In recent months, the revision of São Paulo’s Plano Diretor Estratégico (Strategic Master Plan) has been widely discussed. The proposed revision has been widely criticized by various public spheres, including researchers, professionals, activists, and activists linked to academia and social movements, due to threats to cultural references and the marks of social memory present in a territory that could undergo profound material changes. This discussion is the subject of the new episode of the podcast Patrimoniar, produced by Centro de Preservação Cultural da USP (CPC-USP), which features urban architect and professor Andréa Tourinho, a researcher and professional with extensive experience in the interface between cultural heritage and urban planning.
According to Gabriel Fernandes, the program’s producer, the definition and implementation of public policies is one of the most important dimensions of the field of cultural heritage: it is through them that instruments for identifying, preserving, and enhancing cultural assets are publicly manifested and gain social reach, especially in the urban environment. In this sense, the integration of this field with that of urban planning is a recurring theme in debates and studies on public heritage policies. Indeed, this issue has appeared and reappeared in heritage discussions since the mid-1960s. “There are several questions linked to this debate: to what extent should cultural heritage be included in city master plans? What are the limits and potential of urban planning instruments in safeguarding heritage? Is the progress of the city an obstacle to the preservation of heritage and vice versa?” he says.
Patrimoniar
The Patrimoniar podcast, now in its seventh edition, is a channel for reflection and dialog on issues relating to cultural heritage. The purpose of the series is to talk about places, buildings, memories, affections, disputes, sharing, cultures and natures, practices, and issues that are fundamental to the construction of our identities and memories. It is produced by Eduardo Kishimoto and Gabriel Fernandes. This and all previous episodes are available on the CPC-USP website, Spotify, Apple Podcasts, Google Podcasts, and the main aggregators.
Translated by: Lara Yoshime Shizuko Fukushima