Eighty percent of the Canadian population lives in urban centres, where typical land use patterns negatively impact urban ecosystems and decrease quality of life. Current municipal Community Improvement Plans target urban vacancies for intensification efforts, which can increase fragmentation and degradation of the urban ecosystem. This project examines the urban environment: its vacancies, ecological patterns and human impacts. A strategy was derived from ecological principles aiming to design more sustainable urban landscape patterns. Applied to the Two Rivers neighbourhood in Guelph, Ontario, the strategy identified 19.5 hectares of land capable of contributing to more sustainable ecological patterns of which 12.41 hectares were brownfields. Results revealed 4.3% more high-quality land cover, in 53% more patches, 45 m closer together, but with increasing edge contrast. An area-wide strategic integration of vacant lands may provide previously unconsidered opportunities to improve urban ecological patterns and create a more sustainable urban environment.

Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Detroit Mercy, 2009. / "24 April 2009". Includes bibliographical references (p. 160-161.).

Thesis (M.Arch.)--University of Detroit Mercy, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 8).

Enfatizando os aspectos que dizem respeito à relação física e funcional que a cidade de Santos estabelece com seu porto, este estudo tem como objetivo discutir sua (re)valorização no território macrometropolitano de São Paulo. O estudo teórico das transformações urbanas decorrentes do fenômeno de passagem da aglomeração (espaço circunscrito e contínuo) à rede (espaço descontínuo e não homogêneo) evidencia a importância da relação trans-escalar e serve para verificar as respostas que o urbanismo contemporâneo oferece a este novo quadro. O exame das condições, fatores, modelos e tendências do desenvolvimento territorial do eixo Santos-São Paulo-Campinas procura problematizar o processo de desenvolvimento urbano santista. Pelo confronto entre as tipologias da expansão portuária e a configuração dos sistemas de lugares que definem a estrutura urbana de Santos a cada etapa de seu crescimento busca-se identificar as contradições e conflitos resultantes. A partir das compatibilidades e incompatibilidades, das pendências e potencialidades que se possa flagrar entre as lógicas portuárias, territoriais e urbanas, traça-se diretrizes para uma nova relação cidade/porto, entendida como infra-estrutura necessária para suportar processos de (re)ativação econômica e social da cidade de Santos. / Santos in the macro-metropolitan territorial realm of the State of São Paulo, Brazil. This interpretation will emphasize a new relation established between the city of Santos and its port. The theoretical study outlines the impacts related to recent transformations observed in the form of urban tissues: from aglomeration (circumscribed, continuous space) to network (non-homogeneous, non-continuous space). This approach analyzes the trans-escales dimensions and relations as it is used as background to check the responses which contemporary Urbanism is offering nowadays regarding this new framework. The study of conditions, factors and new trends of territorial transformations in the Santos-São Paulo-Campinas axis is an attempt to compare and debate the different urban development models adopted in the city of Santos so far. The cross-analysis of typological characteristics of the port expansion and the system of places which defines the city´s structure seeks to identify the specific approaches related to each model as well as their contradictions. From capabilities to incompatibilities, through new trends and possibilities of portuary and territorial structure and their urban logic, guidelines are proposed to the future urban development of Santos. These transformations will be the infrastructural support to reactivate the status of the city of Santos in the macro-metropolitan realm.

O presente trabalho propõe uma nova estratégia de planejamento da paisagem urbana para aquisição de novas áreas verdes, através da recuperação e restauração de áreas degradadas (locais vazios, abandonados e subutilizados). A urgência de intervenção e revitalização destas áreas tem sido foco de preocupação nos grandes centros urbanos, tanto em países desenvolvidos, como nos emergentes, uma vez que são espaços disfuncionais no tecido urbano. O estado de abandono e desinteresse leva a depreciação do entorno e facilita o uso à criminalidade e atividades ilícitas. A transformação das áreas degradadas em espaços vegetados visa transformar o problema em oportunidade, partindo do princípio de que as áreas verdes devam cumprir funções infraestruturais, ou seja, ser componente de uma paisagem de alta performance, contribuindo para a criação ou ampliação da infraestrutura verde urbana. O estudo de caso para aplicação desta nova estratégia foi parte da cidade de São Bernardo do Campo, na região metropolitana de São Paulo, Brasil, cujas diminutas áreas verdes urbanas acessíveis à comunidade são cada vez mais escassas, ao mesmo tempo em que há diversas áreas vazias e abandonadas, muitas em processo de regeneração natural, que são alvos do mercado imobiliário para residências, serviços e comércio. A partir desta temática, uma série de questões foi lançada: Quais áreas degradadas têm potencial para serem convertidas em áreas verdes? Quais são os critérios para avaliação deste potencial? Qual é o caráter vocacional destas futuras áreas verdes: ambiental ou social? Essas perguntas nortearam o desenvolvimento da pesquisa em busca de uma metodologia de planejamento paisagístico para aquisição de novas áreas verdes aplicada na cidade de São Bernardo do Campo. Assim, foi desenvolvida uma ferramenta de avaliação, que se utilizou de um sistema de informação geográfico, e está pautada nos princípios de infraestrutura verde, de forma a responder às questões ecológicas, de drenagem das águas, de mobilidade, e as questões sociais de atendimento à comunidade local. Os resultados mostraram que 40% das áreas amostrais avaliadas apresentaram potencial alto de conversão em áreas verdes, outros 40%, potencial médio e 20% restante, potencial baixo, apontando um cenário favorável para a maioria das áreas degradadas. Quanto ao seu uso vocacional, 50% apresentam potencial de uso predominantemente social, 20% ambiental e 30% social e ambiental. A classificação por vocação de uso das áreas verdes (social ou ambiental) é um dado importante, uma vez que aponta áreas com potencial inferior e que não devem ser descartadas, pois tem um valor social importante. Os resultados têm por finalidade auxiliar nas tomadas de decisão preliminar do planejamento urbano ambiental, oferecendo subsídios aos profissionais da área na proposição criteriosa de novas áreas verdes urbanas. / This research proposes an urban landscape planning strategy for the acquisition of new green areas, through the reclamation of vacant, derelict and underused lands. Authorities in large urban centers, both in developed and emerging countries, have been concerned in these sites, once they are dysfunctional areas in the urban fabric. The carelessness and indifference has led to depreciation of the surrounding and facilitates the increase of crime. Greening derelict, vacant and underused lands can transform a problem into an opportunity, assuming that green spaces must fulfill infrastructural functions, as part of a landscape of high performance, seeking the creation or expansion of an urban green infrastructure. The case study to apply this strategic planning approach was Sao Bernardo do Campo city, in Sao Paulo Metropolitan area, Brazil, whose the tiny accessible green areas to the community are increasingly scarce, while there are many vacant, derelict and underused lands, under natural regeneration process, that are acquired for real estate market instead of creation of new greenspaces. From this point view, a series of questions were made: Which vacant, derelict and underused lands have the potential to be reclaimed into green areas? What are the criteria to evaluate this potential? Which the main role and potential use of the green area: social or environmental use? These questions guided the research in the development of a landscape planning methodology to acquire new green areas in São Bernardo do Campo. An assessment tool, using GIS and based on green infrastructure concept was developed, so that derelict and vacant lands could meet ecological, stormwater management, mobility and social issues. The results showed that 40% of the sample sites presented high potential to reclaim into green areas, 40%, medium potential and 20%, have low potential, revealing a favorable scenario for most vacant and derelict lands. Regarding the role and use of the green area, 50% have a predominantly social potential use, 20% environmental potential use, and 30% presents both potentials. This classification (social and/or environmental) is an important point, since it identifies those areas that, despite have lower potential, should not be discarded because it has an important social value. The results should assist a preliminary environmental and urban planning decision making, offering support to professionals to insightful creation of new urban green areas.

