Structural Analysis of Historical Constructions - Modena, Lourenço & Roca (eds) © 2005 Taylor & Francis Group, London, ISBN 04 15363799

An architecture teaching program to rescue the historical town of ,

B.T. de Oliveira Arehiteet D.Se., fPHAN, Ouro Prelo/MG, Brazi! E.C. de Araújo Professor D.Se. , UFO?, Ouro Preto/MG, Brazil J.N.S. Villaschi & L.c. Mancini Arehiteets, M.Sc., UFO?, Ouro Preto/MG, Brazi!

ABSTRACT: Founded in 1698, Ouro Preto was, during two centuries, the capital ofthe State of and stage of an intense nationalist feeling, that had influence on the independence ofBrazil. As an alive testimony of secular traditions the city constitutes object of special cares in order to safeguard its integrity as the world largest urban settle, and guarantee its historical, artistic and environrnental heritage. In this sense, the Federal University of Ouro Preto proposes an Architecture and Urban Studies Course in order to face the social demand of the 21 st century for professionals of the territorial planning as well as the preservation of its cultural values. The formation of criticai mass on this professional performance area represents a most significant institutional relationship between the academic world and the daily community life, the urban space production and the destinies of Ouro Preto and its historical surrounding area.

HISTORlCAL CONSIDERATIONS in 1798, promoted by the people, the "Inconfidência Mineira" was led by the highly wealthy society that I. I The Enlightenment in Ouro Preto fi1tered and translated the illuminist purposes. They defended Brazilian liberation of the colonial power, Brazil , since its di scovery in the 16th century, has never even though in a partial and less democratic way, once been isolated from the rest ofthe world. The process of they were owners of thousands of slaves and they its continental dimensions territory's occupation was wouldn't support the end ofthe slavery. According to held through successive economic cycles addressed to Schmidt (1997), the Minas Gerais' disloyers had then the satisfaction of the European market. Unlikely the planned the transference ofthe Minas Gerais capital to first extractivist cycle of "Pau Brasil" (Caesalpinia th e town of São João dei Rei, while Vila Rica, nowa­ echinata), which didn 't favour any territory settlement, days Ouro Preto, would beco me an excellent university the mineral extractivism cycle generated deep transfor­ centre. mations in the social and space structure and organisa­ Under pressure of the Portuguese Kingdom and tion, showing intense process of people displacement alleging the collection of late taxes, the authorities and the urbanisation ofthe country's interland. arrested the military Silva Xavier, the only disloyer During and after the two centuries of colonisation, who did not belong to the powerful society group. the liberal ideas and philosophy, as well as other cul­ Betrayed by his own conspiracy partners, he was hung tural influences were brought to Brazil , strongly inspir­ in a public square, having hi s body divided in many ing revolutionary groups to promote the liberty and the pieces that were exposed in different points ofthe town necessary political changes. of Ouro Preto, as a demonstration of the power of the The illuminist French thought "Liberte, Égalite et king against the fight for independence. Fraternite" has great1y influenced the Minas Gerais people to become free from the colonial oppression 1.2 The cycle and the colonial times and create our own national governrnent. It also explains registers like the Minas Gerais flag "Libertas In the 18th century, Brazi l had become the largest Quae Sera Tamem". Different from Bahia's disloyalty world producer of gold and di amonds. Discovered by

177 the powdered and the nuggets gold, which circulation had been prohibited, were ali melted and marked with the royal stamp.

