FLUX CITIES: HORTO FLORESTAL

Horto is unique in Rio de Janeiro as it is a peaceful area, without the gang violence or drug trafficking that plague most impoverished neighbourhoods in the country. However, Horto’s working class residents are slowly being forced out of their homes by the government, pressured by the main media giant, Globo, that has its headquarters right next to the community. Tracing back their history in the region from the 15th century, the first wave of residents came to work in plantations and later in the city’s Botanical Gardens. Even though the government gave them legal rights to build their homes two centuries earlier, Brazilian authorities are accusing locals of illegal invasion. In 2016, police kicked out one family from their home with the threat of tear gas while they were inside their home with their children.

FLUX CITIES: REGENT PARK

The redevelopment of Regent Park began in 2005. Regent Park is one of the oldest social housing communities in North America that various cultural and immigrant communities used to call home. This redevelopment has caused the displacement of many of the residents that have been dispersed all over the city and many of them in the outskirts of the Greater Toronto Area. Today, the remaining buildings are being torn down to be replaced with profitable condos that only allow for a small percentage of low-income housing.

FLUX CITIES: MULLAE

Mullae was a neighbourhood traditionally known in Seoul for its independent metal workers and small metal shops. In the last 15 years, Mullae has experienced an influx of artists moving into this area for their affordable studio spaces. Artists and trade workers live harmoniously side-by-side. However, Mullae is not immune to the rapid urban redevelopment that affects Seoul. Local artists and skilled metal trades people are constantly reaffirming their ties to the community as well as their right to work in this area.