Dissertations / Theses on the topic 'Downtown'

Mes de la fotografía 2020, un evento correspondiente a la Carrera de Comunicación y Fotografía, que reúne a especialistas en la fotografía desde nacionales a internacionales. Este 2020, nuestro formato será online, contando con diferentes actividades como exposiciones fotográficas, fotografía documental, publicitaria, investigación fotográfica, entre otros.
Downtown Lima es un proyecto fotográfico de Lima Urbana de la mano de Arturo Cañedo

Freeways have had a strong influence not only on the urban transportation but also on downtown areas both physically and socially. Certainly, they have extended the commuting limits of the city and made lower land costs more accessible. However, many of the mid-century freeways, once championed by planners as tools for urban renewal, have created swaths of blight through city neighborhoods. Their negative impacts on the larger urban framework requires new ideas for healthier alternatives to aid in preserving and building sustainable cities. Removal of any downtown highway requires careful thought— even more consideration than when it was built. Quick solutions are what resulted in the problems that downtown highways of the Interstate-Era have today. If it is the simple interactions between people and place are that make up the positive aspects an urban environment, then what are the possibilities and strategies for removing urban highway, which are one of the primary impediments separating people in place in contemporary cities? This question is the focus of this thesis. At its core, the removal of freeways represents a trade-off between mobility objectives and economic development objectives. Evidence from other cities’ decisions to redesign or remove their downtown highways suggests multiple benefits. Making design changes, such as to replace a downtown highway with a well-designed surface boulevard, can stimulate economic activities without necessarily causing traffic chaos. Solutions come in different shapes and sizes. The selected case studies in this thesis reflect a diversity of approaches – suggesting no single strategy exists for addressing downtown highway issues. This reflects the fact that multiple alternatives must be considered in every situation because each approach varies in costs and opportunities. A typology of highway alternations derived from the case studies includes seven different techniques: burying, demolishing, taming, capping or bridging, elevating, retaining, and relocating. The final chapter applies the conclusions from the case studies to the Downtown Connector– Interstate 75/85– in Downtown Atlanta, Georgia. Urban design and transportation planning has an emerging new set of values. Transportation planning is seeking to promote alternate modes of transportation to the private vehicle, like transit, by foot, or by bicycle. We now understand that connectivity is not served only by highways but also by urban street networks that invite modes other than just automobiles. An important role for urban design will be to shape the way these interactions are made to benefit the citizens, its urban spaces, and the economy.

Architecture is a product of its surroundings. The response to site, program, and history of place differs everytime. How we interpret a place is influenced by our own experiences in life. We each possess a unique set of tools which we use to construct the spaces that surround us. A place is given life and vitality through the people that use them. It is the architect's job to create a place that encourages life to exist. Everyday activities take many forms - eating, sleeping, working, playing, sitting - all forms of interaction. When these activities are set in an urban location, life begins to dictate the spaces necessary for them to take place. An urban setting needs people to thrive; and people choose to live in these settings for human interaction, dependence on others, and a sense of belonging. This thesis investigates the integration of urban housing and retail space in downtown Roanoke, Virginia. It is architecture that is desperately needed in order to sustain urban life in this part of town.
Master of Architecture

A significant problem for small cities is a lack of a sense of community. In some multicultural cities, land use in such categories as residential, commercial, industrial and educational forms separate uses or locations. Such segregation leads ultimately to a city stagnation which eliminates the essential life of vibrant and healthy cities. People commute from zone to zone only when necessary. Each territory is connected by automobile. Therefore, there is no interrelation which can cause discontinuity and fragmentation. The business zones are vacant at night because nobody lives there. People in the residential zones have few public facilities and places for diverse activities outside their houses within an intimate distance. Nevertheless, to eliminate segregation is not an answer. Each function improves when segregated at a certain level, but it also requires a close interaction with the other functions in order to maintain its vibrancy.
Department of Architecture

Master of Regional and Community Planning
Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning
Hyung Jin Kim
This study seeks to investigate the impact of inner-city highways on walkability in urban downtowns in the United States, using Greater Downtown Kansas City as a case study. This study used the web-based online survey method to assess if inner-city highways impede the flow of pedestrians among residents and visitor of the Greater Downtown Kansas City, Missouri. The results showed that there were differences in the perception of the pedestrian environment between residents and visitors of the downtown area. Downtown residents generally had a more favorable view of the pedestrian environment than visitors of Greater Downtown. Additionally, the inner-city highways did not appear to be barriers to pedestrian mobility, which differs from the hypothesis of this study. However, although the pedestrian overpasses over the highways did have an impact on pedestrians’ perceptions and walking behaviors, newer overpasses with wider sidewalks mitigated barrier effects of highways more than older overpasses with narrow sidewalks. The study also found that walking was the most common travel mode for all trips in Greater Downtown Kansas City, despite potential barriers.

I remember with clarity the day Dennis Kilper and Donna Dunay shared with us their awareness of a site in downtown Blacksburg bound by College Avenue, Draper Road, Roanoke Street and Otey Street. The sight is a locus of interface between the university and the town. A place rich in contextual nuance, movement, rhythm, axis and history interact to create a powerful synergy waiting to be expressed. When the time came to choose a subject for my master's thesis, I found the challenge I was looking for in the puzzle of what to do with such a special opportunity. My design proposal (multi–use in nature) for the above site is a quadrangle made from the repetition of a square-based brick tower in concert with the development of an axis in the field of the quadrangle. The brick tower transforms itself in response to context, as does the pre-existing interior axis.
Master of Architecture

ABSTRACT Specific Plans: An Implementation Tool for Downtown Revitalization A Specific Plan Proposal for Downtown Delano, California Emily Suzanne Henderson This study builds off the assumption that downtowns are socially and economically important to cities and the people who live, work, and visit them. For these reasons, many suffering downtowns are pursuing revitalization strategies. The strategies summarized in this paper represent mainstream revitalization techniques currently practiced by cities, planners, and developers. The strategies and techniques presented in this paper are supported by two case study specific plans. The case studies serve as model specific plans that were able to successfully utilize multiple of the proposed revitalization strategies. This paper demonstrates the potential for specific plans to be used as an implementation tool for downtown revitalization. These comprehensive documents are able to combine multiple regulatory processes in order to achieve the overarching goals of a city’s general plan and the detailed community goals generated through public outreach and participation. The case studies exhibit how cities have been able to complete revitalization projects in their downtowns through the use of specific plans. The proposed strategies and case study findings were used in the creation of a Specific Plan Proposal for Downtown Delano, California. In early 2008 the City of Delano underwent a community participation planning process to improve their downtown. The resulting Downtown Delano Concept Plan urged the City of Delano and the Community Development Department to produce a Downtown Specific Plan as soon as possible. The Downtown Delano Specific Plan Proposal contains a summary of the Concept Plan’s findings and recommendations. The plan begins with a vision statement and a set of goals created from community input received during public meetings. The plan includes proposed land uses for the downtown project area. A circulation concept is presented for the major downtown streets and thoroughfares. Form Based Codes include design guidelines for new development and redevelopment projects. The proposal concludes with project cost estimates and suggested financing mechanisms. The attached Downtown Delano Specific Plan Proposal is a guide for the future completion of a Specific Plan for Downtown Delano.