1.3 The urban and architectural evolution of Ouro Preto Ouro Preto has had an original space formation that disobeys ali types oftraditional radial or nuclear urban organisation in most of the other Brazilian Colonial cities. Its organic and lineal configuration advanced in more than two centuries the urban phenomenon nowa­ days known as "nucleation", that is, the formation ofa city starting from the connection of several close urban nuclei. Several small settlements appeared in function of the discovery since 1698 of gold mines spread around the territory. Their connection (Fig. 2), was consoli­ dated on the second quarter of the 18th century, by means of significant urban interventions promoted by the government of Mr. Gomes Freire of Andrade, called Earl of Bobadela (1735- 63). In that period bridges and fountains were built, and the administra­ tive centre was implanted, known at the present time as Square. It was delimitated by the construc­ tion of the Palace of the Governors and later by the old House of Chamber and Prison. The new nucleus unified the two more important small villages, named Figure 1. The (Royal Road). Antônio Dias and Pilar. It highlighted Vi la Rica as the main gold extraction centre of the 18th century, propitiating great innovations in the architecture, in the "Bandeiras"(expeditions in search ofIndians and the painting, and in the sculpture works. One of the mineraIs), the ma in and more durable area of aurif­ most recognised is the artistAntônio Francisco Lisboa, erous exploration was placed in Minas Gerais. The known like (the crippled). activities attracted immense number of peo­ In Minas Gerais, the buildings followed the pIe from ali the world in search of immediate wealth, models adopted in other Brazilian areas, develop­ making the population in the colony to increase almost ing simple architectural solutions standing out for 10 times withinjust one century and the lack ofinfra­ the pleasant proportions and for the balanced rhythm structure provoked hunger and conflicts in the area. of the whitewashed walls drained harmoniously by needed to create the "Minas' Intendancy", the empty spaces. The main constructive technique a fiscal organism directly linked to Lisbon and respon­ in the Brazilian popular architecture is still the sible for the administration and for the surveillance of "pau-a-pique", which is constituted of wood barses the mining activities, but specially for the collection covered ofwet earth. Stone and whitewash walls were of tributes. The mosl important tax collected by the used only in the most important residences and in the Kingdom was the "fifth", which corresponded to 20% monuments. of ali and any amount of gold found by any minero In the beginning of the 18th century, Vila Rica The official flowing of gold and diamonds to the formed an architectural seatle of baroque style, con­ closest port was concentrated on the "Estrada Real" stituted by white collor walls covered by ceramic tiles, (Royal Road), thal covers more than 1400 km, con­ harmoniously integrated wi th the topography and the stituted of two main roads converged in Ouro Preto: surrounding nature. the Old Road that ties Ouro Preto to Parati and the In the religious architecture the Portuguese influ­ New Road that links the city of to ences were assimilated, adapted and reformulated. In Ouro Preto, later elongated unlil Diamantina. This road the beginning, the traditional conception of the first configuration turned Ouro Preto into the geographical Brazilian Baroque style was adopted in Minas Gerais and historical centre of the Estrada Real (Fig. 1). with rectangu1ar plants and plane facades. Later, these In order to try lo control the circulation and facades were changed in curved formats and the the transport of mineral wealth, some "Houses of heavy and robust proportions gave place to a larger Foundry" were created along the Estrada Real, where lightness and harmony buildings. The curved plants

178 I EIXO Transversal

Figure 2. The urban evolution ofVila Rica. and facades had strong influence of Borromini and eclectic taste. The main church of Pilar Quarter had German Baroque styles. The sumptuosity ofthe inside its facade totally reformed between 1848 and 1852. omaments ofthe churches complete and accentuate the The San Francisco de Paula's church was built in monumental aspect and the singular character of the 1804 and was reformed in 1878, under neo-classical religious architecture. influence. Another peculiar aspect of Minas Gerais history, At that time, urban interventions were accom­ comparing to other Brazilian areas, was the prohibition plished, fixing boulevards of classic taste and also to install regular religious orders in its territory. This appearing constructions of neo-classical facades with fact explains the lack of schools and convents in the counters. urban landscape of the mining colonial cities. The inauguration of the rail station (1889) and the The neoclassicist's premises in Vila Rica were creation of the Pharmacy's School (1839), the Minas first applied in the old House of Camera and Chain Gerais Lycée (1854), and the School ofMines were of and later in the existent residence constructions and great economic and social importance for the develop­ monuments, respecting its scales and old addings. ment of Ouro Preto in the 19th century. The first decline of the city happened at the end With the proclamation of the Republic, in 1889, of the 18th century, with the exhaustion of the gold the image of the imperial city of Ouro Preto was mines and the crisis of provisioning, resulting an strong revealed inadequate for the positivist purposes and for economic decadence and in the demography emptying the scientifical rationality of the republicans' ideais. from the old Vila Rica. The change ofthe capital from Ouro Preto to Belo On March 20th, 1823, Vila Rica received the title of Horizonte, in 1897, produced an exodus ofalmost 50% Imperial City of Ouro Preto, maintaining its function ofthe population, provoking physical and economical of capital of the province of Minas Gerais. damages to the city, characterizing its second decline The following decades and in the 19th century, processo As well as other historical cities, Ouro Preto Ouro Preto was modemized with urban expansions in preserved its physical and formal integrity because of Pilar Quarter in direction to Barra Quarter, besides the the removal of the development that stimulates urban fixing of the railroad, of the telephony infrastructure, renewals. telegraph and illumination, as well as nets of water and In the beginning of the 20th century, the press sewer. had alerted about the abandonrnent of the cultural Severa 1 buildings of the colonial period were heritage of Minas Gerais and about the need of reformed and replaced for others, of neo-classic or actions for its preservation. Starting from the twenties,

