Exclusionary Urbanism and Empty Aesthetics: A Sociological Analysis of Architecture and Urban Planning in Brazil and its Pseudo-Models

In Brazil, the debate on cities and architecture is often neglected, limited to admiration for international examples that often represent more failures than solutions. Dubai is one such example, considered by many to be a model of progress, but which, in reality, symbolizes the failure of sustainable urbanism. The illusion of progress that permeates the imagination of many Brazilians reflects the lack of critical knowledge about architecture and urbanism. And, while we look abroad, our country is inspired by the worst examples, without adapting the lessons to local realities, promoting an exclusionary urbanism and empty aesthetics.

Imitating Failed Urban Models and the Illusion of Modernity

Historically, S?o Paulo has modeled itself on large metropolises such as New York and Paris. However, as the decades passed and neoliberalism took hold, preference shifted to places like Miami, Orlando and Dubai, cities that, unlike the previous ones, do not have notable examples of social integration or sustainable urban planning. Dubai, for example, represents the realization of a city built in the desert with a focus on consumption and entertainment, but devoid of solid urban values, such as active mobility, sustainability and social inclusion.

By replicating these models in Brazil, we are incorporating an elitist urbanism, which spreads through luxury developments in medium and large cities. Instead of taking references from cities like Tokyo or Copenhagen, which prioritize well-being and urban sustainability, we have chosen to replicate gated communities, isolated shopping malls and expressways that only serve cars. This type of urbanism ignores the complexity of social interactions and reinforces the exclusion of the less favored classes, both from an economic and social point of view.

Segregational Urbanism: "Alabama Suburbs" and the Expansion of Gated Communities

The phenomenon of gated communities in Brazil reveals a trend of economic and spatial segregation, reminiscent of the American suburbs of the 1960s, where laws and practices reinforced social exclusion. Just as in the state of Alabama, where expressions such as “safety first” justified racial segregation, in Brazil, the justification of safety is used to keep the less privileged away from the valued areas. These gated communities are planned so that their winding roads make access to the interior of the neighborhoods difficult, with the aim of discouraging the passage of non-residents. Even without gates or guardhouses, the urbanism becomes a "fiefdom", where outsiders are not welcome.

This type of urbanism segregates cities economically, making public transportation unviable and overloading public roads. The government's complicity is remarkable: while investments in public transportation are minimal, construction companies and contractors continue to build homes far from urban centers, forcing the need for cars and increasing traffic on major avenues. For domestic workers, gardeners and other low-income workers who serve these areas, the only option left is the long and expensive journey on public transportation, paid for by society as a whole.

Brasília and the Inspiration of the Automobile: The Legacy of Lúcio Costa

The urban planning of Brasília is another example of how urban planning in Brazil prioritizes segregation and the use of automobiles. Conceived by Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, Brasília was designed to be a modern city, but failed to impose an urban design geared towards cars, when less than 1% of the Brazilian population owned a car. This urban structure, focused on individual transportation, proved unsustainable, and today the city faces a weakening of the Plano Piloto and a disorderly expansion in the outskirts.

The same logic of Brasília was later replicated in Barra da Tijuca, in Rio de Janeiro, where luxury condominiums are isolated from the rest of the city, reinforcing economic and spatial segregation. Lúcio Costa's urban planning, which divides the city into exclusive zones for residences, commerce and offices, was already criticized in the 1950s by urban planners such as Jane Jacobs. Even so, the segregating model was repeated, transforming Barra into a space where cars are mandatory and social integration is non-existent.

Orlando: The Pseudo-Urban Model and the Environmental Paradox

The city of Orlando, Florida, is another example of failed urban planning that, paradoxically, is admired and imitated in Brazil. Despite its pleasant climate and the absence of major safety problems, Orlando is an example of urban planning where public space is non-existent and social interactions are limited. The city has an extremely low population density, which makes it dependent on cars and increases its carbon footprint. In a scenario where the world is fighting climate change, each inhabitant of Florida emits eight times more carbon than an inhabitant of China.

Orlando serves as an example of the waste of land and the environmental impacts of a city designed exclusively for cars. In order to get to parks and shopping centers, residents and tourists depend on long car trips, increasing the consumption of fossil fuels. Even with a small population, the lack of spaces for collective interaction and extreme dependence on automobiles make Orlando an example of how not to plan a sustainable city.

“McMansions” and the Aesthetics of Exclusion

Another important aspect of Brazilian urban planning is the adoption of a luxury aesthetic that hides the lack of functionality and sustainability of buildings. Inspired by concepts such as American “McMansions”, our luxury condominiums overuse cheap materials that imitate Parisian stone, but fade with the first rains. The small windows, a step back from modernism that advocated large windows for ventilation, create a visual appearance of elegance, but compromise the quality of life of residents by preventing the entry of light and fresh air.

The apparent luxury of these buildings is a facade that tries to disguise the use of cheap materials and the focus on maximizing profits. Instead of promoting sustainable architecture, which prioritizes the use of durable and efficient materials, the Brazilian real estate market opts for aesthetic solutions that imitate low-quality international models. The reality is that “luxury” in Brazil, represented by buildings with mirrored glass and disproportionate terraces, only serves to segregate and isolate.

The Cable-Stayed Bridge: A Monument to Backwardness and Urban Exclusion

One of the most obvious symbols of exclusionary urban planning in S?o Paulo is the Cable-Stayed Bridge. Designed for cars, with no space for pedestrians or cyclists, this project represents the misuse of public resources in a city where active mobility and mass transit should be priorities. Even 15 years after its inauguration, no municipal bus line passes over the bridge, excluding most of the population from using this road.

The Cable-Stayed Bridge is a clear example of failed urban planning that prioritizes the automobile over public transportation and active mobility. Unlike other iconic bridges around the world, such as the Brooklyn Bridge in New York, the Ponte da Mulher in Buenos Aires or the Golden Gate in San Francisco, which incorporate walking and cycling into their design, the Cable-Stayed Bridge is a demonstration of a lack of vision and excessive dependence on cars. The exorbitant cost of the project, which could have financed affordable housing projects and improvements to public transportation infrastructure, shows how urban planning in S?o Paulo is disconnected from the real needs of the population.

The Urgency of a Paradigm Shift in Urban Planning

The reality of Brazilian urbanism points to the urgent need for a paradigm shift. By taking inspiration from cities like Orlando and Dubai, we prioritize an urban model that ignores diversity and inclusion, reinforcing segregation and social exclusion. For Brazil to develop more sustainable and integrated cities, it is essential that mayors, architects and urban planners begin to value examples such as Tokyo, Seoul, Copenhagen and Amsterdam, where public transportation, sustainability and active mobility are integrated into urban planning.

In addition, it is essential that the population and opinion makers be more critical and demand projects that benefit the community and promote urban coexistence. Building cities where everyone can move around and meet is the true path to inclusive urbanism, where architecture and urban planning are not just monuments to ego and isolation, but instruments for a quality collective life.

Final Considerations

Urbanism and architecture in Brazil reflect an exclusionary social project that prioritizes superficial luxury and empty aesthetics to the detriment of functionality and collective well-being. The cable-stayed bridge,

gated communities and the aesthetics of “McMansions” are symbols of a city model that ignores the common citizen and deepens urban inequalities. Only with a critical stance and a change of references will we be able to build cities that respect social diversity and promote true urban integration.