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COVID-19 quarantine has forced architectural design studios to move into virtual space. These courses that strongly rely on project-based learning and group discussion as crucial pedagogical strategies, had to pass to online classes,... more
COVID-19 quarantine has forced architectural design studios to move into virtual space. These courses that strongly rely on project-based learning and group discussion as crucial pedagogical strategies, had to pass to online classes, forced by confinement. This posed an enormous challenge as it implied significant constraints and significant risk of failure and demotivation among students. Finding therefore models that allowed to promote practices and interaction between students, encourage mutual knowledge and stimulate creativity in approaching new situations, like workshops or intensive group exercises, and counteract social distancing during the confinement was a major concern for first year Architectural Design Studio brief offered at Instituto Superior Tecnico (IST), Lisbon Portugal. The present study focuses on Revolution Our Body nº2, a remote workshop designed and implemented during the second semester of the school year of 2020-2021 coinciding with the first confinement and explores this experience's problems and potential. The pedagogical activity and its results are described, concluding with the possibilities that these new models of participation allow, including its replicability and scalability. The experience included fifty-six first year students and the three design studio teachers from IST as well as two gallery curators from Appleton Square Gallery, in Lisbon. The strong adhesion and interest shown by the students, evidenced in the observable behaviors, and explicitly mentioned during the workshop evaluation, lead us to believe that the objectives initially designed were achieved. Keywords: Design Studio, Learning, Covid’19, Virtual, Workshop
Este artigo refere-se a um estudo de investigação desenvolvido no âmbito do projecto IN_LEARNING, visando o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta de descrição morfológica à escala urbana, através de metodologias de análise visual baseadas na... more
Este artigo refere-se a um estudo de investigação desenvolvido no âmbito do projecto IN_LEARNING, visando o desenvolvimento de uma ferramenta de descrição morfológica à escala urbana, através de metodologias de análise visual baseadas na tecnologia da Realidade Virtual (RV). A investigação foi desenvolvida com base em dois estudos de caso integrados no conceito de paisagem cultural, nomeadamente os jardins históricos em contextos urbanos – Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil e Jardim do Cerco em Mafra, Portugal. A descrição morfológica considera a sua dimensões históricas, geográficas e formais e é baseada na bibliografia e iconografia existente, complementada por trabalho de campo. O artigo discute a contribuição de RV para análise visual e a sua capacidade para suportar descrições espaciais. O artigo está organizado em três partes. Na primeira introduzem-se os dois estudos de caso: Jardim Botânico do Rio de Janeiro, Brasil e Jardim do Cerco em Mafra, Portugal. Na segunda apr...
What is the right location for a university campus? Universities have a preponderant role in today’s societal models. They have been in the core of development — economic, social, sustainable, inter alia — and their role within urban... more
What is the right location for a university campus? Universities have a preponderant role in today’s societal models. They have been in the core of development — economic, social, sustainable, inter alia — and their role within urban context has changed in order to respond to the university mission — that nowadays includes of civic engagement as well as a stronger participation in economies, through the development of startups and innovation ecosystems. This paper relies on the premise that, even in a post-pandemic world, the Campus is still a window to the world, it can shape the perception people have of the University, can be used as a branding asset and, most of all, impacts the lives of everyone living, learning, and working there. The Campus is a very powerful tool, one that universities worldwide have been using as a way of positioning themselves, of attracting students and faculty, and also creating synergies and relationships with companies. It shapes the relationships crea...
The paper examines the urban growth patterns of two coastal fishing towns in southern Portugal: Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António. The goal is to investigate the relationship between the configurational and network properties of the... more
The paper examines the urban growth patterns of two coastal fishing towns in southern Portugal: Olhão and Vila Real de Santo António. The goal is to investigate the relationship between the configurational and network properties of the urban forms in order to identify generative or emergent patterns, understanding their particular urban morphology. The Space Syntax Theory, applied to the syntactical modelling of these towns, is used to understand the urban processes. Topological variables, such as connectivity, integration and intelligibility, are calculated by DepthMap Software and the Theory of the “Deformed Wheel” is used to represent the evolutionary trends and to identify generic rules. The study is developed by comparing the two urban networks in two moments of their evolution, first in the mid-20th century, which corresponds to the historic core, and second corresponding to the present day. The main results demonstrate a contrast between the segregated network of Olhão's ...