179 Ouro Preto begins to be visited by modem urbanists with the proper soils, its crests, looking like large nails and architects as Lúcio Costa and Oscar Niemeyer, by or changing the natural foothills. poets as Cecília Meirelles and Carlos Drummond de Andrade, inspiring modernists !ike Mário de Andrade 1.4 The city at the present time to cJassify the city as one ofthe most important bases of the national identity. Still in the twenties, severa I Ouro Preto has a chaotic traffic, without an organized law projects were elaborated for the protection of road system plan, with precarious traffic signals sys­ the Brazilian historical and artistic heritage anel, on tem and lack of areas for parking. There are few and an July 12th, 1933 , the Law-Decree 22.928 was promul­ insufficient restrictions for traffic and the circulation gated leading Ouro Preto to National Monument. In of heavy vehicJes is causing physical damages to the 1937, at Gustavo Capanema's administration in the traditional structures of its stick-to-pricks, stone and Education and Health Ministry, the National Historical adobe. A project for systemising the traffic was devel­ and Artistic Heritage Service (SPHAN) was createel, oped by the MonumentalBID Program and it needs to and in 1938 it promoted the integral recording of be implanted with urgency. Ouro Preto. The city also suffers a process of destruction of In 1950, the installation of ALCAN enterprise recurrent and temporary nature, with the realisa­ ( of Brazil Limited), cJose to Ouro Preto, tion of megaevents at Tiradentes Square, without any impelled the metallurgical and mining activities, pro­ planning or study of environrnental impact. voking the growth of the population and the demand Most of the protected properties are in reasonable for new houses in the city. Such facts directed SPHAN conservation state and with compatible uses with their to elaborate the first rules for approval of construct­ structures. The main problems are about compression, ing projects, starting to recommend the traditional alterations of the internai spaces, replacing of materi­ architectural elements ofthe colonial perioel, creating ais and ofthe original constructive systems. There is a popularly architecture well known as "heritage style". large demand of increments, addictions and reforms, The decade of60 presented important alterations for besides numberless irregular constructions. About a the life of Ouro Preto, like the creation of the Federal hundred processes against irregular behaviours are University ofOuro Preto (UFOP) and the asphalting of registered in the State and Federal public ministries. the highway that links it to the capital of the State, Belo Another problem of difficult solution is said in despite Horizonte. On that decade, fast urban transformations of the fund subject, with the existence of ownerships alerted the national public opinion and they stimulated and lands without owners, as well as many irregular public organisms to develop plans for the protection of division ofurban portion. the cultural heritage of Ouro Preto. Data of lhe IBGE, the official national statistic In the following years, successive attempts of cul­ searching foundation, has already demonstrated that, tural and environrnental preservations and purposes if in 1970 the portion of the Brazi!ian population that of zoning were applied without solutions in the city occupied the cities in Brazil was about 50%, in the and its surroundings. In September of 1980, Ouro eighties, that value arose for almost 70% in 1990, Preto was declared as Cultural Heritage ofthe Human­ and the urban population reached 77% of the total ity by UNESCO. Later, three state units of conser­ population of Brazil. vation in the surroundings were created: the State Attracted by non-existent, precarious or insufficient Park of ltacolomi, the Ecological Station of Tripuí urban employments and services, large contingent and the Area of Environmental Protection (APA) of low income population, without means to survive of the Cachoeira das Andorinhas (Waterfall of the in the country areas, has been more and more con­ Swallows). centrated in the cities of medium and big loads. An Successless, the settlement of the Addressing Plan approached scenery of the problems can be designed proposed in 1996 constituted one of the county gov­ adding the rural exodus, the demographic explosion ernrnent's last initiatives in order to put together the and the housing deficit, among other historical fac­ urban development of the city with the protection of tors. It concerns the challenges related to the urban its cultural and environrnental heritage. planning of any size of cities in Brazil at this so The architectural and urban group ofOuro Preto has early century: the proliferation of slums and settle­ 45 monuments recorded separately and approximately ments on irregular urban portions, the lacking of a thousand constructions recorded together. The !ines basic infrastructure, the deterioration of urban envi­ and the colours of its architecture are contrasting and ronment, and the saturation oftransport syslem, among they complement with the pro files, the textures and others. tonalities ofthe surrounding hills. According to Sylvio Through urban indexes, it has been verified the de Vasconcellos, in Ouro Preto the constructions marry unequivocal perpetuation of a development model that the topography perfectly, accentuating its contours, concentrates opportunities, socialising the damages the colours and the forms ofthe roofs, confusing itself and the problems while it tums benefits private.

