Conflicts and dialogues in heritage convservation of Rio de Janeiro’s Central Area

Abstract

The field of disputes between heritage conservation and urban renewal has an exceptional laboratory for studies in the city of Rio de Janeiro. National capital between the years of 1763 and 1960, its urban city center stands out for its architectural richness and diversity, made up of heterogenous fragments of the many urban projects in its history. In this paper, we focus on the conflicts and dialogues amid the heritage protection initiatives of SPHAN and the Federal District Municipal Government’s yearning for transformation in Rio de Janeiro’s city center, between the years of 1938 and 1964, using Presidente Vargas Avenue as a common thread of análisis that seeks to highlight the effects that these conflicts have in its urban fabric.