This document summarizes the urban planning approach taken in Curitiba, Brazil from the 1950s to the 1990s. Faced with problems of rapid population growth, unemployment, and environmental decay, Curitiba prioritized public transportation over private vehicles, integrated bus and bicycle paths into parks, and involved citizens through incentives to participate in waste collection and other programs. This comprehensive approach created an interconnected system that transformed problems into opportunities, focused on employment, positive attitudes, and reducing environmental impact. However, continued population growth since 1996 has led to new challenges of urban sprawl, congestion, pollution, and social imbalance in Curitiba.

1. URBAN PLANNING IN CURITIBA
Jonas Rabinovitch
Josef Leitmann
1996

2. SITUATION IN THE
1950s 1990s
growth of
population
changement of
economic base
300 000 2,1 Million
agriculture
industry & commerce
MAIN CAUSES
CONSEQUENCES
unemployment urban congestion environmental
decay
WHAT TO DO ?
CURITIBA
capital of the Panama State,
8th Brazilian city

3. RESPONDING AS THE OTHER CITIES … ?
more than 500 concentrations
of more than 1 Million
inhabitants envisaged in 2010
(figures dating from 1996)
26 cities with more than
10 Million inhabitants
(figures dating from 1996)
private transportation
developped by cities
physical layout
location of housing
industry & commerce
human interraction patern
AFFECTING EMPLOYING
technology
FOR
SOLVING
PROBLEMS

4. … OR BY FINDING NEW SOLUTIONS ?
CURITIBA AS AN URBAN LABORATORY
Jaime Lerner
new « visionary » mayor,
architect and planner
PREFERING
public transportation
private automobile
INSTEAD OF
against the environment
working with the environment appropriate solutions
high-technology
citizen participation
master planning
A NEW PHILOSOPHY,
FROM 1960s TO … 1971

5. 1 | CONTROLING THE FLOODING
contructions along
the banks ok streams
civil engineer stream covering undergound canals difficulty of drainage high cost
1950s
+ = PROBLEM TO SOLVE
legislation for a
natural drainage
system
turning riverbanks
into parks, building
artificial lakes
recycling disused
factories & streamside
buildings
lower cost
0,5 sq meters of
green space per
capita (1970)
50 sq meters of
green space per
capita (1996)
from 1950s
to early 1960s
from 1975
integration of the buses
and bicycles paths into
the parks
+ + +
+
=
=

6. 2 | PRIORITY TO PUBLIC TRANSPORT
INSTEAD OF
AN APPROPRIATE TRANSIT SYSTEM
ENABLING
Buses with
own track
metros
4 sizes of buses, adaptaded to
the city, the flow of passengers
and the type of roads
5 main axes, each of them
relatated, different speeds,
different of terminal distances
bus line
transfer station
bus terminal
direct bus line
Ticket payment
before entering
Ticket payment
after entering1 size of buses
Transportation
gridlocked
cost Time saving Simplification
of maintenance
lower urban
congestion
Lower rate of
ambiant air pollution
until 270 passenger per bus
200 000 $ / km (bus)
≠
60 to 70 million / km (metro)
elaborated tubes as bus
stops
2000 buses
10 private companies
paid by the lenth of roads
≠
number of passengers
old buses recycled (as
mobile schools, …)
10% of income spent in
transport (low for Brazil)
¾ of Curitiban using the
public transportantion / day
saving money reinvested (in
surrounding dwellings for
example, with an easy
access to transport)

7. 3 | PARTICIPATION THROUGH INCENTIVES
Environment teaching
for free
Children care
by associations
Collectiv participation
of the solid waste
against mechanization
potential of
any plot
Land property
information
impact on the
city of each
operation
speculation
avoiding
investment on
low income
housing
reinforcing a
positive attitude
free meals
telephone number
for children under
any threat
part time jobs
to children from low
income families
exchange of filled
garbage bag
waste cleaning by
citizen
paper recycling
Public and
individual level

8. BILAN IN CURITIBA
Prefering public
transport,
Integrating bicycle and
pedrestrian path in the
urban network
INTERCONNECTED
SOLUTIONS
Involving the most
people as possible
Transforming
problems as
potentials generators
of new ressources
Creating employment,
a possitve attitude and
reducing the
environmental impact

9. CURITIBA AFTER 1996
Population growth
and
anarchic urban sprawl 650 000
1970
1 850 000
2013
urban congestion
pollution
social imbalance
Social divide
South districts:
poorer part of the city
clandestine housing in the 1980s
remote districts
North districts:
More infrastrucure facilities
renovation of the BR 116 highway (1980s)
separating the city in two
Saturated transport
system
near monopoly position of the 3
companies of transport
Transport ticket too expensive for the
majority of the Curitiban (2,70 br av.)
One of the most personal automobile /
hab city of Brazil (1,3/hab av.)
one of the best brazilian quality of life city
39st most violent city in the world