Ilhas Militares – uma análise cartográfica sobre as áreas militares da cidade do Rio de Janeiro

Military Islands – A Cartographic Analysis of the Military Areas in the City of Rio de Janeiro

Abstract

Objective – This paper aims to investigate the urbanistic and landscape impacts of the extensive military presence in the city of Rio de Janeiro through the study of the phenomenon of the Military Islands of Rio de Janeiro: territories within the municipality under the management or tutelage of the Armed Forces, physically or symbolically separated from the city’s landscape.

Methodology – The study adopts a qualitative and quantitative approach, developed through a critical and interpretive cartographic research process, which includes spatial analyses (density, vegetation/natural cover, and built-up area) combined with graphic and hypothetical experiments.

Originality/Relevance – The study examines the presence of the Armed Forces in the city of Rio de Janeiro from the perspectives of urbanism and landscape, an approach still scarcely explored in academic literature and distinct from traditional historical, military, or geopolitical analyses. The theme’s relevance lies in the scales, complexities, and high urban and landscape value of the areas occupied by the Armed Forces, as well as in the potential to extend this line of research to other Brazilian cities with military facilities.

Results – As a result, the research identified that Rio de Janeiro’s military areas stand out and diverge from their surroundings, presenting distinct urban data and spatial configurations shaped by the military mode of urban occupation. The analysis also revealed that military management confers value and potential to these areas in relation to their contexts, making them strategic points for urban planning.

Theoretical/Methodological Contributions – The research contributes to the fields of urbanism and landscape by introducing the concept of “military islands” to understand urban enclaves under the tutelage of the Armed Forces, while advancing the debate on the role of self-segregating institutions in shaping the city’s fabric and landscape. Furthermore, it explores cartography in an investigative and experimental manner, enabling new critical and comparative readings and the creation of hypothetical scenarios, broadening the possibilities of inquiry in urbanism and landscape studies.

Social and Environmental Contributions – The study offers social and environmental contributions by critically reflecting on segregation and the values of institutional public spaces. Additionally, it highlights the need for review and for public and academic debates on the roles military areas play, and can play, in shaping the contemporary city, ensuring that their environmental and heritage potentials are responsibly integrated and made accessible to society.