Industrial heritage in Rio de Janeiro´s docklands area: a proposal for conservation and reuse

Abstract

This paper aims to discuss the conservation of industrial structures that are unoccupied or under-occupied in the Docklands Area of Rio de Janeiro and that constitute examples of great cultural value, not only for their building system and aesthetic qualities but for the very construction of cultural significance in the urban history of the city. As the main argument, we sustain deactivated warehouses occupation might be relevant to Rio's industrial heritage conservation. Investigating successful experiences in Brazil and abroad, this research examines the possible reuse of old industrial buildings in the Docklands Area based on the theories of Henri Lefebvre and Michel de Certeau on the 'practiced place' adopting, in parallel, the concepts of Beatriz Kühl on the restoration and reuse of industrial heritage. The proposal is that such warehouses should be rehabilitated and occupied by artistic groups formed in the neighbourhoods so that they become appropriated by the local users of the area.