Here Christina Cavalcanti reports on the city's efforts to extend its success in the face of a growing population. Viewed from the top of the Merces tower, the panorama of Curitiba is rich in visual texture.
Skyscrapers stand side by side with one or two storey houses surrounded by neat small gardens.
In between, woods and green areas mottle the landscape. Seen from ground level, the colourful modern buildings of the municipal administration contrast with the plain rchitecture of commercial and residential buildings. Settled in a flat land and lacking natural and historical attractiveness, Curitiba has acquired identity and appeal at the hands of its architects and urban planners. Indeed, urban planning is a tradition in the city. In the 1940s, wide avenues were built.