Under the very general topic of an historical or temporal central place study, one particular approach to analyzing the centrality of urban places is outlined. Centrality is taken in a very limited context - the influence of an urban place over its umland. The relationship between population of an urban place and number of "labour units", or central labour units, is used to measure the relative centrality for a sample of places. "Labour units" themselves are introduced to denote all persons working in central activities in an urban place. The study is carried out in Kent and Lambton counties in Southwestern Ontario using data obtained from the available national, provincial and county directories. Rather than limit the study to one point in time, as most earlier works have, an analysis is carried out through time, from 1851 to 1857. Small urban places are the focus of attention in this study because of data availability and accuracy. Results show a noticeable decline in centrality over time, which is more marked in the later years. General trends are also drawn for changes in centrality in individual towns of differing and similar sizes. Some of the problems and shortcomings of the study are outlined as a guide to further research. / Thesis / Master of Arts (MA)

Within the broader literature on migration, Japan is often portrayed as straddling two categories, one of a homogenous country and another of a multicultural society. The arguments on both sides are supported through the historical evidence, analysis of media resources, as well as narratives of Japanese residents. This inquiry seeks to highlight voices of migrants within these debates. This dissertation focuses on the urban – rural residential experiences of international migrants in Kanto and Tohoku regions. This inquiry treats international migration processes in terms of moving between the contexts of different countries as well as between urban – rural locations. These global – local experiences of migrants are set within broader milieu of the social and spatial stratifications created through neoliberal competition. The theoretical framework for this analysis is based on post-structural understandings of identity, migration, and economy. This study draws on qualitative methods, including, ethnographic data, interviews, content and textual analysis of job advertisements, as well as cognitive mapping. These sources allow us to create a unique portrait of migrant subjectivity that pulls from different contexts of fluid, spatial identities which mediate migrants’ interpretations of living and working in neoliberal Japan. The findings of this dissertation support the thesis that intersectional social identities such as gender, ethnicity, and social class, have a spatial component.

<p>The objective of this study was to uncover what aspects of urban plazas and parks that are most important for users’ evaluations of places’ aesthetics and microclimate (the characteristic climate for a limited space). This was done by investigating people’s general ideas of plazas and parks (the prototypical concepts) and compare these with place users’ descriptions of four specific places. Interviews with two groups (31 and 24 persons respectively) were carried out in order to collect this information. Aspects commonly mentioned in the descriptions, but not included in the prototype, were considered salient and schema-irrelevant (perceived as outstanding but not needed as a defining attribute of the place). This part of the result was related to evaluations of aesthetics and microclimate of the specific places, as well as to subjects’ explanations of some of these evaluations. Evaluations were collected in 716 questionnaires and 1115 on-site interviews, and the explanations in the 24 persons interview concerning specific places. The results indicate that for urban places to be emotionally appreciated they have to manifest some kind of effect of contrast, i.e. they have to embrace some salient schema-irrelevant aspect outstanding enough to work as a centre of the total experience of the place. Furthermore, the results indicate that a separation between emotional and practical aspects of place experiences is needed. In view of that, for urban places to be practically useful, they have to have a prototypical character. For a plaza to be prototypical, it has to be experienced as an enclosed and mainly hard-grounded open square, with good opportunities for commerce and social life. A park has to be green and be able to house a range of activities such as relaxing, picnics and walking.</p>

Urban decline is one of the most important factors dealing with the creation of urban ills and formation of slums in the city centers. This study investigates the roots of urban decline in urban areas. In order to do so, symptoms, types, causes and participant factors dealing with the process of urban decline are investigated. Also functional decline, as one of the most important triggers of urban decline, is introduced and its force that results in low quality of urban places is explored. The scale of participant factors in the process of functional decline is various. These factors are observed from changes in the global political trends and economy till the regulation changes in local scale. Moreover the ways of talking with urban and functional decline, that is classified into four major category of political considerations, economic financing, planning policy and enhancing the quality of places are explored. Finally the forces of urban and functional decline that have lead to low quality of place in the case of Salipazari, Istanbul are examined. As the scale of study area is in the neighborhood scale, the most important concern will be on the low quality of place in exploring decline in this area.

