Eleventh International Conference on The Constructed Environment

Abstract

As cities grow, they impose a new medium, built on landscapes and natural ecosystems. The land is cleared and cuts are frequently made or machinery altered in the shape of hills; valleys and marshes are filled with rocks and waste materials, and groundwater is generally removed. This study considers how development not only transforms the areas it urbanizes, but also much larger ones, as can be seen in the changes that rural ecology is undergoing to respond to metropolitan needs for water and raw materials, goods, and services. Surround regions must meet the many demands for construction materials and waste accumulation, resulting from building, creating roads, parking lots, industries and other components of the urban structure. Much of the environmental impact of urban development is perceived far from there, at the end of the valley that the city occupies, downstream of the river that crosses it or where the wind draws the fumes. For example, some cities such as Porto Alegre, in Brazil, provide running water to the entire population, regular garbage collection and sufficient sanitation. Furthermore, this locality is well known for having created a ‘participatory budget’ that has strengthened local democracy and provided citizens with more direct collaboration in setting municipal priorities. Life expectancy in Porto Alegre is similar to that of European cities. It is also one of the fastest growing populations in the region over the past 50 years, demonstrating that rapid growth does not necessarily imply serious environmental problems.