Architecture with childhood. Rethinking and reflecting on public spaces seen through the 8-80 lens

Bringing children closer to the issues of culture and civic education in architecture and critical thinking is essential because only by knowing and enhancing their respective heritages is it possible to appreciate the present and build the future of cities with them and for them, where a city is a place of construction of collective knowledge that encompasses the challenges of sustainability and the objectives of the 2030 Agenda of the United Nations. From SUJ (Jesuit University System) we have a strong commitment to the protection and care of minors and vulnerable people. In recent years, a great effort has been made to move from a culture of protection and care to ensure access to culture to safe environments. The concept of Friendly Cities 8-80is taken up again, based on the premise: If we design the city for an 8-year-old and an 80-year-old, we will have a city that allows coexistence and harmony in a way that fosters equity, stimulates healthy lifestyles, and promotes sustainability for more diverse users. Good public space design including beauty, sustainability, and accessibility are keywords of the new Bauhaus, capable of astonishing, reflecting culture and the values of a community, influencing, or “forcing” people to engage with their daily environment to address the new global challenges of climate change, pollution, and resource scarcity.

Premissas preliminares para o desenvolvimento e regeneração de espaços públicos e princípios para design destes espaços

Uma das características mais evidentes das cidades contemporâneas é a sua diversidade. Podemos afirmar que atualmente não há um tipo de cidade hegemônica. O espectro de possibilidades vai desde a consideração de aspectos ditos locais ou regionais, à total globalização dos processos urbanos constituintes, passando inclusive por práticas revisionistas na proposição dos espaços públicos e as infinitas possibilidades propiciadas pelo uso da informática no equacionamento das variantes urbanas envolvidas. Parte destas características reside em um aspecto implícito à cidade, que é a sua multi, inter e transdisciplinaridade, pois o projeto de espaços públicos deve ser uma síntese do equacionamento de variáveis provenientes de várias áreas do conhecimento humano, como a Geografia, Tecnologia, História e Arte, por exemplo. Tendo em vista este cenário, o presente artigo, tem como questão norteadora: Quais devem ser as premissas preliminares a serem consideradas para o desenvolvimento e regeneração de espaços públicos e os princípios utilizados para o design destes espaços, frente ao contexto contemporâneo? Este artigo tem como objetivo contribuir para a reflexão sobre os espaços públicos e o quanto uma visão transdisciplinar ou holística sobre esses locais, podem fomentar espaços mais qualitativos para a coletividade. Através do estudo do caso londrino utilizado por uma das principais referências abordada, Principles for public space design, planning to do better, de M. Carmona, inserindo-o inicialmente no âmbito das premissas preliminares consideradas para o desenvolvimento e regeneração de espaços públicos e posteriormente, extraindo os princípios para o design destes espaços presentes no estudo. Espaços públicos variam em forma de esquinas informais a grandes cenários cívicos e nesse contexto, é de vital importância projetar bem estes espaços, embora a experiência sugira que, muitas vezes, nossa ambição não é satisfeita pela realidade.

Wander of life: An agora to facilitate elderly's autonomous and connected life in Johnsonville

<p>New Zealand is experiencing a demographic transitional period when there is increasing percentage of the elder population out of the total. Researches and scholars overseas have investigated in architecture’s role of improving environments for the elderly, primarily from the perspective of disability. However, these considerations which solely come from the physicality point of view and can be easily treated just as after thoughts, sometimes still leaving the elderly in dilemmas. As an attempt to response to such an issue, this thesis asks if accessible architecture can enable the elderly to be included in public space as community members rather than an isolated group. It aims to explore possibilities of creating accessible public space for elderly, which is also thoughtful towards other community members’ interactions. These explorations are set on the intersection of environmental gerontology* and phenomenology, focus on making space accessibly to the elderly physically, sensorially and psychologically. To re-introduce the elderly as community members who are as significant as others, the diversity and complexity of their conditions and needs should be considered, which requires the design explorations to be site-specific to avoid over-generalization. To contextualise the question, Johnsonville is chosen as the site for study, thus, the character of local elderly can be considered for appropriate design iterations. To extend current design discourse about the role of architecture in the context of environmental gerontology, the theory of phenomenology and relevant case studies will be investigated. To highlight implications and limitations for elderly-accessible public space design, reflection will be made regarding the design explorations against the broader discursive arguments. One of the primary implications of this design-led thesis is for the discourse on elderly-friendly environments. The other implication is an advocacy for designing public space for a wider public interaction. It means taking everyone in the community into equal consideration and creating public space that is equal for every user.</p>

Wander of life: An agora to facilitate elderly's autonomous and connected life in Johnsonville

<p>New Zealand is experiencing a demographic transitional period when there is increasing percentage of the elder population out of the total. Researches and scholars overseas have investigated in architecture’s role of improving environments for the elderly, primarily from the perspective of disability. However, these considerations which solely come from the physicality point of view and can be easily treated just as after thoughts, sometimes still leaving the elderly in dilemmas. As an attempt to response to such an issue, this thesis asks if accessible architecture can enable the elderly to be included in public space as community members rather than an isolated group. It aims to explore possibilities of creating accessible public space for elderly, which is also thoughtful towards other community members’ interactions. These explorations are set on the intersection of environmental gerontology* and phenomenology, focus on making space accessibly to the elderly physically, sensorially and psychologically. To re-introduce the elderly as community members who are as significant as others, the diversity and complexity of their conditions and needs should be considered, which requires the design explorations to be site-specific to avoid over-generalization. To contextualise the question, Johnsonville is chosen as the site for study, thus, the character of local elderly can be considered for appropriate design iterations. To extend current design discourse about the role of architecture in the context of environmental gerontology, the theory of phenomenology and relevant case studies will be investigated. To highlight implications and limitations for elderly-accessible public space design, reflection will be made regarding the design explorations against the broader discursive arguments. One of the primary implications of this design-led thesis is for the discourse on elderly-friendly environments. The other implication is an advocacy for designing public space for a wider public interaction. It means taking everyone in the community into equal consideration and creating public space that is equal for every user.</p>

Physical Distancing Concept of Public Space Placemaking in Post Covid-19: A Study Precedent

Physical distancing is part of the design process affected by the spread of Covid-19. 4 work precedents use physical distancing due to the Covid-19 as part of the problem that must be overcome by adapting and finding new design strategies. This paper analyses a precedent study on a public space design proposal designed for post-Covid-19. This paper aims to provide an overview of the design strategy concept to become a design reference as a solution to Covid-19 Pandemic. The method used in this paper is a precedent method by analysing the case studies that relate between public space and physical distancing with placemaking and physical elements. The results of this paper show that the various functions of the public space proposal show a variety of design approaches in the form of public with considering the physical distancing.

Rethinking and Reshaping Public Space: The Fascinating Story of a Moment and Movement in Urban Design in New York City

The Invention of Public Space: Designing for Inclusion in Lindsay’s New York documents a transformative period of experimentation in public space design in New York City from 1966 through 1973, under the mayoralty of John Lindsay. Combining rich archival research with captivating storytelling, the book sheds light on this time in which emerging ideas about psychology, participation, and politics were integrated into the design of public environments. It makes a compelling argument for the importance of this time and place in spurring a broad rethinking of the very concept of public space as a site of democracy, participation, and self-actualization.