The number of citizens living in urban areas worldwide is predicted to increase in future decades. However, this projected increase is mainly due to the magnetic power of so-called megacities. Worldwide, many intermediate cities, especially in the most developed countries, have had considerable population losses in the past decades and this trend is expected to continue. When a city loses a high percentage of its population within a short period of time, the traces of that loss become strongly apparent. Abandonment is followed by dereliction, such that the urban fabric can become randomly punctuated with uninhabited spaces where previously present human constructions have been destroyed, and social instability can ensue. The attraction of the city to newcomers then becomes increasingly compromised, and the cycle of decline is harder to overcome. Some cities have developed strategies to redress the situation, such as restricting urban sprawl, demolitions, urban agriculture, rightsizing infrastructure or permitting biodiversity sanctuaries. However, few academic studies have focused on the ways that residents, and potential newcomers, perceive this situation and react to it. Obtaining a deeper understanding of residents¹ perceptions might allow the development of targeted strategies to promote healthier, more attractive and safer environments for these communities, as well as enhancing their potential for newcomers. The research aim, therefore, is to understand the key factors that determine the attractiveness of these urban abandoned spaces for different stakeholder groups, namely, residents of depopulating, and growing, neighbourhoods, and house searchers. Three different methods were used sequentially to explore this quest: interviews with experts, focus groups and conjoint analysis. Conjoint analysis is one of the most robust methods to explore people¹s preferences, by presenting respondents with possible future change scenarios. The study was undertaken in Lisbon (PT) and Genoa (IT), two southern European cities that have experienced population decline, in some areas, in the last three decades. The results of the interviews and focus groups, for both cities, show that while people are naturally resilient to de-densification scenarios, one key concern, when discussing their neighbourhoods in this context, is related to community support. The results from the conjoint analysis corroborate the importance of having a close community for people living in depopulating environments, namely, in Lisbon. The results also show that good quality green spaces are an attraction factor for house searchers. These differences show how the provision of social support in depopulating urban environments might be a determining factor in the stabilization of these neighbourhoods and also, how the presence of good quality green spaces might enhance its attractiveness to newcomers. Social support, therefore, should be given serious consideration in any political, social, architectural intervention within depopulating contexts. Moreover, the presence of green spaces of better quality might be not only a key factor in attracting new residents, but simultaneously, play a crucial role in enhancing the physical and mental health of particularly vulnerable communities, and enhance social interaction.

Associations between the built environment and walking are well understood among the general population, but far less is known about how features of the built environment influence walking in older adults. As compared to other age groups, older adults, defined as those 65 years of age and older, are more likely to experience declines in physical activity, social interaction, and loss of community connectivity. Animal companionship can provide older adults the motivation to stay physically active and help them mitigate the feelings of isolation. Built environments that align with the needs and abilities of older adults and their animal companions, like dogs, can encourage and help sustain walking habits. The aim of this study was to identify and prioritize features within the built environment pertinent to older adult dog walkers. Existing literature served as the basis for identifying neighborhood design features associated with general walking and dog walking. Through the use of a three round Delphi study, 25 experts from urban planning and design, management of outdoor spaces, public health, gerontology, and human-animal relationships modified and rated the importance of the identified features as it pertains to older adult dog walkers. Following the Delphi study, 12 older adult dog owners from the Warm Hearth Village participated in a guided walk and interview using the Photovoice technique. The goal was to gather their perceptions of the outdoor walking environment. Among expert panelists, safety from motorized traffic, crime, unleashed dogs, and personal injury was paramount (mean (M)= 93.20, standard deviation (SD) = 11.54). Experts also saw the value and agreed upon the importance of dog supportive features within the built environment, like dog waste stations dog waste stations (desirable; M = 87.95, SD = 11.37), and dog policy signage (desirable; M = 79.91, SD = 11.22). Older adults also believed safety was important. They saw their dog as a protective safety factor against walking deterrents like aggressive or unleashed dogs. However, the feature that resonated most with older adult dog walkers in this study was their interaction with nature. They described the pleasure of observing seasons change and the connection with nature that came from the tree canopy cocooning the walking path. Path design is also a necessary consideration. Older adults emphasized the importance of having options between paved and unpaved walking paths. The