Papers by M. Augusta Hermida
Journal of Transport & Health
Cities
Urban rivers differ from natural rivers because of the direct connection they have with human hab... more Urban rivers differ from natural rivers because of the direct connection they have with human habitat. Furthermore, riverbanks are public spaces that contribute to the interaction between natural and urbanized areas and between people from different socioeconomic background. Due to this significance, the main objective of this research was to provide a methodology for the construction of a toolbox that evaluates connectivity and comfort of urban riverbanks, so as to allow comparative visual and numeric analysis between different zones of the same river, distinct rivers in the same city and rivers in various cities. The proposal was based on the disaggregation of the concepts of connectivity and comfort, through the analysis of four dimensions: (a) Spatial and visual accessibility, (b) Continuity of the green corridor, (c) Condition of public space, and (d) Condition of the first built line, expressed in thirteen quantitative condition indicators. For validation, the toolbox was applied to five zones of the Tomebamba River of the city of Cuenca in Ecuador and a series of maps were generated allowing spatial visualization of the results. In addition, an Urban River Sustainability Index (URSI) was developed to reinforce the decision-making processes in planning and urban design.
QRU: Quaderns de Recerca en Urbanisme, 2019
La ciudad es un sistema complejo con patrones y propiedades emergentes que surgen de las interacc... more La ciudad es un sistema complejo con patrones y propiedades emergentes que surgen de las interacciones entre las personas y el entorno que habitan. Por su parte, la sostenibilidad es un paradigma en construcción que debe ser contex-tualizado a las realidades locales y, específicamente, la sostenibilidad de ciudad, es un proceso metabólico de materia, energía, conocimiento, relaciones sociales y culturales, cuyo resultado mejora la calidad de vida de todos sus habitantes sin disminuir las capacidades funcionales del sistema y sin dejar a nadie fuera.
Con estos antecedentes, el Grupo de Investigación en Ciudades Sustentables (LlactaLAB) de la Universidad de Cuenca (Ecuador), propuso realizar investiga¬ción interdisciplinar que responda preguntas relacionadas con la ciudad compleja con la intención de contribuir en la construcción de política pública y posicionar la investigación del Ecuador en un contexto académico internacional. Para el gru¬po, son particularmente importantes el estudio del espacio construido, la forma urbana, la vida urbana y los sistemas urbanos.
Building and Environment, 2018
Outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) is an indicator of urban-environmental sustainability. A better und... more Outdoor thermal comfort (OTC) is an indicator of urban-environmental sustainability. A better understanding of OTC requires exploring the effects of contextual, non-thermal and human-related factors on thermal sensation votes (TSV) in addition to the long-studied thermophysiological and microclimatic factors. In this research, the Socio-Ecological Model (SEM) structure was used for grouping thermophysiological and non-thermal factors in three environments: corporeal (level of physical activity, level of clothing, gender, age and skin tone), mental (perceived urban agreeability, perceived urban insecurity and perceived urban noise) and social (company, occupation and cultural background). Field surveys were performed in three representative weeks of the annual climate-type in Cuenca, Ecuador during the hottest month (January), a cooler month (July) and an intermediate month (April), surveying 2321 users of two urban sites located at representative areas of the Tomebamba riverbanks. Statistical descriptive analysis and inferential methods were employed for exploring the effect of these SEM factors on the TSV using the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET) calculated with RayMan1.2 from on-site measured data. The analytical results evidenced a low influence of all three SEM environments on the TSV. Additionally, differences in male and female OTC requirements were identified, and two local PET-TSV scales were calculated from (1) urban global radiation data and (2) mean radiant temperature, calculated according to ISO 7726 with Ø 150 mm black-globe-thermometer measurements. The main results show Acceptable Temperature Ranges (rTa) in Cuenca from 29 °C to 34 °C PET (1) and from 26 °C to 37 °C PET (2), for 85% acceptability.
