Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
The Brazilian middle class, starting in the 70's, inspired by the condos in Miami and in Manhattan, decided that to live in apartments in condominiums is a "proof of social status".
It's now part of the culture of the Brazilian middle class to live in apartments in condominiums.
People like the sensation of living in a high place, far above the ground level, and with a good view of the surrounding city.
That's why the city where I live, Fortaleza, looks like this:
I still don't think that's the reason why. I think it's Agenda 21, Brazil not wanting to build semi-detached or terraced houses like in western Europe, to reduce urban sprawl.
I still don't think that's the reason why. I think it's Agenda 21, Brazil not wanting to build semi-detached or terraced houses like in western Europe, to reduce urban sprawl.
It has nothing to do with Agenda 21. The "boom" in the construction of apartment buildings started in the end of the 70's and beginning of the 80's. A lot of time before "Agenda 21" even existed.
People live in apartments because they want to live in apartments. Apartment buildings are built because there is a lot of demand for it. Government does NOTHING to prevent the construction of "suburbs" or "sprawl". Builders and developers are free to start as many new "suburbs" as they want. But there is much more demand for apartments than demand for houses.
That's the explanation, and it's very simple: CULTURE. It's a cultural factor.
One factor is that cement was very, very cheap in Brazil from the 1950's into the 1980's. Brazil had an oversupply of cement, and one use for cement is to build mid-rise towers. That's not the whole explanation, but without cheap cement, these buildings would have been much more difficult to construct.
Ah...I definitely think this to be a huge factor. In North America, building structures like that is super expensive. For example, in a mid-size city (Let's say Des Moines), a 2000 sq ft house would run about 160k... the same living space in a high rise would likely cost twice that here in the U.S. The only time it's ever made financial sense to build up is when there's a huge demand for limited real estate. No small towns in north america have high rises due to the high construction of them, and the availability of land.
Despite malaman's blind patriotism, he may have a point too. Culturally, North Americans like to have space, yards, etc...but there's an explanation behind that. Land ownership is ingrained in our minds as vital... So back to the whole safety issue: As there has never been a reliable police force and/or fair judicial system, I wonder if culturally, there is a great sense of security and community in a high rise that wouldn't exist in a stand alone structure.
I still believe lack of safety/ security is a determining factor. Most people who have a vacation home in Brazil need to have a caseiro(caretaker) living on site 24 hours a day.
My parents built a home in Rio Grande do Norte and even with a caretaker living on site, 24/7, they have been robbed. Violence and criminality in Brazil is very HIGH, I dont care how much these blind patriots try to play it down, it is very bad
It has nothing to do with Agenda 21. The "boom" in the construction of apartment buildings started in the end of the 70's and beginning of the 80's. A lot of time before "Agenda 21" even existed.
People live in apartments because they want to live in apartments. Apartment buildings are built because there is a lot of demand for it. Government does NOTHING to prevent the construction of "suburbs" or "sprawl". Builders and developers are free to start as many new "suburbs" as they want. But there is much more demand for apartments than demand for houses.
That's the explanation, and it's very simple: CULTURE. It's a cultural factor.
Well, thanks to a Brazilian immigrant on here and someone living in Mexico, I now know what you might mean by "culture". Culture similar to how in Spain and Portugal most people live in houses that are completely joined together similar to apartments. But, like Repubocrat and joe said, safety and security are also big issues, as well as the fact that cement construction was extremely cheap back then. So, culture is looking at only one aspect of a multi-dimensional phenomenon.
They like to live in apartments or the government encourages them to live in apartments? Not even in small western European countries do people live in tower blocks like Brazilians do.
Quote:
Originally Posted by joelaldo
exactly... and I'm trying to find out WHY? Is it a safety/crime issue? Do Brazilians who are better off prefer tower blocks as a way to ward off criminals?
It's just a matter of individual preferences. Nothing to do with "government or safety/crime. It's only "Brazil"..
After travelling a bit more, I realize it is a bit of a culture thing... but I don't know if I would agree that it was inspired by Manhattan or Miami. It's just inspired by people wanting better views of the city, or just feeling higher.
It has nothing to do with crime or safety.... as I learned that many condominiums or residential high rises get invaded by armed robbers with very little problem at all.
After travelling a bit more, I realize it is a bit of a culture thing... but I don't know if I would agree that it was inspired by Manhattan or Miami. It's just inspired by people wanting better views of the city, or just feeling higher.
It has nothing to do with crime or safety.... as I learned that many condominiums or residential high rises get invaded by armed robbers with very little problem at all.
"many" is a bit of an exaggeration... armed robbers invading residential high rises are a very rare occurrence in Brazil, and mostly restricted to the city of São Paulo
And yes, the highrises were inspired by Manhattan and Miami, specially in the beginnings of the "verticalization" phenomenon in Brazil, in the 70's and the 80's
I think it's a mix of culture and safety. Brazilians aren't about all that large, open space stuff. The kind of stuff where it's just you and no one else for miles around. That just seems solitary and alien to them. The direct opposite of that, obviously, is an apartment. On top of that, Brazil has always been (until recently) pretty rural. People poured into the cities and apartments are the best way to put a bunch of people in one space while still having room for more within city limits.
Yes, Miami influenced Brazilian cities. I would argue more so than NYC/Manhattan. EVERYTHING has an Art Deco feel, and that is classic 60's-80's Miami.
But it's also safety. There is safety in numbers, and I can tell you, no matter what kind of confusão is happening outside, once the porteiro lets you in the apartment...you can pretty much walk around there naked. Incredibly safe.
Please register to post and access all features of our very popular forum. It is free and quick. Over $68,000 in prizes has already been given out to active posters on our forum. Additional giveaways are planned.
Detailed information about all U.S. cities, counties, and zip codes on our site: City-data.com.
Please register to participate in our discussions with 2 million other members - it's free and quick! Some forums can only be seen by registered members. After you create your account, you'll be able to customize options and access all our 15,000 new posts/day with fewer ads.
