PLENARY I: 
WHAT ARE  SUSTAINABLE COMMUNITIES?

CASE STUDY: CURITIBA, BRAZIL

Jaime Lerner
Governor of the State of Parana, Brazil
Former Mayor of Curitiba, Brazil

Jaime Lerner (1937, Curitiba, Brazil) is an inspiring planner. He was mayor of Curitiba three times (1971-75, 1979-83 and 1989-92) and turned that city into a paradigm of city planning, and not only for developing countries. He created an infrastructure in Curitiba that kept the city from bursting out of its seams despite its rapid growth. His bus tickets, which were also lottery tickets, have become internationally renowned.

In 1964, the French government granted Lerner a fellowship to study at the Centre Scientifique et Technique du Bâtiment, in Paris. After his studies, he worked at the Department of Urbanism, in Toulouse, and at George Candilis' studio for a short period of time. Back to Curitiba, Lerner designed some buildings such as the Condominio Mateus Leme (1964) and the Loureiro Fernandes School (1966).

In 1965, he was responsible for setting up and defining the structure of the Research and Urban Planning Institute of Curitiba (IPPUC). At the same time, he was involved with Curitiba's Master Plan to guide the City's physical, economic and cultural transformation.

As Mayor of Curitiba for three terms, Jaime Lerner consolidated the City's basic urban transformations and implemented an Integrated Mass Transport System during his first term. Afterwards, in addition to the leading-edge urban planning initiatives, he intensified an encompassing program that resulted in social and environmental advances.

He was elected Governor of Paraná State, in 1994, and re-elected in 1998; which means he will be in office until 2002. Lerner has promoted the greatest economic and social transformation of all of Parana's history. The State of Parana has been able to consolidate its position as the country's new industrial hub thanks to a series of policies geared toward attracting productive investments, with the support of Curitiba's successful experience.

As a UN urban planning consultant, he has been involved with planning designs, mass transportation programs and urban projects in several cities of Brazil, Latin America and Asia. Lerner has been awarded very important national and international prizes: the United Nations Environmental Award, granted by the United Nations Environmental Program (UNEP), New York, (1990); the Child and Peace Award from UNICEF, related to the following programs: “From the Streets to School�, “Protecting Life�, and “the Teacher's University� (1996); the "Thomas Jefferson Medal" from the University of Virginia, USA (1997) and, finally, the "Prince Claus Fund Award", Netherlands (2000).

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