Relationships between urban configuration and the vitality of squares in Juiz de Fora (MG)

Abstract

Objective – to investigate the relationship between urban street network configuration and the vitality of 84 public squares in the municipality of Juiz de Fora (MG), considering not only configurational aspects but also the physical characteristics of these spaces that may contribute to or hinder their appropriation and use.
Methodology – the study adopts a quantitative approach based on the analysis of syntactic measures of the urban network (INT.R3, NAIN, NACH, and INCH) and the measurement of user density in each square, seeking to identify statistical correlations between spatial configuration and patterns of use of public spaces.
Originality/Relevance – by empirically investigating the relationship between spatial configuration and the urban vitality of public squares in the Brazilian context, this study expands the body of evidence linking Space Syntax to public spaces. It stands out for analyzing the entirety of a city’s public squares, overcoming approaches based on reduced samples, and for employing statistical instruments that enable an integrated assessment of urban morphology and patterns of use of public open spaces.
Results – the results indicate that public squares in Juiz de Fora present heterogeneous distributions and vitality patterns across Planning Regions, with a greater concentration of both squares and vitality levels in the city’s central area. Statistical analyses revealed positive and significant correlations between user density and the syntactic measures, although with weak to moderate magnitude, indicating that urban configuration influences vitality but does not act as a determining factor. Contrasting cases stand out, such as Praça Armando Toschi, which shows high vitality in a context of low integration, and Praça Mundo Novo, which, despite high spatial integration, records low levels of use, highlighting the limits of spatial configuration as an isolated factor.
Theoretical/Methodological Contributions – the study reinforces the contribution of Space Syntax Theory to the understanding of urban vitality by evidencing its scope and limitations when applied empirically and tested statistically. Methodologically, it highlights the analysis of the entire set of public squares in a city and the articulation between syntactic measures and observational data on use, contributing to integrated approaches in the investigation of public open spaces.
Social and Environmental Contributions – the findings provide support for urban planning by indicating that the qualification and use of public squares depend on the articulation between spatial configuration, physical attributes, and surrounding land uses. In this sense, the study may guide public policies aimed at improving, redistributing, and creating public squares, promoting greater social inclusion, access to leisure facilities, and the valorization of urban public spaces.