Chelas is situated in the east of Lisbon and corresponds to the third and final phase of a large-scale planning operation that began in the late 1950s, covering an area of roughly 737 hectares, equivalent to 1/10 of the city’s total area.... more
Chelas is situated in the east of Lisbon and corresponds to the third and final phase of a large-scale planning operation that began in the late 1950s, covering an area of roughly 737 hectares, equivalent to 1/10 of the city’s total area. The Master Plan for Chelas, approved in 1964, was marked by the revision of the principles of modern planning and represents a landmark in town planning in Portugal. The protracted nature of the plan’s implementation and the failure to complete all of its programs seriously compromised the success of the presented proposal. This article proposes a reading of the ideological context that influenced its conception and design, as well as of the factors that conditioned its urbanization process.
As cities are growing the need for complementary sub centres increases, both in order to distribute amenities and to make resources more accessible for citizens, as well as to relieve the pressure on the city core. Such planning strategy,... more
As cities are growing the need for complementary sub centres increases, both in order to distribute amenities and to make resources more accessible for citizens, as well as to relieve the pressure on the city core. Such planning strategy, a kind of decentralized concentration, has been seen as a mean for holding back urban sprawl in Stockholm. Lately, urban centres are also argued to contribute to the development of more equal living conditions making opportunities, service, and urban life accessible also in more peripheral urban locations. The values of ‘suburban urbanities’ has also been highlighted in a way that reach far beyond the commercial activities (Vaughan 2015). The Regional planning authority in Stockholm as well as the City of Stockholm identifies a number of regional subcentres and ‘urban boulevards’ that should connect the city since and make it less fragmented. The social incentive for this strategy is prominent in both plans. However, these subcentres are dependent ...
This paper contains an overview of the seismic strengthening interventions in school buildings, within the scope of the School Building Modernization Programme. The selection of the schools to be retrofitted was based in the analysis of... more
This paper contains an overview of the seismic strengthening interventions in school buildings, within the scope of the School Building Modernization Programme. The selection of the schools to be retrofitted was based in the analysis of the time-frame for structural design codes in Portugal and the correspondent evolution of the construction practices and materials. This analysis led also to the identification of five building groups – “historical”, masonry wall with RC slabs, “no code” RC; “low code” RC, and other less typified building solutions (e.g.: precast RC). The major problems for each of the former five school building groups are generally presented. Some of these problems stem from the absence or use of outdated structural design codes, aggravated by constructive or detailing flaws. The implemented seismic strengthening procedures are outlined through a brief presentation of a collection of cases that exemplify the interventions in all the former main school building groups.
This paper presents an exploratory study about multisensory perception in the use of the urban loggia, i.e., outdoor covered space open to one or more sides integrated in the ground level of buildings, providing public shaded walkways and... more
This paper presents an exploratory study about multisensory perception in the use of the urban loggia, i.e., outdoor covered space open to one or more sides integrated in the ground level of buildings, providing public shaded walkways and living areas. Due to current temporary occurrences of extreme intensity of ultra-violet radiation and the increasing periods of heat waves, public health risks are increasing, specifically situations of skin cancer and heart attacks as a consequence of excessive sun exposure. Loggia spaces have the potential to generate microclimates, allowing for a shadow shelter with the advantages of passive cooling on paths of pedestrian mobility in building entrances. By reducing energy consumption for indoor temperature regulation and climatization, they contribute to mitigating and adapting buildings to climate change. In literature, the perception of the urban loggia shadow spaces has been studied mainly in two different fields, thermal comfort and visual a...