panelists stressed the need for creating lines of sight (desirable; M = 66.46, SD = 20.71) and lighting (desirable; M = 77.92, SD =19.77). Those who plan, develop, and maintain spaces that support older adults can prioritize the features I identified in my research. Incorporating these features into the design of spaces for older adults has the potential to translate into increased walking and opportunities to socialize, contributing to mental and physical health. / Doctor of Philosophy / Associations between the built environment and walking are well understood among the general population, but less is known about how features in the built environment influence older adults. As compared to other age groups, older adults are more likely to experience declines in physical activity and social interaction. Animal companionship can provide motivation to stay physically active and help them mitigate feelings of isolation. Built environments that align with the needs of older adults and their animal companions, like dogs, can encourage and help sustain walking habits. My research identified and prioritized features within the built environment pertinent to older adult dog walkers. I implemented an iterative three round study to gain consensus among expert panelists and guided walks and interviews with older adult dog walkers. Among expert panelists, safety from motorized traffic, crime, unleashed dogs, and personal injury was paramount. Experts also saw the value of dog supportive features within the built environment, like dog waste stations. Older adults also believed safety was important. They saw their dog as a protective safety factor against walking deterrents like aggressive dogs. The feature that resonated most with older adult in this study was nature. They described the pleasure of observing seasons change and the connection with nature that came from the tree canopy cocooning the walking path. Path design is also a necessary consideration. Older adults emphasized the importance of having options between paved and unpaved walking paths. Those who plan, develop, and maintain spaces that support older adults can prioritize the features I identified in my research. Incorporating these features into outdoor spaces has the potential to translate into increased walking and opportunities to socialize, contributing to mental and physical health.

O objeto desta pesquisa é a relação entre as variáveis microclimáticas urbanas e as de sensação térmica. Parte-se da hipótese de que a predição de conforto térmico em espaços abertos requer modelos com calibração e validação específicas para dada população adaptada a determinadas condições climáticas. O objetivo é propor um método para quantificar as correlações entre variáveis microclimáticas urbanas (temperatura, umidade e velocidade do ar e radiação térmica) e variáveis subjetivas (percepção e preferência de sensações térmicas), mediadas por variáveis individuais (vestimentas e atividade física), possibilitando a predição do grau de adequação térmica de espaços abertos para uma população adaptada às condições climáticas em que se encontra (no caso específico, na cidade de São Paulo). O método utilizado é indutivo experimental (levantamento em campo de variáveis microclimáticas, individuais e subjetivas) apoiado por método dedutivo computacional comparativo (simulação preditiva). Os resultados do estudo experimental e computacional comparativo fornecem subsídio para duas proposições: (a) calibração de índices interpretativos para modelos existentes, por meio de método iterativo; (b) proposição de nova modelagem preditiva, por meio de método numérico apoiado por método analítico. Os produtos finais da pesquisa são: (I) procedimento para quantificação empírica de variáveis, (II) quadro comparativo de modelos, (III) calibração de modelos para o caso em estudo, (IV) método de calibração de modelos para outros casos, (V) novo modelo preditivo para o caso em estudo, (VI) método de modelagem preditiva para aplicação em outros casos, (VII) análise e síntese crítica do caso em estudo e dos metódos desenvolvidos. / The subject of this research is the relationship between urban microclimatic and thermal sensation variables. The hypothesis is that outdoor thermal comfort prediction requires modeling with specific calibration and validation to a given population adapted to certain climatic conditions. The objective is to propose a method to quantify the correlations between urban microclimatic variables (temperature, humidity, air velocity and thermal radiation) and subjective variables (thermal sensation perception and preference), mediated by means of individual variables (clothing insulation and metabolic rate), allowing the prediction of the outdoor thermal environment adequacy to a population adapted to a given climatic condition (in the specific case, the city of Sao Paulo). The method used is experimental inductive (field research of microclimatic, individual and subjective variables) supported by comparative computational deductive (predictive simulation). The field research and predictive simulation results allow twos propositions: (a) interpretative indexes calibration for predictive models, by means of iterative method; (b) proposition of a new predictive model, by means of numeric and analytic methods. The research final products are: (I) procedure for empirical estimation of microclimatic, individual and subjective variables (II) comparative chart of predictive models, (III) models calibration for the case in study, (IV) calibration method to be applied in other cases, (V) new predictive model based on the case in study, (VI) predictive modeling method to be applied in other cases, (VII) critical analysis and synthesis of the case in study and the developed methods.