RESUMEN La emergente necesidad de información actualizada, junto a la falta de documentación adec... more RESUMEN La emergente necesidad de información actualizada, junto a la falta de documentación adecuada de sectores históricos de ciudad, además del desarrollo tecnológico acelerado de la época, ha provocado la creación de diversas herramientas para el levantamiento de información geográfica, topográfica, y arqueológica, que pueden contribuir al estudio de las transformaciones urbano-morfológicas y a la documentación y protección del patrimonio edificado. Con estos antecedentes, este estudio pretende validar una metodología para la identificación y análisis de alteraciones arquitectónicas como urbanas, en el campo del patrimonio edificado. Para esto, se llevó a cabo un levantamiento detallado mediante fotogrametría aérea y terrestre, en base al uso de herramientas que generan datos bidimensionales como son el Drone DJI Phantom 4, Cámara Nikon D5300, Cámara GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition y un Smartphone Iphone 7. De igual forma, este estudio se complementó con un levantamiento tridimensional mediante escáner láser LIDAR. Los datos se obtuvieron en base a vuelos ortogonales con dron, los cuales se complementaron, mediante documentación parcial de fachadas de las edificaciones del El Barranco de Cuenca en Ecuador, con las otras herramientas bidimensionales y tridimensionales antes descritas. Este proceso se llevó a cabo en dos ocasiones, con un lapso de 4 meses entre sí, con el fin de identificar posibles cambios. Al completar el procesamiento de los datos, se encontraron dos casos en donde las edificaciones fueron alteradas en diferente magnitud. Además, se estableció la versatilidad de los instrumentos utilizados para la reconstrucción tridimensional de nubes de puntos en nuestro medio. En este sentido, el escáner láser LIDAR fue la herramienta que brindó mejores resultados, sin embargo, el levantamiento tomó más tiempo y fue más costoso; por otro lado, considerando la relación calidad-precio, el drone DJI Phantom 4 resultó ser el artefacto más recomendable para este tipo de estudios. Palabras clave: Fotogrametría digital, reconstrucción tridimensional, patrimonio edificado, transformaciones urbano-morfológicas, nubes de puntos. ABSTRACT The emerging need for up-to-date information, coupled with the lack of adequate documentation of historical city sectors, as well as the accelerated technological development of the time, has led to the creation of several tools for surveying geographic, topographic and archaeological information that may contribute to the study of urban-morphological transformations and to the documentation and protection of built heritage. With this background, the study aimed to validate a methodology for the identification and analysis of built heritage alterations. A detailed survey was carried out using aerial and terrestrial photogrammetry, based on the use of tools that generate two-dimensional data such as Drone DJI Phantom 4, Nikon D5300 camera, GoPro Hero 3 Black Edition camera, and an Iphone 7 Smartphone. In the same way, this study was complemented with a three-dimensional method, based on a LIDAR laser scanner. The data was obtained based on orthogonal drone flights, which were complemented by
Procedia Engineering, 2017
Design and city planning should integrate the treatment of rivers and riverbanks as main elements... more Design and city planning should integrate the treatment of rivers and riverbanks as main elements of the green network and the resilience of cities. It is urgent to understand not only their role in the generation of urban biodiversity and their potential as green corridors but also as a public space layer that strengthens the public dimension of the city. It is essential to know the type of activities and behaviour on the riverbanks so as to meet the needs of the population and create urban identities. However, there is relatively little knowledge about the use and preferences of green spaces in developing countries. New techniques that offer more reliable ways of predicting and understanding the use of the space can be valuable tools for designing resilient cities. The proposed methodology aims to generate a spatially explicit empirical basis about the behaviour of the population in different areas of the Tomebamba River in Cuenca-Ecuador-based on systematic observation, behaviour mapping using mobile data collection and spatial analysis techniques-, seeking for correlations with the connectivity, the spatial quality and the physical characteristics of the riverbanks. The results show differences in the spaces men and women use, and the type of activities for each group, especially near peri-urban areas where spatial quality is lower. There is a bigger difference in age groups more pronounced in areas lacking infrastructure and those with access barriers. Significant differences where observed in types of activities related to the characteristics and quality of the surrounding built environment and to the connectivity of the riverbanks. Building the empirical evidence in a spatially explicit way will provide the knowledge base needed for urban designers and policy-makers, in Latin American contexts, so as to build open space systems that integrate natural resources and at the same time promote social resilience.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE Building Technology and Urban Development, 2017
