This thesis is the result of an ethnographic study, developed in conjunction with a group of local inhabitants from the neighbourhood of Lami, in Porto Alegre. Drawing from the local elders memories, the study represents the routines and the social interactions of such a group that leads to a unique urban experience in inhabiting a city. Lami is located in the most southerly district of the city, renown for its beautiful swimming beaches and amazing landscapes of natural beauty. It is an area f ...

This thesis is the result of an ethnographic study, developed in conjunction with a group of local inhabitants from the neighbourhood of Lami, in Porto Alegre. Drawing from the local elders memories, the study represents the routines and the social interactions of such a group that leads to a unique urban experience in inhabiting a city. Lami is located in the most southerly district of the city, renown for its beautiful swimming beaches and amazing landscapes of natural beauty. It is an area free from the crowds which characterizes the more urban areas of the city. However, welcome as they are, it has been accommodating more and more inhabitants over the last few years. Its land have been sold and transformed into gated residential developments, which impact greatly on the landscape as well as the local social environment. This ‘progress’, that has brought the power distribution network, paved road infrastructure and the benefits of a public transportation system, unfortunately also promotes all the illogicalities of the modern world. The image of a rural neighborhood, a rural area perfect for fishing and tourism, conjoined with the city backdrop whose inhabitants, predominately look there for sustainable employment. Facing atemporal conflicts perceived as a “crisis point” by the local elders, there is an urgent need for these people to update their routine and rediscover their ties of sociability and solidarity which will anchor a “communal aesthetics” in the neighbourhood, providing such a distinctive environment within the city. ...