Master Planning Rio

Our group was treated to a comprehensive visit with the Rio Planning Department, who gave us an area-by-area detailed account of all of their master planning initiatives.  Rio native and CalPoly professor Vicente del Rio patiently translated multiple presentations by City staff.  The updated Rio Master Plan was recently approved, and 22 specific plans are in various stages of implementation. 

Rio is now a World Heritage site.  It was the capital of Brazil for 200 years (until 1960, when Brasilia was newly created), and in the past, hills were leveled and mangrove swamps filled in the making of downtown.  Today, however, city planning is based on the guiding principles of sustainability and respect for the astonishing and unique natural landscape that is Rio's urban treasure.  Rio boasts the world's largest urban forest, Parca National de Tijuca, and there are many places around town that "feel like an urban Yosemite", in the words of one of my fellow travelers.  Outside space in Rio is more valued as a part of everyday life than in Sao Paulo, according to Vicente, and you can see Cariocas (as Rio denizens are known) running, biking, rowing in the lagoon, surfing and playing soccer and volleyball at all hours.  The amazing granite and quartz outcroppings that define the visual landscape cannot be built upon above 100 meters.  Specific plans that establish neighborhood development are conceived in the context of the role that a certain street may have, and in some cases are being revised as new transportation lines open.

The challenges are numerous: 40% of the city's population is in squatter settlements.  There are ambitious plans to revitalize a working port area.  Olympics are in less than 4 years, and the World Cup in two.  There are approximately 200 planner/urbanists with the City, and they have much work ahead.