Integrating Architecture for a Live-Work Lifestyle

Urban centers all around the world are striving to re-orient themselves to promoting ideals of human engagement, flexibility, openness and synergy, that thoughtful architecture can provide. From a time when solitude in one’s own backyard was desirable, today’s outlook seeks more, to cater to the needs of diverse individuals and that of collaborators. This thesis is an investigation of the role of architecture in realizing how these ideals might be achieved, using Mixed Use Developments as the platform of space to test these designs ideas on. The author also investigates, identifies, and re-imagines how the idea of live-work excites and attracts users and occupants towards investing themselves in Mixed Used Developments (MUD’s), in urban cities. On the premise that MUDs historically began with an intention of urban revitalization, lying in the core of this spatial model, is the opportunity to investigate what makes mixing of uses an asset, especially in the eyes to today’s generation. Within the framework of reference to the current generation, i.e. the millennial population and alike, who have a lifestyle core that is urban-centric, the excitement for this topic is in the vision of MUD’s that will spatially cater to a variety in lifestyles, demographics, and functions, enabling its users to experience a vibrant 24/7 destination. Where cities are always in flux, the thesis will look to investigate the idea of opportunistic space, in a new MUD, that can also be perceived as an adaptive reuse of itself. The sustainability factor lies in the foresight of the transformative and responsive character of the different uses in the MUD at large, which provides the possibility to cater to a changing demand of building use over time. Delving into the architectural response, the thesis in the process explores, conflicts, tensions, and excitements, and the nature of relationships between different spatial layers of permanence vs. transformative, public vs. private, commercial vs. residential, in such an MUD. At a larger scale, investigations elude into the formal meaning and implications of the proposed type of MUD’s and the larger landscapes in which they are situated, with attempts to blur the fine line between architecture and urbanism. A unique character of MUD’s is the power it has to draw in people at the ground level and lead them into exciting spatial experiences. While the thesis stemmed from a purely objective and theoretical standpoint, the author believes that it is only when context is played into the design thinking process, that true architecture may start to flourish. The unique The significance of this thesis lies on the premise that the author believes that this re-imagined MUD has immense opportunity to amplify human engagement with designed space, and in the belief that it will better enable fostering sustainable communities and in the process, enhance people’s lives.

The Architecture of Waste: Creating New Avenues for Public Engagement with Trash

The relationship between industry, waste, and urbanism is one fraught with problems across the United States and in particular American cities. The interrelated nature of these systems of flows is in critical need of re-evaluation. This thesis critiques the system of Municipal Solid Waste Management as it currently exists in American cities as a necessary yet undesirable ‘invisible infrastructure’. Industry and waste environments have been pushed to the periphery of urban environments, severing the relationship between the urban environment we inhabit and the one that is required to support the way we live. The flow of garbage from cities of high density to landscapes of waste has created a model of valuing waste as a linear system that separates input from output. This thesis aims to investigate ways that industry, waste, and urban ecologies can work to reinforce one another. The goal of this thesis is to repair the physical and mental separation of waste and public activity through architecture. This thesis will propose ways to tie urban waste infrastructure and public amenities together through the merging of architecture and landscape to create new avenues for public engagement with waste processes.

The suitability for building of zones liable to flooding or the territorial negotiation of Flood Prevention Plans

International audience

La expansión urbanizadora en el interior alicantino. Indicadores e incertidumbres

El fin del último periodo de expansión urbanizadora en 2006, coincide con el inicio de una crisis productiva que ha provocado que multitud de planes urbanísticos, iniciados o no, sean paralizados o descartados. Se trata de un urbanismo latente que genera grandes incertidumbres sobre municipios que habían apostado fuertemente por el crecimiento urbano. Esta situación se observa en la provincia de Alicante, especialmente en zonas de interior que experimentan un auge inmobiliario desde el año 2000. La comunicación analiza la expansión urbanizadora provincial en el periodo 2000-2006 y plantea las incertidumbres generadas por los más de 30 proyectos urbanísticos latentes en las comarcas interiores del Alto y Medio Vinalopó.