Facing the expansive growth of cities and the wasteful consumption of resources, cities must be m... more Facing the expansive growth of cities and the wasteful consumption of resources, cities must be measured in its immense complexity, and its parts and layers must be observed so as to assess its ability to support such pressures. Cities should look at themselves and define how far away they are from a sustainable model, which means a greater sense of community, mixed uses, higher densities, better public space, higher quality of life, less energy consume, among others. This paper presents a toolbox
for assessing sustainable urban densification using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The toolbox uses spatial analysis and cartographic representation techniques to characterize and analyze the spatial distribution of a set of indicators using an orthogonal grid. The toolbox includes the automatic computation of 20 indicators of urban sustainability organized in four themes: compactness, diversity of uses, urban green, and socio-spatial integration. It also computes a Sustainable Urban Densification Index for each cell of the grid allowing to explore and discover spatial patterns of urban sustainability. The toolbox includes options for parameterization of both the indicators and the index, offering flexibility for adapting it to different realities and needs. These features allows the application of the toolbox for a wide variety of studies, such as comparative analysis of different cities or urban fabrics, monitoring of performance of urban policies, assessment of the impact of urban densification and urban sprawl, and future scenario evaluation. The toolbox is publicly available to researchers, practitioners, urban officials, technicians and students interested in urban sustainability.
INTERNATIONAL JOURNAL OF SUSTAINABLE Building Technology and Urban Development, 2017
Accessibility to water sources has played a decisive role in the location and growth of human set... more Accessibility to water sources has played a decisive role in the location and growth of human settlements, fulfilling a key role in the historical development of cities, as in the case of Cuenca, where the Tomebamba River defined its foundation place. Recent urban development has weakened the relation between cities and their rivers, and it is urgent to rediscover the potential of rivers and their banks in the urban fabric, not only as generators of urban biodiversity, but as a public space that contributes to social resilience and builds urban identities. This paper studies the historic relationship between urban dwellers and the river, in 1.5 km of the Tomebamba River that runs in front of the Historical Centre of Cuenca, through uses and perceptions of its users. A series of semi-structured interviews were explored using discourse analysis, word frequency, and spatial visualization, to reveal perceptions associated with places and space morphologies, and how they have changed through time.
The results shows that historical use of this city place was related to production and leisure, having a strong relation to the river as a water source, whereas now production is no longer related to the river; instead, newcomers have occupied the space, promoting new uses in the river margins, having little to no relation with the water, modifying landscape perceptions and building new urban identities.
Landscape and Urban Planning, 2017
Ecuador’s new constitution recognizes “rights of nature” and peoples’ right to benefit from the e... more Ecuador’s new constitution recognizes “rights of nature” and peoples’ right to benefit from the environment and natural resources that enhance the Buen Vivir (Quality of Life). The national plan for Buen Vivir calls for spatial planning to guarantee territorial and global environmental sustainability, increase people’s safety by minimizing the impact of natural hazards such as floods. Within this context, we analyzed opportunities for green infrastructure in Cuenca (Ecuador’s third largest city). We mapped existing green areas and linkages, analyzed the roles of implementing institutions with structured input from 33 government, academic, and industry experts. We found that fragmented authorities and often-contradictory mandates of different agencies prevented optimal management of open-space areas within the city. Moreover, planning efforts within the city of Cuenca are completely disconnected from the rapidly-urbanizing peri-urban areas outside the city limits, resulting in missed opportunities for connected green space for wildlife, human recreation, and water quality benefits.
Este articulo explica el proceso de generacion de un sistema de indicadores que miden la sustenta... more Este articulo explica el proceso de generacion de un sistema de indicadores que miden la sustentabilidad urbana en ciudades ecuatorianas. La propuesta aborda dos puntos criticos: a) la importancia de construir un sistema de indicadores que recoja la complejidad de la ciudad y pueda condensarse en un indice sintetico, y b) la necesidad de mostrar la dimension espacial de los resultados para comparar diversos tejidos urbanos. La metodologia empleada se resume en: 1) construccion de un sistema de indicadores, 2) seleccion de un area piloto de estudio, 3) levantamiento de informacion primaria y secundaria, e 4) implementacion del modelo de evaluacion. El sistema de indicadores fue aplicado en una zona en proceso de consolidacion en la ciudad de Cuenca, Ecuador, para evaluar las potencialidades y limitaciones de la metodologia.
