Articular o Disperso. O espaço público como catalisador da consistência social

Abstract

After the Industrial Revolution, housing precariousness grew, aggravated by overpopulation and, since then, the Architect tries to respond to this need. there was an increase in the construction of low-cost social housing ("bairro", in Portuguese) to accommodate needy families from different cultures and ethnic backgrounds. However, the term "bairro" became depreciative, related to poverty, precarious housing - not adapted to large families - and criminality, whose segregative effect still reverberates today. Today we see this growing acculturation of cities, but the ethnic mix does not always triumph, due to the non-assimilation of differences by the receiving culture. At the same time, the public space, as the daily stage for social exchanges, has been losing strength in the city, not only because of the detachment of the "labour society" but also because of the insecurity that this alienation creates. However, its persuasive capacity on human behavior is colossal and, therefore, should not be obliterated in today's scenario. Thus, this research seeks to understand how public space is a tool capable of promoting a joint fruition, by stimulating social exchanges, and presents a simple strategy for Bairro das Enguardas - a social housing complex in Braga that suffers from segregation at the urban level, but also intra-residents, due to the ethnic mix between non-Roma and Roma. This work is relevant because of the actuality of the theme and proposes a theoretical reflection that not only enables us to think Bairro das Enguardas, but also the construction of action hypothesis in other areas of the city.