A cidade e o idoso

This thesis concerns the study of the city and impacts that will be caused in its structure due to the aging process of the human society, mainly in Brazil. The most important focus will be those related to problems of accessibility, leisure, housing, health and labor, issues that most affect people over 60 years of age. Beyond the analysis of inherent problems to the subject, proposals will be made for urban intervention that the cities become more suitable for the living of the elderly. To support this study, a review of different theories about the city was carried out, then a panel about the presence of the elderly in society, including Brazil, and in the cities, aiming at a vision, as broad as possible, on how the elderly were treated throughout history. In order to establish paradigms and parameters in the approach to the subject, a series of systematic observations on the urban space in different cities proceeded, in Brazil and abroad, with works aiming the inclusion of the elderly in urban areas, such as Amsterdam, Barcelona, Brasilia, Luanda and Rio de Janeiro, a city considered by the UN as physical and territorial urban laboratory suitable for the elderly. From there we tried to obtain, in addition to literature and observation of other countries experiences, the conduct of field research and official standards analysis, the theoretical basis for establishing guidelines on how to plan and design a more appropriate urban space for the elderly

Henri Lefebvre: possibilidades teórico-metodológicas para Arquitetura e urbanismo

This paper presents the theoretical-methodological possibilities of the French philosopher and sociologist Henri Lefebvre, for the discipline of architecture and urbanism in an effort to overcome the fragmentation imposed by the institutionalization of science in general. From Du rural à l'urbain (Lefebvre, 1970) compilation, it brings the author's other works from the period between 1968 and 1974, indicating the conduits for reflection and their interrelationships with methods, types of analyses and other procedures to treat the space-time urban. The methodology involves a research on the author s 'today and yesterday' in the scientific field, a research and analysis of his procedures in highlight of philosophical, social, economic and political aspects, the historical context of his references and provides significant and possible elements for the study, research and extension in the area in question

Meio ambiente e planejamento: a relação cidade-natureza nos Planos Urbanísticos da cidade de Natal no século XX

This research studies the relation between city and nature in the urbanity s plans from Natal RN, Brazil, during the 20th century. Investigates and analyses the main documents that bring environmental s ideas inside from the urbanity s plans of Natal; gives the historical and economical situation from the city in each period studied; features the urbanity s plans, using categories of analyses to comprehension of this instruments. Try to contribute in the bigger process of historical rescue of Natal, and stimulates new studies. It was used documental s research, and bibliographic material. It was identified four (04) kinds of plans: the ones that focus in health and aesthetic (1901, 1929, 1935) technology and science (1968), zoning and control (1974, 1984) and environment. The hints founded shows that environmental ideas were put inside of the plans by government demands, especially in 1994 s plan, almost always without popular contribution and without this population get understands its meanings and implications

El urbanismo expansivo y la movilidad infantil en Cataluña

Los modelos de movilidad son una de las expresiones de las distintas formas urbanas. El urbanismo expansivo, como una de estas formas urbanas, está asociado a ciertos tipos de desplazamientos, relacionados a altos niveles de disfunciones sociales, económicas y medioambientales. La comunicación explora las tipologías de desplazamientos en un grupo ciudadano muy específico: los menores de 16 años. La población infantil tiene sus propias pautas de movilidad y estas están relacionadas, también, a las distintas formas urbanas. El análisis se basa en los datos que ofrece la Encuesta de Movilidad Cotidiana de Cataluña 2006 y de ella se analizan las grandes cifras para la comunidad catalana en conjunto. También se comparan los distintos subámbitos territoriales en relación a las características urbanas que estos presentan.

Do modelo geométrico ao modelo físico: o tridimensional na educação do arquiteto e urbanista

In the teaching practice of architecture and urbanism in Brazil, educational legislation views modeling laboratories and workshops as an indispensable component of the infrastructure required for the good functioning of any architectural course of study. Although the development of information technology at the international level has created new possibilities for digital production of architectural models, research in this field being underway since the early 1990s, it is only from 2007 onwards that such technologies started to be incorporated into the teaching activity of architecture and urbanism in Brazil, through the pioneering experience at LAPAC/FEC/UNICAMP. It is therefore a recent experiment whose challenges can be highlighted through the following examples: (i) The implementation of digital prototyping laboratories in undergraduate courses of architecture and urbanism is still rare in Brazil; (ii) As a new developing field with few references and application to undergraduate programs, it is hard to define methodological procedures suitable for the pedagogical curricula already implemented or which have already been consolidated over the years; (iii) The new digital ways for producing tridimensional models are marked with specificities which make it difficult to fit them within the existing structures of model laboratories and workshops. Considering the above, the present thesis discusses the tridimensional model as a tool which may contribute to the development of students skills in perceiving, understanding and representing tridimensional space. Analysis is made of the relation between different forms of models and the teaching of architectural project, with emphasis on the design process. Starting from the conceptualization of the word model as it is used in architecture and urbanism, an attempt is made to identify types of tridimensional models used in the process of project conception, both through the traditional, manual way of model construction as well as through the digital ones. There is also an explanation on how new technologies for digital production of models through prototyping are being introduced in undergraduate academic programs of architecture and urbanism in Brazil, as well as a review of recent academic publications in this area. Based on the paradigm of reflective practice in teaching as designed by Schön (2000), the experiment applied in the research was undertaken in the integrated workshop courses of architectural project in the undergraduate program of architecture and urbanism at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte. Along the experiment, physical modeling, geometric modeling and digital prototyping are used in distinct moments of the design process with the purpose of observing the suitability of each model to the project s phases. The procedures used in the experiments are very close to the Action Research methodology in which the main purpose is the production of theoretical knowledge by improving the practice. The process was repeated during three consecutive semesters and reflection on the results which were achieved in each cycle helped enhancing the next one. As a result, a methodological procedure is proposed which consists of the definition of the Tridimensional Model as the integrating element for the contents studied in a specific academic period or semester. The teaching of Architectural Project as it is developed along the fifth academic period of the Architecture and Urbanism undergraduate program of UFRN is taken as a reference

