Manaus is the largest city in the Amazon biome and its influence extends to a huge region, nationally and internationally. For this reason, we believe that the planning of Manaus city and its surroundings should serve as an example to guide processes of territorial occupation and real estate development in the Amazon, fundamentally respecting the region’s characteristics and peculiarities. Created in 2014 by FVA, Manaus Metropolitan Area’s Observatory (MMAO) is a network of institutions, researchers and activists committed to generating knowledge about 12 municipalities surrounding the capital of the Amazonas State, Manaus. One of the objectives is to influence public policies focusing on an innovative social, economic, and environmentally sound development model. Since its creation, the Observatory has worked with themes that are central to spatial planning and the development of public policies related to the capital and the region.