Palmas: The Last Great Planned City of the 20th Century
Palmas was founded in 1989 as Tocantins's state capital — the last major planned city of the 20th century; its modernist urban plan, massive civic square, and the story of its rapid construction are fascinating
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Foundation Story 1989
When Tocantins separated from Goiás in 1988, it needed a new capital - the site chosen on the Tocantins River was an empty savannah; within 5 years it had 60,000 inhabitants, within 30 years over 300,000
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Superquadra's Urban Structure
Palma's residential areas are organized into superquadras – large blocks with internal pedestrian areas, schools and commerce – that reflect the Brasília model; the result is a car-centric city designed for a future that arrived
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Palácio Araguaia
The State Government Palace – with its modernist design and cerrado-inspired landscape – anchors the Praça dos Girassóis; the building's blend of Brazilian modernism and tropical climate adaptation is distinctive
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Rapid Growth Urbanism
Palmas grew faster than its planning infrastructure — the gaps in the superquadra system, the informal settlements on the outskirts of the city and the car dependency of the street network are the reality of rapid urban growth
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Cerrado Urban Integration
The city's parks program has integrated native cerrado plants into the urban landscape — the ipê trees blooming yellow and purple along the avenues and the native grass corridors demonstrate urban ecological thinking
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Tocantins State Identity
The creation of the Tocantins from northern Goiás in 1988 created a new state identity – distinct from the cerrado culture of central Brazil with its own political institutions, symbols and the rapid urbanization represented by Palmas