The objective of this study was to uncover what aspects of urban plazas and parks that are most important for users’ evaluations of places’ aesthetics and microclimate (the characteristic climate for a limited space). This was done by investigating people’s general ideas of plazas and parks (the prototypical concepts) and compare these with place users’ descriptions of four specific places. Interviews with two groups (31 and 24 persons respectively) were carried out in order to collect this information. Aspects commonly mentioned in the descriptions, but not included in the prototype, were considered salient and schema-irrelevant (perceived as outstanding but not needed as a defining attribute of the place). This part of the result was related to evaluations of aesthetics and microclimate of the specific places, as well as to subjects’ explanations of some of these evaluations. Evaluations were collected in 716 questionnaires and 1115 on-site interviews, and the explanations in the 24 persons interview concerning specific places. The results indicate that for urban places to be emotionally appreciated they have to manifest some kind of effect of contrast, i.e. they have to embrace some salient schema-irrelevant aspect outstanding enough to work as a centre of the total experience of the place. Furthermore, the results indicate that a separation between emotional and practical aspects of place experiences is needed. In view of that, for urban places to be practically useful, they have to have a prototypical character. For a plaza to be prototypical, it has to be experienced as an enclosed and mainly hard-grounded open square, with good opportunities for commerce and social life. A park has to be green and be able to house a range of activities such as relaxing, picnics and walking.

As grandes cidades vivenciam constantes transformações na sua morfologia urbana e arquitetura. Estas mudanças influem diretamente na construção da imagem da cidade, assim como vão aos poucos, alterando a relação entre cheios e vazios no seu tecido. Este trabalho se propõe a investigar as morfologias de miolo de quarteirão - os vazios no interior das quadras e sua ocorrência num local determinado do Centro de Porto Alegre. O estudo se inicia no conceito do tema e segue posteriormente numa busca destas situações morfológicas em diversos momentos da arquitetura e urbanismo. Essa série de análises, chamada no trabalho de Paralelos Morfológicos, teve uma contextualização delimitada sobre modelos urbanos que tiveram influência direta na construção da forma do Centro de Porto Alegre. Um dos modelos é o da cidade tradicional, representado pelo traçado da cidade antiga. O outro, a cidade moderna, que trouxe novas relações de implantação, descolando os edifícios uns dos outros. Depois de apresentadas as situações de miolo de quarteirão nas cidades e nas edificações, o trabalho passa para montagem do estudo de caso. Primeiramente, com a pesquisa da evolução urbana da face sul e residencial do Centro Histórico de Porto Alegre. Uma análise da situação atual do bairro foi necessária para a compreensão e seleção das zonas potenciais. O objetivo final foi o mapeamento dos miolos de quarteirão na área de estudo, o qual, junto ao roteiro histórico e teórico do trabalho, pode contribuir com uma base para pesquisa sobre o espaço no interior das quadras em centros históricos. / Great cities are in constant transformation, changing their image and their urban morphology. This process also has an influence on the relation between free and constructed places in their urban tissue. This work proposes to investigate the morphology of empties places inside the blocks, researching the occurrence of these - in Porto Alegre downtown. The work begins studying the concept of these courtyards and then, follows to the search situations at different times in architecture and urbanism history. The cases presented were select from the mainly urban models that had constructed the shape of Porto Alegre Historic Center. One of these models is the traditional city, represented by the design of the old town. The other is the modern city, which brought new relations between buildings and their environments. After presenting the inside blocks situations in two scales - of the cities and architecture - the research gets into the case of Porto Alegre, where inumerous underutilized places are hidden. At this moment, the work passes through an analysis of the urban development of the residential south side of Porto Alegre Historic Center. A chapter about morphological and typological aspects was also necessary for selecting and understanding the potential areas. The ultimate goal was the mapping of the empty spaces inside the blocks at the district - the recognition of intervention possibilities. This work, within the historical and theoretical analysis presented before, contributes with a base for researching about empties spaces inside the blocks.