El debate teórico sobre la ciudad dispersa versus la ciudad compacta, en el mundo y particularmen... more El debate teórico sobre la ciudad dispersa versus la ciudad compacta, en el mundo y particularmente en América Latina, ponen en la palestra los aspectos clave a tener en cuenta para proponer un nuevo modelo de ciudad en donde la calidad de vida de las presentes y futuras generaciones sean el punto focal de reflexión. A través del estudio del estado del arte sobre el tema se concluye que el regreso a la ciudad compacta es la alternativa para un posible desarrollo sustentable en las ciudades intermedias de América Latina. Al observar el caso de Cuenca se concentra el estudio en las densidades de la ciudad desde los años 50 hasta nuestros días. Sorprende comprobar que Cuenca fue una ciudad compacta con alta calidad de vida pero que, paulatinamente, se está expandiendo innecesariamente con todos los problemas que esto implica.
Maskana, 2015
Al testear la situación de la biodiversidad urbana y los espacios verdes en la zona del Yanuncay ... more Al testear la situación de la biodiversidad urbana y los espacios verdes en la zona del Yanuncay de Cuenca (Ecuador), se pretendió revelar particularidades de la co-determinación entre la biodiversidad y las áreas verdes al interior de la ciudad. Se calcularon seis indicadores y tres índices que mostraron niveles alarmantemente bajos, que sugieren la necesidad de acciones inmediatas con el fin de recuperar la biodiversidad perdida. Por ejemplo, en el caso del indicador de la Permeabilidad del Suelo Público el 83.53% del suelo no es permeable; en cuanto a la Proximidad a Espacios Verdes el 98.82% del área de estudio no se aproxima al objetivo mínimo; en lo referente al cálculo de la Densidad de Árboles por Tramo de Calle el 98.83% de los tramos tienen arbolado insuficiente. Un aporte importante del trabajo es la construcción del Índice de Verde Urbano (IVU) que conjuga el indicador de Superficie Verde por Habitante con el de Proximidad Simultánea a Tres Tipos de Espacios Verdes, de este modo se puede tener una mirada tanto de la cantidad como de la cobertura e influencia, a distintas escalas, que estas áreas tienen sobre las personas. En este índice se constata que el 91.76% del área no cumple con el valor mínimo. Estos datos nos permiten afirmar que la ciudad actual y su producción de áreas verdes no contribuyen a la sostenibilidad ecológica y por ende a la biodiversidad urbana. Si no se proponen cambios urgentes al modelo de ciudad vigente, estos valores se volverán aún más alarmantes.
Performative urban education: exploring action-based international teaching approaches
Today, t... more Performative urban education: exploring action-based international teaching approaches
Today, the world is more globally integrated than ever before. However, it is still composed of locally defined constituents, describing our socio-spatial framework (Massey, 2005; Robinson, 2006). Our built environment is therefore characterized by a socio-spatial diversity and there is no singular trajectory for the production of space. Thus, built environment disciplines face the challenge to address both, local and global phenomena as well as their reciprocal dynamics. During the last decades, these dynamics changed drastically, responding to different logics. A simple and linear relationship between need, demand and offer and their resulting production and consumption processes turned into a complex matrix of marketing strategies and policies focusing on image-building, short-term profits and maximum efficiency in increasingly specialised and fragmented urban environments (Soja, 2001).
