Intergenerational urban dynamics: territoriality and COVID-19

Abstract

The context of the Covid-19 pandemic requires safe and inclusive cities to reestablish community cohesion and intergenerational contact, both weakened by social distancing. Urban spaces, which are a source of social relations for young people and older adults, lose heterogeneity in this process due to differential access. Seeking to propose design guidelines for intergenerational spaces potentially adaptable to the pandemic context in Latin America, an analysis of the action of territorial elements in the permeability of age micro-territories was carried out. A case study conducted behavioral mapping in areas of group appropriation and rejection, resulting in recommendations on visual contact, distinctive ambiances, temporal layers, potential use, flow/permanence separation, and diversity of activities. Such recommendations in the Latin American context aim at endogenous processes of intervention, supported by urban theory and praxis. They explore the attractive potential of territories in intergenerational urban dynamics while following guidelines necessary for social distancing. It stands out that territories must be considered altogether, in a context that is fragmented by age specificities, but connected and permeable by intergenerational similarities. This scenario requires greater coordination of actions in Latin American countries, promoting physical and visual connections in urban fragmented structures.