180 Ouro Preto has known, during the last decades, a A plan for the recovery of the cultural and envi­ fast process of total disordered growth, characterised ronrnental heritage of Ouro Preto means wide and by the occupation of its hills and lands located in life diversified initiatives. lt must contemplate actions in risk areas, the invasion of public spaces and green historical and archaeological research, for preventive areas and even archaeological sites. The normative maintenance of the cultural and environrnental her­ demands of projects, the latent fire loads, the surveil­ itage. That task is immense and it can generate some lance and the existent systems of protection against the hundreds of permanent jobs in the county, also con­ fire are precarious. The actual possibility of a reac­ tributing to the increase of the and for the tion in chain, provoking fires of great proportion in dynamical action ofthe regional economy. Only a co 1- the heritage architectural is a cruel reality. lt has been lective action among the Municipal, State and Federal contributing to deteriorate the life quality in the Ouro governrnents can remove Ouro Preto from its disor­ Preto, besides changing the face of the environrnental dered and self-destructing expansion process, in order surroundings and of the architectural group declared to replace the city on the way to the development over Cultural Heritage ofthe Humanity (Figs 3 and 4). preservation patterns. UNESCO organised a mission oftechnicians ofthe In that sense, some effective initiatives and pur­ World Heritage Centre to come visit Ouro Preto in poses have being taken and, among them, it must be Apri12003, in order to list the existent problems and to underlined the creation of an Architecture and Urban identity, in co-ordinated action with the several spheres Studies course by the Federal University of Ouro ofthe public power, the necessary measures to stop the Preto (UFOP), addressed to the preservation of cultural alarming deterioration ofits environrnent and its built memories. seatle, which is provoking substantial changes in the historical landscape of the city. 2 THE ARCHITECTURE TEACHING PROGRAM

The Brazilian Association of Architecture Teaching (ABEA) is working since 1989, on the settlement of a national politics for the establishment of profiles and patterns that assure the architecture professional's qualification in the depth of the social challenges related to the current process of globalisation. The general curricular guidelines have for main goal the qualification ofthe students that will be graduated in courses recognised by the Ministry ofEducation for the professional exerci se. It must provide to the future Architect the essential domain ofthe necessary matters to their performance, guaranteeing an uni que qualifi­ cation and strengthening their specialised knowledge, without losing the notion of group of problems of the Figure 3. Ouro Preto in lhe beginning ofthe 20th century. architecture and urbanisation and their relationships with the society. The purpose of structuring the Architecture Course in Ouro Preto is according to an old and wished insti­ tutional aspiration, within the growing social demand for professionals ofthe territorial planning. According to the intrinsically multidisciplinarity ofthe academic formation and to the architectural professional prac­ tices, this course has been constructed with a vigorous potential of articulation of the several knowledge areas, gradually implanted in UFOP, especially in the last decade. On the other hand, the formation of a criticai mass in this professional area, that congregates slopes of the arts and of the applied sciences, represents signif­ icant depth of the institutional relationships between the academy and the society, the production ofthe city Figure 4. Ouro Preto at lhe present time. and the destinies of Ouro Preto. This double inside