Statement of Problem Revitalization of downtowns across America continues to be challenged by the shift to the suburbs. The barriers to integrating large-scale retail in a small, medium, and large city downtown were examined. Forces of Data The System View Planning Theory (Taylor, 1998) guided the study of city planners’ and consumers’ perceived barriers to integrating large scale retail into the downtown. In order to ascertain the barriers to integrating large-scale retail into the downtown intercept-surveys with consumers (n=30, responded to the intercept survey in each city) and interviews with city planners were conducted. Conclusion Reached Some significant differences were found between perceived barriers towards integrating large-scale retail into small and large-city downtowns. Although most consumers reported a positive attitude towards large-scale retail, most consumers in Tucson and San Diego indicated that the cost of shopping in the downtown outweighed the benefits. Traffic, parking, pedestrian-friendly street-oriented environment, and local character are among the major barriers identified by the study cities to integrating large-scale retail into the downtown. However, over half of the consumers surveyed agreed that they would shop at large-scale retail on the weekdays if it were available, but less than half of consumers in Tucson and San Diego would shop at large-scale retail on the weekends. Recommendations Three recommendations were suggested to successfully establish and sustain large-scale retail in the downtown. 1. Continue to find creative solutions to parking and traffic barriers. 2. Create a multifunctional, walkable downtown, with amenities to meet most consumers’ needs. 3. Establish retail stores in the downtown that enhance the local character and cater to residents’ needs rather than mostly tourist needs.

Downtown areas across Canada have been deteriorating physically and economically due to a number of factors such as age, suburban growth, and shopping centre development. Downtown revitalization programs were created in response to this deterioration. In the last decade millions of dollars have been spent, by all levels of government and the private sector in an attempt to achieve revitalization. More than five hundred revitalization projects have been undertaken. However, few project evaluations have been completed. Project evaluation is necessary to determine which program components are effective, to clarify goals and to provide accountability. The purpose of this thesis is to develop improvements in downtown revitalization project evaluation concepts and tools. Interviews with administrators from five downtown revitalization programs revealed that most projects cannot be evaluated at present because the majority of administrators have yet to identify performance measures. The few evaluations that do exist were not adequately controlled and do not provide compelling evidence that any economic changes that occurred can be attributed to the revitalization project. This thesis focuses on two research objectives. The first is to identify performance measures and methods of data collection. This in turn, requires an examination of program goals and components. The methods exployed to collect this information included: a review of academic literature on downtown revitalization and evaluation methodology; a review of agency literature and current evaluations for five Canadian revitalization programs; interviews with program administrators; and a survey o-f program clients and administrators. The second objective o-f this thesis responds to the need -for assessing the effectiveness o-f program components. Municipal officials and business representatives in one hundred and eleven Canadian communities which undertook revitalization projects were surveyed in order to determine current revitalization practices and client perspectives on which program components are effective. Their opinions and recommendations provide an interim answer, to be revised as more evaluations are undertaken. The survey findings indicate that the typical approach to downtown revitalization has broadened beyond physical improvements to include promotional activities and organizational development. However, respondents identified the need for further assistance in the initial planning process and the development of marketing plans. Recommendations for improvements to the revitalization programs in this study are proposed in order to address these needs. In addition, the survey results reveal how program administrators and clients prioritize goals and which performance measures they prefer. Finally, the input from the surveys, the literature review, the interviews and the author's experience in the field are used to determine a descriptive framework for downtown revitalization project evaluation. Performance measures, data sources, and collection methods are specified. The importance of using a systematic approach to evaluation, as well as collecting data for control groups is stressed. This evaluation framework is intended to assist program administrators and community groups interested in evaluating downtown revitalization projects.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
Graduate

The objective of the study is to propose a strategy to revitalize Muncie's downtown through cultural tourism. This is seen as a critical catalyst to help preserve the historical fabric of the downtown.Muncie's downtown, with its historical and cultural assets, has an opportunity to attract the tourism, convention, and conference business which in turn can support hotels, restaurants, specialty shops, and entertainment establishments.In view of above, this creative project attempts to revitalize downtown through linking and promoting cultural tourism facilities like museums, theaters and festivals, convention and conference centers, and specialty shops.A transport loop connecting the tourist anchors like Ball State University, Minnitrista Cultural Center, and downtown of has been proposed. The tourist routes in Muncie and to East Central Indiana have been identified to enable the visitors to visit tourist destinations easily. Signage, and banners have been proposed along major routes to give proper orientation to visitors and also to enhance the image of Muncie.A strategy has been outlined for the preservation historical buildings through adaptive reuse. All these proposals have been incorporated as an urban design strategy.
Department of Architecture

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Architecture, 1987.
Includes bibliographical references (p. 91-92).
This thesis focuses on urban design issues germane to downtown shopping center design. The underlying concept is that, all new downtown shopping centers should attempt to build upon the existing fabric in such a way as to become an integral part of the city. This study first examines the nature of retail districts, the shopping center as a building type, and the recent emergence of the downtown shopping center. Two recently constructed downtown centers will be reviewed, to uncover urban design concerns that are pertinent to the conceptual design of shopping centers in the context of downtowns. The intent of this study is to formulate design guidelines that address the problems of implementing this suburban retail model in the context of a downtown. These guidelines are then applied to a specific site in the form of a sketch problem. This study concludes with an evaluation of the guidelines and some recommendations for designing shopping places that are conceived as an integral part of the city.
by Billy Kevin McGhee.
M.S.

An area can be torn by the competition between the preservation of its character and the desire for new development. Cayucos’ downtown area is recognized by both residents and visitors as a special place with a strong, small, coastal town feel. However, issues such as accessibility, public amenities, parking, maintenance, and general development needs have to be dealt with. This thesis deals with the issue of how to plan for change while maintaining the character of Cayucos, and presents an enhancement plan proposal for its downtown. The development of this plan was based on a research-based design methodology, which included a literature review on sense of place, a review of five case studies, and fieldwork with surveys, interviews, and on-site observations and analysis. The research included the understanding of the needs, interests, and expectations of the stakeholders, including local business owners, residents, and visitors, in order to help define core issues and to inform the vision and a series of responsive goals for the area’s enhancement. The final enhancement plan proposal followed a design approach that was responsive to site, context, and stakeholders, and will contribute to Cayucos’ quest for the increase of the quality of its downtown while responding to market and development needs.