As grandes cidades vivenciam constantes transformações na sua morfologia urbana e arquitetura. Estas mudanças influem diretamente na construção da imagem da cidade, assim como vão aos poucos, alterando a relação entre cheios e vazios no seu tecido. Este trabalho se propõe a investigar as morfologias de miolo de quarteirão - os vazios no interior das quadras e sua ocorrência num local determinado do Centro de Porto Alegre. O estudo se inicia no conceito do tema e segue posteriormente numa busca destas situações morfológicas em diversos momentos da arquitetura e urbanismo. Essa série de análises, chamada no trabalho de Paralelos Morfológicos, teve uma contextualização delimitada sobre modelos urbanos que tiveram influência direta na construção da forma do Centro de Porto Alegre. Um dos modelos é o da cidade tradicional, representado pelo traçado da cidade antiga. O outro, a cidade moderna, que trouxe novas relações de implantação, descolando os edifícios uns dos outros. Depois de apresentadas as situações de miolo de quarteirão nas cidades e nas edificações, o trabalho passa para montagem do estudo de caso. Primeiramente, com a pesquisa da evolução urbana da face sul e residencial do Centro Histórico de Porto Alegre. Uma análise da situação atual do bairro foi necessária para a compreensão e seleção das zonas potenciais. O objetivo final foi o mapeamento dos miolos de quarteirão na área de estudo, o qual, junto ao roteiro histórico e teórico do trabalho, pode contribuir com uma base para pesquisa sobre o espaço no interior das quadras em centros históricos. / Great cities are in constant transformation, changing their image and their urban morphology. This process also has an influence on the relation between free and constructed places in their urban tissue. This work proposes to investigate the morphology of empties places inside the blocks, researching the occurrence of these - in Porto Alegre downtown. The work begins studying the concept of these courtyards and then, follows to the search situations at different times in architecture and urbanism history. The cases presented were select from the mainly urban models that had constructed the shape of Porto Alegre Historic Center. One of these models is the traditional city, represented by the design of the old town. The other is the modern city, which brought new relations between buildings and their environments. After presenting the inside blocks situations in two scales - of the cities and architecture - the research gets into the case of Porto Alegre, where inumerous underutilized places are hidden. At this moment, the work passes through an analysis of the urban development of the residential south side of Porto Alegre Historic Center. A chapter about morphological and typological aspects was also necessary for selecting and understanding the potential areas. The ultimate goal was the mapping of the empty spaces inside the blocks at the district - the recognition of intervention possibilities. This work, within the historical and theoretical analysis presented before, contributes with a base for researching about empties spaces inside the blocks.

As grandes cidades vivenciam constantes transformações na sua morfologia urbana e arquitetura. Estas mudanças influem diretamente na construção da imagem da cidade, assim como vão aos poucos, alterando a relação entre cheios e vazios no seu tecido. Este trabalho se propõe a investigar as morfologias de miolo de quarteirão - os vazios no interior das quadras e sua ocorrência num local determinado do Centro de Porto Alegre. O estudo se inicia no conceito do tema e segue posteriormente numa busca destas situações morfológicas em diversos momentos da arquitetura e urbanismo. Essa série de análises, chamada no trabalho de Paralelos Morfológicos, teve uma contextualização delimitada sobre modelos urbanos que tiveram influência direta na construção da forma do Centro de Porto Alegre. Um dos modelos é o da cidade tradicional, representado pelo traçado da cidade antiga. O outro, a cidade moderna, que trouxe novas relações de implantação, descolando os edifícios uns dos outros. Depois de apresentadas as situações de miolo de quarteirão nas cidades e nas edificações, o trabalho passa para montagem do estudo de caso. Primeiramente, com a pesquisa da evolução urbana da face sul e residencial do Centro Histórico de Porto Alegre. Uma análise da situação atual do bairro foi necessária para a compreensão e seleção das zonas potenciais. O objetivo final foi o mapeamento dos miolos de quarteirão na área de estudo, o qual, junto ao roteiro histórico e teórico do trabalho, pode contribuir com uma base para pesquisa sobre o espaço no interior das quadras em centros históricos. / Great cities are in constant transformation, changing their image and their urban morphology. This process also has an influence on the relation between free and constructed places in their urban tissue. This work proposes to investigate the morphology of empties places inside the blocks, researching the occurrence of these - in Porto Alegre downtown. The work begins studying the concept of these courtyards and then, follows to the search situations at different times in architecture and urbanism history. The cases presented were select from the mainly urban models that had constructed the shape of Porto Alegre Historic Center. One of these models is the traditional city, represented by the design of the old town. The other is the modern city, which brought new relations between buildings and their environments. After presenting the inside blocks situations in two scales - of the cities and architecture - the research gets into the case of Porto Alegre, where inumerous underutilized places are hidden. At this moment, the work passes through an analysis of the urban development of the residential south side of Porto Alegre Historic Center. A chapter about morphological and typological aspects was also necessary for selecting and understanding the potential areas. The ultimate goal was the mapping of the empty spaces inside the blocks at the district - the recognition of intervention possibilities. This work, within the historical and theoretical analysis presented before, contributes with a base for researching about empties spaces inside the blocks.

