at a glance

The port district of Rio de Janeiro has experienced great transformations leading to a lack of dynamism and to great degradation and widespread obsolescence of its spaces. Sections of the area are occupied by shantytowns and most of the buildings are either abandoned or highly degraded.

As is common in many cities worldwide, the Municipality of Rio de Janeiro is focusing on the rehabilitation of this district and its reintegration with more dynamic sections of the city. This initiative was introduced by the Projeto Porto do Rio, published in 2001. This paper analyzes the characteristics and the strategies promoted by the project, identifying the positive and negative aspects of this undertaking when considering the principles of integrated urban conservation.