A cidade à mão livre: a documentação dos espaços livres públicos de São Luís - MA, por meio dos registros de urban sketching

Abstract

This study aims to investigate the practice of urban sketching, an artistic practice that consists of drawing outdoors and directly on site, as a tool for documenting public spaces. The research was motivated by the relevance of this approach in recording the historical, architectural and social aspects of urban space, with a focus on the city of São Luís, Maranhão. Public spaces, such as squares and parks, play a fundamental role in urban life, being places of coexistence, memory and cultural expression. However, in a scenario of rapid social and urban transformations, how can we guarantee the recording and preservation of these spaces, which often carry unique stories and meanings? In this context, the study proposes to understand how urban sketching can be used effectively as a tool for documentation and reflection on public spaces. To this end, the following specific objectives were defined: to investigate the relationship between the history of art and architecture and the use of drawing as a documentary tool, to analyze the practice of urban sketching in the documentation of public spaces and to explore users' perception of these spaces based on the visual records produced in the city. The methodology used was qualitative and exploratory, involving a bibliographic review on art, architecture and urban sketching, documentary analysis of public spaces in São Luís and visual records produced during the drawing meeting held at Praça Pantheon. The results of the study, represented by the visual records made at Praça Pantheon, consolidate the practice as an effective instrument of documentation and reflection, since it allowed the recording of both tangible elements, such as architectural structures and landscapes, and intangible aspects, such as social interactions and local atmospheres. It is concluded that urban sketching plays a significant role in the documentation of public spaces, especially in historically rich cities such as São Luís. Thus, the work offers subsidies for future research that integrates different methodologies and expands the scope of the practice as a tool for analysis and reflection on urban spaces, contributing to the planning and conservation of architectural heritage.