People with a temporary or permanent physical impairment are often excluded from bathing activities due to the difficulties of getting in and out of the water. This paper explores pool design, specifically the design of the access to the... more
People with a temporary or permanent physical impairment are often excluded from bathing activities due to the difficulties of getting in and out of the water. This paper explores pool design, specifically the design of the access to the tank, which is the key to pools’ inclusivity. In trying to break down existing barriers between users, accessibility experts and designers, we interviewed physically impaired architects about their perception of four types of pool access often used by wheelchair users: ramps, transfer walls, transfer systems and lifts. The interviews revealed limitations in all four types of pool access. To compensate for the limitations identified, combining different types of access in one single pool may be of interest. Moreover, the interviews allowed the identification of another type of pool access, designed by one of the interviewees: an upper pool border connected to an underwater bed and seat allows for an easier exit than transfer walls and transfer system...
This paper has an exploratory perspective and intends to discuss the configurational variables, investigated by means of the Theory of the Social Logic of Space, in studies about universal design and accessibility. It aims at analysing... more
This paper has an exploratory perspective and intends to discuss the configurational variables, investigated by means of the Theory of the Social Logic of Space, in studies about universal design and accessibility. It aims at analysing the social and spatial dimensions of the experience of disability individuals and accessibility taking into account the development of a mapping profile and the premises for an indicator to evaluate the Level of Effort (LoE). Applied in a Portuguese case study (Campus Alameda, at the Technical Institute of Lisbon), the research explores procedures to synchronize different reading and representing tools (Space Syntax strategies, walkthroughs, interviews and space-use observations), in order to produce subsidies for the planning and design of inclusive leaning environments.
In this study, the impacts of configuration and tenant types on user movement in shopping malls are examined using space syntax techniques focusing on natural movement theory. One of the main statements of space syntax methodology is the... more
In this study, the impacts of configuration and tenant types on user movement in shopping malls are examined using space syntax techniques focusing on natural movement theory. One of the main statements of space syntax methodology is the “natural movement theory” where human movement is effected by the configuration of space (Hillier et al., 1993). It is also set forth that spatial behavior is dependent upon individual evaluation and relative assessment of spaces (Downs, 1970). In this context, the study is examined as a comparative case study in two frequently visited shopping malls of Istanbul independently but with the same methodology depending on the observation of users and data collection methods. The selected malls have similar approaches in terms of user interfaces, configuration, and the brand distribution that have independent display spaces within the mall. Furthermore, they are built and managed by the same company and have similar architectural and management layouts a...
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This paper presents the example of the reconversion of an important tram station from the origins of electricity in Portugal that was still in use until the late 1990’s but became redundant since then. Its significant urban presence and... more
This paper presents the example of the reconversion of an important tram station from the origins of electricity in Portugal that was still in use until the late 1990’s but became redundant since then. Its significant urban presence and the importance of preserving the memory of the old trams that were still in use some years ago in Lisbon, led to an innovative solution, combining public value and heritage protection. In 2011, the Lisbon City Council agreed to give the building and its site for university use, namely to be transformed into a student’s facility, as a study, leisure, recreational and cultural space of the IST, open 24h a day. This new university building, located just one block away from the traditional IST compound, was called IST Learning Center and extended the notion of campus outside its walls and into the city’s urban fabric.
0 Abstract This paper studies the urban change occurred in the city of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. It discusses the morphological break that took place when the medieval spatial pattern was modified by the reconstruction of the city... more
0 Abstract This paper studies the urban change occurred in the city of Lisbon after the 1755 earthquake. It discusses the morphological break that took place when the medieval spatial pattern was modified by the reconstruction of the city centre by Pombal, the King’s minister who was responsible for the reconstruction of the city. The main goal is to analyse the morphological transformation made by Pombal and to identify the spatial strategies that contributed to the conception and formalization of this new City of Enlightenment. The study starts with the spatial description of the medieval cartography and the analysis of historical data concerning the functional and social use of space main facilities, fairs, religious processions and royal festivities as well as the evaluation and discussion of the six proposals designed to give shape to the new city. Space Syntax methodology is applied to historical analysis of spatial and functional attributes of the city enabling the process of...
