Gonzaga, Maria Zinato, "Planning Cities in a Hilly Landscape"

The thesis is based on two assumptions:

an urban plan for any settlement in a hilly landscape should:

1. allow Land to define the Growth and the Form of new development, and

2. recognize, reclaim and enhance the local natural features of the environment within the settlement's boundaries to: remedy existing urban problems, allow people to be re-connected to nature, and support a sustainable model of development.

This thesis uses the City of Ponte Nova (Brazil) as a case study:

- to show how historically Settlement was adapted to Land,

- to consider watershed potential in the study area and

- to suggest some recommendations for environmentally correct growth of the city.

The Ponte Nova case study gave me the opportunity to examine at two different levels:

1. the concrete level, concerned with local people and their fears and wishes, and the difficulties and alternatives in the implementation of an urban plan,

2. a theoretical level, associated with approaches, concepts and ideal situations.

Atlantic Planners Institute

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This document was last modified on November 14, 2000.