No abstract available. Copyright 2006, University of Pretoria. All rights reserved. The copyright in this work vests in the University of Pretoria. No part of this work may be reproduced or transmitted in any form or by any means, without the prior written permission of the University of Pretoria. Please cite as follows: Bjornstad, JA 2006, Re-programming public space, MArch(Prof) dissertation, University of Pretoria, Pretoria, viewed yymmdd < http://upetd.up.ac.za/thesis/available/etd-03132007-180909/ > / Dissertation (MArch (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted

Because of the high levels of violence practiced by the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State (Brazil), especially if its lethality is taken into consideration, the Pacifying Police Units - Unidades de Polícia Pacificadora (UPPs) in Portuguese - were created in 2008 to work in some favelas (slums or shanty towns) of the state’s capital, the city of Rio de Janeiro. This form of policing became the object of attention of several social scientists due to its apparently less violent action in these specific urban spaces, which are historically marked by a social stigma and constitute a special target for police action. In this thesis, we analyze some of the research work that emphasized the UPPs’ characteristics as possibilities for a new and less violent police. It is argued that, despite the features that make the UPPs to be apparently less violent, it is necessary to take into account several other aspects that sociologically explain the police action in Rio de Janeiro and the UPPs. The social construction of Brazilian citizenship and public space affects the way Brazilians build the notion of equality between individuals and social groups, relating it to similarity between themselves and accepting as natural the unequal treatment given by the state’s institutions. This legal and juridical culture, associated to the new economic and financial context that the city of Rio de Janeiro has been going through in the last years, refers to the necessity of state control over some favelas to be able to increase the value of such urban spaces, through land speculation, in order to achieve a surplus-value by implementing new economic and lucrative activities. This state policy is heavily based on “pacifying” the favelas through the politics of security, in which police play a major and important role. Therefore, the thesis begins by offering an explanation of the Brazilian views of public space and citizenship, resorting to some social scientists studies that dealt with the specifics of those notions in Brazil. Then we elucidate how a documentary analysis was made explaining how the UPPs are understood in Brazil. Later, dissertating about the historical development of favelas and police in Rio de Janeiro, explaining the conjuncture in which the UPPs were implemented and how they are understood. Yet, in our research, we consider that the UPPs are not breaking away from the paradigm of the Military Police of Rio de Janeiro State, but using a different practice to give continuity to a traditional function of policing (repression) and a process that one could call of “criminalization” of favelas.

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This dissertation investigates public space within a South African con¬text as part of inner city regeneration. The architectural exploration aims to respond to a specific site and neighbourhood needs as identified. Protecting the openness of the site, integrating the site with its surroundings to enhance the potential of social engagement. The proposal provides a framework for spatial possibility in which architecture is used as a framework through which users influence a building’s design. / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Architecture / unrestricted

ABSTRACT Urban Consulate is an exploration of urban exchange and growth within the 21st century paradigm. This dissertation investigates the potential of reclaimed civic space within the city as urban catalyst for participation and growth – a platform with which to regenerate meaningful participation within the urban environments and ensure densification without negation and destruction. The suburb of Brixton is one of the oldest suburbs in Johannesburg. Located to the west of Braamfontein and viewed as a compartmentalized fragment within the city of Johannesburg, this urban suburb forms the laboratory of investigation for the dissertation. Currently in flux, the area is rezoned for urbanisation and densification within the Johannesburg City plan. There are various proposals to relink the suburb back to the city. The chosen site of investigation is concerned with harnessing both the local condition and its potential to connect to the city of Johannesburg. In an attempt to redefine concepts of territory and boundary in civic architecture, the investigation is contextually located between urban fragments of suburbia, urban conditions and veld (natural environment). The site is a lost urban asset on the edge of Brixton next to the Sentech Tower. The urban intention is to reprogram the site as part of a productive public landscape, while the programmatic intentions are to enable the urban condition of city growth through facilitating local needs and desire lines. The dissertation therefore blurs the present day distinctions of ‘public’, ‘social’, ‘productive’, and ‘natural’ space while at the same time placing focus on local and socio-economic conditions. It investigates how the support of community and local conditions enables the urban. The architectural intentions are to “blur” the physical and perceived boundaries between the dweller and the city, the suburban and the urban. The scheme seeks to find how architecture as an enabler of “structures of enchantment” – the ordinary and extraordinary that make up a city – can facilitate individual and collective memory and couple the idea of city and the fantastical with that of home-finding and the everyday. In short, the 21st century approach to design and city-making must shift towards a participative approach in terms of urban exchange and place-making. / Mini Dissertation MArch(Prof)--University of Pretoria, 2018. / Architecture / MArch(Prof) / Unrestricted

Women cannot exist in public space without public toilets, yet it can be difficult to find any that feel clean and safe to go to. That is why I propose to build public toilets for women on Renmarkstorget in central Umeå. Public toilets are where gender issues are exemplified in a public space and are therefore very politically charged. If we want to build for gender equality, we need to be conscious of who we are building for, how the space reflects our social values, and have a clear vision. Equal floorspace is often assigned to men’s and women’s toilets. But women need more floor space in toilets, due to menstruation, bringing children, sitting down to pee etc. This leads to longer toilet queues for the ladies’ room, and consequently, women stay shorter periods of time in public or even avoid it. This especially affects girls, elderly women, disabled women, homeless women, mothers, and pregnant women. The solutions include changing building regulations, architects acting on the issue, and of course electing more women on the city council who can speak on this issue from experience. This proposal includes 7 freestanding structural toilet units, a lunchroom, a playground, bicycle parking, and a bus stop. Because what happens outside the toilet is most important. Those activities need to overlap with the needs of women and enable them to feel seen but not exposed or observed and allow them to have control of their environment. Equality is about voice and therefore architects need to be conscious of how physical, virtual, and social environments either encourage, discourage, include, or exclude those voices by design.

