Suppressed floor: from the warehouse to the vertical port of Santos

Abstract

This article explores the interaction between the hydrological regime and the population in the insular region of Santos (São Paulo, Brazil) by means of an infrastructure project and its primary sources. We investigate how coexistence with the waters, in an attempt to domesticate them, supports land planning at the Port of Santos, highlighting the centripetal and centrifugal movements within the Anthropocene. We analyze the historical and cultural heritage and the natural and anthropic elements of tropical coastal regions, applying a theoretical-methodological approach that clarifies these dynamics. We propose three prospective scenarios based on the identified movements: the first scenario, centripetal, focuses on historical techniques for water domestication and integrating these practices into current urban planning. The second, centrifugal, reflects a strategic distancing aiming to transform the port ground into areas such as natural parks and spaces of “common urbanism.” The third scenario, marked by the disappearance of the planned logistic ground, introduces the “binary amphibious quay,” an infrastructure that operates in harmony with the sea, inspired by historical studies on sea-level rise and climate projections. The concept of “suppressing” encompasses both physical elements, such as docks and quay walls, and now obsolete natural, social, cultural, and political aspects of estuaries. We argue that the construction of large infrastructures must consider their integration with the environment, using architecture that dialogues with various fields of knowledge to prevent disasters and improve urban life. In this essay we propose the “Vertical Port,” a project that challenges paradigms by minimizing land use and maximizing the use of airspace, promoting ecological balance, and revitalizing the “suppressed grounds” in the port area of Santos. This project, in the investigation phase, seeks to challenge existing norms and engage.