the favela.

Various forms of public space in changing shapes and sizes appeared regularly whilst walking through Rocinha. There are spaces for play, mostly occupied by children and teenagers, in which a group of us were twice invited to join in football games. Another form is sociable spaces that are facilitated by activities surrounding shops or temporary market stalls. Seating is also important for thriving public space in the favela, on small and large scales. Much of this tends to be informal e.g. ledges, steps, etc., though formal seating is occasionally provided. Some sections of public space are sheltered to offer protection from heat and rain. A final observation was the considerable amount of street art and graffiti that gives colour and character to the place, a lot of which is produced by a well-known local artist.