CIDADE, IMAGEM, IDENTIDADE

O CASO DO MUNICÍPIO DE TIRADENTES (MG) E UMA PROPOSTA DE INTERVENÇÃO URBANA NO BAIRRO PARQUE DAS ABELHAS

Abstract

This article is based on the academic work developed for the “City. Image. Identity: Urban Spaces” course module, led by the course leader Ana Beatriz da Rocha, at the Architecture and Urbanism course at the Federal University of São João del-Rei, which intended to highlight how critical-theoretical-historical issues are relevant to the design experimentation process. Initially, it was analysed the historical and economic circumstances that led to the formation of the municipality of Tiradentes (MG), as well as how late XX century city marketing strategies were important to reaffirm the city as a tourist destination – leading to the transformation of its (material and immaterial) heritage into commodity, in contrast to the notion of culture and the preservation of memory. Besides, it was also discussed how the economic development generated by tourism encouraged the expansion of the city’s 1700s historical centre – focusing on the Parque das Abelhas neighbourhood, a 1980s regular grid planned urban quarter. The outcome of the course work was an urban intervention proposal in the Parque das Abelhas neighbourhood that focused on the local residents’ contemporary demands for the use of the public space – considering complex issues related to heritage, image and identity of historical cities and their relevance for the tourism industry.