This paper is concerned with how two different computational approaches to design shape grammars and space syntax can be combined into a single common framework for formulating, evaluating, and generating designs. The main goal is to... more
This paper is concerned with how two different computational approaches to design shape grammars and space syntax can be combined into a single common framework for formulating, evaluating, and generating designs. The main goal is to explore how the formal principles applied in the design process interact with the spatial properties of the designed objects. Results suggest that space syntax is (1) useful in determining the universe of solutions generated by the grammar and (2) in evaluating the evolving designs in terms of spatial properties and, therefore, in guiding the generation of designs. Combining grammars and Space Syntax: Formulating, evaluating, and generating designs Teresa Heitor, José Pinto Duarte and Rafaela Marques Pinto Instituto de Engenharia de Estruturas, Território e Construção do Instituto Superior Técnico, Portugal
ABSTRACT This paper examines the design of school buildings in the last decade of the Portuguese dictatorship (1964-1974) and its relationship with the country’s educational policies, geared towards the objectives of industrialisation and... more
ABSTRACT This paper examines the design of school buildings in the last decade of the Portuguese dictatorship (1964-1974) and its relationship with the country’s educational policies, geared towards the objectives of industrialisation and economic growth. It also considers the economic constraints placed on the building of schools, the technical and constructive innovations that were to be noted, and the more human-centred approach that was adopted by architecture. The links established with international non-governmental organisations are examined. The paper’s central argument is that, during the 1960s, Portugal enjoyed favourable conditions for the planning and design of schools, based on the pursuit of educational and social objectives through the implementation of a pragmatic, rational and meaningful architecture. Nevertheless, political, economic and demographic constraints, and in particular the large number of schools that needed to be built, jeopardised the architectural research that was initiated at this time, preventing it from going any further by subverting the original educational models and turning them into strictly economic models over the following decades (1970s–1990s). The result was the design of school buildings that were misunderstood by teachers and society at large and which proved to be unsuitable for the Portuguese reality of the 1960s.
The region of Lisbon experienced, from the mid-20th century, successive waves of immigration and internal migration that profoundly altered its socio-territorial configuration. Rural exodus, the forced return of the Portuguese colonists,... more
The region of Lisbon experienced, from the mid-20th century, successive waves of immigration and internal migration that profoundly altered its socio-territorial configuration. Rural exodus, the forced return of the Portuguese colonists, during and after the wars of independence in the former colonies, and immigration spurred by major public works financed by the European Community, are the most striking examples. Since that time, the Lisbon Metropolitan Area has never ceased facing great challenges in housing provision. The article seeks to describe the impacts of these exodus and migrations, which are distinct in intensity and shape, but reveal how housing supply has remained the weakest pillar of the Portuguese Social State.
Knowledge and creative businesses and industries have been at the core of discussions for urban renewal strategies worldwide. Educational facilities and the businesses they attract are key elements in urban dynamics, helping to promote... more
Knowledge and creative businesses and industries have been at the core of discussions for urban renewal strategies worldwide. Educational facilities and the businesses they attract are key elements in urban dynamics, helping to promote urban diversity and contributing to enhancing the areas where they are imbedded. In Portugal, the higher education system follows a binary structure, in which institutions are divided into Universities and Polytechnics. The latter, whose mission is creating vocational-oriented knowledge, grounded on the specific needs of the regions they are in, are key regional drivers, with the possibility of becoming developers and promotors at a regional scale, affecting urban life and urban quality. This paper aims at exploring the location of polytechnic institutions within their hosting cities, attempting to understand location patterns and similarities among different institutions, as well as envisaging the impact of such a location in the engagement with the ...
This paper focuses on university campuses and precincts, and their roles within urban context. It explores the role campus morphology plays in the local impact of the institution, fostering its ability to engage in successful urban... more
This paper focuses on university campuses and precincts, and their roles within urban context. It explores the role campus morphology plays in the local impact of the institution, fostering its ability to engage in successful urban dynamics, as well as acting as an urban engine. The aim is to provide a methodological description of its elements and their morphological traits with an effect on campus integration within its adjacent environments. It is argued that one of the major aspects of sustainable development in universities relies on the relationships established between university and its environs, since universities perform a key role in urban dynamics in the current context of knowledge based societies and economies. Their impact exceeds the physical connection and their environmental footprint, as universities largely contribute to bringing dynamism to cities, through their mission, actors, activities and flows of movement. Thus, campus social sustainability relies on the relationships established between university and its environs.
