No abstract available / Dissertation (MArch(Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2007. / Architecture / unrestricted

"The world of supermodernity does not exactly match the one in which we believe we live, for we live in a world that we have not yet learned to look at. We have to relearn to think about space.” (Augé, 1995:35)The dissertation postulates that the main issue when working in the contemporary urban environment is not how to repair the damage caused to the traditional city form as we know (or think about) it, but a realization that the idea of “city” has changed. Failure of intervention strategies such as geographical unification and planning programmes should rather be ascribed to incomprehension of this “new” city form. Cities are human organisations and as such complex systems made up of interdependent elements showing signs of emergence, uncertainty in behaviour, adaptation, self-organisation, feedback loops and non-linearity (phenomena that do not adhere to order, reductionism, predictability and determinism). This necessitates a new architectural response with which to define the city as well as a new way of analysis and representation in built form, since the traditional designer’s tools have proven to be inadequate.Resulting from investigation steered by SPACELAB Research Laboratory for the Contemporary City at Delft University of Technology, a new threshold with which to define the new city and study area is recommended, one grounded in movement. Furthermore, the technique of “Disfiguring the urban” (developed by the same laboratory) is applied to do an alternative reading and representation of the study area, one which will explain the processes responsible for the transformation visible in the morphological landscape. The deductions made from this analysis are used to inform a “processes framework for Salvokop” and guide the candidate in terms of client and programme, towards establishing parameters for physical manifestation. / Dissertation (MArchProf)--University of Pretoria, 2014. / Architecture / Unrestricted

In this thesis I study the role of artificial lighting in the everyday urban life of older residents living in the London Borough of Newham. Newham's light infrastructure is currently undergoing change as the borough's entire 19,000 street lamps are being re-placed with Light Emitting Diodes and as a range of regeneration projects provide public spaces designed with new lighting. By increasing visibility and encouraging everyday activity into the evening, the Council claims that the changes in public light-ing will provide 'eyes on the streets' and encourage 'eyes from the windows' of build-ings, contributing to increasing 'natural surveillance'. The Council's avowal of every-day practices in streets and in homes, has made me question how lighting affects the way older residents move through streets and carry out domestic practices as dark-ness falls. The study explores how light planning, lighting design and everyday, rou-tine practices in the public realm and inside homes co-produce the urban, lit environ-ment. Two major contributions of the thesis lie in the (post)phenomenological ap-proach I develop to study everyday experiences of urban lighting, and the methodo-logical framework I employ to research such practices, which combines mobile and visual methods. I have conducted 11 in-depth interviews with nine different planners and designers, 12 walk-along interviews with 22 residents between 58 and 79 years old, and a collaborative photography project with 14 residents between 68 and 96 years old. As I show how older residents experiences different lighting technologies, layers of light, and different lit spaces in their neighbourhoods, I discuss how urban lighting makes them see, feel and carry out routine practices in particular ways. Based on my findings, I argue that urban lighting shapes what, and how, people see, but how people see depends on how they negotiate changes in lighting. In a range of examples where residents mould the urban, lit environment or respond to lighting in different ways, I show how they play and active part in co-producing ways of seeing. I argue it is crucial that light planners and lighting designers recognise such co-constitutive role of everyday practices in order to ensure better lighting for our future cities.

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.

Estates of multi-storey housing present some of the most intractable problems for urban policy. Socially, many are characterised by a complex of deprivation. Physically, they often suffer from serious technical problems and poor environmental quality. This study traces the development of multi-storey housing from its early beginnings in the 19th century to the period from the mid-1950s to the early 1970s when most of the contemporary legacy of estates was built. In this period, it is suggested, the concentration on 'low cost' led to the poor design of access systems, the use of untried mass-production techniques and the virtual elimination of social facilities. All these economies sowed the seeds of the social rejection and degeneration that was to follow. The central question is whether such estates can be successfully modernised -or whether the only solution is to demolish them. In seeking an answer the various responses of social landlords are analysed. It emerges that the older, smaller estates can be effectively adapted to provide good housing. The large scale, more recent estates, however, have proved more resistant to improvement. Despite the fact that government has increasingly targeted the problem estates of the 1960s and 70s, many improvement schemes have met with limited success. Drawing on an analysis of past practice, a 'model of regeneration' is defined. This concentrates on the need for tenant participation; on the importance of design solutions which are both technically and socially appropriate; and on management which is sensitive to local needs. This model was tested through case studies on recent improvement schemes. From the results, conclusions are drawn about the value of the model and the prospects for regenerating the various types of multi-storey housing Finally, a strategic approach is defined which can re-form the estates and re-integrate them into the mainstream urban environment.

