Space Proxemics: socio-spatial factors and digital tools

Abstract

According to Edward Hall, proxemics is the term that designates the interrelationship between observation and theory of the use men makes of space and in their interaction with it, observed from four different relationship spheres: intimate, personal, social and public. Appropriating Hall’s concept, this research aims to design a survey method that begins from the principle of space classification categories introducing social distance concepts, studying the relationship between the city nodes; and interpersonal relationships with the scope of diverse social benefits such as: security, communication, free areas, housing, engagement and services. This work seeks, thus, to understand the possibilities of using socio-spatial relationships in the investigation of factors that increasingly tend to incorporate non-explicit attributes, assisting in the generation of parameters and values that can be used in digital modeling tools for urban environment analysis and simulation. To this end, digital tools are applied in the construction of a model of Juiz de Fora city that allows the insertion of a wide range of socio-spatial data, as well as the interrelation analysis and data feedback. It is concluded that the greatest challenge in applying proxemics into urban planning is how to deal with these uncertainties and seek solutions within more open organizations and better adaptability of urban systems in the face of latent transformations, incorporating in new agents, whether instrumental or participatory actions, in a change - of probability and prescription - for possibility and description especially in urban expansion and renovation.