Urban metamorphoses
A new book by Consuelo Novais Sampaio, the first winner of the Clarival do Prado Valladares Award, demonstrates the transformations that took place in Salvador, Bahia, when public services were introduced in the 19th century, including mass transportation, water and sewer systems, and public lighting
written by ◦ Karolina Gutiez photos by ◦ Adriano Ribeiro and Beg Figueiredo

Odebrecht on December 1st launched 50 Anos de Urbanização – Salvador da Bahia no Século XIX (50 Years of Urban Development: Salvador da Bahia in the 19th Century) by historian Consuelo Novais Sampaio. This book resulted from a research project titled “Urban Services and Social Movements in Bahia: 1846-1900,” the first to win the Clarival do Prado Valladares Award, created in 2003.

This new work sheds light on the transformations that took place in Salvador when the first mass transportation, water and sewer, and public lighting services were introduced. It is a pioneering study that shows how the construction of the system of urban services in Bahia’s capital in the second half of the nineteenth century was mainly carried out through a partnership between the public and private sectors.

“Encouraged by the President of the Province, Francisco Gonçalves Martins, Bahian merchants who had built up capital through the production and sale of sugar and the lucrative slave trade began to invest in the expansion of Salvador,” explains the author, Consuelo Novais, from the Federal University of Bahia (UFBa).

During the launch ceremony, Norberto Odebrecht, Honorary Chairman of Odebrecht S.A., declared that, through this in-depth study of the transformations that took place during that historic period, Novais enables her readers to understand the contribution that Bahia’s business leaders made during the time when Salvador’s urban development process was under way. “This is an inspiring work because it tells the story of human beings who made their mark on their time and events and used the force of circumstance to pursue a common cause: ensuring a better quality of life for everyone,” said Norberto Odebrecht.

Some of the 220 illustrations in this book are also being published for the first time, which confirms the main objective of the Clarival do Prado Valladares Award: focusing on historical research and book publishing projects in areas that are as yet unknown to the general public. “The first edition of this award has produced a work of tremendous value to the social and economic history of Bahia,” observes Pedro Novis, President and CEO of Odebrecht S.A. The award is now in its third year. The regulations and submission form are available at the Odebrecht Group’s website: www.odebrecht.com.br.