Ouro preto, vila (des)aparecida: a difícil relação entre o centro histórico e suas áreas de entorno

Abstract

Urban condition in many Brazilian historic centres nowadays points to whether theo‑ retical or operational conflicts and contradictions that threaten the conservation of built heritage. At Ouro Preto, listed as World Heritage in 1980, those problems — even not exclusive, since they distress other protected historic centres — are notorious, specially due to the exceptionality of local heritage, whose buffer zones lack of urban, architec‑ tonic and landscape quality, revealing a near‑sighted conception of Brandi’s theory. In other words the historical instance overlaps or even demolish aesthetic instance value. Cases like Vila Aparecida deserve experts attention since they point to an inexistence/deficiency on managing plans, as well as the consolidate a practice that goes on contrary of international experience, since they deconstruct the universal outstanding values that motivated the will to preserve buildings of the past. Discussing the problem between the preservation of historic centres and their buffer zones management is the aim of this essay