During the last twenty-five years, the City of Kelowna, located in the Okanagan Valley in British Columbia, has been experiencing rapid urban growth. The city has transformed from a mostly rural agricultural area with a resource-based economy into an urbanized neoliberal Census Metropolitan Area with a post-Fordist economy. This thesis examines the neoliberal urban reconfiguration of Kelowna’s downtown, where one area, Ellis Street, has been transformed due to an economic stimulus, whereas another area, Leon and Lawrence Avenues have been starved, devoid of investment. Kelowna’s population has changed due to in-migration. The city is now hailed as a retirement Mecca in BC, and as a paradise to live, play and work, but this growth has affected Kelowna’s residents in different ways. On the one hand, the city attracts retirees, labour and capital, but at the same time, there has been an increase in poverty and homelessness. Subsequently, the changes to the city’s urban fabric have been quick and profound through gentrification, development and redevelopment, gated and walled communities, and the building of highrises. Some of the most drastic transformations framing this contradictory change have been in the downtown core, where redevelopment has manifested itself through gentrification of old homes, urban infill and luxury highrises. The population of the downtown has also changed with the wealthy taking up residence and in doing so pushing out the poor. This thesis investigates the neoliberal transformation of Kelowna’s downtown, studying the impacts of these changes on the city’s social, economic, political and spatial realm. It further investigates the agents who have been instrumental to prepare Kelowna for neoliberalism.

This thesis has evaluated if housing is a feasible alternative for vacant upper floor space in the central business district of small towns in general and in downtown Burlington, Iowa, specifically. The study required discussing the issue of housing in vacant upper floor spaces in general, establishing if there was a need for additional multi-use housing in the Burlington, Iowa housing market, and finally determining if there was vacant upper floor space that would fulfill this need.The analysis determined that housing was indeed a feasible and practical use for vacant upper floor space in downtown areas in general and in Burlington, Iowa specifically. The study provided a method that could be used to ascertain the feasibility of this type of housing in other towns as well.
Department of Urban Planning

Winamac, Indiana is a small, rural town, much like many rural towns. The community is full of pride and heritage, while the downtown is full of vacancies. The National Main Street Program, founded by the National Trust for Historic Preservation, has proven a successful strategy for downtown revitalization. This study examined the current market place for Winamac using an in-depth market analysis. Demographics, trends, perceptions, clusters, sales leakages and many other aspects of the market place were studied. It was found that many aspects of the current market could be improved. The data collected and conclusions drawn from the market analysis lead into a Main Street Winamac Plan. This plan was written to address the four fundamental aspects of downtown revitalization: Design, Organization, Promotion, and Economic Restructuring.
Department of Urban Planning

Master of Landscape Architecture
Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning
LaBarbara J. Wigfall
Historically downtown St. Joseph was a vibrant urban center where many people came for entertainment and shopping (Bunkowski, 2010). With the rise of the automobile in the 1950’s and 60’s, the city has become largely focused around auto-oriented development. The downtown has been separated from the Missouri River with the construction of Interstate 229 and rail lines, limiting access to the riverfront. Overtime, some of the sites have become contaminated and are now designated as brownfields. Redevelopment of downtown St. Joseph can help solve these problems, and help position the city for future development. By restructuring existing buildings and planning for future infill, as well as incorporating green space into the design of the area, the downtown can once again be a vibrant, vital area of the city. The redevelopment of downtown St. Joseph will focus around creating walkable mixed-use urban fabric that attracts people to the city’s core. Downtown St. Joseph will once again become an important economic and social center for the city. New mixed use development in the downtown will provide places for new businesses and residences in the city. Enhanced connections to the surrounding areas will increase access to the downtown and parks in the area. Improvements to the downtown will make the area a vital part of St. Joseph.

This report presents an investigation of the application of placemaking practices in downtown Tucson. It begins with a classification of planning and design elements of placemaking and an identification of the role of the community in the placemaking process. Selected Tucson downtown plans are evaluated to determine the extent to which the placemaking elements are reflected in the plans. Finally, observational findings on any placemaking elements from the plans that were implemented are presented.

ABSTRACT Downtown Revitalization Strategy Report for Glenrock, WY Mary E. Phillips The following project submitted for the Master of City and Regional Planning Professional Project is the Downtown Revitalization Strategy Report for Glenrock, WY completed November 25, 2009. At the onset of the project, the Town of Glenrock, WY was recognized as an Aspiring Main Street Community, and sought guidance to become a Certified Main Street Community. This Strategy Report was prepared to provide an implementation plan for revitalization of the downtown following the Main Street Approach, as well as for achievement of a Certified Main Street Community status by the year 2014. The project included an interactive process, directly involving key representatives and stakeholders in the community. This included a public workshop and on-site strategy sessions with Town staff and the Glenrock Downtown Development Committee. The Strategy Report includes a basic assessment of existing conditions in downtown Glenrock based on information gathered at these meetings. From this initial assessment, issues, goals and objectives for downtown were identified. An overall strategy was then developed, in accordance with the Main Street Approach, which outlines the plan of action for the downtown revitalization and Main Street certification. The implementation section of the plan then takes the identified actions and prioritizes them based on a 5-year implementation schedule. The development and prioritization of these actions was based on the following factors: Requirements for the Wyoming Main Street Community certification status Community goals for development in the downtown Feasibility of implementation of plan components Access to resources (of all types) for implementation Players in the implementation of the plan The result of this methodology was a plan that addressed the community’s needs, with an implementation program specifically tailored for the community’s available resources.

