Mapping as a tool for reinterpretation and intervention in public space

Abstract

The term map, as well as the act of mapping, can be found in different fields of knowledge. Its understanding can be conceptualized through a common characteristic: the representation of data in a spatial distribution. The research starts from the premise that conventional maps "blind" or contribute to the difficulty of imagining better possibilities for the urban space, because it can be neglected by the physical scale, by the difficult understanding of everyday relationships. To reflect on the theme, we investigate experiences of mapping that take into consideration the public space as a physical space that supports forms of sociability in a collective way. As an application and methodological test, an experimental proposal is built in the central area of São José dos Pinhais, Paraná. The map is explored as a tool, related to a non-conventional vocabulary, based on databases, metrics and graphic logic that seek to expose possibilities of interpretation. Thus, it is understood that mapping can be used as a potential tool that allows alternating scenarios, reinterpreting reality, and serving as a basis for the proposition of plans and projects that seek to understand and highlight non-visible layers in the territory. 

Keywords: mapping, apprehension, public space, contemporary city.