Sustainable placemaking in rururban areas: comparative analysis between APA Fernão Dias, Brazil, and Brecon Beacons Park, Wales.

• Grant number: 25/06243-0
• Support Opportunities: Scholarships abroad - Research
• Start date: February 23, 2026
• End date: August 23, 2026
• Field of knowledge: Applied Social Sciences - Urban and Regional Planning - Fundamentals of Urban and Regional Planning
• Principal Investigator: Sidney Piochi Bernardini
• Grantee: Sidney Piochi Bernardini
• Host Investigator: Abid Mehmood
• Host Institution: Faculdade de Engenharia Civil, Arquitetura e Urbanismo (FEC). Universidade Estadual de Campinas (UNICAMP). Campinas , SP, Brazil
• Institution abroad: Cardiff University, Wales

Abstract

Recent urbanization reflects the current phase of capitalism, where the built environment has gained prominence in capital circuits. Literature indicates that this process results in urban sprawl and the fragmentation of urban fabrics. Some theoretical perspectives suggest we are experiencing a phase of total urbanization, challenging the traditional divide between urban and rural spaces. Scholars aiming to understand this phenomenon often refer to theories that highlight the hybridization of territories, identified as "peri-urban spaces" and "rururban spaces." Given the challenges in reversing these trends, it's crucial to adopt a new perspective that shifts the focus from urbanization studies-which typically analyze the phenomenon from the urban center outward to the rural-to examining it from rural settings inward to the urban. An area of particular interest for this research is protected territories that exhibit human occupation patterns resembling what is known as rururban. This study aims to analyze various initiatives and potential actions-both individual and collective-developed by those living and working in these rururban environments within environmentally protected areas, demonstrating social innovation aimed at creating sustainable places. For this research, two protected areas have been selected: the Fernão Dias APA in Brazil and the Brecon Beacons Park in Wales. The comparative method employed will include a genesis analysis and a generative analysis, primarily through semi-structured interviews complemented by content analysis. The expected outcomes will enhance the discourse on territorial planning and spatial concepts relevant to such areas. (AU)