Plant Nursery in Belo Horizonte: A Collaborative Community Architecture Project

The Plant Nursery in the Fazendinha informal settlement, located in the Calafate neighborhood of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, stands as a remarkable example of community-driven architecture and academic collaboration. Designed and implemented by PFLEX - Escola de Arquitetura at UFMG, under the guidance of Professor Hugo Alkmim de Matos, this project combines practical architectural education with meaningful social impact. Completed in 2024, the initiative engages students, technicians, local supporters, and community residents in a hands-on construction process that merges learning with real-world application.

Context and Purpose

The Plant Nursery emerged from a desire to enhance local urban agriculture and community self-management. Within the settlement, the community garden became a central hub for interaction, food production, and cooperative efforts, particularly strengthened during the pandemic in 2020. Recognizing the need for organized, functional infrastructure, the project aimed to design a small yet efficient wooden structure that supports the garden’s operations while fostering collaborative community engagement.

By prioritizing practical functionality and safety, the nursery offers a space that improves working conditions for residents. The structure efficiently organizes the activities of planting, maintaining, and storing seedlings, ensuring that the garden can continue to thrive as a sustainable urban farming hub.

Architectural Design and Features

Covering approximately 18 m², the nursery includes a covered area with direct access to the vegetable garden. The layout integrates functional elements such as:

• Shelves and benches for seedling production and storage
• Louvers to filter morning sunlight, enhancing working comfort
• A tool storage cabinet for organized equipment management

The design reflects a human-centered approach, where every spatial decision supports the daily routines of garden work while maintaining structural integrity and safety.

Materials and Construction

The construction employs locally sourced wood, demonstrating a commitment to sustainability and material efficiency:

• Cupiúba wood forms the main structural components, including five frames, horizontal braces, and roof purlins.
• Pinewood was used for the floor deck, storage cabinet, and sun-filtering louvers.

The choice of materials not only provides durability but also highlights a sensitive, context-driven architectural approach, adapting traditional construction techniques to meet modern social needs.

Educational Impact and Social Integration

One of the most significant aspects of this project is its role in connecting academic practice with community development. By involving students directly in design, fabrication, and assembly, PFLEX fosters experiential learning that goes beyond theoretical study. Simultaneously, the community gains tailored infrastructure that reflects its practical needs, strengthening the bond between the university and society.

The initiative exemplifies how educational architecture projects can be adaptable to diverse urban contexts, providing replicable models for similar socially engaged construction projects in vulnerable communities

The Plant Nursery by PFLEX - Escola de Arquitetura at UFMG is a compelling example of sustainable, community-oriented architecture. Its design emphasizes collaboration, functionality, and social responsibility, serving both as a practical workspace for the community garden and a learning platform for students. Through innovative use of materials, thoughtful spatial planning, and participatory construction, the project illustrates how architecture can empower communities while advancing educational objectives.

All photographs are works of  Sofia Vasconcelos