É ensinando que se aprende: um estudo sobre o ensino de projeto no Curso de Arquitetura e Urbanismo da Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte (CAU UFRN)

You cannot teach architectonic design, but only learn it. This sentence was, during some decades, especially during the modernism, the starting point, adopted by several architectonic design professors, when they had to approach their subject. An attitude that, some years ago, was reviewed and fighted by area s experts. This paper join this criticism, and try to add something to the pre-existing discussion, analyzing with the case-study method all the subjects related with architectonic design of the Architecture and Urbanism degree, at Universidade Federal do Rio Grande do Norte CAU/UFRN . The aim is to identify and analyze the teaching methodologies used by the professors and their effects related to the students. To reach this purpose four different methods were used: i) Professors interviews; ii) Different forms submitted to students and professors; iii) Daily practice s observation, developed during classes; iv) Documents analysis about the degree (historical development and subjects) and about the subjects themselves (summaries, table of contents and planning). Studying the results, it was possible to underline that, in spite of the efforts of some of the professors to find a way to teach with more appropriate educational and pedagogic bases, some of the teaching methodologies, criticized in articles dealing with the matter, were still used. With regard to these, the research pointed out some suggestions that could help to improve the teaching and learning process, joining professors and students that are the most important subjects of the teaching activity. Developing the idea living in the paper s title Teaching and learning , it s now clear that only the practice, through the improvement of the pedagogic techniques, together with critical analysis can help the professors to reach a relationship level, regarding the teaching and learning process, as that described in the epigraph s text, into which teaching and learning, can t be done only by one of the process subject, but must be lived by both of them: professors and students

Análise bioclimática do bairro do Renascença II São Luis-MA: realidade e perspectiva do conforto térmico em espaços externos

The present research concerns about outdoor s thermal comfort conditions in hot-humid climate cities, understanding that life quality is a result of the urban object s type built for the human being in an environment with specific climate and morphological characteristics. It is presented as object of study the correlation between the neighborhood Renascença II s microclimate in São Luis /MA-Brazil, hot-humid climate city, and its urban morphological changes. As well as the thermal comfort s satisfaction level of its outdoor users. The research has as general goal to diagnosis the way these transformations caused by the urbanization influence the Renascença II s microclimate, identifying critical spots of the studied area, in order to contribute with land use recommendations based on bioclimatic architecture concepts and supply bases to urban design decisions adequate to the São Luis climate. It is presented as theoretical bases the urban climate, its concepts and elements. After that, the thermal comfort conditioners and its prediction models of thermal comfort sensation in outdoor are presented. The predictive models are presented along with bioclimatic assessment methods. Finally the use of bioclimatic assessment as an effective tool to identify places that need changes or preservation in order to seek environment quality. The applied methodology was based on the studies of Katzschner (1997), complemented by Oliveira s (1988) and Bustos Romero s (2001) studies that suggest an analysis and evaluation of maps of topography, buildings floors, land use, green areas and land covering, in order to overlap their characteristics and identify climate variable s measurements points; then a quantitative analysis of the climate variables (air temperature and humidity, wind speed and direction) of the chosen points takes place. It was perceived that Renaissance II has no permanence areas as squares or parks, its outdoor has little vegetation and presets high land impermeability and built density levels. The majority of the people interviewed said that was comfortable in a range of air temperature between 27,28ºC and 30,71ºC. The elaboration of a neighborhood master plan is important, which defines strategies for improvement of the life quality of its inhabitants

