INVENTORY OF CULTURAL ASSETS RELATING TO THE CARVALHO PINTO GOVERNMENT (1959-1963) ACTION PLAN.

Abstract

This inventory reveals the guidelines and actions of an important government plan never before investigated. The PAGE (Carvalho Pinto Government Action Plan) (1959-1963), aimed to create a democratic technocracy to rationalize public services and develop the State of São Paulo. The action plan’s investments revolved around three sectors: 1) improving human conditions, this included education, culture and research; justice and security; public health and social care; and water and sewage systems; 2) infrastructure, this included power; railways; highways; municipal bridges; airports, ports and water transportation; and 3) agricultural expansion. As a result of these investments, over a thousand projects were created, involving about 160 architects, that have never been studied as a whole. No more than ten of the projects are known due to the notoriety of their authors, still they are never associated with PAGE. Scattered in hundreds of cities in the state of São Paulo, the documentation of these works is also spread throughout various public archives: IPESP; CPOS; SEF-USP; FDE; Departments of Agriculture and Health, as well as the archives of the architects themselves. Architectural magazines, the mainstream press and the testimonials of various stakeholders have revealed aspects both previously unknown and important to rebuild this process. This inventory was carried out under coordination of IAU-USP in partnership with FAU-USP, and support from Fapesp and Condephaat. It has gathered an extensive and diverse unpublished documentation that contributes to the study of modern Brazilian architecture and opens up numerous opportunities for research, as well as the review of this period’s history.