New (Sub)Urbanism and Old Inequalities in Brazilian Gated Communities

摘要

In the last decade there has been a noticeable growth of suburban developments in Brazil, mostly gated communities, to the point that it has become a trend in the country's architecture and urbanism. These communities can be perceived as a loud response to urban violence, but are also increasingly anchored in a certain nostalgia that has gained space in the imagination of the Brazilian upper classes. In such an exclusionary climate, this study questions the future of Brazilian cities—should gated communities continue to be presented as the main solution to urban problems? The paper discusses these issues based upon the growth of gated communities in the metropolitan region of Belo Horizonte, Brazil, and their questionable affiliation with New Urbanism, using the Alphaville Lagoa dos Ingleses project as a case study.