Feira de Santana e a análise espacial de sua evolução urbana

Abstract

This study analyzes the urban expansion of Feira de Santana (BA) from its origins in the 17th century up to 2025, identifying the main factors that have driven its growth and shaped its territorial configuration. Initially structured around the cattle fair and commercial activity, the city established itself as a regional center due to its strategic location and the development of transportation networks. Using a qualitative approach and the case study method, the research is based on the methodology for analyzing urban functions proposed by Souza and Müller (1977), correlating population, economic, locational, and institutional data. When systematized, this data enabled the mapping of the municipality’s urban evolution through the delimitation of the urban footprint and the identification of growth vectors in different periods. The research shows that the expansion of Feira de Santana occurred in a discontinuous manner, sometimes concentrated in the traditional center, other times directed toward peripheral areas, being influenced by urban agents and resulting in processes such as conurbation, urban sprawl, and socio-spatial segregation. It was also possible to identify that the strengthening of the commercial and industrial sectors, combined with theimplementation of housing programs, contributed to the formation of new neighborhoods and centralities, as well as to unplanned densification. The study highlights the lack of consolidated research on the territorial evolution of Feira de Santana, reinforcing the relevance of this work for understanding its current configuration.