VIADUCTS OF SÃO PAULO

Viaducts as elements of the urban morphology of the city

Abstract

This article discusses the growth of São Paulo city through viaducts, emphasizing them as morphological elements. The analysis compares historical data and cartographic revisions, examining the evolution of the city's bridges and viaducts. It relies on structural analysis using municipal cadastre maps and official documents, creating a map of the bridges and viaducts' development correlated with urban expansion maps. The article identifies four significant historical actions: overcoming barriers, modernizing the city, developing the urban network, and connecting peripheral areas. It highlights the crucial structural role of bridges and viaducts throughout São Paulo's growth from 1892 (the emergence of the first viaduct, “Viaduto do Chá”) to 2020, the completion year of the doctoral investigation.