A vacant membership interest is not an emerging concept in Czech law; disposition of vacant membership interest was regulated already by Section 113(5) and 113(6) of the then applicable Commercial Code. The legislative rules, however, were criticised for being incomplete and hence difficult to be applied: regulated as transferable to the company, the vacant membership interest could be transferred by the company to another company member or third party; if the membership interest was not transferred, the company was required to reduce its registered capital or distribute the vacant membership interest among the remaining company members. The newly enacted amendments have impacted a number of related concepts, introduced a liberalised company law regime and weakened the relationship between company members and companies. The calls on the government from the professional public to introduce a more flexible company law regime, give way to contractual freedom and expand the circumstances in which the company members have a right to withdraw from the company have been heard. The concept of vacant membership interest, now constructed on the principle of company member's representation, was completely revised. The rules introduced by the re-enacted Business Corporations Act are quite complex and detailed;...

The project addresses the construction of a multipurpose house in a vacant lot in the street Na Poříčí, Praha – Nové Město. The building is situated in flat terrain between two existing objects. The object is directly accessible from the local road and escape from the building is possible in two directions (to the existing communication and to the newly proposed parking lot in the courtyard of the building). Object is designed as a brick building (mostly shaped masonry system POROTHERM) with longitudinal bearing structural system. This is partial basement building (one subterranean floor) with seven storeys. Access to the property is possible via the existing local road in the vicinity of the building (Na Poříčí street).

No description available.

In the world of architecture a field of tension exist between permanence and temporality. The aim of this study was to explore the possibilities residing within this duality. During the urban investigation conducted in the Pretoria CBD, scars of vacant space were found that exposed the possibility of temporarily utilizing these empty spaces. In general vacant spaces tend to become unsafe, degraded and illegally occupied. If these vacant spaces could be temporarily reused it would benefit the owners, users and community at large. The binding workshop of The Government Printing Works on Vermeulen Street just west of Church Square is in the process of being relocated and no planned future use is evident. The investigation proposes that the workshop be adapted to accommodate a temporary performance space. Through the process of matching a vacant permanent space with a temporary program their interdependence became evident resulting in an approach towards a mutuality beneficial symbiosis between the temporary and the permanent. The permanent host will benefit the temporary guest by providing shelter, safety and physical support. The temporary guest will benefit the permanent host by giving it life, activity and the opportunity to contribute to its local context. The temporary program will preserve the existing host and protect it from deterioration. Production design as an inherently, temporary form of space creation was selected as the medium for this investigation. Performance space positions architecture within the realm of temporary experience and lasting memory. Circles in a Forest are the inspiration behind the design of the temporary performance space. This novel by author Dalene Matthee speaks of a segment in the history of South Africa, but also tells a universal story; that serves as a warning against the exploitation of people and natural resources. The design focused on creating layers of permanence and temporality dependant on each other. As these layers are peeled away the space can be reinterpreted and adapted for other performances and programmes. / Dissertation (MInt (Prof))--University of Pretoria, 2010. / Architecture / unrestricted

Can architecture ease the departure of people and their loved ones and remove or at least alleviate the stigmatization and taboo of death? The aim of this work is to design an ideal space for palliative care. The aim is not to design another hospice, or home for the elderly people, which has been designed and built more or less enough (see Analytical section). The task I set out was to accommodate this space on the basis of its broad context, to focus on the right urban location, operational content, relationships with and around, linking, opening, ... but also the very idea of death, leaving parting. The theme of palliative care is very complex and societal, which is reflected in its own design, which represents a new model of palliative care architecture. Palliative Care Center.