Políticas urbanas para o centro de São Paulo: renovação ou reabilitação? Avaliação das propostas da prefeitura do município de São Paulo de 1970 a 2004

Abstract

The debate over urban interventions in central areas is probably one of the most controversial subjects between architects and city planners. Since the cities are built on social grounds, depending on the roles that government and the market play in the production of space, some urban areas “develop” while other “degrade.” In response to a “degradation” process, governments around the world have developed urban policies for intervention in central areas of cities. These interventions have changed over time, alternating mainly between two types: eradication and rehabilitation. The current paper analyzes the interventions proposed by the city of São Paulo for its downtown area over the past thirty years, taking into consideration these types of intervention. The article starts out by discussing the evolution of urban policies for central areas in the international arena and then analyzes the process of São Paulo downtown decay and the response of local government, with an emphasis on recent initiatives and their outcomes.