This proposal is a catalogue of considerable contextual issues that inform the architect about values, environmental qualities, and principles, found within existing building structures of an American downtown. It is the intention of this collection to help the architect considering a broader range of ideas in a new single building to be designed, with the intent of improving foremost the public quality of a future building in the downtown.The main architectural questions embrace the definition of the contextual influences, dimensional and non-dimensional, and the clarification what type of influences remain under the control of the architect.It is my overall premise that buildings in downtown are indeed of "higher quality" when they reflect the surrounding rules, i.e., when the architects, clients and any other powerful participants of the building enterprise know about the additional ideas that have been established around the proposed site. The downtown is often the oldest part of a city where first housing, first trade, growth, and the idea of neighborhood had its roots, where it all began. I specify downtown still as the traditional center of a community, a center, not defined so much geographically or architecturally as it is socially.How can a future best building become a piece of the existing downtown environment as an ideal. Is there such an ideal answer? Or is the downtown itself a conglomerate of random individual and uncompromising Inventions?What is the basic language, the common traits that all buildings in downtown shareMarkus Vogel, May 1997•What parts of a building are of importance in becoming a part of downtown and what reasons can we identify for attaching importance to those parts?What generates form, use and expression in downtown buildings which we consider as being a successful part of the place.Out of these questions, a catalog of influences will be presented, a reference framework of 21 issues, notions, and contextual influences, divided into dimensional and non-dimensional influences. Each of the influences analyses a single aspect out of the pool of qualities of downtown buildings. The consideration of non-dimensional contextual influences without any obvious visual dimensions such as contextual symbolism, questions of aesthetics, and behavioral aspects is of special importance. In defining the references the following set of questions serve as a guideline:A) Why are the notions important and where are they coming from?B) How can we look at them in downtown Indianapolis?C) What are the related suggestions and implications for a design study?The research includes visual, graphical and oral analysis whereby downtown Indianapolis serves as an example and as a resource city. The target groups includes senior students of architecture, architects and the community, or any other public client involved in design decisions or design reviews which supervise new developments in downtown.It is the position of this paper that only a consideration of all contextual influences together in one building may create what utopists could consider an ideal building. Aware of this heavily difficult ideal, an overview on those constraints that are not sufficiently under the control of the architect will be given in order to clarify the dualism between the ideal outcome and realistic possibilities. This proposal is therefore the creation of a methodology which defines questions and issues rather than providing the answers, describing final design implications.In conclusion, I assume that the belief and the application of such a contextual framework is characteristic of those people interested in particular and individualistic design responses rather than those individuals preferring universal and broad rules honoring all kinds of manifestoes that can be found in the pluralistic mishmash of present day's architectural theories.
Department of Architecture

Planning for the provision of retail growth and change within our increasingly complex urban areas is a challenge facing all large urban areas in Canada. The purpose of this thesis is to highlight the need for retail market analysis and its use as a tool for policy makers in predicting the consequences of long range planning policy options. This study suggests that the notion of supportable retail floorspace is a concept which relies to a significant extent on non-market forces and as such, meaningful forecasts can only be achieved based on clearly defined regional and local government planning policy. The literature review discusses the major theoretical contributions in retail evolution and modelling techniques to provide a context for the step-by-step approach to retail market analysis conducted in the case study. This is followed by a review of major trends in retail supply and demand which will affect retail development over the next decade. Lastly, a theoretical review of commercial development trends and an analysis of trends in the G.V.R.D. over the past decade is presented, highlighting the growth of regional town centres. The case study applies the principles discussed by conducting a trade area analysis to develop a detailed retail expenditure potential model from which supportable retail floorspace estimates for the Downtown Vancouver peninsula are derived. The study utilizes secondary data sources including Statistics Canada, the G.V.R.D., and the City of Vancouver, as well as data from numerous other public and private sources. From the range of "planning options" or market share scenarios run, it becomes clear that the amount of retail floorspace supportable on the downtown peninsula depends to a large extent on regional market and non market forces outside the control of Vancouver planning authorities. Conclusions derived from the analysis are of both practical and theoretical significance. From a practical standpoint it is clear that Vancouver's downtown peninsula will support additional retail growth over the next decade. However, the wide range of supportable floorspace estimates obtained through the five scenarios run highlights the need for both municipal and regional government to more vigorously identify the role that Downtown Vancouver should play within the regional market into the next century. This would enable the city to be proactive rather than reactive to retail development initiatives and proposals from developers by narrowing the supportable retail capacity to a more meaningful range. From a theoretical perspective it is demonstrated that the step-by-step approach to market analysis is a useful tool in highlighting the market effects of long range planning options. It is also noted that retail models typically deal almost exclusively with the econoomic aspects of shopping activity and to be truly meaningful retail policy must also include social criteria relating to shopping activity. Furthermore, it is recognized that retail models are best used as a part of a wider analysis for an evaluation of the costs and benefits of retail development which also takes into account other policy fields and issues such as municipal finance, transportation planning, urban form and environmental considerations.
Applied Science, Faculty of
Community and Regional Planning (SCARP), School of
Graduate

The objective of this creative project is to investigate the process and principles of designing within and for the downtowns of small, Midwestern towns of the United States. The main focus is the definition of urban character and identity of “place”, as well as exploring ways to preserve and enhance the character and the identity of these downtowns. It uses Greensburg, Indiana as a case study to illustrate possible implementation of these processes and principles.With its focus on urban character and “identity of place”, this study investigates the different characteristics that exist in downtown Greensburg, and applies established urban design principles in order to preserve the town’s historic character while improving its vitality.This study generates beautification and development guidelines, as well as recommendations that will help in process of the redevelopment of downtown Greensburg. This study also offers examples of how these guidelines can be applied in different local contexts, and buildings in the downtown.
Department of Architecture

It has been acknowledged that the pedestrian environment in downtown Pittsburgh is inadequate, lacking connectivity and significant amounts of quality open space, and as a transportation system it is in direct conflict with vehicular traffic. This creative project examines the condition of the pedestrian environment relative to the other systems, places, and activities that are affected by pedestrian welfare. The intense activity within the CBD generates volumes of pedestrian and vehicular traffic that it can hardly support. The pedestrian environment lacks sufficient space, and, as a result, the pedestrian's mobility is constricted and there is excessive conflict with vehicles. Moreover, pedestrians in downtown Pittsburgh have very few opportunities to access the waterfront and spaces and buildings of particular significance within and adjacent to the CBD.The design solutions that are proposed herein include a variety of development guidelines, street adaptations and open space recommendations. Through the installation of these solutions the pedestrian environment becomes enhanced and downtown Pittsburgh is able to become a more cohesive place where history, architecture and nature are integrated into an urban environment that is truly livable.
Department of Landscape Architecture

One of the top priorities in American cities has been the improvement of business conditions in downtown shopping areas. Downtown Indianapolis, as other American cities is involved in economic revitalization in order to be able to compete with rapid suburban expansion. This revitalization effort seeks to attract more people to the city core.Downtown economic development is integrally related to the urban space revitalization. Since the beginning of cities, open spaces have been regarded as an important public amenity for providing quality urban environments. Open space provides the life of community and a place for human activity.As an entertainment center, Indianapolis can not just develop new sophisticated buildings, it needs also to comprehensively revitalize the open spaces. This project is an effort to demonstrate how urban environments located in the core area that have easy access, security, and comfort and also are joyful and attractive place for its citizen and guests.In this creative project, the designer/planner proposes an open space improvementconcept and program that can be implemented in the south-western section of downtown Indianapolis. The concepts derived m analyzing the potentials and assets that exist in the area today and responding to known future developments.The major goals of thesis project are:1 . Strengthening the pedestrian loop through out the project area in order to create a continuity of pedestrian spaces.2. Creating a pedestrian mall along five blocks of Illinois Street as a major effortto provide a pedestrian oriented environment.3. Creating a pedestrian corridor to connect the Circle Center Mall complex withthe Hoosier Dome and Convention Center.All planning and design concepts that are recommended in this project will reinforce the assets that already exist. The recommendations proposed within are meant to serve as "idea pieces" to aid in the planning and design of revitalization of downtown Indianapolis.
Department of Urban Planning

