Sustainable City Management in Curitiba, Paraná

some definitions to remember before we begin....

sustainable city management strategy

def. an urban management plan with consideration for social, economic, environmental impact, and resilient habitat for existing populations, without compromising the ability of future generations to experience the same

urban ecological footprint

def. the theoretical measurement of the amount of land and water an urban population requires to produce the resources it consumes and to absorb its waste under prevailing technology.

CURITIBIA

Population size: 2 million

Country, State : Brazil, Parana

• Jaime Lerner appointed as Mayor 1971
• his sustainable city management focussed on:

INTRODUCTION

TRANSPORT

1970s: attempt to make city for people - not cars:

•  closed down busiest street: Rua XV de Novembro
• converted it into pedestrian plaza (Brazil's first)

PROCESS

FEEDBACK

• initial resistance by business owners fearing a decline in business
• people were more relaxed and willing to shop
• changes tuned out to lead to more business

​

RECYCLING

Curitiba experienced significant growth 

results in the establishment of favelas and shanty towns

rubbish thrown in rivers or dumped in open fields

PROCESS

action by city planners:

• residence can sell rubbish to gov. in exchange for bus tokens
• encouraging separation of rubbish before collection
• encouraging school children to recycle
• creating new jobs in the recycling station

FEEDBACK

• increase in people taking out their rubbish
• 70% of families separating rubbish
• lower unemployment rate

AFFORDABLE HOUSING

PROCESS

mid 1960's:

• provide affordable housing of standard design to low income earners by allowing percentage of rent to their payoff for house

​1980:

• more options in house design
• warehouses in low-cost housing areas to train basic work skills
• Linhão do Oficio: house over work/store
• Linhão do Emprego: health clinics, schools, electricity company established

FEEDBACK

• 6,000 new businesses established & 50,000 new jobs
• Linhão do Oficio: lower traveling costs

PARKS

Curtibia frequently suffers from flooding

destroys property in favelas and shanty towns

diseases would spread easily

PROCESS

• floodplains turned into public parks
• residents payed to move to safer area
• sheep trim grass
• Park Barigüi: biggest park, replace 800 houses experiencing flooding
• now 30 parks exist, cover 80 million square meters

FEEDBACK

• property values in surrounding areas increased which allowed city to repay cost through higher property taxes
• increased quality of life