Urban education needs to adapt to equip students with appropriate knowledge and multiple sets of tools to encounter these challenges. This knowledge needs to incorporate not only theoretical insights but also locally applied knowledge, and especially increasing the social, political or environmental commitment to these local cases (Latour, 2005). Scholars have argued that this kind of acquisition of knowledge requires an education beyond the classroom which examines the margins of its own disciplinary protocols; and which is less informative and more performative (Colomina, 2012; McLaren, 1999). While first lessons are learned in several test cases (examples of academic action-teaching at higher eductaion institutions acrosss the globe or non-academic groups, e.g. Centre for Urban Pedagogy, New York) we would like to suggest ways to implement performative urban education by focusing on action-based international collaborations amongst educators and students. Our common insights from the ARQA ’14 (Bienal Iberoamericana de Arquitectura Académica at Universidad de Cuenca, Ecuador, March 2014) build the base for discussing the format of this international event as a model for high-impact teaching across different contexts and backgrounds
Las políticas públicas de vivienda social en el Ecuador, cuyo objetivo final era compensar el déf... more Las políticas públicas de vivienda social en el Ecuador, cuyo objetivo final era compensar el déficit de vivienda, han priorizado la “cantidad a bajo costo” y han dejado de lado la importancia de las condiciones mínimas de habitabilidad y confort. Esto también ocurrió en Cuenca, en donde la vivienda social ha presentado bajas calidades y ha estado desarrollada a través de diferentes programas estatales. En este trabajo se propone la evaluación de tres conjuntos de vivienda social construidos a través de estos organismos públicos entre los años 1970 y 2014. Para la evaluación se propone la aplicación de indicadores resumidos en un Índice de Densificación Urbana Sustentable, que considera indicadores representativos sobre las condiciones de ocupación, de uso, de verde urbano y de integración socio espacial de distintos tejidos. El objetivo del trabajo se centra en analizar comparativamente los tres proyectos y a su vez validar el mencionado Índice.
Arquitecturas del Sur, Jan 18, 2015
Este trabajo se inmiscuye en el campo del conocimiento científico de los valores formales y tipol... more Este trabajo se inmiscuye en el campo del conocimiento científico de los valores formales y tipológicos de una muestra de arquitectura rural tradicional del siglo XX en la provincia del Azuay en el Ecuador que ha permanecido escondida o simplemente ha sido poco conocida y muy rara vez valorada con objetividad. Consideramos que los resultados de la investigación deben servir para recuperar una manera de hacer arquitectura que se está perdiendo. Además, los principios constructivos y de diseño estudiados se pueden emplear en los procesos de enseñanza aprendizaje. La ejecución de estas obras de arquitectura, promovidas por razones de cobijo y protección, manifiestan, en el fondo, una búsqueda permanente de la belleza, de relaciones geométricas y de proporciones matemáticas, que son universales; aunque, quizá, la población de estos sectores no es consciente del enorme aporte que su propia arquitectura puede ofrecer a nivel estético y formal.
Revista Maskana, Jun 1, 2012
Revista Maskana, Dec 1, 2012
Books by M. Augusta Hermida
FOTOGRAFÍA COMO ARQUITECTURA. CLICK 1, 2015
Capítulo del libro:
Fotografía como Arquitectura. Click 1
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Papers by M. Augusta Hermida
Con estos antecedentes, el Grupo de Investigación en Ciudades Sustentables (LlactaLAB) de la Universidad de Cuenca (Ecuador), propuso realizar investiga¬ción interdisciplinar que responda preguntas relacionadas con la ciudad compleja con la intención de contribuir en la construcción de política pública y posicionar la investigación del Ecuador en un contexto académico internacional. Para el gru¬po, son particularmente importantes el estudio del espacio construido, la forma urbana, la vida urbana y los sistemas urbanos.
for assessing sustainable urban densification using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The toolbox uses spatial analysis and cartographic representation techniques to characterize and analyze the spatial distribution of a set of indicators using an orthogonal grid. The toolbox includes the automatic computation of 20 indicators of urban sustainability organized in four themes: compactness, diversity of uses, urban green, and socio-spatial integration. It also computes a Sustainable Urban Densification Index for each cell of the grid allowing to explore and discover spatial patterns of urban sustainability. The toolbox includes options for parameterization of both the indicators and the index, offering flexibility for adapting it to different realities and needs. These features allows the application of the toolbox for a wide variety of studies, such as comparative analysis of different cities or urban fabrics, monitoring of performance of urban policies, assessment of the impact of urban densification and urban sprawl, and future scenario evaluation. The toolbox is publicly available to researchers, practitioners, urban officials, technicians and students interested in urban sustainability.
