Praça da Matriz in the perceptions of young and elderly: experiences, uses and meanings

Abstract

Places transcend their materiality, being permeated by the subjectivity and experiences (individual and collective) of those who live in them. As person-environment relationships change throughout life, different age groups attribute different meanings to spaces, making it essential that public policies consider such changes. This study investigated different ways of using and appropriating a square by young and old people, through their perceptions and experiences of/in the place. The spatial area was Praça D. Luís de Brito in Vitória de Santo Antão-PE (Praça da Matriz - PçMatriz), and data collection adopted a qualitative approach, carrying out observation of the area and interviews with 16 young people and 11 elderly people. The results showed that each group constructs its own representations of the PçMatriz: for the elderly it is a symbol of nostalgia, contemplation, memories and/or meetings with friends of that age group; young people link it to socialization, physical activities and consumption. Although some of these activities are similar, these groups maintain little direct interaction with each other, with different preferences regarding sectors and hours occupied. In general terms, it can be seen that PçMatriz is a public space characterized by its flexibility and adaptability to accommodate multiple uses, which are defined according to the age and interests of the visitors and associated with changes in the physical and social environment due to schedules/situations, leading to multiple meanings of the area. The work corroborates other studies relating to the strong influence of the perception of the physical configuration and social characteristics of the space on people's behavior.