Urban Waterfronts as Devices of Neoliberal Desire: Architectural and Urban Planning Narratives onArchDaily Brazil

Authors

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.26439/limaq2026.n017.7982

Keywords:

ArchDaily, architectural discourse, digital narratives, landscape, neoliberal planning, urban waterfronts

Abstract

This article explores how urban waterfront projects in Brazil reflect and operate within the framework of neoliberal urbanization. Through a qualitative analysis of architectural and urban planning narratives on the ArchDaily Brazil platform, the study examines how visibility regimes and discursive authorization express a neoliberal matrix in the production of urban spaces. The research focuses on three case studies: the Guaíba Waterfront Park (Porto Alegre), the Conde Waterfront (Rio de Janeiro), and the Futuro Park (Belém). By discussing the underlying economic, social, and aesthetic themes in these projects, the article seeks to problematize how urban planning can either reinforce or resist dominant urbanization paradigms.

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Author Biographies

  • Gianluca Perseu, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany

    Master in Urban and Regional Planning from UFRGS (2022), with a thesis nominated for the ANPUR Award for Best Master’s Thesis. Architect and urban planner, with specializations in Project and Construction Management and Appraisal Engineering. He has been a visiting researcher at Technische Universität Berlin (2025) and a Substitute Professor of Architecture at UFRGS (2024–2025). His research and professional work integrate teaching, design, and urban pedagogy, with a focus on contemporary urban landscapes, architectural and urban design practices, information and communication technologies, and narrative-based approaches to urban experience.

  • Celma Paese, Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil

    PhD and Master in Theory, History, and Criticism of Architecture from UFRGS. Architect and urban planner, she completed a postdoctoral fellowship (PNPD-CAPES) at the Uniritter/Mackenzie Associated Master’s Program. She is an Associate Professor in the Department of Architectural Design at the Faculty of Architecture of UFRGS and has been a visiting professor at TU Wien and Università degli Studi Roma Tre. She participates in research groups registered with Brazil’s National Council for Scientifi c and Technological Development (CNPq) on architectural theory, contemporary urban studies, and emergency architectures. Her work explores the intersections between architectural research and practice, socio-aesthetic urban experience, and representations of the city. She has published books, book chapters, and articles, and serves on editorial boards and as a reviewer for academic journals in architecture and urbanism.

  • Lucas Chiconi Balteiro, Universidad de São Paulo, Brasil

    Master in History and Foundations of Architecture and Urbanism from the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism and Design of the University of São Paulo (FAU/USP). Architect and urban planner, he graduated from FIAM-FAAM Centro Universitário in 2017. He has experience in technical consulting on urban policy, with an emphasis on planning and cultural heritage. He is a member of the research groups CACAL – Culture, Architecture and City in Latin America (FAU/USP) and CAPPH – City, Architecture and Preservation in Historical Perspective (EFLCH/ UNIFESP). He writes for Le Monde Diplomatique Brasil.

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Published

2026-05-29

Issue

No. 017 (2026)

Section

Sección Temática

License

Creative Commons License

This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution 4.0 International License.

How to Cite

Perseu, G., Paese, C., & Chiconi Balteiro, L. (2026). Urban Waterfronts as Devices of Neoliberal Desire: Architectural and Urban Planning Narratives onArchDaily Brazil. Limaq, 017, 45-69. https://doi.org/10.26439/limaq2026.n017.7982