This study examines the role of computer vision to collect space-use data, with the goal of building a computational tool that supports space-use analysis better than those in current use. In the past, research on space use was predicated... more
This study examines the role of computer vision to collect space-use data, with the goal of building a computational tool that supports space-use analysis better than those in current use. In the past, research on space use was predicated on selective samples and labour-intense fieldwork, mainly through direct observations that were often inaccurate through necessity. Computer vision technology allows space use to be monitored, represented, and quantified in ways not considered before, minimising errors and bias that can affect reliability and validity. The careful use of the technological potential of computer vision opens up new ways of identifying phenomena, becoming aware of systematic patterns and regularities and inquiring further into the degree of congruence between the physical organisation of layouts and patterns of space use.
En mars 2007, le gouvernement portugais a annoncé un plan ambitieux de modernisation des établissements d’enseignement secondaire visant à améliorer la qualité et l’utilité des équipements d’enseignement et d’apprentissage, tout en... more
En mars 2007, le gouvernement portugais a annoncé un plan ambitieux de modernisation des établissements d’enseignement secondaire visant à améliorer la qualité et l’utilité des équipements d’enseignement et d’apprentissage, tout en replaçant les établissements scolaires au centre de la collectivité, dont ils font partie intégrante.
According to the universal design paradigm, accessibility in the built environment indicates the degree to which any space to be used by people is reachable by someone with a permanent or temporary impairment (Levine 2003). A disadvantage... more
According to the universal design paradigm, accessibility in the built environment indicates the degree to which any space to be used by people is reachable by someone with a permanent or temporary impairment (Levine 2003). A disadvantage (handicap) is not just a characteristic of people with disabilities. It can occur with anyone whenever the demands of the environment exceed their capabilities.
This poster aims to contribute to Serious Games implementation, focusing on the design of a tool to evaluate built environment accessibility, developed within the framework of the IN_LEARNING research project. The proposed tool was tested... more
This poster aims to contribute to Serious Games implementation, focusing on the design of a tool to evaluate built environment accessibility, developed within the framework of the IN_LEARNING research project. The proposed tool was tested in a university precinct in Lisbon - IST Alameda campus - where the principle of diversity is demanded by a variety of users with different accessibility requirements (e.g. temporary and/or permanent disability, visual impairment, advancing years, pregnancy). It offers guidance for future interventions intended to upgrade the inclusivity of the built environment and to help improve the aesthetic and functional quality of buildings and outdoor spaces.
The cultural heritage of the fisherman's town of Fuseta, on the southern Portugal, is an interesting example of Mediterranean vernacular architecture. Totally built in just one-step at the turn and the 19th to 20th centuries, the historic... more
The cultural heritage of the fisherman's town of Fuseta, on the southern Portugal, is an interesting example of Mediterranean vernacular architecture. Totally built in just one-step at the turn and the 19th to 20th centuries, the historic centre presents a homogeneous urban fabric characterized by a typology of house covered by vaults' terraces, and pyramidal roofs, strategically located. Nowadays, the urban network extrapolates the original historic centre to the involving areas, with a demarcated rural structure.
This paper aims to reflect on the contribution of space syntax descriptive model, an alpha numeric's calculation software (Depthmap Software), based on visual and spatial networks' analysis, to the study of the urban evolution.
The almost non-existence of bibliography related to the urban history of this territory, enforces the use of alternative methods to increase the architectural morphology's theories and other theoretical approaches focused on the reading of urban territories.
The Depthmap modelling of the town's digital cartographics allowed the production of maps that expresses parameters and urban concepts universally defined. The main question consists in how deep this new urban modelling information is and how useful are these maps or they just descriptive.
