Acessibilidade e interação social: comportamento social em face de problemas de mobilidade no parque ecológico da Pampulha

Abstract

This research investigated spatial aspects of social behavior in places for public leisure, especially a city park, the Parque Ecológico da Pampulha, in Belo Horizonte, Brazil. It highlighted how accessibility features can influence or even determine the behavior of people with mobility problems with relatives and acquaintance s. Through observations in a case study, behavioral patterns of people with mobility problems and other people without noticeable problems while functioning in the environment were investigated to identify the relation between human activities and physical space features. The main goal was to see whether inaccessibility could compromise the quality of social interaction for people with mobility problems. The field research included three phases: the first one described areas in the ecological park for peopl e leisure, the others stages approached observation and mapping user behavior and interview application. Research results indicate that behavioral differences exist between people with mobility problems and those without them. The study associated such differences to environmental characteristics of different sectors of the park. It was found that people with mobility problems who have full access to park areas, often remained off mainstream in comparison to most users, and therefore, they could not share opportunities for social activities offered in the park. Thus, conclusion points out that the overall planning for accessibility in open areas should be applied more broadly, providing access conditions and flexibility in use for all people. This is in line with the main Universal Design principle, the equitable use as an important factor for democratization of leisure in public spaces and to ensure that individuals with mobility problems are able to socially interact with others in really inclusive environments.