Memory, urban landscape and identity processes: the case of Nereu Ramos Square in Criciúma / SC

Abstract

Within the urban context, squares are considered places of vital importance to cities, privileging the collective space and locus of social interactions. Taking as a starting point a research developed within the scope of the master’s thesis in Environmental Sciences of the first author, the present study has as its theme the public space and its urban relations. The object of research is Praça Nereu Ramos, considered the living materialization of the entire history of the Criciumense population. The proposed reflection aims to investigate the process of appropriation of space and place identity of the population of Criciúma / SC regarding the importance of preserving public spaces and the urban landscape of Praça Nereu Ramos. All this due to the importance of understanding public spaces as the result of a social product of a specific society. The study has a qualitative approach, from an investigative social research perspective, through the recognition of the square as a public space. Data collection was performed using participant observation techniques and semi-structured interviews and analyzed using content analysis techniques and key concepts. The interpretation of the data made it possible to understand the importance of preserving cultural heritage and its relations with the urban landscape in the central area of the city, analyzing the perception of the population regarding their contribution to maintaining cultural identity and memory. However, the research leaves us with the question: to what extent do public spaces contribute to the valorization of life in cities?