In conclusion, the appliance of the Depthmap Software on the study of the Fuseta's urbanism made it possible to draw a reliable parallel between the unknown urban characteristics of the 20th century beginning with the well-known structure of today, at same level of measurements, detailing, information and parameterization.
This paper examines the evolution of eight fishing towns in Algarve, in order to identify the spatial typologies that characterise changes in the urban fabric. The star model (Hillier et al., 2012) and the mean and maximum variables of... more
This paper examines the evolution of eight fishing towns in Algarve, in order to identify the spatial typologies that characterise changes in the urban fabric. The star model (Hillier et al., 2012) and the mean and maximum variables of normalised integration and choice (NAIN and NACH) were employed to compare the spatial configuration's changes in two different periods: 1970 and 2014. The results show an increase in segregation from 1970 to 2014 as well as a more fragmented and less cohesive urban tissue in most of the towns.
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“Sun & beach” tourism is often mentioned as one of the main generators of economic growth for coastal regions. Yet, to what extent is it possible to stimulate the adaptive capacity of the urban territory in order to promote and foster... more
“Sun & beach” tourism is often mentioned as one of the main generators of economic growth for coastal regions. Yet, to what extent is it possible to stimulate the adaptive capacity of the urban territory in order to promote and foster successful “sun & beach” tourism? This paper looks at new approaches to tourism development that are designed to preserve local identity, available natural resources and the socio-cultural heritage while reinvigorating the local economy and stimulating competitiveness. This implies a reconfiguration of urban planning strategies in order to support change, and it is argued here that improving the urban fabric and the tourism performance of coastal settlements requires, per se, a suitable application of space syntax methodologies, as well as an analysis combined with other morphological research methods.
The paper seeks to assess the effects of the industrialisation and massification of leisure activities and the impact of tourism input on four coastal fishing villages along two shorelines of the Atlantic Ocean: the Algarve coast (Portugal) and the Paraná coast (Brazil). Both regions were confronted with an unprecedented interest from the tourist industry, which led to an expansion of the built-up fabric and the road network, changing the relationship between the shoreline and the urban settlement. The lack of planning strategies has resulted in undesired impacts and has disrupted the biophysical and social systems of these habitats, with negative impacts that can be extremely costly for both the environment and society.
Different research methods were tested in the study of a sample composed of four coastal fishing settlements, using spatial analysis techniques related to space syntax theory (Carmona, 2014). Selected space syntax tools included axiality techniques, explored on two levels: the global analysis (the pattern of the relationship between the original/vernacular fishing nucleus and the whole settlement), and the local one (the size, scale and shape of the fishing nucleus). In loco surveys (observations and data collection) were also undertaken in order to identify the main physiographical characteristics and occupancy rates and to categorise the coastal front in three sub-sections according to the ecosystem type.
The results relating to spatial configuration indicated that: i) the two coasts have different structures as far as their geo-morphological and anthropogenic aspects are concerned: the Algarve coast has a "comb-like" linear structure, while the Paraná coast is organised in a "trident" shape; ii) the proximity between the integration core and the shoreline varies according to the urban network typology: two coastal fishing settlements present an integration core close to the shoreline, while the other ones present an integration core that is inside the urban settlement; iii) from the studied variables, the “shape” presents greater differences in the case of urban development, reinforcing the identity of the coastal fishing settlements.
The conclusions are that the built-up fabric of the coastal fishing settlement is undergoing a process of change, precipitated by both its internal needs and its external pressures, including the demands of “sun & beach” tourism. There is considerable evidence to suggest that there is an explicit relationship between the configurative properties of these settlements and their ability to support change, i.e. their adaptive capacity.
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The aim of the Secondary School Modernisation Programme, being implemented in Portugal by Parque Escolar, EPE, is based on the pursuit of quality and makes Portuguese education a potential international benchmark. This paper discusses the... more
The aim of the Secondary School Modernisation Programme, being implemented in Portugal by Parque Escolar, EPE, is based on the pursuit of quality and makes Portuguese education a potential international benchmark. This paper discusses the strategies adopted to ...

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