Thesis (S.M. in Real Estate Development)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, Center for Real Estate, 2008.
This electronic version was submitted by the student author. The certified thesis is available in the Institute Archives and Special Collections.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 50-51).
There have been many studies about office demand with relation to employment focused at the MSA level. This paper investigates the relationship between office demand and office employment between downtown and suburban markets. The paper provides an analysis of office demand and employment across 43 downtown markets and 52 suburban markets for the years 1998 and 2006. Correlation and multi-variable regression analysis are used to determine the relationship between office demand, employment, and rent as well as the relationship between downtown and suburban markets. The analysis is divided into three parts. The first part focuses on levels of office employment against levels of office demand in each market for each year separately. The second section investigates the change in office demand against the change in employment and rents for each market over the two years. Finally, the third part analyzes the relationship of office demand, employment and rent between downtown and suburban markets. The paper uses employment data categorized by industry using the North American Industry Classification System (NAICS). Employee counts are estimated from the establishment data available by zip code from the U.S. Census Bureau. By using employment data at the zip code level, the study is able to split the MSA into downtown and suburban markets. The study focuses on six industries thought to use the majority of office space.
by Nikhil Patel.
S.M.in Real Estate Development

Thesis (M.C.P.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 2001.
Includes bibliographical references (leaves 98-103).
Once the downtown was the regional hub of shopping, but the downtown retail sector has faced significant struggles to stay alive against the forces of suburban shopping malls, big box retailers, and the dominance of downtown office uses. Recognizing the importance of retail to provide services and bring vitality to the downtown, many cities in the United States have responded by modifying their zoning regulations. New regulations have introduced retail use requirements, street level design standards, and incentives to reward developers for incorporating retail spaces. By exploring examples in three U.S. cities, namely Washington D.C., Boston, and Seattle, this thesis looks at how effectively zoning has worked to solidify the downtown retail core and how other factors influence the existence, character and form of downtown retail. The case studies indicate that zoning is effective in creating an inventory of retail spaces and preventing other types of uses from migrating into areas targeted for retail. However, insufficient market demand can leave such spaces vacant for long periods of time until economic conditions change. Zoning can be an important tool in orienting retail to the street and improving the overall pedestrian environment. The zoning was most effective when it allowed a measure of flexibility in creating retail spaces of different sizes and forms, and when it was applied in an area with a predisposition for high pedestrian traffic and retail uses. Other factors beyond zoning play an important role in solidifying retail districts. Economic conditions that drive the development activity are the single most important factor determining whether the zoning is even activated. The city government plays a key role in catalyzing downtown investment. Often the guidance of a downtown management entity like a business improvement district is essential in shepherding a retail district. The overall population and density cannot be underestimated in importance from a retailer's perspective.
by Alexandra B. Jacobson.
M.C.P.

Thesis (M.S.)--Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Dept. of Urban Studies and Planning, 1985.
MICROFICHE COPY AVAILABLE IN ARCHIVES AND ROTCH
Includes bibliographical references.
by Timothy James Pattison.
M.S.

Os modos, a um só tempo estéticos e políticos, pelos quais a arte se apropria do espaço urbano, adquirem na contemporaneidade enorme relevância não somente por permitir o questionamento do fazer artístico e de sua relação com o sistema das artes, mas também por ser a inscrição estética geradora de pensamento sobre a cidade, contribuindo para a sua produção. O confronto entre a criatividade e a transgressão inerente ao trabalho artístico e os limites e constrangimentos impostos pelas outras esferas, neste caso, pela dinâmica da própria cidade, torna-se, desta forma, ingrediente fundamental para o melhor entendimento deste inter-relacionamento. A presente pesquisa toma como objeto um dos momentos onde estas duas esferas foram articuladas de maneira bastante sugestiva e cujo conjunto de questões para a arte e para o pensamento urbano aí levantado ainda possui, cremos, grande relevância para a atualidade: a Downtown Scene - um movimento cultural situado numa região específica da cidade de Nova Iorque, entre meados dos anos 1970 e 1980.
The modes in the same time aesthetic and political, by which art appropriates urban space, acquire enormous importance in contemporary society not only by allow the questioning of the artistic work and its relation to the system of the arts, but also because the generative aesthetic description of thinking about the city, contributing for its production. The confrontation between creativity and the inherent violation of the artwork and the limits and constraints imposed by other spheres, in this case, the dynamics of the city, it is thus essential ingredient to better understand this interrelatedness. This research has the object one of the moments where these two spheres were articulated in a very suggestive manner and whose set of issues - for art and urban thinking - up there still has, we believe, very relevant for today: the Downtown Scene - a cultural movement located in a specific region of the city of New York from the mid-1970s and 1980s.

Thesis: M.C.P., Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning, February, 2020
Thesis: S.M. in Architecture Studies, Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture, February, 2020
Cataloged from student-submitted PDF of thesis.
Includes bibliographical references (pages 214-223).
Tackling the problem of obsolescence in North American cities, this thesis interrogates the question of how we should plan for the regeneration of aging office buildings. I argue that current whole-building, coarse-grained office-to-residential conversion results in entire urban neighborhoods turning into "sanitized vertical suburbia" (Moss 2017) that fail to create balanced, affordable, and inclusive communities. In response, this thesis offers a new floor-by-floor "fine-grained" (Lynch 1981) framework for space conversion. As a case study, I look at conversions In Manhattan's busy financial district that have created an instant elite neighborhood, with 10,000 new luxury units developed over the past fifteen years. To address hyper-gentrification generated by current conversion methods, I introduce a 3D Design and Data Toolkit (DDT) that redefines the conversion process and offers a selective, floor-by-floor approach to balance the quantity and mix of new residential units with the quality of urban life. This tool helps city planners, urban designers, and developers identify spaces for conversion and match demand and supply across scales. As such, this work offers a strategic, multi-scaled approach aimed at reducing grain, increasing market potential, and reinforcing urban vitality in a new conversion process.
by Yair Titelboim.
M.C.P.
S.M. in Architecture Studies
M.C.P. Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Urban Studies and Planning
S.M.inArchitectureStudies Massachusetts Institute of Technology, Department of Architecture

American downtowns were once the place to see and be seen, but the introduction of the shopping mall in the late 1950s challenged this notion and gave the American consumer a different place to spend their time and money. The prevalence of shopping malls has slowly been declining across the country since the beginning of this century, leaving room in the American retail landscape for downtowns to reclaim their status as community and retail centers. Towns across the U.S. are turning to national and local organizations to assist them in revitalizing their downtown districts. Downtown Bloomsburg, Inc. (DBI), a non-profit organization located in the small town of Bloomsburg, Pennsylvania, has been working since 2006 to revitalize its town’s downtown and main street area. The unique findings presented here were derived from a four month long ethnographic study of downtown Bloomsburg merchants and shoppers and are meant to be used by DBI as a supplemental guide for further revitalization of the town.

