A Cidade como Playground: Repensando os Espaços Urbanos como Arquitetura Efémera

Abstract

Public space is the stage of urban life, where social bonds are established, culture is expressed, and different forms of collective appropriation of space manifest themselves. Through small interventions, it is possible to maximize the appropriation of these spaces and activate underutilized areas. Through playful ephemeral solutions, the aim is to generate new urban dynamics that accompany the growth and transformations of the city, ensuring continuity in its use. This dissertation, at first, carries out an in-depth analysis, based on a theoretical review of the post-war period, on the origin of public spaces of a playful character. The study emphasizes the importance of spontaneity and the active participation of children in the process of constructing these recreational areas. In a second moment, contemporary cases of small ephemeral interventions in different urban contexts are analyzed, highlighting strategies of adaptation, assembly, and reconfiguration of underutilized spaces, promoting accessibility and encouraging greater social integration. The theoretical foundation reinforces the idea that the city should be understood as a collective playground, not being limited to a specific space. After the theoretical grounding, the dissertation proposes a practical part with the Builda project, a modular, accessible, and temporary intervention inspired by the cases previously studied. Developed for the urban context of Porto, it has as guiding axes the principles of flexibility, constructive simplicity, and the active participation of children. Therefore, this initiative seeks to expand the repertoire of recreational places, encouraging free play and children's autonomy.