Home to between 40,000 and 50,000 people—half of whom are immigrants from neighboring countries—it stretches across 32 hectares of federally owned land. Despite being located in the heart of Buenos Aires, right next to Recoleta (the city’s most affluent neighborhood), its residents live in near-total isolation, lacking many essential public services.

In 2016, the Buenos Aires City Government launched a plan to socially and spatially integrate Villa 31 into the broader urban fabric. The plan includes providing public infrastructure and spaces, improving existing housing, and relocating families living under the highway to new homes built within Villa 31. In addition, social programs aim to formalize economic activity and promote social development are also being implemented.


About the work

Produced over several visits just before the COVID-19 pandemic, this series of photographs seeks to capture the conditions of Villa 31 prior to these changes taking place.