Ibirapuera Park

SÃO PAULO

Qualification of the best known park in Brazil

Opened in 1954, Parque Ibirapuera is the most important and most visited urban park in the city of São Paulo, with a multitude of activities and attractions of a sporting, recreational, cultural, and educational nature spread over its 158 hectares. In addition to its socio-environmental relevance, the park is a historic icon of the municipality and has its landscape and most of the equipment and buildings listed by the historic heritage.

The project was part of the technical, operational, economic-financial, and legal feasibility studies within the scope of the Expression of Interest Procedure (PMI) for structuring a public-private partnership project for the park’s management, operation and maintenance services. The study aimed at preserving the quality of the park as a prominent public space, adapted to the needs of its users, through economically viable projects that allow strengthening the bonds of coexistence between society and the environment. The work was structured in four stages: analysis of the current situation, proposal for comprehensive improvements, anchor projects and plan for implementation and monitoring of the project.

Located in a central region of the city of São Paulo, the park receives visitors from all parts of the city and the metropolitan region, in addition to tourists. To compose a diagnosis of the territorial dynamics to which the park is inserted, a multiscale analysis was carried out covering the scale of the municipality, the surroundings, the park, and its main elements.

The Park is between three major avenues, which facilitates access by motorized transport, whether public or private, while making it difficult for pedestrians to access at some points. The analysis of the surroundings sought to understand the arrival flows at the park, identifying the gates and modes most used by visitors to access the park.

At the park scale, the main natural and built elements of the territory were identified and, together with the analysis of existing uses and activities, it was possible to observe the challenges and potential incidents. The main physical elements that make up the park were organized in groups: large vegetation, buildings, water elements, paths and parking lots, lawns, and equipment.

The proposals were structured in two axes: integral improvements and anchor projects. The first establish principles and indicators that guide the entire project, involving the implementation of improvements (renovations and new constructions). Management and operation of the park in the different layers of the identified elements. Regarding buildings and equipment, the architectural concept of the interventions was established, aiming at a modular project with the use of prefabricated systems, durable and sustainable materials. Reforms and new interventions were proposed to have structures to support visits. Such as toilets, restaurants, cafeterias, a gym, kiosks, and carts for permit holders, among other support spaces.

The anchor projects were studied as new structures or improvements to the existing infrastructure that make it possible to economically make the project of restructuring and adaptation of the park economically feasible. Being able to generate significant revenue in addition to adding new equipment that improves the user experience.

Among the proposals for integral improvements, the maintenance and recovery of the lakes’ margins are highlighted, including the implementation of spaces for contemplation closer to the water; construction of new support spaces such as toilets, restaurant and snack bars; improvements in lighting and furniture; new support structures for sports practices; implementation of space for pets; improvements in accessibility and paving; improvements to the bicycle rental system; improvements in access gates and parking lots; among others.