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The objective of this study was to carry out the financial feasibility analysis of harvesting rainwater from permeable pavements in a city square. A case study was carried out in a square close to the beach in the city of Florianópolis, Brazil. Questionnaires were applied to pedestrians who circulate within the area. The square is to be implemented to promote sustainability and improve the user’s quality of life. From the rainfall data and the average daily water demand for irrigation of the square vegetation, the volume of rainwater to be harvested from the permeable pavement was calculated. The rainwater demand was estimated as 662 L/day. The implementation and operation costs of the pavement and irrigation systems were evaluated. The potential for potable water savings was 89.8%. The payback period was estimated as 347 months. This study showed that rainwater collected from permeable pavements is financially feasible and represents a promising technique.

Litewski Square is widely known as the place where the Lithuanian envoys camped to attend the Union Sejm in 1569. Today, Litewski Square represents a space of transformation. The urban public spaces of the square have been rebuilt several times, each instance delineating a distinct rendering of tradition and history. In this article, the evolution of the square is presented in order to analyse three main aspects. Over the years and under changing political conditions, its meaning, role, and function have shifted. Traditions and symbols that shape the space of the square have changed; these changing symbols have influenced how the meaning and functionality of the square have evolved over time. The research methodology of this paper is based on historical and interpretative studies. This form of analysis made it possible to identify the successive stages of the transformation of Litewski Square and, accordingly, in the context of changing political conditions, identify the elements that are important for the meaning of the square today. Litewski Square has evolved from an urban space with a clearly defined function to a multifunctional public space: from a memorial square into a modern space of leisure and entertainment. This paper argues that the accumulation of commemorative elements and directly adjacent recreational spaces give the impression of a lapidary, the constituent elements of which devalue each other. What this means is that, even as the number of commemorative symbolic elements have increased, their status is degraded, as well as that of Litewski Square as a whole.