings, the motivations to undertake occupation in the city, urban area, also discusses the state of the art of occupations in the city and, finally, addresses one of these initiatives, Ocupação Nove de Julho, and the scope of its work. Through grassroots initiatives, contemporary occupation processes, rather than addressing the problem of housing, promote the opportunity for social, political and, if not environmental, reflection.