Rio de Janeiro, Brazil

Sunset view from Sugarloaf, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — December 25, 2019

On Escadaria Selarón, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — December 23, 2019

Sugarloaf overlooking Copacabana, Rio de Janeiro — December 23, 2019

James Bond-era cable car on Sugarloaf, Rio de Janeiro — December 25, 2019

Sweeping pano, Rio de Janeiro — December 23, 2019

Easy times on Copacabana beach, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — December 23, 2019

Rocinha favela walking tour, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — December 23, 2019

On Escadaria Selarón, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — December 23, 2019

Cantagalo favela, Rio de Janeiro, Brazil — December 26, 2019

Favelas are informal settlements that originated in Brazil, particularly in cities like Rio de Janeiro and São Paulo. The buildings in favelas are typically not engineered by licensed professionals but are instead constructed by the residents themselves. Most favela houses are self-built. The residents, often with limited resources, build their homes using available materials and following their own understanding of construction, without the guidance of architects or engineers. Many houses in favelas are built incrementally. A family might start with a single room, and as they accumulate more resources or as their family grows, they'll add more rooms or floors. The materials used for construction vary, but often include bricks, cinder blocks, corrugated metal, and sometimes wood. Favelas often grow on lands that are not suited for conventional development, such as steep hillsides. This poses unique challenges, and residents must adapt their building methods to the specific terrain. However, this can also lead to precarious situations, with homes at risk of landslides during heavy rains. Basic infrastructure, such as sanitation, electricity, and water, is often lacking or informally set up in favelas. Residents might tap into city electricity grids illegally or set up informal sewage systems. Over time, there have been efforts by municipalities or NGOs to improve infrastructure in these areas, but challenges persist. It's common for neighbors to help each other with construction tasks, creating a collaborative environment where skills and resources are shared.

In recent years, there's been a push in some places to provide more formalized assistance and training to favela residents, to ensure safer building practices. Additionally, some architectural and engineering professionals have undertaken projects in favelas, either as part of social initiatives or in collaboration with local governments, to improve living conditions and infrastructural stability. However, the vast majority of favela structures remain self-built by the residents.