Stories of a public building par excellence

interpretation and memory enhancement actions for the 10 years of Cefet / RJ Campus Petrópolis

Abstract

The Petropolis campus of Cefet / RJ works in a nineteenth-century building, located on the main commercial road in the urban project designed by Julius Köeler. Since its construction, it has been characterized by the public purpose that has been reaffirmed in its occupation by the educational center since 2008. In accordance with the fundamental university purposes of the educational institution, the project "Cefet / RJ campusPetrópolis: stories of a public building par excellence” developed extensionist actions of interpretation of this patrimony that composes the Set Urban and Landscape Set, with the purpose of a public history and the identity construction of the institution. As a methodology, the actions of the project were guided by the principles and techniques of interpretative communication, so as to sensitize the participating public and favour the interpretation of the building, its history and meanings. Its main line of action consisted of mediated visits to the building, carried out by scholarship students and volunteers. From March 2016 to December 2018 actions were taken that affected the internal and external public. On the one hand, the
project helped train students as mediators and multipliers; on the other hand, it enables the general public to know and recognize the Petrópolis’s campus as a place of reception and sharing of memories, participating in the construction of interpretations, enhancement and dissemination of this urban site historical and public.