Exercise 5.3—Urbanized

‘Urbanized’ is a notable documentary directed by Gary Hustwit in 2011 (available at https://www.hustwit.com/urbanized). It offers the framework for this exercise: a debate on the main strengths,weaknesses, opportunities, and threats for several cities all around the world.

In addition to the visualization of the full documentary (in the classroom or at home), two or three cities and topics should be selected for discussion (for instance, Brasilia, as a city, and density, as a topic). For each of these cities and topics, two small groups of students should be created, for a debate framed by a dialectical method.

The first group should develop a thesis and build a set of arguments to support it

(for instance, defending the low density of Brasilia, based on the symbolic nature of the monumental axis, and the strong presence of green areas in the residential axis). The second group should formulate an anti-thesis and present its fundamental argumentation (for example, contesting that the low density of the Brazilian capital, not only within but also outside the so-called ‘Plano Piloto’, based on social justice and environmental sustainability). In the end, the two groups should collectively build a synthesis, in a process where each student should be able to appreciate the arguments of their colleagues.