Arquitetura, memória e identidade urbana em cidades pequenas: conflito entre transformação e preservação em Sanclerlândia-GO

Abstract

This study investigates how urban memory in small towns is challenged by spatial and political transformations that directly affect the identity bonds of their inhabitants. The research seeks to understand how architectural decharacterization and the discontinuity of use in buildings and public spaces impact references of identity and, consequently, the sense of belonging in the town of Sanclerlândia, where the empirical work was conducted. Through oral narratives and field observations, systematized in a research notebook, in addition to document analysis, the study identifies places that have become key references for the construction of local identity and collective memory. The analysis of everyday life reveals that these urban transformations are not neutral, but rather reflect a development logic that disregards popular participation and the preservation of identity. The findings indicate that the fragmentation of urban occupation and the loss of symbolic references may contribute to the weakening of emotional ties with the territory. However, forms of resistance are also observed, such as the community reuse of previously deactivated spaces and the persistence of social practices that reaffirm local memory. The study highlights the importance of recognizing memory as a structuring element of urban identity and the need for approaches that promote the sensitive and participatory reuse of space. Keywords: urban memory; identity; small towns; spatial transformations; heritage.