Science and Technology Park of Itajubá (PCTI)

Location The city of Itajubá lies in the southern state of Minas Gerais, Brazil, and has a population
of approximately 100,000 inhabitants. The presence of a large number of postgraduate researchers
guarantees the city a prestigious position in scientific research in Brazil and worldwide. The city
is also nationally recognized for having one of the best university systems in the country.
Furthermore, the city has one of the largest industrial districts in the southern region of the state,
with large and medium sized industries, many of which are undergoing expansion, offering new
jobs, and employing today almost ten thousand people. These facts contribute to Itajubá reaching
one of the highest human development indices (HDI) in Minas Gerais. Such an environment is
propitious to the installation of the Science and Technology Park - an enterprise in which the
partnership between the three spheres of government, private companies and the Federal
University of Itajubá (UNIFEI) will create an environment conducive to innovation and
development, both locally and for the country.

Urban design Designed with an emphasis on environmental and landscape quality, the park will
become a place for public use, a leisure option for the city and its surroundings, stimulating local
tourism. The urban and landscape design has been developed as an alternative configuration to
conventional urban occupation schemes with respect to the low density and the integration of the
built environment with nature which this project intends to prioritize. In summary, the proposal
for the area is to have the characteristics of a park, rather than be a mere expansion of the city and
this is reflected in the urbanization of only approximately 67hecout of a total area of 250hec.

Topography and site The main occupied areas in the project arise directly from the map of slopes,
in that the areas inclined at more than 25% are preserved. This strategy allows the two vectors
occupied by buildings to be surrounded by green areas, which the project aims to preserve. Views
to the surrounding landscape are also provided due to the intrinsic configuration of the buildings,
which will be the result of parameters designed to control the occupancy rate and utilization
coefficient.

A third vector, defined by the future Itajubá City Park, articulates with the two previously
mentioned in a permanent preservation area. It is proposed that the spatial articulation of the three
vectors is established and reinforced by the creation of a large circular plaza, an essentially public
site, a great meeting point with dense forestation and a landscaping, scientific and recreational use
of the ‘water’ element. Given its characteristics, the name of Agora is assigned to this space, as in
the public squares of the classical Greek city. Along the flatter footprint, a dam is proposed on the
José Pereira stream to create a lake with approximately 10 hectares, an important element in the
overall landscape of the park that can also serve as a tool for measurement and control of floods.

Access and infrastructure The park is accessed from the east by the highway MG -383 and from
southwest by Avenida BPS, which follows the path of the José Pereira stream and can lead,
without accented gaps, the flow of visitors from the city and the University, encouraging the use
of bicycles. The UNIFEI and buildings that comprise Phase I of PCTI are situated on Avenida
BPS, and the proximity to the installation site of the PCTI Phase II is a decisive factor for the
necessary integration between business and academic environments.
Landscaping It is intended to provide interaction between the local landscape and urban areas of
the park, marked mainly by the new lake. The forestation of streets in the urban planning is
thematic, that is, each street corresponding to a particular native tree species. Perennial species
that require less water for irrigation, besides being able to promote sustainable landscaping and
maintenance savings, are the most used. The emphasis of the landscape design is given to the
Agora, which functions as an articulator of the park and will have spaces for events, leisure and
contemplation. Furthermore, the inclusion of several devices that enhance the well being of users
(benches, tables, vases, lighting) qualifies the sidewalks and the Agora.

Buildings Three new buildings were designed in addition to the urban design: the Administrative
Building, the Laboratories Center, and the Maintenance Center. Some common characteristics to
all three buildings are the option for industrialized building systems (particularly in modular
precast concrete), the use and control of natural ventilation and lighting, and the prismatic volumes
where large openings establish the continuity between architectural spaces and landscape.

The sectorization of uses in the Administrative Building is established in two main levels,
prioritizing public activities on the ground floor, in and within isolated volumes. The
administrative spaces are hold by a long linear block over ‘pilotis’. Thus, the human scale is
ensured in different ambiences on the access level, while a strong image of the institution is
stressed by the administrative suspended block.

The Laboratories Center is defined by the multitude of activities performed by the participating
companies. The architectural design responds to it with a dynamic composition of volumes. The
adoption of an organic principle of occupation over a spatial grid meets modular adaptability
demanded by a venture like this.

The Maintenance Center holds the technical activities while gathering spaces dedicated to
wellness and socialization of PCTI employees. The building consists of three blocks separated
by two inner courtyards. Yet a clear autonomy is established for each segment, the building is
characterized as a single volume with large openings at the ends and along the courtyards.