VI INTERNATIONAL SEMINARY OF MONTEVIDEO. 2004

URUGUAY, Montevideo Lead contamination

PROBLEM

Paso Molino Neighbourhood in Montevideo was in poor economical conditions.

Montevideo Government asked ideas to five architects to build a large Bus & Train Station, like a way to improve life conditions.

However people didn’t need a new Bus Station, they needed jobs because the most of industries in that area were bankrupt, but the worst was these industries disappeared leaving the ground with a high lead contamination.

This meant children of Paso Molino had a higher mortality than in Montevideo (3 or 4times higher)

GOVERNMENT STRATEGY

Invite architects of the world to give ideas for Paso Molino neighbourhood.

But Government did not consider lead contamination.

SOLUTION STRATEGY

1.-Sow flowers (geraniums) in every free place of Paso Molino to clean and eliminate lead from the ground.

2.-Create greenhouses like a new industrial work.

Arquitectos: Jorge Lobos, Ángela Perdomo, Gonzalo Balarini, Taller de Proyecto VI Seminario Montevideo.