Barueri, Sao Paulo, Brazil
The city of Barueri is undergoing a significant process of urban reconfiguration, in which public buildings and open spaces are increasingly positioned as landmarks and points of reference in the city’s landscape. Aware of the strong demand from its population for leisure, sports, and cultural areas, the city has been investing in the requalification and reactivation of its public spaces.
This intervention is part of a broader strategy to transform previously underutilized areas into potential zones of social interaction and community life. The site in question — formerly a fragmented parking area along one of the city’s main connecting roads, serving as a link between two important highways — clearly embodies this approach. Once a passive and neglected space, it is now reimagined as an active corridor for leisure, recreation, and community integration.
The reurbanization proposal adopts a modular system of adaptable leisure areas, designed to be implemented in this and other similar spaces across the city, ensuring flexibility and scalability within Barueri’s public space revitalization program. This model allows each intervention to be tailored to the specific demands of its context while maintaining a cohesive identity across different zones.
The project offers a rich variety of sports and leisure facilities, including outdoor ping-pong tables, open-air gym stations, walking and running paths, playground areas, and social spaces for relaxation and interaction equipped with modular benches, picnic tables, and pergolas.
A key element of the proposal is the creation of a green buffer zone — a continuous strip of vegetation that acts as a physical barrier between the leisure areas and adjacent vehicle traffic lanes. This green belt plays an essential role in ensuring user safety and comfort, while also contributing to the environmental and landscape quality of the space, reinforcing the city’s commitment to sustainability.
The landscape design prioritizes low-maintenance green infrastructure, focusing on species suited to the local climate to ensure the health and longevity of the planted vegetation. Additionally, the inclusion of fruit trees within the urban design enriches biodiversity, promotes community interaction with nature, and fosters environmental education through the experience of seasonal fruit harvesting.
The requalification of this urban axis promotes inclusion, well-being, and social integration, transforming a previously undervalued area into a dynamic and qualified public asset. This intervention contributes to strengthening Barueri’s urban identity, reinforcing the concept of a city where leisure, environmental preservation, and high-quality public spaces are rights accessible to all.
[Author, 2018, Barueri-SP – Brasil]
