Centro comunitário no bairro de Eugénio Lima, na Cidade da Praia em Cabo Verde/ Anteprojeto

Abstract

The presented work is about a preliminary project of a Community Center located in the Achada Eugênio Lima neighborhood, in Praia, Cabo Verde, a small archipelago composed of ten islands situated off the west coast of the African continent. The preliminary project aims to create a suitable space for the activities of the Community Association of Achada Eugênio Lima (ACAEL), a non-profit movement with a social, sports, and cultural character, deeply motivated to improve infrastructure, transportation, security, leisure, education, citizenship, and other sectors for both the local community and neighboring neighborhoods.

Achada Eugênio Lima is the fifth-largest neighborhood in the capital of the country and repre- sents one of the peripheral areas of Praia, with a high population growth rate. Moreover, it is a region with

a high concentration of migrants from the interior of the country and other islands, seeking better living conditions in the capital. Unfortunately, this situation contributes to the aggravation of social problems.

Since 2015, ACAEL has been working together with the local community, sharing dreams, ide- as, and visions to make the neighborhood better structured. The goal is to address and reduce existing

problems, strengthening the positive aspects of the community and the neighborhood, always involving children, adolescents, and local adults. However, the lack of a suitable space has been an obstacle to the full development of the institution’s activities. In order to enable the institution to fulfill its role in a complete, efficient, and sustainable manner, the project was conceived following guidelines proposing low-cost solutions and ease of construction and maintenance. This allows the local population to take ownership of the techniques used, turning them into agents of change in the local reality by introducing them into the productive logic. The expected result of the work is the proposal of a building that is adapted to the context, addressing the functional, social, and climatic needs of the region.