Pausenorte

Pausenorte are designated spaces where people can pause and recover during daily routines. The term is used especially in German-speaking regions and applies to a variety of settings, including schools, workplaces, and public or urban environments. Pausenorte are intended to provide safe, comfortable locations for rest, informal social interaction, and mental or physical recuperation between activities.

In schools, Pausenorte encompass outdoor courtyards, schoolyards, gardens, and indoor lounges or break rooms. They aim to reduce stress, offer a supervised or semi-supervised space for students between lessons, and support social learning by facilitating spontaneous interaction as well as restorative activities. In workplaces, Pausenorte include break rooms, cafeterias, or outdoor seating areas where employees can rest, eat, or converse, with attention to accessibility and ergonomic design. In urban planning and public space design, Pausenorte can be benches, shaded seating clusters, green pockets, or transit-oriented pauses that encourage people to rest during travel or while exploring a district.

Key considerations in creating and sustaining Pausenorte include safety, accessibility for people with disabilities, appropriate shelter from weather, seating and lighting, acoustics, and maintenance. Design often seeks to balance seclusion with oversight, privacy with openness, and inclusivity for diverse users and activities. The establishment of Pausenorte is typically the responsibility of institutions or local authorities and may involve budgeting for furniture, landscaping, and amenities such as charging stations or water access.

Overall, Pausenorte contribute to well-being, concentration, and social interaction by providing planned opportunities to pause in daily life.