Thesis (M.A.)--Miami University, Dept. of Architecture and Interior Design, 2001.
Title from first page of PDF document. Document formatted into pages; contains vii, 35 p. : ill. Includes bibliographical references (p. 34-35).

Parking and parks are both crucial to downtown economic development. Many studies have shown that downtown parks significantly contribute to increasing surrounding property values and attract residents, businesses and investment. Meanwhile, sufficient available parking promotes accessibility to downtown that also contributes to increasing tax revenue for local government. However, both downtown parks and parking raise problems. Many downtown parks have become places for drug dealing, shooting and vandalism since the decline of downtowns in the 1960s. At the same time, residents and visitors alike oftentimes complain about the lack of parking while in fact parking spaces occupy a large amount of land in downtown. Parks and parking also compete for space in downtown where land value is higher than the rest of the city. To address these issues, several cities have begun to address the relationship between parking and parks by placing them in one place: park on the ground level and parking underneath. This typology is defined as a park-above-parking project in this research. However, this phenomenon has received little scholarly attention. To justify the existing situation of park-above-parking and to contemplate future projects, this research provides a spatial-based investigation to discuss the empirical relationships between social cultural and political-economic impacts, design quality, and related policy-making processes based on four cases. A longitudinal study that traces the direct and indirect impacts of park-above-parking projects was conducted for each case through both qualitative and quantitative methods. This research provides a set of methods for the measurement of contributions of park-above-parking downtown, connections between park quality, social use and adjacent economic growth, recommendations for land use planning policy-making and guidelines for the design of park-above-parking projects.

Many downtowns in North America have been severed from the rest of the city and from the contextual relationship to their surroundings. Sundered from their context, the ecological characteristics of a site are frequently taken for granted, and the disengagement of its public spaces erodes the downtown's character as well as the urban fabric. Downtown Clearwater has lost the vitality and vibrancy that once characterized it as a lively district. Because of recent developments in the downtown area, public spaces have been lost between parking lots, high rises and a small number of sporadic residential pockets. Some of the most important streets fail to create connections for the pedestrians to the surrounding public spaces and areas of interest; as a result some local businesses have dried up, affecting Downtown Clearwater's economy and its community. There is also a disconnection of the downtown with its context and it is evident that some of the major ecological and environmental characteristics of the site have been ignored through its development. This thesis studies how the ecological characteristics of a site can be integrated into the core of its design and experience. The Thesis proposes to revitalize Downtown Clearwater with a new system of green corridors that will promote activity and circulation. The corridors will define a new invigorating framework of points of interest supported by surrounding land uses. The main objectives of the project are to create a new urban destination, enhance the pedestrian experience, reconnect public spaces, cleanup water runoff and organize circulation of bicycles and pedestrians.The thesis emphasizes the design and development of a specific node and section of the green corridor system to explain the design.

