- Planning Public Spaces Networks towards Urban Cohesion    click here to open paper content554 kb
by    Pinto, Ana Júlia & Remesar, Antoni | ajulia.pinto@gmail.com   click here to send an email to the auther(s) of this paper
Short Outline
Spatial fragmentation is one of the main problems with consequences for
urban sustainability. To achieve urban cohesion is necessary to plan public spaces integrated in the urban network, in order to build cohesive cities, promoting sustainability.
Abstract
Spatial fragmentation is, in today’s cities, one of the main problems
involving serious consequences for urban sustainability. Therefore it is
necessary to endow the urban planning and urban design processes with
efficient instruments which can contribute to the mitigation of the named
problems.
Studies that have been developed about public spaces have been showing that
they play a fundamental role on structuring the cities, not only concerning
formal issues but also regarding social, economic and environmental
aspects. Thus, it is fundamental to think on planning and designing public
spaces in a way that helps us to find solutions to the structural problems
of urban pattern, such as the lack of territorial cohesion in the cities.
In order to achieve urban cohesion it is necessary to consider public
spaces in a broader scale, in other words, planning public spaces so that
they will be logically integrated in to the urban network and not as
isolated spaces. Planning and designing public spaces as part of urban
network brings out the possibility not only to restructure the existing
spaces but also to develop new public spaces in the expansion urban areas
(especially relevant in new developing areas) so that they can create
cohesive cities, promoting urban sustainability.
The process of planning and designing public spaces in relation to the
network which they form part of can be operationalized through indicators
of (1) Mobility / Accessibility / Connectivity; (2) Sociability /
Cooperation; (3) Land Uses / Activities; (4) Comfort / Safety. Through
these indicators it is possible to evaluate the urban structure and plan /
design the public spaces in a way that they can be part of a coherent and
cohesive network.
This study was held in the city of Lisbon, by developing an evaluation
process of the public spaces network based on the above named indicators,
and also based on the historical evolution of the public spaces in the
city. This process allowed the establishment of guidelines for the planning
and design of Lisbon public spaces.
Keywords
Urban Cohesion, Public Spaces, Urban network
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