Urban planning models and model cities

Abstract

The starting point of the essay is the international debate inherent to the theory and history of urban planning, that of 'urban planning models'. The aim is not considering abstract theoretical proposals but rather action models based on specific cases. The main hypothesis is that the dissemination process and adopting urban models is hardly ever limited to literal 'export' or 'import'. Other than the cases where models are 'copied' or imposed, it is common for some of the most admired items to be selectively extracted. Two case studies follow this essay: the 'Curitiba model', from the capital of the Brazilian state of Parana, internationally considered to be the best planned city in Brazil, and a model for sustainable urban development; and the 'Freiburg model', the German city that is considered an urban model where all the challenges have been covered with a comprehensive approach.