Proximity between urban realm and wilderness has been a salient feature of Northern American territorial patterns since European settlement. Even today such proximity, although drastically reduced, in some cases endures. Nonetheless, the topological relation betwen areas of extensive development and wild land is changing: if the history of urban America has been a history of cities in the wilderness, today vast urbanized regions frequently encompass wild enclaves, areas we look upon as wildernesses in the city. These wilderness remnants may be protected areas engulfed by urban growth, or areas that have not been developed due to their orographic or hydrographic features, or areas that have been developed and subsequently abandoned. Varying in form and physiographic features, they range from large natural systems to minute green interstices widespread in the urban fabric. Often linked with each other or with larger wildernesses beyond the confines of the urbanized area, they form what in this study we define as the urban wilderness system. Urban ecology has already delved into the sudy of these places, describing their relevance in maintaining environmental balance in metropolitan regions. Scientific literature has called for their conservation and brought them to centre stage of the debate on future urban development. Such studies are institutionalizing wilderness as an integral part of urban systems. Contextually, communities are demonstrating a growing interest in urban wilds as places for recreation. The use of these areas as alternatives to traditional urban open space has been promoted in response to the need to re-establish a rapport between city dwellers and "nature". In fact, in these areas it is possible to experience exploration and play, contemplation and reflection, in ways that are otherwise unfeasible in a metropolis. Such practices are institutionalizing urban wilderness as a new and distinctive kind of public space. However, the significance of urban wilds goes beyond their ecological and recreational value. We believe each remnant of wilderness in Northern American cities is a semantic reservoir, a place where the meanings that Northern American culture has attributed to nature manifest within an otherwise all-encompassing urbanity, islands of intense placeness emerging from the endless stretch of sprawling development. As the expansion of Northern American urban areas relentlessly continues, and cities further transcend the dimensional scale that had characterized them throughout history, urban wilderness remnants acquire immense relevance. In the synthesis of their ecological, functional, and semantic value, they become primary elements of the dispersed, polynucleated, territorial urban systems of tomorrow, capable of structuring the form and fostering the sense of place of the city in which they find themselves. This dissertation intends to develop this thesis by undertaking a study of the semantic substratum of the idea of wilderness in Northern America, and an exploration of the places within major Northern American cities that most vividly evoke such substratum. The work is composed of two parts. The first chapter of the first part examines the history of the idea of wilderness, the transformations of its connotations, and its significance in Northern American culture. The second chapter deals with the ambiguous meaning of the word natural and with the consequences of such ambiguity, and the dilemmas associated with the oxymoronic proposition of managing the wild as well as the conflicts related to wilderness preservation. The third chapter offers a tentative definition of urban wilderness and undertakes a description of its recurrent characteristics, developing a classification of wilderness remmants in the city. The second part employs the taxonomy created in the third chapter of the first part to examine fifteen case studies. Ordered in five chapters according to their dominant original landscape.
El término wilderness, en su uso común en lengua inglesa, se refiere a la condición de una parte del territorio en la que no se encuentra signo antrópico alguno. Por extensión semántica, la palabra se aplica también a cualquier área o conjunto de áreas que poseen esta condición. La palabra tiene además un denso sustrato de connotaciones que expresan el significado cultural que la wilderness ha asumido y asume. Este significado se revela especialmente profundo y complejo en Norteamérica, donde toda wilderness es un "frontier remnant", un residuo del ambiente natural que ha sido el escenario y al mismo tiempo el gran protagonista de la historia del continente. La relación de proximidad entre ciudad y wilderness es desde siempre uno de los aspectos más significativos y fascinantes de los procesos de asentamiento norteamericano. La progresiva transformación del territorio a fines productivos ha reducido solo parcialmente el contacto entre ambas: no muy lejos de algunos de los más extensos núcleos de población aún se conservan amplias extensiones de naturaleza incontaminada. Sin embargo, en muchos casos su recíproca relación topológica se encuentra invertida. Si la historia urbana americana es una historia de ciudad en la wilderness, hoy son los sistemas metropolitanos territoriales los que incluyen en su propia trama enclaves naturales, verdaderas y propias wilderness en la ciudad. Se trata de fragmentos cuya resiliencia en contextos urbanizados depende de circunstancias diversas: áreas cuyas características orográficas e hidrográficas hacen demasiado difícil o cara la explotación de las mismas; áreas potencialmente aprovechables pero inaccesibles; áreas sujetas a vínculos paisajísticos; áreas abandonadas de las que la naturaleza se vuelve a apoderar hasta borrar cualquier testimonio de su uso precedente. Diversas en cuanto a la forma y a las características físico-geográficas, se extienden -sin solución de continuidad en el factor de escala- desde las grandes emergencias geográficas hasta las más pequeñas inmergencias intersticiales que se insinúan capilarmente en el tejido de la ciudad, formando lo que en este estudio llamaremos el sistema de la wilderness urbana. Durante los cuatro decenios que nos separan de su nacimiento como disciplina, la ecología urbana ha dedicado estudios extensos a los sistemas de la wilderness urbana, explicando cómo estos ofrecen refugios necesarios para la biodiversidad e ilustrando detalladamente el importante papel que desempeñan en la conservación de los equilibrios ambientales de las regiones metropolitanas. Con autoridad y vehemencia, esa ha reivindicado la preservación de estos sistemas situándolos por primera vez en el centro del debate en torno a la ciudad contemporánea. En los mismos años ha surgido también un progresivo interés hacia la wilderness urbana como lugar de recreo. El uso de estas áreas como alternativa a los tradicionales espacios verdes públicos se está promoviendo en respuesta a la necesidad de restablecer el contacto entre ciudadano y naturaleza. En ellas se hacen posibles ciertas actividades de exploración y de ocio que difícilmente se podrían llevar a cabo dentro de los límites de la metrópolis, así como momentos de recogimiento para la reflexión y la contemplación en soledad. Las políticas implementadas en esta dirección institucionalizan la wilderness como un nuevo y peculiar tipo de espacio público. Pero el valor de la wilderness urbana trasciende todo esto y va mas allá. El presente estudio ve en cada fragmento de wilderness que queda en las grandes ciudades de EEUU y Canada un recipiente semántico que recoge los muchos significados que palabra ha adquirido a lo largo de la historia del subcontinente. Un lugar en el que estos significado pueden ser redescubiertos y comprendidos, que resiste como un baluarte en la ilimitadas manchas urbanas. En él se encuentran custodiados los valores colectivos que la cultura norteamericana ha atribuido a la naturaleza, es por tanto un lugar de concentración de sentido que se eleva a la categoría de auténtico y propio monumento. En estos primeros años del siglo XXI, que han visto la ciudad trascender la escala dimensional que le ha sido propia a lo largo de toda la historia para volverse progresivamente ciudad-territorio, extensión metropolitana continua, el sistema de la wilderness urbana puede asumir un rol muy relevante. En la síntesis de sus valores ecológicos, funcionales y simbólicos, se puede configurarse como un componente fundamental de los sistemas urbanos territoriales: cada una de sus partes puede convertirse un elemento primario de la estructura de la ciudad, capaz de dar forma y significado a su contexto. Nos hemos propuesto de corroborar esta tesis a través de una investigación que, apoyándose en aquellas que estudian la ecología o los usos a fines recreativos de la wilderness urbana, describa los aspectos morfológicos y los valores simbólicos de estos peculiares hechos urbanos en el contexto geográfico en el que asumen mayor relevancia geográfica y mayor profundidad semántica. El trabajo se compone de dos partes. En el primer capítulo de la primera parte se examina la historia de la idea de wilderness, la transformación de sus connotaciones, su valor específico en el contexto de la cultura norteamericana. En el segundo capítulo se afronta el significado ambiguo de la palabra natural y las consecuencias de dicha ambigüedad, las dificultades asociadas al propósito de restaurar ‘lo natural’ y a la problemática relativa a la conservación de ‘lo salvaje’. En el tercer capítulo se ofrece una definición de wilderness urbana y se describen las sus características recurrentes, y se presenta una clasificación de los fragmentos de wilderness en la ciudad en función de sus caracteres morfológicos, ecológico, del paisaje primario del que son expresión y las narraciones que evocan. En la segunda parte del trabajo se emplea la taxonomía expuesta en el último capítulo de la primera parte para examinar quince casos de estudio. Ordenados en función de los paisajes primarios de los que son expresión, (1) bosques, (2) praderas, (3) matorrales, (4) humedales y (5) desiertos, cada cual es un emblemático locus ferus atrapado en las redes de una gran metrópolis norteamericana
Il termine wilderness, nell’uso comune della lingua inglese, definisce la condizione di una porzione del territorio ove non è riscontrabile alcun segno antropico. Per estensione semantica, la parola si riferisce anche a ogni area che conserva tale condizione o all’insieme di tali aree. La parola possiede inoltre un denso substrato di connotazioni che esprimono il significato culturale che la wilderness ha assunto e assume. Tale significato si fa specialmente profondo e complesso in Nord America, ove ogni wilderness è un frontier remnant, ovvero un resto dell’ambiente naturale che è stato lo scenario e al tempo stesso il grande protagonista della storia del continente. La relazione di prossimità tra città e wilderness è da sempre uno degli aspetti più significativi e affascinanti dei processi insediativi nordamericani. La progressiva trasformazione del territorio a fini produttivi ha ridotto solo parzialmente tale contatto: non distante da alcuni dei più vasti centri abitati si conservano ancora ampi brani di natura incontaminata. In molti casi si è però invertita la loro reciproca relazione topologica. Se la storia urbana americana è una storia di città nella wilderness, oggi sono i sistemi metropolitani complessi a scala territoriale che includono nella propria trama enclavi naturali, vere e proprie wilderness nella città. Si tratta di frammenti la cui resilienza nei contesti urbanizzati è dipesa da circostanze diverse: aree le cui caratteristiche orografiche o idrografiche hanno reso troppo difficile o troppo caro lo sfruttamento, aree potenzialmente sfruttabili ma inaccessibili, aree soggette a vincoli paesistici, aree dismesse di cui la natura si é riappropriata sino a cancellare ogni testimonianza del loro precedente uso. Vari per forma e per tratti fisico-geografici, spaziano -senza soluzione di continuità nel fattore di scala- dalla grande emergenza geografica sino alla più minuta immergenza interstiziale che s'insinua capillarmente nell’abitato, formando ciò che in questo studio definiremo come il sistema della wilderness urbana. Nei quattro decenni che ci separano dalla sua nascita come disciplina, l’ecologia urbana ha dedicato approfonditi studi a questi sistemi, spiegando come essi offrano necessari rifugi per la biodiversità e illustrando con minuzia di particolari il loro importante ruolo nella conservazione degli equilibri ambientali delle regioni metropolitane. Con autorevolezza e veemenza ne ha rivendicato la conservazione portandoli per la prima volta al centro del dibattito sulla città contemporanea. Anche ma non solo in seguito a ciò, é sorto un progressivo interesse nella wilderness urbana come luogo di recreation. L’uso di queste aree come alternativa ai tradizionali spazi di verde pubblico si sta promuovendo in risposta alla necessità di ristabilire un contatto tra cittadino e natura. In esse sono possibili attività di esplorazione e di gioco che rarissimamente si sono potute svolgere dentro i confini della metropoli, così come momenti di raccoglimento per la riflessione e la contemplazione in solitudine. Tali politiche istituzionalizzano la wilderness come un nuovo e peculiare tipo di spazio pubblico urbano. Ma il valore della wilderness urbana americana va ancora oltre. Il presente studio vede in ciascun frammento di wilderness dentro la città un serbatoio semantico che raccoglie i molti significati che la parola wilderness possiede; un luogo ove tali significati possono essere riscoperti e compresi, che resiste come un baluardo nelle sterminate distese della macchia urbana. In esso si custodiscono i valori collettivi che la cultura nordamericana ha attribuito alla natura; luogo di concentrazione di senso, assurge al ruolo di vero e proprio monumento. In questi primi anni del secolo, che hanno visto la città travalicare definitivamente la scala dimensionale che gli è appartenuta durante l’intero corso della storia e diventare progressivamente città-territorio, distesa metropolitana continua, il sistema della wilderness urbana può assume un ruolo estremamente rilevante. Nella sintesi dei suoi valori ecologici, funzionali e simbolici, essa si configura come una componente fondamentale dei sistemi urbani territoriali, ciascuna sua parte come un elemento primario della struttura formale della nuova città capace d'informare e significare il suo contesto. Ci si è proposti di corroborare questa tesi attraverso una ricerca che, affiancandosi a quelle di chi ne sta studiando l’ecologia o l’uso a fini ricreativi, descriva i caratteri morfologici e i valori simbolici di questi peculiari fatti urbani nel contesto geografico ove esso assumono maggior rilievo geografico e maggior profondità semantica. Si vuole, in questo modo, contribuire a rivendicare il loro ruolo e aggiungere una dimensione finora inedita all’apologia del selvaggio nella città. Il lavoro si compone di due parti. Il primo capitolo della prima parte esamina la storia dell’idea di wilderness, la trasformazione delle sue connotazioni, e il suo specifico valore nel contesto della cultura nordamericana. Il secondo capitolo affronta l’ambiguo significato della parola natural e le conseguenze di detta ambiguità, i dilemmi associati alla ossimòrica proposizione di restauro della ‘naturalità’ e alle problematiche relative alla conservazione del ‘selvaggio.’ Il terzo capitolo offre una definizione di wilderness urbana e descrive le sue caratteristiche ricorrenti, e redige una classificazione dei frammenti di wilderness nella città in funzione del loro paesaggio primario, dei loro caratteri morfologici, del loro funzionamento ecologico, e delle narrazioni a cui rimandano. La seconda parte del lavoro impiega la tassonomia stilata nell’ultimo capitolo della prima parte per esaminare quindici casi studio. Ordinati in funzione dei paesaggi primari di cui sono espressione (1) foreste, (2) macchie, (3) praterie, (4) paludi, e (5) deserti, ciascuno è un emblematico locus ferus intrappolato nelle maglie di una grande metropoli nordamericana.