O objeto desta pesquisa é a relação entre as variáveis microclimáticas urbanas e as de sensação térmica. Parte-se da hipótese de que a predição de conforto térmico em espaços abertos requer modelos com calibração e validação específicas para dada população adaptada a determinadas condições climáticas. O objetivo é propor um método para quantificar as correlações entre variáveis microclimáticas urbanas (temperatura, umidade e velocidade do ar e radiação térmica) e variáveis subjetivas (percepção e preferência de sensações térmicas), mediadas por variáveis individuais (vestimentas e atividade física), possibilitando a predição do grau de adequação térmica de espaços abertos para uma população adaptada às condições climáticas em que se encontra (no caso específico, na cidade de São Paulo). O método utilizado é indutivo experimental (levantamento em campo de variáveis microclimáticas, individuais e subjetivas) apoiado por método dedutivo computacional comparativo (simulação preditiva). Os resultados do estudo experimental e computacional comparativo fornecem subsídio para duas proposições: (a) calibração de índices interpretativos para modelos existentes, por meio de método iterativo; (b) proposição de nova modelagem preditiva, por meio de método numérico apoiado por método analítico. Os produtos finais da pesquisa são: (I) procedimento para quantificação empírica de variáveis, (II) quadro comparativo de modelos, (III) calibração de modelos para o caso em estudo, (IV) método de calibração de modelos para outros casos, (V) novo modelo preditivo para o caso em estudo, (VI) método de modelagem preditiva para aplicação em outros casos, (VII) análise e síntese crítica do caso em estudo e dos metódos desenvolvidos. / The subject of this research is the relationship between urban microclimatic and thermal sensation variables. The hypothesis is that outdoor thermal comfort prediction requires modeling with specific calibration and validation to a given population adapted to certain climatic conditions. The objective is to propose a method to quantify the correlations between urban microclimatic variables (temperature, humidity, air velocity and thermal radiation) and subjective variables (thermal sensation perception and preference), mediated by means of individual variables (clothing insulation and metabolic rate), allowing the prediction of the outdoor thermal environment adequacy to a population adapted to a given climatic condition (in the specific case, the city of Sao Paulo). The method used is experimental inductive (field research of microclimatic, individual and subjective variables) supported by comparative computational deductive (predictive simulation). The field research and predictive simulation results allow twos propositions: (a) interpretative indexes calibration for predictive models, by means of iterative method; (b) proposition of a new predictive model, by means of numeric and analytic methods. The research final products are: (I) procedure for empirical estimation of microclimatic, individual and subjective variables (II) comparative chart of predictive models, (III) models calibration for the case in study, (IV) calibration method to be applied in other cases, (V) new predictive model based on the case in study, (VI) predictive modeling method to be applied in other cases, (VII) critical analysis and synthesis of the case in study and the developed methods.

The cohousing movement started in the United States in the 1990’s and since then has spread to over 160 communities throughout the country. This type of community is characterized by small dwelling units, high housing density, shared facilities such as a common house, shared commons and grouped parking. These are pedestrian-oriented communities with car circulation restricted to the outskirts of the neighborhood. Cohousing settlements have the goal of promoting social interaction and sustainable living through design, programming, and shared ideals. Many design characteristics, such as house proximity, density, building height and size, the location of parking, the availability of common spaces, and size of private spaces influence social interaction in the community. However, design is not solely responsible for promoting socialization. Other variables such as programming and personal ideologies also need to be taken into consideration when analyzing social interaction within cohousing communities. With regard to sustainability, cohousing is a valid option compared to traditional housing types because it encourages resource sharing, promotes a mixed-use and mixed-income environment, and strengthens social networks. Cohousing communities can thrive in a variety of shapes, sizes and settings, and have varying degrees of outdoor spaces and availability. This study considers how outdoor spaces affect socialization behavior among residents in cohousing and aims to provide recommendations for shaping outdoor spaces in such settings. Methods include a literature review, an analysis of case studies, spatial analysis, on-site observations, informal conversations and referencing previously conducted surveys.

