With the next World Cup and the 2016 Summer Olympics on their way, Rio de Janeiro is in the midst of a vast citywide regeneration campaign.
Smithsonian Magazine gives a rundown of the city's history as a tourist destination, and looks at some of the efforts the local and federal government are making to improve life for the city's poorest residents.
"The city looked much as it did a decade ago, but the future looked different. And with good reason. Last October, Rio was chosen to host the 2016 Summer Olympics, the first to be held in South America and, after Mexico City in 1968, only the second in Latin America. As if in one fell swoop, Cariocas recovered their self-esteem. Further, Lula's strong support for Rio's Olympic bid represented a vote of confidence from Brazil as a whole. And this commitment looks secure with either of the main candidates to succeed Lula in general elections on October 3-Dilma Rousseff, Lula's hand-picked nominee, and José Serra, the opposition challenger. Now, with federal and state governments pledging $11.6 billion in extra aid to prepare the city for the Olympics, Rio has a unique chance to repair itself.
'Barcelona is my inspiring muse,' Eduardo Paes, the city's energetic young mayor, told me in his downtown office, referring to how the Catalan capital used the 1992 Summer Olympics to modernize its urban structures."
FULL STORY: Reinventing Rio
An Olympic Ghost Town in Rio de Janeiro
Preparations for the World Cup and Olympics are displacing hundreds of families in Rio de Janeiro. One neighborhood next to a major stadium has been turned into a ghost town.
Mega-Events Take Toll on Brazil's Slum Dwellers
This op-ed from Al Jazeera looks at some of the negative ways preparations for the World Cup and Olympics are affecting the poor in Brazil.
Rio's Pricey Sky Gondola Goes Full Stop
The sky gondola system built prior to the Rio Olympics has ground to a halt, leaving residents of the city's favelas with little to show for such a grand investment in infrastructure.
Boston Transit Riders Report Safety Concerns
Almost three-quarters of current and former riders report feeling unsafe while using MBTA services.
The Unceremonious Death of a Freeway Expansion Project
The end of an Oregon freeway project didn't get much fanfare, but the victory is worth celebrating.
Houston Lot Size Reforms Yield Positive Results
New research shows that reducing lot size requirements helped create thousands of new homes.
Architecture and the Housing Crisis
A new book brings architects into the housing discussion.
New Los Angeles Rent Relief Program Targets Pandemic Debt
The program prioritizes the lowest-income tenants who accrued debt during the early part of the pandemic.
‘Agrihood:’ An Urban Farm With Affordable Housing
California’s largest urban farm also provides 165 units of affordable housing for seniors and veterans.
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