Space for children produced by the "My House, My Life" housing program: a case study in the metropolitan region of Belém, Pará

Abstract

The current social housing policy in Brazil determines that children's recreation needs are met through the provision of spaces built specifically for that purpose. This paper presents the results of an assessment of children's recreation areas in two social housing projects produced by the My House, My Life Program (Programa Minha Casa Minha Vida-PMCMV), Jardim Campo Grande and Jardim dos Pardais, both in the metropolitan area of Belém, Pará. The study questions what kinds of spaces are actually being produced, based on the assumption that physical activity and the social interaction made possible through recreation areas are fundamental to ensure a satisfactory development of children's social-cognitive and psychomotor skills. This study also looks into the actual use of these spaces by children. The case study method combines architectural design and physical space analysis techniques with the behavioural observation of children in leisure activities. The study observed that, in the social housing projects analysed, the children's recreation spaces lack elements that adequately address the children's recreation needs, that their use does not depend on the amount of area destined for this purpose, and that factors such as a sense of security or insecurity and housing typology can limit or encourage the use of these spaces and the appropriation of public spaces.

Keywords:
Social housing; Children's play space; Minha Casa, Minha Vida Program