This research project takes the form of a creative, reflective and analytic investigation 'through theory and practice' into the role of the artist in enabling 'sustainable' urban environments. My initial focus on a spatial public art practice?s potential contribution to social sustainability should be understood as involving the capacity to contribute lasting benefits toward social well being whether of the individual or the community. My research later challenges the efficacy of this focus and argues for a more holistic approach to sustainability which addresses social, environmental, cultural and economic concerns simultaneously.

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The negative effects of external trade on urban life have long been a subject of discussion, especially regarding its impact on central urban environments. Studies indicate that urban life decreases when retail moves out of city centers, leading to less activity and fewer spontaneous encounters in the city center. At the same time, sustainability issues and the creation of vibrant urban environments are highly prioritized by municipalities. The purpose of this thesis is to identify factors that can improve urban life in Borlänge city center and propose concrete improvements. Through a combination of site analysis, visual analysis, and literature review, a comprehensive urban analysis has been conducted. The work includes various field studies to understand both the strengths and weaknesses that characterize Borlänge city center. The results of the analysis have formed the basis for recommendations aimed at increasing the attractiveness and functionality of the city center. Suggestions include strengthening routes with high potential for urban life, overcoming physical and social barriers, reducing the dominance of car traffic, and integrating more green areas and meeting places. Through these measures, we strive to create a more inviting and sustainable urban environment that promotes social interaction and activity in Borlänge city center. This work demonstrates how the physical environment can be transformed to revive urban life and enhance the attractiveness of the city center, with the goal of creating a sustainable and lively city where people enjoy spending time. / Externhandelns negativa effekter på stadslivet har länge varit ett ämne för diskussion, särskilt med avseende på hur den påverkar centrala stadsmiljöer. Studier visar att stadslivet minskar när detaljhandeln flyttar ut från stadskärnorna, vilket leder till mindre aktivitet och färre spontana möten i stadens centrum. Samtidigt är hållbarhetsfrågor och skapandet av levande stadsmiljöer högt prioriterade av kommunerna. Syftet med detta examensarbete är att identifiera faktorer som kan förbättra stadslivet i Borlänge centrum och föreslå konkreta förbättringar. Genom en kombination av platsanalyser, visuella analyser och litteraturstudier har en omfattande stadsanalys genomförts. Arbetet inkluderar olika fältstudier för att förstå både de styrkor och svagheter som karaktäriserar Borlänge centrum. Resultaten av analysen har legat till grund för rekommendationer som syftar till att öka attraktiviteten och funktionaliteten i stadskärnan. Förslagen inkluderar att stärka stråk med hög potential för stadslivet, övervinna fysiska och sociala barriärer, minska biltrafikens dominans, och integrera fler grönområden och mötesplatser. Genom dessa åtgärder strävar vi efter att skapa en mer inbjudande och hållbar stadsmiljö som främjar social interaktion och aktivitet i Borlänge centrum. Detta arbete visar hur den fysiska miljön kan omformas för att återuppliva stadslivet och stärka stadskärnans attraktivitet, med målet att skapa en hållbar och livfull stad där människor trivs och gärna vistas.

