Joana Bezerra's Smart Neighbourhood - From the Marginalized Periphery to an Urban Centre

Abstract The city of Recife, one of Brazil's oldest capitals, is marked by deep and territorialised inequalities. One of the most emblematic examples is the neighbourhood of "Ilha de Joana Bezerra", also known as "Favela do Coque", whose origins date back to the early 20th century. Located on the banks of the Capibaribe River, less than 2.6 kilometres from the city's Zero Kilometre Marker, the neighbourhood has the worst Human Development Index (HDI) in the municipality, with its residents having the lowest average monthly income per household in the city of Recife. This article explores the possibilities of transforming Joana Bezerra into a model Smart Neighbourhood through an urban revitalisation project based on the principles of Smart Cities, social inclusion, territorial equity, environmental sustainability, and integrated mobility. The proposal aims to overcome the historical logic of socio-spatial exclusion and territorial stigmatisation and seeks to lay the foundations for Joana Bezerra to become a reference in urban innovation and socio-spatial justice.