181 and outside articulations punctuate clear perspectives actions. The collective action among the national and ofinserting UFOP and the city in the national and inter­ international public powers can still avoid its entire national subjects concerning the urban planning, the destruction and place it on the way to the solemnity­ cultural heritage, the natural and built envirorunent, sustairunent. Besides, the settlement of an University the daily life quality, the renewed technological proce­ Architecture and Urban Studies Course in the city dures in the civil construction, the aesthetic potential will provide the teaching and the researching activities of our works, among others. for the production of the city based on the preserva­ This course, proposed by the Escola de Minas tion ofthe architectural, natural and cultural heritages, (School of Mines) - UFOP, far away from represent­ in order to promote a based criticai context. This ingjust one more Architecture Course in Minas Gerais, demand is about secular and the national and inter­ have special characteristics in Brazil, as far as it pro­ national organisms are about to unify their efforts in poses integral professional formation with two inside order to make possible the settlement ofthis Course in emphases in "Conservation and Restoration ofBuild­ Ouro Preto. The supports can be financiai or through ings" and in "Metallic Constructions". It assists to institutional agreements. peculiarities and historical potentials ofthe area, which A good example was given by UNESCO that high­ are the important architectural sets ofthe mining colo­ lighted: "One good news is the next opening of the nial cities and other Brazilian historicalnuclei, besides career of A rchitecture and urbanism, with emphasis the traditional participation of Minas Gerais in the on the protection of the cultural heritage, in the Fed­ national development. eral University of Ouro Preto (UFOP). In addition, The subject of the cities' planning and adminis­ the university, in col/aboration with the Historical and tration should necessarily be a permanent subject of Artistic Institute of Patrimony (IPHAN), developed a discussion inside public institutions and, particularly, Continued for Education Project for the sustainable in those dedicated to higher education. Ifthe universi­ preservation of the cultural heritage, available to the ties cannot be away fIom that mission, it is necessary entire community ofOuro Preto" (Paris, 2003). to underline the important role that fi ts to UFOP in order to carry out this reflection and, above ali, the formation of professional staffs, considering the most REFERENCES significant presence ofthis institution in the life ofthe community where it interferes. In this context there is BANDEIRA, Manoel. Guia de Ouro Preto. Rio de Janeiro MES, 1938. a great need of performance of the very different pro­ MEC/SESulCEAU. 1994. Comissão De Especialistas De fess ionals affected to the city planning, especially of Ensino De Arquitetura E Urbanismo. Ensino de Arquite­ the Architect and Urban Planning. tura e Urbanismo - Condições & Diretrizes. p. 187 Base of the Brazilian colonial architecture, inspir­ Brasília. ing centre ofthe arts and strong pole of culture, science MEC/SESulCEAU. 1997. Perfis da Area & Padrões de and technology, Ouro Preto has always been fe rtile Qualidade. Dados do relatório, 65 p. Brasília. source of professionals to the country. With ali its MELLO, S. de . 1985. Barroco Mineiro. São Paulo: Editora tradition, UFOP has contributed, ali along its his­ Brasiliense. tory, with the formation of professionals in important MENICONI, Rodrigo O. de M. 1977 .A construção de uma cidade monumento: o caso de Ouro Preto. Dissertação de areas, like mineral extraction, its transformation in mestrado. Escola de Arquitetura e Urbanismo, UFMG. steel plants, civil big works (highways, hydroelectric . damns, airports) and, more recently, in the tourism. MOTTA, L. 1977. A Sphan em Ouro Preto; uma história de This concentrated know-how strengthens still more the conceitos e critérios. Revista do Patrimônio n° 22 , p.l 08 credibility and the potentialnecessary for the creation a 122. Rio de Janeiro. of the Architecture Course, as well as the certainty of OLIVEIRA, Benedito. T. de. 2003 . fi urgente uma ação con­ the success and of the benefits that will come from junta para reverter a deterioração de Ouro Preto, Revista such academic enterprise. Projeto Design, n° 279, p.24/26, São Paulo, SP OLIVEIRA, B. T. de. 2003. Em defesa de Ouro, Revista Arquitetura e Urbanismo, n° 113, p. 63/66, São Paulo, SP SCHMIDT, M. F. 1997. Nova história crítica do Brasil: 500 3 CONCLUSIONS anos de história mal contada. Câmara Brasileira do Livro (CIP), São Paulo, Brasil. VASCONCELLOS, Si lvio de. 1977. Vila Rica. São Paulo: Through a systemic research ofthe social, natural and Editora Perspectiva. architectural parameters it is easy to conclude that VICIOSO, E. P. 2003. State of conservation of the historie Ouro Preto suffer an accelerated process of complete town of Ouro Preto, Brazil. Report on the ICOMOS decline. However, it's necessary and it's still time to Reactive Monitoring Mission to World Heritage Site. save this historical monument from several types of UNESCO, Paris.

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