Planejamento e projeto urbano: qualificação de espaços públicos por meio de infraestrutura sustentável em Cachoeira do Sul - RS

Abstract

Environmental sustainability has been discussed in different spheres of society. Implementation of sustainable solutions in cities is crucial for a healthy urban environment for its users and for natural resources and environment preservation. The use of individual motor vehicles, in comparison with collective or alternative transportation, and even with “walking”, is a factor that directly interferes with environmental quality and refers to a niche in the economy of significant annual growth, and it has its preference based mainly in the lack of quality of public spaces, which are not inviting to the population. Cachoeira do Sul (state of Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil) has 30 public squares. In its downtown, these squares are historically relevant in urban formation and growth, however, they currently present problems related to maintenance and security, resulting in low utilization by the population. The same happens with neighborhood squares: these spaces often do not have the characteristics of squares, being idle places and without appropriation by the community. The aim of this work is to rethink such spaces, seeking to improve the urban environment using sustainable urban infrastructure strategies, including urban drainage, green corridors, safer roads, etc. The methodology involves the diagnosis of the study areas subsidized by georeferenced mappings and field visits, aiming to understand the deficiencies and potential of the city’s public squares. Based on preestablished parameters, two spatial areas are delimited: one in the city downtown and one in the neighborhood context. The objective is to intervene in such test areas with urban projects that meet the specific demands of the communities and enable adaptation for implementation in other areas of the municipality. As a result, three proposals for urban interventions are presented, with the implementation of sustainable infrastructure, for the qualification of the following public spaces in the municipality of Cachoeira do Sul: Altamir Antônio Ceratti Square (Preussler neighborhood), Honorato de Souza Santos Square (Downtown) and Júlio of Castilhos Street (Downtown).