Os espaços externos das edificações vêm sendo negligenciados por planejadores, construtores e gerenciadores da área da Construção Civil. O bom projeto desses espaços e a sua manutenção são necessários para que tragam benefícios aos usuários, os quais são muitos e importantes não somente ao usuário, mas à edificação e ao meio ambiente. Projetar esses espaços de acordo com as necessidades dos usuários e buscando os seus benefícios é viável, desde que se tenha conhecimento sobre a configuração física que esse espaço deve ter e o comportamento dos usuários. E esse conhecimento falta, principalmente no que se refere a campi universitários, espaços complexos e de riqueza física e comportamental cada vez mais presentes no cenário mundial e brasileiro. O Campus I da Universidade de Passo Fundo é um desses espaços únicos e que está aumentando, tanto em números (alunos, cursos) quanto em tamanho físico. Para se chegar ao conhecimento sobre como atuar nesses espaços, 400 questionários foram aplicados a universitários de 12 unidades e a estudantes de Ensino Médio dessa universidade, verificando quais eram seus comportamentos e percepções em relação aos espaços externos do campus, os quais foram também caracterizados de acordo com os espaços adjacentes aos prédios das unidades e espaços comuns ao campus. Também foi necessário fazer uma revisão bibliográfica a fim de determinar os atributos que os espaços externos de campi devem ter a fim de cumprir com suas funções sociais e de benefício físico e psicológico. Assim, verificaram-se quais eram os atributos físicos dos espaços externos mais bem-sucedidos do Campus I e o que tinham em comum com os da teoria, além de verificar quais eram as influências das características dos usuários na preferência ou uso desses espaços. Proximidade ao prédio, presença de vegetação, bancos e espaços definidos como privados no campus foram os atributos físicos que determinaram o sucesso dos ambientes, ao passo que tempo de utilização do campus, gênero e conhecimento sobre vegetação e hábitos culturais foram as características dos usuários que influenciam a preferência de utilização dos espaços externos. / Outdoor spaces have been neglected by planners, designers, and managers of Civil Construction area. These spaces good planning and design and their maintenance are necessary in order to provide benefits over users, which are many and important, not only to users but to buildings and the whole Environment. Planning such spaces according to their benefits, so explored by literature, and to user needs, is viable, since there is know-how over physical configuration and users’ behaviors. And there is a lack of such knowledge, principally when considering university campuses, complex spaces with physical and behavioral richness so present in global and national scenery. Campus I of Universidade de Passo Fundo is one of these unique places which are growing, even in size as in numbers. To achieve this knowledge about how to plan these spaces, 400 questionnaires were applied over campus 12 departments students and over high school students, who also use the campus, to know about their behavior and perceptions related to adjacent to building spaces and common spaces in Campus I. These spaces were characterized accordingly to the literature on outdoor campus spaces in order to define features these spaces must have to accomplish their social functions and physical and psychological benefits. Thus, one verified which were the physical attributes of successful outdoor spaces in Campus and what did they have in common with the attributes form literature. It was also verified the influences of users characteristics over spaces preferences or use. Proximity to building, presence of vegetation, benches, and private defined spaces were the features that determined the success of spaces, while campus time of utilization, gender, and knowledge about the importance of vegetation, and cultural habits are behavioral attributes that influence users preference and use of outdoor spaces.

