the favela.

Housing in Rocinha is extremely dense as there is an estimated 44,800-67,300 people per square kilometre (UN Habitat, 2007). It is remarkable how the favela manages to house such a dense population. Our resident-tour guide informed us that there is some form of regulation in that buildings should not exceed 6 storeys. Buildings border the street forming a strong connection with it and private access largely has a direct connection to public life on the street.

A major strength of Rocinha is the mix of shops and homes within both buildings and blocks. Ground floor shops below dwellings are very common on busy streets. Shops tend to have open fronts that often spill out onto the street, generating and focussing activity in those areas. On smaller, quieter streets there are cases where residents have set up their own less formal business on the ground floor. The fact that people can live and work in the same space means that many residents travel short distances to work and it boosts the local economy. Low-rise and high-density in a mixed-use development encourages exchange instead of isolating residents in high-rise units.