ABSTRACT
The Minhocao is targeted as a site around which debates over democracy, rights, and the urban public space are ongoing. This chapter presents a case study of the Minhocão and the debates over the possible futures for this infrastructure to engage in a larger conversation around public spaces, urban democracy, and our society. The goal was to present a story about urban transformation and the reflections around it; to understand new perspectives on the highway and the interventions in this particular public space as an urban common. The difficulty with access to parks and open recreational areas led to the formation and emphasis on other kinds of public spaces through the city. Some of them are private public spaces like sports clubs, shopping malls, and private condominiums. The city’s economic growth has been led by the power of industry, which neglected any ideals of publicness and always supported private interests.