Os espaços externos das edificações vêm sendo negligenciados por planejadores, construtores e gerenciadores da área da Construção Civil. O bom projeto desses espaços e a sua manutenção são necessários para que tragam benefícios aos usuários, os quais são muitos e importantes não somente ao usuário, mas à edificação e ao meio ambiente. Projetar esses espaços de acordo com as necessidades dos usuários e buscando os seus benefícios é viável, desde que se tenha conhecimento sobre a configuração física que esse espaço deve ter e o comportamento dos usuários. E esse conhecimento falta, principalmente no que se refere a campi universitários, espaços complexos e de riqueza física e comportamental cada vez mais presentes no cenário mundial e brasileiro. O Campus I da Universidade de Passo Fundo é um desses espaços únicos e que está aumentando, tanto em números (alunos, cursos) quanto em tamanho físico. Para se chegar ao conhecimento sobre como atuar nesses espaços, 400 questionários foram aplicados a universitários de 12 unidades e a estudantes de Ensino Médio dessa universidade, verificando quais eram seus comportamentos e percepções em relação aos espaços externos do campus, os quais foram também caracterizados de acordo com os espaços adjacentes aos prédios das unidades e espaços comuns ao campus. Também foi necessário fazer uma revisão bibliográfica a fim de determinar os atributos que os espaços externos de campi devem ter a fim de cumprir com suas funções sociais e de benefício físico e psicológico. Assim, verificaram-se quais eram os atributos físicos dos espaços externos mais bem-sucedidos do Campus I e o que tinham em comum com os da teoria, além de verificar quais eram as influências das características dos usuários na preferência ou uso desses espaços. Proximidade ao prédio, presença de vegetação, bancos e espaços definidos como privados no campus foram os atributos físicos que determinaram o sucesso dos ambientes, ao passo que tempo de utilização do campus, gênero e conhecimento sobre vegetação e hábitos culturais foram as características dos usuários que influenciam a preferência de utilização dos espaços externos. / Outdoor spaces have been neglected by planners, designers, and managers of Civil Construction area. These spaces good planning and design and their maintenance are necessary in order to provide benefits over users, which are many and important, not only to users but to buildings and the whole Environment. Planning such spaces according to their benefits, so explored by literature, and to user needs, is viable, since there is know-how over physical configuration and users’ behaviors. And there is a lack of such knowledge, principally when considering university campuses, complex spaces with physical and behavioral richness so present in global and national scenery. Campus I of Universidade de Passo Fundo is one of these unique places which are growing, even in size as in numbers. To achieve this knowledge about how to plan these spaces, 400 questionnaires were applied over campus 12 departments students and over high school students, who also use the campus, to know about their behavior and perceptions related to adjacent to building spaces and common spaces in Campus I. These spaces were characterized accordingly to the literature on outdoor campus spaces in order to define features these spaces must have to accomplish their social functions and physical and psychological benefits. Thus, one verified which were the physical attributes of successful outdoor spaces in Campus and what did they have in common with the attributes form literature. It was also verified the influences of users characteristics over spaces preferences or use. Proximity to building, presence of vegetation, benches, and private defined spaces were the features that determined the success of spaces, while campus time of utilization, gender, and knowledge about the importance of vegetation, and cultural habits are behavioral attributes that influence users preference and use of outdoor spaces.

Os espaços externos das edificações vêm sendo negligenciados por planejadores, construtores e gerenciadores da área da Construção Civil. O bom projeto desses espaços e a sua manutenção são necessários para que tragam benefícios aos usuários, os quais são muitos e importantes não somente ao usuário, mas à edificação e ao meio ambiente. Projetar esses espaços de acordo com as necessidades dos usuários e buscando os seus benefícios é viável, desde que se tenha conhecimento sobre a configuração física que esse espaço deve ter e o comportamento dos usuários. E esse conhecimento falta, principalmente no que se refere a campi universitários, espaços complexos e de riqueza física e comportamental cada vez mais presentes no cenário mundial e brasileiro. O Campus I da Universidade de Passo Fundo é um desses espaços únicos e que está aumentando, tanto em números (alunos, cursos) quanto em tamanho físico. Para se chegar ao conhecimento sobre como atuar nesses espaços, 400 questionários foram aplicados a universitários de 12 unidades e a estudantes de Ensino Médio dessa universidade, verificando quais eram seus comportamentos e percepções em relação aos espaços externos do campus, os quais foram também caracterizados de acordo com os espaços adjacentes aos prédios das unidades e espaços comuns ao campus. Também foi necessário fazer uma revisão bibliográfica a fim de determinar os atributos que os espaços externos de campi devem ter a fim de cumprir com suas funções sociais e de benefício físico e