Urban Acupuncture

The book Urban Acupuncture is written by Jaime Lerner, an architect/urban planner turned Brazilian politician. Originally written in Portuguese, the book is translated in English. Lerner is the former governor of the state of Paraná, Brazil, and the mayor of Curitiba, the capital of Paraná. During his term as the mayor, he has initiated several urban revitalization and redevelopment projects, including a Bus Rapid Transit (BRT) system, flood-control public parks, and waste management programs. The new BRT system, which costs much less than a subway or a light rail system, has brought transportation in Curitiba a new dimension. All stations look and feel like train stations and are accessible to the disabled. He also turned floodplains into public parks and made Curitiba among the world’s most per-capita park area. These projects have improved the quality of life of people as well as save millions of budget to the city of Curitiba.