URBAN AREAS AT WATER BORDER. The Riacho das Piabas and its integration with the city of Campina Grande

Abstract

The nature of cities is closely linked to the presence of water. Thus, the banks of rivers and lakes are pivotal spaces for the daily life and history of the city. In Brazil, since the 1950s, urban rivers have been suffering an intense process of irregular occupation of their banks and reduction of their bed, which not only increases the
risks of overflow, but also of forgetfulness and contempt for the population, hindering the integration of these bodies of water with the city. The main objective of this paper is to evaluate the integration of the Piabas Creek with the city of Campina Grande, based on the morphological analysis of the urban area that borders it. It is assumed that the way spaces are built and connected to each other generates different levels of integration of the water body with the city, which can facilitate or hinder the valorization and appropriation of it by the population. The results revealed that there are unequal levels of integration of the Creek with its north and south surroundings, configuring the same also as a boundary between its east and west surroundings.

Keywords: Spatial Integration; Urban Form; Water Bodies.