psicológico. Assim, verificaram-se quais eram os atributos físicos dos espaços externos mais bem-sucedidos do Campus I e o que tinham em comum com os da teoria, além de verificar quais eram as influências das características dos usuários na preferência ou uso desses espaços. Proximidade ao prédio, presença de vegetação, bancos e espaços definidos como privados no campus foram os atributos físicos que determinaram o sucesso dos ambientes, ao passo que tempo de utilização do campus, gênero e conhecimento sobre vegetação e hábitos culturais foram as características dos usuários que influenciam a preferência de utilização dos espaços externos. / Outdoor spaces have been neglected by planners, designers, and managers of Civil Construction area. These spaces good planning and design and their maintenance are necessary in order to provide benefits over users, which are many and important, not only to users but to buildings and the whole Environment. Planning such spaces according to their benefits, so explored by literature, and to user needs, is viable, since there is know-how over physical configuration and users’ behaviors. And there is a lack of such knowledge, principally when considering university campuses, complex spaces with physical and behavioral richness so present in global and national scenery. Campus I of Universidade de Passo Fundo is one of these unique places which are growing, even in size as in numbers. To achieve this knowledge about how to plan these spaces, 400 questionnaires were applied over campus 12 departments students and over high school students, who also use the campus, to know about their behavior and perceptions related to adjacent to building spaces and common spaces in Campus I. These spaces were characterized accordingly to the literature on outdoor campus spaces in order to define features these spaces must have to accomplish their social functions and physical and psychological benefits. Thus, one verified which were the physical attributes of successful outdoor spaces in Campus and what did they have in common with the attributes form literature. It was also verified the influences of users characteristics over spaces preferences or use. Proximity to building, presence of vegetation, benches, and private defined spaces were the features that determined the success of spaces, while campus time of utilization, gender, and knowledge about the importance of vegetation, and cultural habits are behavioral attributes that influence users preference and use of outdoor spaces.

In last decades, the increase of megacities in many regions and particularly in developing countries, contributed to deplete rural landscape enhancing the urbanization impacts. Such urban settlements result in high greenhouse gas emissions and negative energy balances. By gathering millions of people, they develop a complex network of infrastructures, services, housings and factories. Climate impacts of metropolitan areas are universally recognized in the urban heat island (UHI) effect that entails the increase of average night temperatures relative to rural surroundings. New global challenges for urban agendas involve the restraint of urban sprawl, the enhancement of urban density and the mitigation of urban climate changes. Densification strategies had risen as key planning tools to be inserted in the urban development practice. Nevertheless, the integration of compact city pattern into the existing urban structure lead to dense arrangements of urban forms, changes transport models, raises human and energy exchanges, shaping new outdoor environments. In the framework of these transformations, the present work explored the interaction between morphological and climate urban variables in urban lands affected by on-going densification and verticalization processes. An integrated research procedure was developed and applied to a case study in the municipality of São Paulo, characterized by high-rise and low-rise zones under development subjected to a subtropical climate. The proposed procedure integrated field data collections, analysis of database and modeling techniques, addressing multiple scales of analysis. Climate and morphological features were gained by available city database, meteorological stations, Local Climate Zone (LCZ) maps, and further integrated by fieldworks. Numerical models were implemented as interpretation data tools to investigate the physical processes and to build the conceptual model of the interactions between urban morphology and climate. ENVImet and Grasshopper computational codes were used to simulate the existing case study area, as well as to implement numerical experiments (scenarios) in which different densification patterns were tested and compared. The calibration process of the ENVI-met model relied on prior sensitivity tests of input parameters in a smaller domain. Main findings underlined the high-rise buildings shading as the main climate driving force at subtropical latitudes, inducing different microclimates in the outdoor spaces. Compact low-rise areas were found highly affected by high temperatures, low-albedo materials and absence of vegetation. High-rise buildings arrangements were discussed focusing on the effects of buildings heights and spacing variability. Finally, results were summarized in urban design precepts helping climate-sensitive practices and understanding of urban lands in which densification and verticalization processes are in action. Design percepts included suggestions on building height and arrangement, materials and green infrastructure. The