It could be a parklet, a mini-plaza, or an asphalt painting to redesign a street and repurpose a public space. Cities around the world—including in Brazil—are using temporary interventions to catalyze long-term projects that make streets safer, creating inclusive, high-quality public spaces.

These initiatives employ a technique known as tactical urbanism, which promotes the reclamation of urban space by and for its primary users: people. This movement is gaining momentum amid an urban crisis in which governments struggle to provide a growing population with basic urban services such as housing, quality transport, and adequate open spaces that enable safe, active mobility.