The results shows that historical use of this city place was related to production and leisure, having a strong relation to the river as a water source, whereas now production is no longer related to the river; instead, newcomers have occupied the space, promoting new uses in the river margins, having little to no relation with the water, modifying landscape perceptions and building new urban identities.
Today, the world is more globally integrated than ever before. However, it is still composed of locally defined constituents, describing our socio-spatial framework (Massey, 2005; Robinson, 2006). Our built environment is therefore characterized by a socio-spatial diversity and there is no singular trajectory for the production of space. Thus, built environment disciplines face the challenge to address both, local and global phenomena as well as their reciprocal dynamics. During the last decades, these dynamics changed drastically, responding to different logics. A simple and linear relationship between need, demand and offer and their resulting production and consumption processes turned into a complex matrix of marketing strategies and policies focusing on image-building, short-term profits and maximum efficiency in increasingly specialised and fragmented urban environments (Soja, 2001).
Urban education needs to adapt to equip students with appropriate knowledge and multiple sets of tools to encounter these challenges. This knowledge needs to incorporate not only theoretical insights but also locally applied knowledge, and especially increasing the social, political or environmental commitment to these local cases (Latour, 2005). Scholars have argued that this kind of acquisition of knowledge requires an education beyond the classroom which examines the margins of its own disciplinary protocols; and which is less informative and more performative (Colomina, 2012; McLaren, 1999). While first lessons are learned in several test cases (examples of academic action-teaching at higher eductaion institutions acrosss the globe or non-academic groups, e.g. Centre for Urban Pedagogy, New York) we would like to suggest ways to implement performative urban education by focusing on action-based international collaborations amongst educators and students. Our common insights from the ARQA ’14 (Bienal Iberoamericana de Arquitectura Académica at Universidad de Cuenca, Ecuador, March 2014) build the base for discussing the format of this international event as a model for high-impact teaching across different contexts and backgrounds
Books by M. Augusta Hermida
Con estos antecedentes, el Grupo de Investigación en Ciudades Sustentables (LlactaLAB) de la Universidad de Cuenca (Ecuador), propuso realizar investiga¬ción interdisciplinar que responda preguntas relacionadas con la ciudad compleja con la intención de contribuir en la construcción de política pública y posicionar la investigación del Ecuador en un contexto académico internacional. Para el gru¬po, son particularmente importantes el estudio del espacio construido, la forma urbana, la vida urbana y los sistemas urbanos.
for assessing sustainable urban densification using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The toolbox uses spatial analysis and cartographic representation techniques to characterize and analyze the spatial distribution of a set of indicators using an orthogonal grid. The toolbox includes the automatic computation of 20 indicators of urban sustainability organized in four themes: compactness, diversity of uses, urban green, and socio-spatial integration. It also computes a Sustainable Urban Densification Index for each cell of the grid allowing to explore and discover spatial patterns of urban sustainability. The toolbox includes options for parameterization of both the indicators and the index, offering flexibility for adapting it to different realities and needs. These features allows the application of the toolbox for a wide variety of studies, such as comparative analysis of different cities or urban fabrics, monitoring of performance of urban policies, assessment of the impact of urban densification and urban sprawl, and future scenario evaluation. The toolbox is publicly available to researchers, practitioners, urban officials, technicians and students interested in urban sustainability.
The results shows that historical use of this city place was related to production and leisure, having a strong relation to the river as a water source, whereas now production is no longer related to the river; instead, newcomers have occupied the space, promoting new uses in the river margins, having little to no relation with the water, modifying landscape perceptions and building new urban identities.
Today, the world is more globally integrated than ever before. However, it is still composed of locally defined constituents, describing our socio-spatial framework (Massey, 2005; Robinson, 2006). Our built environment is therefore characterized by a socio-spatial diversity and there is no singular trajectory for the production of space. Thus, built environment disciplines face the challenge to address both, local and global phenomena as well as their reciprocal dynamics. During the last decades, these dynamics changed drastically, responding to different logics. A simple and linear relationship between need, demand and offer and their resulting production and consumption processes turned into a complex matrix of marketing strategies and policies focusing on image-building, short-term profits and maximum efficiency in increasingly specialised and fragmented urban environments (Soja, 2001).
