This paper investigates the circulation of ideas regarding the city among selected countries in Latin America. It discusses convergences between academic and scientific institutions and investigative weakness in partnerships between Brazil, Argentina, Chile, Colombia, and Mexico. It identifies two historical moments: one of vertical dialogues between Latin America and central countries in the elaboration of urban plans (20th century) and another of contemporary academic exchange signalling a horizontal dialogue that is fragile and sporadic but distinct from those observed in the past. Empirical reference is obtained from the analysis of scientific events and papers published by distinguished post-graduate programs concerning urban topics in selected countries, during the time frame of 2000–2015. The methodological approach is based on a bibliographic review and content analysis. Results indicate that the old “one-way” of transfer of urban planning ideas from central countries to Latin America is changing; slowly, the continent has been growing more independent in terms of knowledge creation and circulation.

Resumo O artigo discute a cidade e suas dinâmicas a partir de um enfoque teórico de tempo e espaço no século XX. Objetivase discutir dois cenários sobre a perspectiva da cidade: um de natureza permanente; e outro, de natureza transitória ou impermanente. Para tanto procede-se ao estudo de caso, que relata o surgimento das principais instituições e iniciativas de soluções urbanas no Brasil, categorizadas em três tipos de usos e/ou apropriações do espaço urbano: habitação, comércio e mobilidade. A prioridade analítica deste artigo é de natureza temporal, com foco no período entendido como modernidade. Observa-se que a multiplicação de inovações criadas em resposta aos dilemas urbanos globalizados demonstra uma aceleração nas dinâmicas urbanas em diversas escalas. Em meio a esse cenário mais impermanente, chega-se à conclusão de que as impermanências se aceleram e repetem-se tanto, que elas passam a ser rotineiras; quase um novo tipo de permanência.

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During the first half of twentieth century, Europe was the world vanguard for urban planning ideas. European urbanists traveled to Latin America, participated in urban plans, influenced local professionals, and had their ideas replicated by secondary sources. This influence transformed not only Latin American cities but also their academic and professional practice of urbanism. First, two items contextualize the discussion: the third part discusses the reality of Latin American largest cities in early 1900s, and the fourth part identifies main traveling urbanists and their trajectories in Latin America. The last part presents a temporal reading of facts and urban trends. The fifth part discusses the legacy of old vertical dialogues and shifts in the relation between Latin America and central countries. Main conclusions are that (1) between Latin America and Europe existed a vertical and almost exclusive dialogue, and (2) recent shifts seem to impair the old model of central–peripheral transfer of urban planning ideas.