Banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO: CAMILA MARIA NOGUEIRA DE SANTANA

Uma banca de QUALIFICAÇÃO de DOUTORADO foi cadastrada pelo programa.
STUDENT : CAMILA MARIA NOGUEIRA DE SANTANA
DATE: 12/08/2025
TIME: 09:30
LOCAL: remota
TITLE:

Viva! In pursuit of urbanity in Fortaleza city centre

KEY WORDS:

urbanity, urban animation, centrality, traditional urban centres, Fortaleza.

PAGES: 238
BIG AREA: Ciências Sociais Aplicadas
AREA: Arquitetura e Urbanismo
SUBÁREA: Fundamentos de Arquitetura e Urbanismo
SPECIALTY: Teoria do Urbanismo
SUMMARY:

This research involves the study of urbanity in traditional urban centres and proposes the articulation between morphological variables and the activities carried out in public space, with the aim of identifying how the combination of these factors could affect the experience of urban life. The object of study is the Centro neighbourhood, in the city of Fortaleza. In this study, urbanity refers to a quality of urban space, marked by activities of movement and permanence; by the diversity of uses, buildings, and people; by relationships of co-presence and co-awareness; and by soft boundaries between public and private spaces (Jacobs, 2009 [1961]; Hillier, 2007 [1996]; Holanda, 2013). Urbanity does not refer to the mere crowding of people in public space. It is associated with environmental qualities that allow for cordial relationships between residents and visitors in everyday activities, enriched by the possibility of encounters, socialization, and leisure. In the context of this research, a group of morphological variables were analysed: spatial properties of the urban grid, land uses, blocks and plots, building interface types, and activities of movement and permanence in public space. The Centro neighbourhood is a consolidated area, predominantly characterized by an orthogonal street grid, and is one of the most integrated areas in the city. The spatial configuration of the neighbourhood has reinforced its centrality over the years, attracting commercial activities to its core and shifting other uses toward its edges. Urban animation hotspots can be observed in spaces marked by a diversity of uses and located in highly integrated areas of the neighbourhood, but this does not necessarily mean an experience of urbanity. The research distinguishes between the concepts of urbanity and urban animation. It is proposed that urbanity manifests as a spectrum, with different combinations of elements and intensities, which can affect how public space is appropriated. The study identified three morphological regions within the neighbourhood that share similarities in their formal and functional aspects. This allowed for a deeper understanding of the neighbourhood’s diverse urban realities, based on the analysis of 40 segments of the urban grid. The research reveals that pedestrian-only streets play a fundamental role in supporting pedestrian movement and permanence in the public space of the neighbourhood’s commercial core. It confirms that the presence of vacant plots in certain segments negatively affects pedestrian movement and permanence, especially in residential areas. When examining the number of activities per segment, it was found that areas with a higher number of active plots connected to the segments show a greater number of people moving through and remaining in public space, both in predominantly commercial and residential areas. This reinforces, once again, that a higher number of activities per segment impacts the presence of people in public space. Through this research, the aim is to better understand how urbanity can manifest and be sustained as a positive experience, thereby contributing to the discussion on vitality in traditional urban centres.

COMMITTEE MEMBERS:
Presidente - 350255 - EDJA BEZERRA FARIA TRIGUEIRO
Interno - 2508732 - HEITOR DE ANDRADE SILVA
Interno - 1345114 - JOSE CLEWTON DO NASCIMENTO
Externa à Instituição - GABRIELA DE SOUZA TENORIO - UnB
Externa à Instituição - LUCY DONEGAN - UFPB