Direito à cidade e a função das praças públicas na periferia urbana: um estudo de caso na cidade de Santa Cruz do Sul-RS-Brasil

The research analyzes the right to the city through the role of public squares in the urban periphery of the southern region of Santa Cruz do Sul, Rio Grande do Sul, Brazil. It is based on the assumption that access to and use of public spaces are essential for building fairer cities. The methodology involved a comprehensive set of qualitative and quantitative data collection methods, including semi-structured interviews, participant observation, documentary analysis of urban legislation, photographic records, and secondary data collection. These methodological approaches aimed to understand the perceptions, experiences, and demands of the local population regarding public squares. The southern urban periphery was chosen due to the concentration of low-income populations and the historical lack of quality public squares. The results indicate that access to and use of squares are influenced by factors such as location, infrastructure, safety, maintenance, and the activities on offer. There is a significant demand for improvements in these aspects, particularly in infrastructure, safety, and cultural and sporting activities. Content analysis identified patterns, trends, and contradictions in the interviewees' perceptions, highlighting the complexity of public squares in the periphery, their role as spaces for social interaction, and the challenges related to the right to the city, spatial justice, and urban and regional development. The research contributes to the debate on urban public policies that promote access to and the democratic use of public squares, recognizing their importance as spaces for meeting, coexistence, and citizenship, especially for residents of peripheral areas.