importance of a local-scale planning was also highlighted. / Nas últimas décadas, o aumento das megacidades em muitas regiões do mundo e particularmente nos países em desenvolvimento, contribuiu para recuo do ambiente rural, aumentando os impactos da urbanização. Grandes assentamentos urbanos resultam em altas emissões de gases de efeito estufa e balanços energéticos negativos. Ao reunir milhões de pessoas, as cidades contemporâneas desenvolvem uma complexa rede de infraestruturas, serviços, moradias e centros produtivos. Os impactos climáticos relacionados são universalmente reconhecidos no efeito de ilha de calor urbana (ICU), que implica o aumento das temperaturas médias noturnas em relação ao entorno rural. Novos desafios globais para as agendas urbanas envolvem a contenção da expansão urbana, o aumento da densidade populacional e a mitigação das mudanças climáticas. Assim, estratégias de densificação surgiram como ferramentas-chave de planejamento a serem inseridas na prática urbana. No entanto, a integração do padrão de cidade compacta na estrutura urbana existente leva a arranjos densos de formas urbanas, requerendo modificações nos modelos de transporte, aumenta as trocas de pessoas e de energia, moldando novos ambientes externos. No âmbito dessas transformações, o presente trabalho explorou a interação entre variáveis urbanas morfológicas e climáticas em áreas urbanas afetadas por processos de densificação e verticalização presentes e futuros. Um procedimento integrado de pesquisa foi desenvolvido e aplicado a um estudo de caso no município de São Paulo, caracterizado por zonas de grande e baixa altura em desenvolvimento, sujeitas a um clima subtropical. O procedimento proposto integrou coletas de campo, análise de conjuntos de dados e técnicas de modelagem, abordando múltiplas escalas de análise. Aspectos climáticos e morfológicos foram obtidos por meio de database disponibilizados pela Prefeitura, estações meteorológicas, mapas de Zonas Climáticas Locais (LCZs) e posteriormente integrados por trabalhos de campo. Modelos numéricos foram implementados como ferramentas de interpretação de dados para investigar os processos físicos e construir o modelo conceitual das interações entre morfologia urbana e clima. Os códigos computacionais ENVI-met e Grasshopper foram usados para simular a área de estudo, bem como para implementar experimentos numéricos (cenários) nos quais diferentes padrões de densificação foram testados e comparados. O processo de calibração do modelo ENVI-met baseou-se em testes de sensibilidade prévios, realizados sobre parâmetros de input em um domínio menor. Os principais resultados ressaltaram o sombreamento causado por grandes objetos construídos como a principal forçante climática nas cidades de latitude subtropical, induzindo diferentes microclimas nos espaços externos ao redor. Tecidos urbanos baixos e compactos foram encontrados afetados por altas temperaturas, materiais de baixo albedo e ausência de vegetação. Arranjos de edifícios altos foram investigados focando nos efeitos das alturas dos edifícios e na variabilidade do espaçamento entre eles. Por fim, os resultados foram resumidos em preceitos de desenho urbano que suportassem uma abordagem de projeto mais sensível ao clima, assim como a compreensão das áreas da cidade onde os processos de densificação e verticalização encontram-se ativos. Os preceitos de desenho urbano incluíam sugestões sobre a altura e disposição dos edifícios, materiais e infraestrutura verde. A importância de um planejamento em escala local também foi destacada.

Prior to this thesis, there was a specialist course “Sport centre Za Lužánkami Brno”. This project was focused on planning of urbanism-architectural area with a mixture of renovated and new facilities with different functions for sport and leisure, together with professional sport opportunities. The emphasis was on collision-free paths for pedestrians and cyclists, clear transport links around the centre and terrain configuration of the area. The thesis follows on from this project, focusing on development between the hotel Bobycentrum in the South and the Lužánky swimming pool in the North. The idea of the proposal stems from the need to connect the development area to the existing network of pedestrian and cycle paths and the public transport system to minimise the use for individual car travel to the sport centre; and to connect existing and new facilities for leisure and sports. The Sport relax centre was designed with existing buildings in mind and partially follows their ground floor dimensions. The centre creates a barrier from the noisy and busy street and provides a calmer area for outdoor recreation. It fills a gap between the existing buildings and is encircled by a footpath at second level joining to the footbridges over Sportovní Street and the existing terrain in the north-western part. The footpath is ended by passageway between swimming pool and wellness centre. More and more people are looking for sport opportunities in cities however; there are still not enough quality grounds and facilities on offer. The facilities in this development are meant for regular trainings and recreation for the public, including parents with children, groups of friends as well as individual and team sports players, offering a range of day, evening and night activities both indoors and outdoors. Other facilities include outdoor changing rooms and sports equipment rental as well as spaces for meeting friends such as a restaurant, wellness and a dancing-hall.