Inserção da informática nos cursos de Arquitetura e Urbanismo do Brasil (1994 2006): diagnósticos, rebatimentos e perspectivas nas Instituições Federais de Ensino Superior do Nordeste: UFRN, UFPB e UFPE

This work supports the formalist education s improvement of the Brazilian architect and urban designer through a better application and systematization of the computer science s teaching potentialities. The research analyzes the discipline introduction in the Brazilian courses: Computer Science Applied to Architecture and Urbanism (InfoAU) in the Architecture and Urbanism Courses of Brazil (CAUs). It goes since the discipline was obligated by the MEC s Regulation nr. 1.770 from 1994 until the CNE/CES Resolution nr. 6 from 2006; it comprehends the discipline implantation, development and current context, in order to get more detailed, the research analyses three federal universities from the Northeast of the country: UFRN, UFPB and UFPE. Once identified the historical educational needs in the CAUs, the study focus on the computer science s increasing potential as an agent of integration, communication, development and knowledge/data management. It points out new social perspectives for a better use of this tool/mechanism, which adequately structuralized and integrated, creates propitious educational and professional performance/recycling conditions and a propeller instrument of research and extension activities. Among this work, it is suggested the aggregation of elements, which are complementary to the InfoAU discipline s reorganization, throughout a computerization s plan for the CAUs, extensive to the professional formation, generating a virtuous cycle in several activities of the academic, administrative and, research and extension s departments. Therefore, the InfoAU in the Brazilian CAUs context was analyzed; the main solutions and problems found were systemized; the possibilities of computer science s uses inside AU ware structuralized, InfoAU discipline s improvement plan was also defined, as well as strategies for the implementation of the computerization s plan for the CAUs, which would guarantee its maintenance in a continuity perspective

Bibliotecas digitais em Arquitetura e urbanismo: um estudo sobre a arquitetura da informação digital

The goal of this paper was to search the state of the art from the Digital Libraries in Architecture and Urbanism in the Higher Education Institutions (IES) through conceptualizations and showing the importance of Digital Libraries in the disclosure and easing of information transferring. Questions about digital information architecture, usability, digital preservation and accessibility were approached. The research was made in the websites of Brazilian Universities, firstly to identify the institutions which offered the Architecture and Urbanism course, focusing on postgraduate education. After identifying the offering, the research was done by analyzing the contents, storage and dissemination and access to information, these libraries. It was found that the digital libraries are increasingly and taking part of organizations and educational institutions focusing on the knowledge dissemination releasing digitally information that may be needed for institution or the individual. A monitoring was done over of the physical and computational restructuring of the Board of Studies and Research in Architecture and Urbanism (Câmara de Estudos e Pesquisa em Arquitetura e Urbanismo, CEPAU), from the Architecture and Urbanism Course of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN), showing the need of installing a Digital Library to integrate the databases of PPGAU s research groups, which today remain independent, with no interface among themselves. The research chosen area was Architecture and Urbanism, because there is a gap and little documentation about digital libraries in this area

A Relação professor-aluno e a afirmação do discente como sujeito do processo projetual: um estudo exploratório sobre a produção do trabalho final de graduação em arquitetura e urbanismo na UFC e na UFRN

This work deals with teacher-student relationship (TSR), held in a very special moment: the semester of graduation of architecture and urbanism, where students prepare the final work called Graduation Final Work (GFW). That is the last stage to obtain the title of architect and urban planner in Brazil. The text discusses this problem in several ways, emphasing the relationship between graduated student and his/her mentors into the consolidation process of the student as an actor of the planning process, here defined as "autonomy". The work is focused on understanding the TSR in order to elucidate its importance for improvement of teaching bases on development of the GFW, more than the relation between curriculum and institution. Related with the exploratory characteristic of this master thesis, methodologically, the field work happened through: (i) observation of mentorship guidance, (ii) interviews, and (iii) application of questionnaires to teachers and students. Participated 10 pairs of student and mentors of two federal university of Northeast: 05 pairs of the Federal University of Ceará (UFC) and 05 pairs of the Federal University of Rio Grande do Norte (UFRN). The results presented the development of the GFW as a difficult process / fearful for students, highlighting the main problem situations: the difficulty in choosing the theme, the super-sizing of the process, students' insecurities, and parental relationship with the supervisor process. Summing up, the work indicates that the students has a limited autonomy on the GFW process, which calls for a revision in order to promote the consolidation of the student autonomy, which must be observed for some positions recognition of the role of each actor in the process of orientation

Sistemas vivos

Dissertação para obtenção do grau de Mestre em Arquitectura, apresentada na Universidade de Lisboa - Faculdade de Arquitectura.