O objetivo desta pesquisa consiste em descrever as táticas e estratégias, desenvolvidas nas práticas cotidianas das pessoas que se encontram trabalhando como motoboys, na cidade de São Paulo (Brasil), para encontrarem alternativas e continuarem nessa atividade, diante de todas as adversidades da profissão e das contingências do espaço urbano. Levamos em consideração as ações produzidas por dois grupos de motoboys: o Canal Motoboy, que busca se organizar coletivamente, a partir de um projeto artístico, e produzir uma nova realidade para si e para a sua categoria profissional; e os motoboys de um grupo farmacêutico, que ganham a vida fazendo entregas de remédios pela grande São Paulo. O referencial teórico fundamenta-se em autores como Certeau, Sato, Santos e Oliva. Em termos metodológicos, valho-me da abordagem etnográfica, o que me levou a estabelecer uma convivência junto aos grupos de motoboys: com o Canal Motoboy, mantive uma convivência prolongada de mais de seis meses, no ano de 2007, frequentando, semanalmente, suas reuniões; com os motoqueiros do grupo farmacêutico, estabeleci uma convivência diária de duas semanas, em uma segunda etapa do campo, que se realizou no mês de julho de 2010. Os resultados apontam para a produção de táticas e estratégias nas práticas cotidianas que visam a estabelecer uma equilibração de forças entre os motoqueiros e o espaço da cidade: os motoboys ressignificam o espaço que se forma entre os carros, nas ruas, as determinações legais para o exercício de suas atividades de trabalho, os preconceitos sociais sobre a categoria, sua importância para o fluxo de coisas, na cidade, e tentam cumprir suas atribuições, buscando evitar os riscos dos acidentes de trânsito. Pudemos constatar, também, as articulações dos motoboys diante dos interesses de diversos setores sociais e econômicos que procuraram unir-se a eles, como: ONGs, associações da categoria, sindicatos, universidades, centros de pesquisas e empresas do setor motociclístico. Como trabalhadores onipresentes em uma das maiores metrópoles do mundo, os motoboys são alvos de interesses diversos e alguns procuram encontrar vantagens nessa situação, para se estruturarem enquanto uma rede social. Observamos ainda que os motoqueiros descrevem suas atividades cotidianas como uma luta pela sobrevivência, diante das contingências do espaço da cidade / The objective of this study is to describe the tactics and strategies found in the daily practices of people who work as couriers in São Paulo (Brazil), to find alternatives while continuing to deal with adersities of the profession and the continguencies of urban space. We consider the actions of two distinct groups of couriers: (1) Canal Motoboy, which collectively organizes an artistic project to create a new reality for themselves and their profession; and (2) a pharmaceutical group, which makes a living by delivering medicine in Metropolitan São Paulo. The theoretical reference is based on authors, such as Certeau, Sato, Santos, and Oliva. In terms of methods, we used an ethnographic approach, which led us to establish a joint-living situation with the courier groups: with Canal Motoboy, a prolonged stay of more than six months in 2007, attending their meetings on a weekly basis; and with the bikers from the pharmaceurical group, an established daily-living situation for two weeks during the latter part of the field study held in July, 2010. The results point to the innovation of tactics and strategies in daily practices, aimed to balance the forces between the bikers and the urban space: these couriers redefined this space, made of cars on the streets, the legal frameworks that determine work ethics, the social prejudices surrounding the issue, its importance to the flow of things in the city and its attempt to fulfill its mission, all while avoiding lethal traffic accidents. We have seen, also, the shared interests of diverse social and economic sectors that have sought to unite in this movement: NGOs, workers associations, unions, universities, research centers and companies that make up the motorcycle industry. As ubiquitous workers in one of the largest metropolises in the world, couriers are targets of diverse interests and anyone looking for a chance to take advantage of the situation, while structuring a social network. We acknowledge the bikers for their daily activities, which they define as a fight for survival amongst constingencies in the urban space

Através de uma abordagem analítica entre dois modelos geomorfológicos elaborados por ROSS (1994) e pelo INPE (CREPANI et. al, 1996), foi estabelecida uma comparação entre variáveis relacionadas a aspectos capitais de ambos - critérios utilizados para a definição das unidades de paisagem e importância da variável relevo e um aspecto relacionado à aplicabilidade a adequação aos ambientes urbanos. Por apresentar uma diversidade de usos e ocorrência de áreas urbanas e preservadas, a bacia do córrego do Bispo, localizada na zona norte do município de São Paulo, foi escolhida como área teste. Estes modelos apresentaram boa aplicabilidade em ambientes preservados, destacando-se o modelo de Ross, que é mais eficaz em termos de previsibilidade. Em relação às áreas urbanas os modelos apresentaram resultados semelhantes, na medida em que diagnosticam fragilidades ambientais para áreas de ocupação não consolidadas e apresentam limitações em relação às áreas de ocupação consolidadas. Objetivando ainda uma contribuição ao modelo de Ross em nível experimental, incorporou-se a classificação de vertentes de RUEH (1975) baseada na geometria destas, à variável relevo do primeiro. Como resultado, foram obtidas diferenças significativas para algumas áreas em relação ao modelo originalmente proposto por Ross. / An analytical approach between two geomorfphologic models elaborated by ROSS (1994) and INPE (CREPANI et. al, 1996), a comparison was estabilished between two variables related to capital aspects of both the criteria for the definition of landscape units, the importance of variable relief and its appliance to urban environments. For presenting a huge diversity of land uses and preserved urban areas, Córrego do Bispo basin located in north zone of São Paulo has been chosen as an experimental area. These models have shown a good applicability in preserved environmental, emphasizing specially Ross model, which is more useful in terms of predictability. Both models presented similar results in urban areas, while they make diagnostics of environmental fragilities to areas of non-consolidated occupation and presented restrictions about consolidated occupation areas. Also intending to contribute to Ross model in an experimental level, the slope classification of RUEH (1975) was included, based in its geometry to variable relief of Ross model. As a result, meaningful differences were obtained for some areas in relation to the model originally proposed by Ross.