Pós-Graduação em Segurança e Higiene no Trabalho
A realização deste projecto individual, surge no âmbito da 20ª Pós-graduação em Segurança e Higiene no Trabalho, ministrada pela Escola Superior de Tecnologias / Escola Superior de Ciências Empresariais, do Instituto Politécnico de Setúbal. A execução deste projecto, consistiu na aplicação dos conteúdos programáticos desenvolvidos no decorrer do curso, de forma a implementar no projecto todos os conhecimentos apreendidos nas diferentes áreas. Foi pedido que esta componente prática fosse aplicada em contexto real de trabalho, por isso a escolha deste projecto remeteu para uma temática que se enquadrasse no âmbito da actividade efectuada na entidade patronal. Visto a minha área profissional ser a arquitectura e encontrar-me a desenvolver a actividade num atelier de arquitectura, a Arquipeople, Lda., surgiu a oportunidade de elaborar um Plano de Segurança para um projecto desenvolvido pela empresa, nomeadamente um hotel com designação de Brown´s Downtown, cujo requerente é Baixa & Chiado Hotel, S.A. O presente plano consiste na elaboração de medidas de autoprotecção para o estabelecimento hoteleiro, localizado em área histórica da Baixa de Lisboa, na Rua dos Sapateiros, 69-79, sendo um edifício correspondente à designada arquitectura civil pombalina, adaptado à morfologia plana do território e à ortogonalidade da estrutura urbana. O edifício é por isso classificado como Imóvel de Interesse Público, enquanto integrado no conjunto da Baixa Pombalina. O mesmo encontra-se também identificado no Inventário Municipal do Património. A localização do edifício, os antecedentes históricos e os processos construtivos que o caracterizam, constitui um factor de risco em caso de uma situação de emergência, para os utentes que usufruem das instalações e serviços. As Medidas de Autoprotecção são um conjunto de acções e medidas (de organização e gestão da segurança), destinadas a prevenir e controlar os riscos que possam visar as pessoas e bens, de forma a garantir a salvaguarda destes em caso de ocorrência de uma situação de perigo, nomeadamente de incêndio. Estas medidas têm como objectivo a preparação e organização dos meios existentes e são implementadas de forma a dar uma resposta adequada às possíveis situações de emergência, garantindo a integração destas acções como um instrumento de prevenção e emergência. Os edifícios, estabelecimentos e recintos devem estar providos, no decorrer da exploração dos respectivos espaços, de medidas de autoprotecção, com a implementação das condições de segurança julgadas necessárias ao empreendimento, visando quer a protecção dos seus utentes, quer a das instalações contra qualquer situação de emergência. Para a elaboração do presente plano, teve-se em conta as condições gerais de auto-protecção, dispostas no Artigo 21° do Decreto-Lei nº220/2008 de 12 de Novembro e no Artigo 198° da Portaria nº1532/2008 de 29 de Dezembro.