Urban education needs to adapt to equip students with appropriate knowledge and multiple sets of tools to encounter these challenges. This knowledge needs to incorporate not only theoretical insights but also locally applied knowledge, and especially increasing the social, political or environmental commitment to these local cases (Latour, 2005). Scholars have argued that this kind of acquisition of knowledge requires an education beyond the classroom which examines the margins of its own disciplinary protocols; and which is less informative and more performative (Colomina, 2012; McLaren, 1999). While first lessons are learned in several test cases (examples of academic action-teaching at higher eductaion institutions acrosss the globe or non-academic groups, e.g. Centre for Urban Pedagogy, New York) we would like to suggest ways to implement performative urban education by focusing on action-based international collaborations amongst educators and students. Our common insights from the ARQA ’14 (Bienal Iberoamericana de Arquitectura Académica at Universidad de Cuenca, Ecuador, March 2014) build the base for discussing the format of this international event as a model for high-impact teaching across different contexts and backgrounds
Por esta razón, La ciudad es esto no es más que un intento de mirar, medir y entender aquel milagro humano, la creación fabulosa, que tiene la forma de una construcción espacial y relacional colectiva, en la que vivimos la gran mayoría de la población humana: la ciudad compleja. Con este, aparentemente sencillo pero profundamente arduo, objetivo, presentamos una experiencia de generación de un sistema de indicadores que midan la sustentabilidad urbana en ciudades ecuatorianas. Pretendemos con él recoger la complejidad de la ciudad y construir un índice que permita medir su sustentabilidad; y, paralelamente, mostrar la dimensión espacial de los resultados para comparar los diversos tejidos urbanos.
Cuando hablamos de sustentabilidad urbana nos referimos a una serie de aspectos que se entrelazan entre sí. Consideramos que esta temática se debe abordar desde una perspectiva inter, multi y transdisciplinar que permita una mejor comprensión de la realidad y de las posibilidades de mejora de la ciudad. Para aclarar el concepto partimos del hecho de que la ciudad es una creación humana y, por tanto, es parte de la naturaleza, como lo es un panal de abejas y tan originaria como un termitero. La actividad transformadora y creadora del ser humano es totalmente válida al igual que la de otras especies, siempre que respete la capacidad del planeta y no limite el derecho de ninguno de los otros seres vivos, incluyendo, obviamente, a otros miembros de su misma especie.
Con este primer libro de la Serie Ciudades Sustentables, queremos inaugurar una línea editorial que nos permitirá compartir las reflexiones que hemos llevado (y seguiremos llevando) adelante en el Grupo Ciudades Sustentables – Llactalab que es parte del Departamento Interdisciplinario de Investigación en Espacio y Población de la Universidad de Cuenca. Consideramos que solo comunicando nuestras dudas, nuestras preguntas, y, por qué no, también nuestras incipientes certezas, lograremos cumplir nuestra meta de incidir en la construcción de una ciudad buena, amigable, humana y sustentable.
El anhelo de este libro es dar a conocer una propuesta metodológica para la construcción de Barrios Compactos Sustentables (BACS) dentro de zonas consolidadas de las ciudades de América Latina, y contribuir al debate sobre nuevas realidades dentro de la ciudad que conocemos.
El subtítulo del libro LlactaCAMP2.0: La ciudad como proceso hace referencia al espacio colaborativo de innovación e investigación alrededor de la ciudad sustentable que desde hace dos años lleva adelante el Grupo Ciudades Sustentables – Llactalab de la Universidad de Cuenca. Este evento busca consolidarse a través de un proceso de diálogo y debate basado en encuentros anuales en los que investigadores, profesionales, instituciones, organizaciones, estudiantes y ciudadanos exploran y comparten experiencias, ideas, investigaciones e invenciones relacionadas con la ciudad sustentable.