ARCHITECTURE AND CULTURE: THE INFLUENCE OF THE SPATIAL CONFIGURATION OF CULTURAL CENTERS ON COMMUNITY INTERACTION AND CULTURAL STRENGTHENING

Abstract

Built space directly impacts human behavior, whether positively or negatively, and architecture thus serves as a mediator, creating inviting, accessible, and comfortable spaces. When these spaces are designed with local culture as a reference, they contribute to the appreciation of community traditions, creating a bond between individuals and the sociocultural space, and fostering a desire to remain and enjoy these environments. This research is based on an analysis of culture as an essential element of social identity and architecture as a mediator of collective relationships. The overall objective is to understand how spatial organization can encourage the use, permanence, and appropriation of these environments by the community. To this end, an applied, exploratory research method was adopted, with a qualitative approach and bibliographical basis in national and international authors. The results indicate that architectural solutions that promote accessibility, flexibility, comfort, and urban integration strengthen the sense of belonging and expand social participation. It is concluded that well-planned cultural centers are instruments for democratizing access to culture and should be thought of as spaces for inclusion and collective memory, as well as agents of transformation in the urban context.