A inflexão do conceito de gentrificação em conjuntos urbanos patrimoniais em cidades de pequeno porte

Abstract

This study researches the concept gentrification in order that the understanding of its possible inflection in patrimonial areas of small cities may shed light on strategies or elements that compose cultural landscapes which can resist the development of an aggressive social and cultural substitution in preserved urban areas in those cities. In this study, research and analysis of critique and theories to the phenomenon were made in order to understand the concept. It also shows case studies on the identification of gentrification in some cities of the world as well as research on cultural landscapes of the cities São Tomé das Letras and Tiradentes, which accumulate individual characteristics and changes that are potentially full of gentrifier aspects. Therefore, it can be said that empirical information was extracted and analyzed from the point of view of gentrification. Discussions indicate that concept cannot be considered a phenomenon anymore, but, rather, a contemporary urban transformation. Besides, this study indicates that the definition of the concept is not consensual and can be considered chaotic. It is so because, comprised by the cultural landscape of each historical site, the gentrifier character presents some common characteristics in spite of their different relevance. Furthermore, it does not always comprise the same elements of the cities they belong to. This condition of presenting unique characteristics allows us to say that inflection does not generate a distortion of the concept gentrification. To conclude, it may be said that gentrification can be prevented in patrimonial urban settings by valuing non-materialistic elements and that the inflection of this concept inhistorical areas of small cities is possible by observing their vicissitudes. Thus, derivations of the concept can be generated.