|
|
|
|
| http://www.mariavazphoto.com/curitiba_pages/curitiba_dvd.html |
Curitiba's Seasonal Parks (Parques Lineares de
Fundo de Vale, meaning Linear Parks of the bottom of the
valley) was one of its kind in the world, an idea that came
from the brilliant mind of Civil Engineer Nicolau Kluppel
around 1966. He designed these parks respecting natural
flow of rivers and transformed flood plains into useful
and beautiful parks.
Kluppel said he has concerns about canalizing river because
it is, most of the time, transferring flood problems instead
of stopping them to happen. The curvy shape of the river,
said Kluppel, its river own way of controlling volume of
water during raining season. Canalizing destroys nature's
way of dealing with extra water volume because river loses
its natural shape.
Kluppel's design of each park varies according to the natural
course of the river along the riverbanks; they all have
a lake, which is an excavated permanent flood control area
to retain rainwater. Modestly Kluppel said that by construing
nature, he only helped.
In addition to their utilities, these beautiful parks became
recreational areas for citizens and tourists with facilities
such as restaurants, amusement parks, and other services
that pay park construction costs. Raised real estate values
in the surrounding areas, and the percentages of green area
increased from seven square meters per inhabitant in the
1960's to fifty square meters per inhabitant at the end
of the 1990's. While the international recommendation is
twelve square meters per inhabitant, Curitiba has fifty,
much of which is fully accessible to all.
|
| |
|
 |
Sunday at Parque Tangua - As with most other
parks in Curitiba Tangua is the result of man interacting
with nature insted of against it. The Tangua Park, which is
located in the heart of Curitiba, was an open region along
the Tangua riverbank used as deposite for toxic waste. Once
a rocky insipid area, it has been transformed into a beautiful
recreational park with waterfall and tunnel made to protect
the environment and amuse us. |
| |
|
 |
São Lourenço Lake Reflection
- The water is muddy because it retains rainwater to prevent
flood, but there are fish abundantly. |
| |
|
 |
São Lourenço Park
- São Lourenzo Park is one of the oldest seasonal parks
in Curitiba. People from all over come to enjoy music, watch
the sheep brought to trim the grass (The City did not have
the money to cut it; the solution was to bring in sheep),
and picnic under the trees along the peremiter lake that controls
floods during the raining season. |
| |
|
 |
Capybaras at Iguaçu Park - This is the
biggest and wildest park in Curitiba. It is 26km long and
about 2km wide. The City is still working on developing it.
However, as one can see in this image, its residents do not
feel threatened at all. |
| |
|
 |
Sunset at Tingui Park -
This is the most topographically elaborate of all Curitiba
parks design. During the dry season, one can easily see the
excavations to deviate water to control flood. |
| |
|
 |
Bosque do Alemão - A tribute to
the German immigrants. Curitiba has established sites honoring
various immigrant groups who helped develop the city. Fairy
tales are writen along trail in beautiful signs enhancing
visitor's experience. It is almost like immersing yourself
into their tales. |
| |
|
|
|
| |
|
| |
Early Morning at Barigui Park I, II, and
III - Barigui is one of the first seasonal parks in Curitiba.
It has restaurants, playground, pedal boats, walkways, and
convention center. The park has long ago paid for itself. |
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
| |
|
|
|
|
|
