Afrocentered Project: Rescuing Black Memory in the Vila Matilde district, Sao Paulo

Abstract

This article discusses the Afrocentric Landscape Architecture design process, which aims to materialize memory and record Black territories characterized by orality, such as samba and slam, in the Vila Matilde district of the East Zone of São Paulo city in Brazil. The design process results from a decolonial and Afrocentric analysis of how memories are materialized in an urban landscape. It is based on valuing the oral memory of Black communities in urban spaces and identifying forms of memorialization in the landscape that are rooted in African worldview. A counter-hegemonic vision is sought through theoretical references in the decolonial debate, territory mapping, field visits, and oral interviews with local protagonists.  Based on the philosophy of ubuntu, the project for Black territories in Vila Matilde was created, representing the Bantu people's worldview and thought dimensions, which significantly contributed to Brazilian culture. The research aims to broaden discussions on Afrocentrism, memorialization, and design praxis in urban space, and to critically reflect on the prevailing Eurocentrism in architecture, urbanism, and landscaping fields.