Ensaio para a estrutura urbana do Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

As KURT HASSERT: said: "the structure of cities is a product of their history, geographical situation and taste of their inhabitants"

            Quoting PIERRE GEORGE: "The city in itself is an historical and geographical event in the sense that its form is a link between the past and the present, while its human aspect and the activities of its inhabitants are nearly completely marked by the present”. In the lectures delivered by Professora LYSIA BERNARDES and General DE PARANHOS ANTUNES, the urban buildings were stressed as having to be considered more precisely according to their "habitat", and observation of the Rio de Janeiro planning. As PIERRE GEORGE says: "There are types of cities which correspond to agricultural economies, and others which correspond to industrial economies"

            The changes held in Rio de Janeiro in the twentieth century ate the most extensive and profound. Changes of its landscape and characteristics. These changes continue in connection with the evolution of techniques and economics and social structures, owing to industrialization which creates the increase of commercial activities and enlarges the number of social classes. Rio de Janeiro has always created 1egions: its inauguration was prior to the sugar cane economy; from its neighbourings was originated coffee which developped on the hills

            Professor LYSIA BERNARDES brillantly demonstrated during her lecture in AGB how during its evolution Rio de Janeiro became an original capital place. In spite of São Paulo having overgrown Rio de Janeiro in the industrial field, the latter is still in possession of the charge of capital of the country. This position is more important than it seems at first. In Rio are situated the Banco do Desenvolvimento Econômico, Petrobrás, Comissão do Vale do São Francisco, and foreign organizations, as Light and Power. So, a certain amount of the Rio de Janeiro activity reflects the national activity. Several buildings were elected and the city increases incessantly. The population of Distrito Federal develops in a rate of 80 000 persons by year. There is already surplus of human concentration. In 1906, the Distrito Federal had 811 443 inhabitants; in 1950, 2 377 451; the present estimate is about 4 000 000

            The changes underwent in Rio de Janeiro are in great number, both in landscape and the features of the city. These changes are always increasing This event is the characteristic of the cities throughout the world: they ale increasing always

            The first skyscraper which was built in Rio de Janeiro - the Edifício da "A Noite" - stands near the port Avenida Rio Branco in the main street at the center of the city, being the mid-way of both the South and North zones DELGADO DE CARVALHO in his "História do Rio de Janeiro" says that the present Hotel Inglês, in Catete, was the dwelling of a rich banker in D Pedro the Second time, and served in the time as the house where was placed the Minister of Foreign Affairs. All the place of Rio de Janeiro, namely Copacabana Ipanema, Leblon, Laranjeiras and Flamengo in the South zone, and Tijuca, Grajaú, Andaraí in the North zone have independent rneans of living The suburban zone is the principal area conquered by industry. The outskirts of Central are considered better than those of Leopoldina The metropolitan area goes on into a rapid development. It seens that a planning is. necessary as regards the area. In this planning, geography stands foremost