Lago Igapó II, Londrina (PR): natureza, história e afeto no campo do patrimônio cultural

Abstract

The purpose of this thesis is to investigate the physical and symbolic constitution of Igapó II Lake, located in the metropolitan area of Londrina, Paraná, recognizing it as an affective heritage site for locals. In the first section, I seek to construct a narrative for the subject matter, mentioning moments in time that played an important part in it being conceived of as heritage, and which allowed for a better understanding of the relationship between urban and natural elements throughout the city's history. The second part focuses on identifying and analyzing how, and to what extent, the different players-government, civil society and the private sector-acted upon Igapó II through partnerships and conflicts, helping incorporate its landscape into the city's vertical turn while at the same time transforming the lake into a leisure destination and defending it as a patch of nature in the city. Finally, I investigate the role of nature in the context of cultural heritage by looking at the values that society places on Igapó II. The lake's environmental, historic and affective values are explored, based on the literature reviewed, on some virtual social networks and, above all, on questionnaires answered by visitors to the lake and the surrounding park, built on reclaimed land. In a comprehensive manner, the research seeks to revisit deeply held values in this field, and proposes a perspective on heritage that recognizes it not as collectible and/or protected objects, but rather as experiences; not as an attraction, but as something that pervades the city; with a focus on people, and not on things.