The interim use of public spaces

I am proud that Brasilia, my hometown in Brazil, is applying the concept I have been researching for my Masters thesis: temporary uses. Throughout the month of July, two different appropriations of spaces were undertaken in the city.

One was a pop-up event in the Ipes Boulevard where the pink Ipes trees (Tabebuia Impetiginosa) were in full bloom. Located in the core of the Bank Sector, the space is typically underutilised during the weekends, a problem faced by many financial districts. It is rare to see people walking through this area on a Sunday, for example; people usually see the beautiful blooms through the windows of their cars. However, on this sunny day it was different. The Ipe Festival invited local bands, food trucks and families to enjoy and share the space. The event brought vibrancy and a different approach for this space – turning it into a place where people temporarily belong to and full of social interaction. A space turned into a place.

The Hidden Project, envisioned to last 4 months, is an original concept that is particularly surprising. The project transforms a locked and abandoned passageway underneath a high-speed road into a cultural space, moving from a forgotten space into a pleasant place. The project has been a success, and it is ideal to place for friends with good music and have some drinks while contemplating the exhibition of local artists on the long walls. It was even more surprising to discover that the project was designed and constructed by my good friend, the architect Brunno Vilela. Hopefully, it can be a catalyst for the conversion of the many unsafe passageways into a different atmosphere and function.

Brasilia, worldly known for its modernist urban plan, is idolised by some and hated by others. The city is showing that it is possible to push boundaries and design places for people; to put people first. These projects proved, once more, that transforming the city – making it more attractive and pedestrian friendly through the occupation of its vast green open spaces or occasional neglected routes is a real, and needed, possibility. Temporary uses are an inexpensive alternative to experiment, create life and regenerate areas.