The definitions of domesticity revolve around the idea of life at home, often regarding a private accommodation. However, a home may also be considered a neighbourhood or city of belonging. In the 21st century, activities associated with the house like eating, reading, and relaxing, are increasingly being performed in the urban context. As a result, modern cities have adapted to provide more domestic spaces for users. Domesti(city) attempts to improve public space by making it more homely. Tensta was chosen as a Million Program area whose public space lacked diversity in the design, scale, and quality of open space.The thesis offers a design-based solution to a systemic issue. It considers the opinions of the most marginalized social groups within the neighbourhood to inform strategies that enhance public space, whether by creating areas that make women feel safe or where the elderly and youths can socialize and strengthen the quality of their social relationships.

The aim of this thesis project is to investigate the current situation of elderly life in Sweden with a primary focus on the city of Stockholm, regarding the housing situation and the local environment and how these can have an impact on the life quality of this population group. Accessibility towards housing and facilities that are required for everyday living, together with socialization where the two main themes studied. Background research on the current housing and service provision for the elderly was performed in order to get an estimate of the living conditions. This estimation was afterwards verified by questionnaire research combined with semi-structured interviews with twenty elderly residents from various areas of Stockholm. Another part of the research was a literature review on publications that have been presented in the past regarding age-friendly cities, active ageing and senior living in the public space which continues with a summary of policies and guidelines, followed internationally and locally. When combining the results from the literature review on the policies with the results from the questionnaires and the interviews it became apparent that a lot of the elderly needs are satisfied in the city of Stockholm, and generally they enjoy a good quality of life, with the current system of services for housing and socialization. The results also highlighted the problematic aspects such as the lack of information about the provided services, that make the elderly not able to consider changes that might be beneficial for them. The final goal is to provide some suggestions for designing future planning policies and their potential focus areas.

This thesis challenges the way we design and inhabit urban public space. This architectural thesis project envisions a new public space. A framework for expression: a place where people physically create the spaces around them through architectural manipulation and expression of ideas, art and performance. The framework is inspired by translating the principles of garment design into architectural strategies: joinery, materiality, structure, response, and adjustability. As the architecture changes, so do the programs and ways of expressing. The site of this exploration is on the coast of Maine, in the city of Portland; acting as a gateway into the city from the ocean, as well as a connector, bridging the Downtown and East End districts. The concept is explored by creating architecture for an urban public space through architectural strategies that respond to the people, site, and city that promotes expression, gathering, and becomes a physical connection to the city. By implementing a framework for expression in a urban public setting, people will be able to communicate through architecture by changing the physical spaces that surround them. Individual expression spurs the connection of people. The connection of people spurs the connection of a city. And, ultimately a city with meaningful connections, both physical and otherwise, will develop a more socially engaged society.

In the study, we solve the central square of the town Ivančice extent: Palacky square, Comenius Square and surrounding areas of the parish church of the Assumption of the Virgin Mary with a part of Mill Street. The basic principle of the proposal is to create a bright urbanized area with a clearly organized traffic and movement of pedestrians. Square must in future comply with all requirements for functionality the central city area. Must fulfill both functions of assembly as well as commercial and cultural. Being an active center of the city, which will provide its residents an attractive environment for their identification with the place their home. The proposal's emphasis on compact solutions based on the classic city-forming compositions and standards. The main objective is to preserve the integrity of the specified square area as seen historical photographs. Over time, the square was filled with a variety of often inconsistent or improper furniture, greenery and other solitaires, which, in combination with parking across the surface of the square and double necks impairment of the main urban area. The main aim of the project I had solve the traffic situation, cleansing and unification of Square and finally to incorporate revive nearby parish church. The proposal defines the space Palacky Square following the original historical rectangle plan approaching and divides it into three parts: The first part is a central rectangular area, which blended currently fragmented space. This empty space showcases a Baroque plague column and the fountain with the statue of St. Florian. As a counterweight to the plague column and the fountain is in the opposite half of the rectangle designed water feature in the form of three water jets, which creates a water column of a time his height. Water features does not make the water and in the case of holding larger events it is possible to turn off the water element and thereby clear the entire area of central rectangle. Water feature highlights the main entrance to the church. The central rectangular space will be used as the venue for cultural, sporting and market activities. The second part is operating within the traffic lane pedestrian zones defined lighting and street furniture around the perimeter of serving in a restricted mode for supply. The third part of the irregular portion adjacent to the home life partners defined various commercial activities. Within Comenius Square was left a greater number of parking spaces, but that was přeřešeno such a way as to create wider sidewalks along the larger home and a new expansion bays for seating and meeting and commercial purposes neighboring establishments catering zařízení.4 Almost all surfaces are vertically aligned and newly paved granite chipped tiles (using the existing historic paving). The central rectangular space in the newly paved square cut granite blocks stacked into large squares. Proposal emphasizes the use of high quality noble materials such as stone (granite), cast iron, acacia wood.