The Naturalization of Violence from State Apparatus in the Process of Lapa Carioca Revitalization: Legal Measures, Ennoblement and Segregation

Abstract

Cities are constituted by peculiarities and heterogeneous areas: a central region, peripheral regions, waterfront and favelas. Squeezed between the sea and the mountain, the city of Rio de Janeiro had its architectural project marked by the occupation of hills and the expansion in valleys and marshes, so several processes of grounding at the expense of demolitions were necessary. Due to the rather rugged geography, the city has constantly evidenced and still evidences the need for reforms. Following this line of reasoning, we aim at focusing on an urban reform: the revitalization of Lapa neighborhood. In order to do so, we perform a bibliographical research encompassing theoretical lines of approach that corroborate our premises. Our dive into the literature on the revitalization process revealed that the concept is dynamic and admits several interpretations according to social, economic, political and geographical aspects. However, it is necessary the understanding about revitalization as a process that, does not condemn the existing forms to extinction, but aims at recovering them, giving them a new aesthetic appearance and new modalities of use. We can also state that the justifications for revitalization are based on the idea of chaos and disorder, but the aspect that moved the revitalization of Lapa are related to business interests linked to the economic sector, which resulted in a deep social transformation with the segregation of actors by gentrification, a sprawl of the commerce sectors as well as the leisure sectors and the controlled selectivity of people due to the consumption capacity.