Abstract The integration of digital technologies into urban life and environments has accelerated rapidly over the past few decades. It has been well established that this digital augmentation is changing the way we use and experience urban places; however, more studies, especially at the micro-level and from an architectural point of view, must be conducted in order to increase our understanding of the phenomenon. In this thesis, I examine the experience and evaluation of digitally augmented public urban places through four case studies, analysing participants’ experiences of adaptive lighting pilots and urban displays deployed in real world settings. Digital augmentations were found to be able to alter the genius loci significantly; furthermore, findings from these case studies demonstrate and explain how co-design, existing use patterns and user groups in urban places, climate and weather, and sense of place affect digital augmentations. The thesis makes a methodological contribution in the form of evaluation probes. This method was developed by modifying the cultural probes method for the purposes of evaluative research of design artefacts. The proposed method allows for the emic evaluation of design artefacts without direct researcher presence. In other case studies, I have used ethnographically inspired methods to gather research materials. In analysing research materials I make a theoretical contribution by introducing the concept of emplacement into architectural research. This concept highlights the importance of place in our experience as embodied individuals. Based on my empirical results, I argue for the design of meaningful emplaced experiences through digital augmentation. I also chart the design challenges that have emerged from my studies, utilising them to develop a holistic model that aims to describe experiences of digital augmentation in public urban places. Overall, the thesis proposes participatory design evaluation as a new approach in the field of architecture. It refers to the examination and utilisation of research participants’ intersubjective accounts in the evaluation of design artefacts from an experiential point of view. I argue for the benefits of this approach for the further inclusion of research knowledge in design and planning processes. / Tiivistelmä Viimeisten vuosikymmenten aikana digitaaliset teknologiat ovat asettuneet osaksi kaupunkielämää ja kaupunkipaikkoja. Tämä ilmiö, joka on helposti havaittavissa jokapäiväisessä elämässä, on tunnistettu myös tutkimuskirjallisuudessa, missä ilmiötä on kutsuttu nimellä kaupunkipaikkojen digitaalinen augmentointi. Tähän mennessä ilmiön on todettu muuttavan kokemuksiamme kaupunkipaikoista. Lisäksi on tunnistettu, että aihetta tulisi tarkastella myös erityisesti mikrotasolla sekä arkkitehtuurin alan näkökulmasta. Tässä väitöskirjassa tarkastelen julkisten kaupunkipaikkojen digitaalista augmentointia tapaustutkimusten avulla. Analysoin tätä varten osallistujien digitaalisen augmentaation kokemuksia, mitkä ovat tapahtuneet tutkimushankkeiden sisällä tuotettujen, aidoissa kaupunkiympäristöissä tehtyjen pilottien ja konstruktien yhteydessä. Lähestymistavaltaan työni on mikrotason evaluatiivista laadullista suunnittelututkimusta. Väitöstutkimukseni käsittää myös menetelmällistä kehitystyötä. Tämän kehitystyön tuloksena esittelen evaluaatioluotainmenetelmän. Menetelmä on kehitetty alkuperäisen kulttuuriluotainmenetelmän pohjalta. Esitän analyysin alkuperäisestä menetelmästä sekä tuloksia omista empiirisistä tutkimuksistani ehdotettua menetelmää tukevina perusteina. Muut tutkimuksessa käyttämäni menetelmät ovat alkuperältään etnografisia; olen kuitenkin soveltanut menetelmiä arkkitehtuuritutkimuksen käyttöön. Analysoidakseni näitä empiirisiä tuloksia olen myös tehnyt teoreettista kehitystyötä esittelemällä arkkitehtuurintutkimukseen emplacement-käsitteen (suom. paikantuneisuus). Olen käyttänyt tätä käsitettä analysoidakseni empiirisiä tutkimusmateriaaleja abduktiivisesti. Käsitteellä pyrin ymmärtämään ja teorisoimaan paikan roolia digitaalisten augmentointien ruumiillisessa kokemuksessa ja suunnittelussa. Kokonaisuudessaan kehitän väitöskirjassa osallistavaa suunnitteluevaluaatiota (engl. participatory design evaluation lähestymistapana. Tällä tarkoitan useiden intersubjektiivisten ja kokemuksellisten näkökulmien tuomista ja käyttämistä suunnittelutuotteiden evaluatiivisessa eli arvioivassa tutkimuksessa. Väitöksessäni puollan tämän lähestymistavan hyödyllisyyttä arkkitehtuurisuunnittelussa ja -tutkimuksessa.