Having the urban life as its main topic, we will be approaching its complementary themes, such as urbanism, public space, mobility, housing and other uses, financing, environment, participation, urban art, heritage and many others.

It was 2011 when I first met Alexandros Washburn. He was a lecturer at a seminar in Sao Paulo and I sat at the audience, mesmerized by his ability to explain in such a simplistic manner my everyday life as an urban designer working for the public sector. He presented us his three “bosses” – Frederick Law Olmsted, Jane Jacobs and Robert Moses – and didactically went through the complexities of our job. He inspired many professionals that day – including me.

I am not an expert from public health issues, but I can imagine what it means for a citizen to wait for up to five years for scheduling a medical imaging exam. How much suffering, recoveries made difficult and even death must have happened during this period which, according to the Municipality, summed up a 485k waiting list.