The reforms of the Anhangabaú Valley

CEP 01010-001 - this is the address for Vale do Anhangabaú. You don't need to know much about the geography of São Paulo to know that this location is a central landmark of the city. More precisely, a landmark between two parts of the city center: the old center of São Paulo, which extends towards Praça da Sé, and the new center, towards Avenida Paulista.

Recently, downtown São Paulo was chosen by TimeOut magazine as one of the coolest neighborhoods in the world! So much history and culture in one place! We are biased, because we love the region so much, we even tell you a little more about the advantages of living in downtown São Paulo

And like everything in SP, it has already changed a lot – and will change once again. But before we get into the subject (or controversy) of the new Vale renovation, let's go back a little bit to the past of Anhangabaú, which is a symbol of the transformations of São Paulo and tells the story of the city better than anyone else.

Anhangabaú Valley: what was Viadulto do Chá like in the past?

Until the beginning of the 20th century, the Anhangabaú River ran through the valley, with its sources in the neighborhoods of Vila Mariana and Paraíso. The urban expansion of São Paulo had not reached the region (most of the houses were still concentrated around the Sé), which was occupied mainly by farms and country estates.

In fact, there was a black tea plantation in the region (owned by Arouche Rendon , for those who want to look for the reference) which was the reason for the name of the Viaduto do Chá. As the city grew, urbanization reached the region at a time when São Paulo was known as the “ coffee capital ”. In 1906 the river was canalized and from then on, Anhangabaú Park gradually emerged: with different works from the 1911 Bouvard Plan, together with the Municipal Theater and Líbero Badaró Street, it was an almost French landscape.

End of Anhangabaú Park

Thirty years later, São Paulo was a different city – it had grown a lot. And things in the Anhangabaú Valley had also changed: in 1940, the park was destroyed to build an expressway that connected the north and south zones, connecting Avenida Tiradentes with Avenidas 9 de Julho and 23 de Maio. The green area that was typical of the belle époque of São Paulo was transformed into a concrete desert made only for cars.

Mobility has always been a problem in the city, but over the years, urban degradation and quality of life have also become important issues: as the city grew, so did the need for green areas and leisure options - the idea was that people could occupy the spaces in the center, not just use them as a means of passing through. This need gave rise to the Anhangabaú Valley that we know today, in 1991.

The 1991 Reform

Perhaps the biggest problem with this new project for the Anhangabaú Valley was that, in an attempt to combine the best of both worlds, the result was not positive for either problem: people were driving around there, but they preferred the viaducts. Some people parked there, but it wasn't that pleasant.

Of course the project was beautiful and the place was the scene of several important events – in one way or another, it was used – as public spaces should be used. But 30 years later, the place suffered from urban degradation, scaring away the public that the place should have.

New Anhangabú Valley: Made for People

Now, we are under construction again. The project was designed by the Danish firm Jan Gehl, with sponsorship from Itaú bank. It should be ready soon. Without going into the merits of the landscaping project – which has not yet been completed, so there is no rush to conclusions – the fact is that the region needed to be requalified: when a large space like the Anhangabaú Valley stops attracting people, it is a sign that something is wrong.

São Paulo is a city that builds a new downtown area every thirty years or so: Sé, Av. São João, Paulista, Faria Lima, Berrini... Instead of trying to expand the urban fabric more and more, creating new problems for urban mobility, perhaps the city should look to the downtown area and what has already been done: places with easy access, a wide range of services, some of the city's landmarks, everything there. But there is a fundamental element in any promise of revitalization: people. It is necessary to attract people to the downtown area – what is public must be occupied by the public.

The revitalization initiative is part of the city's new Master Plan, more specifically the PIU (Urban Intervention Project), which seeks to attract more people to the region. Downtown São Paulo has a daily flow of two million people, so the idea is to transform the Anhangabaú Valley from a place of passage into a place of permanence, especially at night. Thinking about guaranteeing the schedule of events (and also the maintenance of the space), the city government has already opened a concession notice, placing the administration in the hands of the private sector. One of the most delicate points of the project is the maintenance of the park and the city government is betting on partnerships with other sectors to ensure that the space functions according to the proposal.

There are currently several parks and leisure areas under construction in the city: Paulista Avenue, which is closed to cars on Sundays, is a success. Minhocão is following the same path and legend has it that one day it will become an elevated park. Even construction on Parque da Augusta is expected to begin soon. The point is that São Paulo needs leisure options in keeping with its size and population: in a city known for stress, this should be a priority.

If the Anhangabaú Valley is any indication of the history of São Paulo, perhaps this is a sign that things are changing. We have had plantations, we have hidden the river, we have walked in a European garden, we have seen the dominance of automobiles, and now we are seeing efforts to bring people back. It would be great if this worked – the city center certainly deserves it.

For those who like architecture and urban planning, we also have a really cool text on the blog about the most beautiful buildings in the city ! It's worth checking out.

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