Geography 2

Code:

200205

Acronym:

200205

Instance: 2010/2011 - A

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Arquitectura (A)
Course/CS Responsible:	Integrated Master Degree in Architecture

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
MIARQ	151	MIARQ	2	-	7	-

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

Objectives, Competencies and Learning Outcomes

The route of epistemological Human Geography has, like other social sciences, followed by rapidly evolving and diverse directions: when social dynamics change, so does the mode of appropriation and transformation of the territory. This issue requires not only the constantly review of the conceptual and theoretical geography tools, but also to update the knowledge of empirical reality, in the case of Portugal.

In general, students of architecture have a very poor training in Geography, a situation that becomes complicated when this gap is filled with inaccurate information too superficial and "common sense". In addition, the disciplinary body of Geography (Physical and Human) is extremely broad and includes other specializations and areas of interest shared by other knowledge fields. Geography by itself doesn’t fill this gap, nevertheless is possible to focus the objectives in some fields of interest that Geography, Architecture and Urbanism share, developing the theoretical discussion of common concepts and theories (urban, rural, city and country, urbanization, etc.)

In the second year of the course of architecture the first difficulties arise in Project II when the students have to analyze the urban context of the project area (usually a sector of the “historical city”). From the functional surveys, the interpretation of what changes the dynamics of urban transformation reveals several difficulties, since the lacks of specific knowledge in Urban Geography, (namely the causes of the diversity of the various urban functions), to difficulty to understand what changes in the contemporary urban condition itself.

The opportunity and the advantage of articulation of the discipline of Geography with the other disciplines in the 2nd year (and the rest of the course, having in mind the central importance of urban processes, form and design) define therefore the main objectives:

- to briefly summarize the recent theoretical changes in Geography, especially from the French influence of Classical Geography (Orlando Ribeiro);
- to emphasize the major features of the Geography of Portugal and the diversity of its natural regions, territorial patterns of occupation and land use and urban system;

- the need for some key concepts of geography where the interest of Architecture and Urbanism coincide.

Program

Program issues
A-Geography and its basic concepts
. Classical Geography and the study of "Geographic Landscapes"
. Geography and Neo-positivist study of the "Geographical Space"
. Geography and the study of contemporary “Territories”
This first block of information intended to familiarize students with the major disruptions of conceptual geography and modulation their "look" at what changes in the dynamics of transformation and appropriation of the territory:
- As part of Classical Geography, the geographical landscape is an epiphenomenon of dynamic relationship between society and the physical invariants of the territory - climate, geology, geomorphology, vegetation cover, etc. This topic can be developed presenting examples of critically Regional Geography of Portugal and the contrasts between Portugal "Atlantic", "Mediterranean", "Seaside" and "Interior". This approach also ties in with a presentation of what is today the diversity of the concept of "Landscape" in various disciplines: aesthetics, landscape ecology, geography, landscape architecture, anthropology, etc..;
- Within the neo-positivist geography, the "geographical space or spatial organization" is an organized structure of surfaces, areas of influence, points / nodes, networks, flows, connectivity, etc. That spatial organization of society is quantified using maps, concepts, theories and models - such as Central Places Theory. In urban analysis, the Central Places Theory deserves a more developed approach to familiarize students with the functional interpretation and the diversity of patterns of location of equipment and functions and respective influence market areas;
- In the context of contemporary geography, the study of "territory" and the society / territory inter-relations open a diversity of viewpoints on this matter, including sociological perspectives (the territories of exclusion, inequality and social differentiation), economics (industrial districts and production systems) or behavioral (modes of appropriation and the construction of mental maps).

B. Major features of the Geography of Portugal
. The major physical contrasts;
. Different regions and regional maps;
. The “Urban Portugal”
In this second block is given a special importance to the "Urban Portugal," emphasizing the diversity of scales and patterns of urbanization, as well as the diversity of maps of "urbaness", from the small scale of the historical city to conurbations of enlarged scale and diffuse urbanization. In the discussing of the traditional rural-urban opposition, the aim is also to analyze what changes in "rural": from the extinction of traditional rural landscapes, economy or culture, to the growing specialization of agro-forestry production, to the metamorphosis of rural landscapes becoming tourist regions.
C - What do key concepts mean?
. landscape, territory, geographical space
. city, urban
. rural, agricultural
This last block incorporates content already discussed above in order to build some synthesis and increase the rigor of the use of concepts. Concepts were chosen where today there is not much consensus; when they are shared by many disciplines, or many interpretations abound and where common sense is mixed with scientific language. In so doing we intend to work on the student's critical capacity, the need to look at other areas of knowledge, the ability to overcome common sense and approach used in the mass media, emphasizing the constant need that architecture has to interpret what changes in society and epistemological inquiry about the construction and use of concepts and theoretical knowledge.

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching Methods
This program is developed in lectures (2 hours per week) exposure of the matter, according to a communications strategy that raises the discussion, polemics and schematic drawing of summaries.
Given the difficulties of Architecture students have in these matters, is particularly significant to discuss the precision of concepts, as well as presentation and discussion of graphical examples (plans and pieces of plans, aerial photography, Google Earth images, etc.), having always in mind interconnect readings between morphological representations (static or dynamic) with the social processes that explain the transformation of the territory.
Study visits play an important role, allowing direct observation of urbanization patterns at various scales and a pedagogical context that encourages informal discussions around the themes that illustrate the visits.
Also important is the use of news from generic media or Internet content on urban issues, in particular, to confront scientific knowledge with the opinion published on similar themes.
It is assumed therefore that the lack of consensus on certain matters and disciplinary concepts, or gaps in research on emerging issues, must be filled with discussion, contradictions, or ideological confrontation, or with the understanding that arises from social legitimization of certain themes, his problematic and politics how to solve them: the paradigm of sustainability and environmental consciousness, heritage and historic city preservation, the quality of life, urban problems, housing, reaction to politic choices and urban projects, etc. ., are recurring themes in the media and educational material of greatest interest to compare with the scientific.
Finally, we must emphasize a close relationship with Project II, particularly in functional analysis and contextualization of the case study proposed in the discipline.

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation without final exam

Eligibility for exams

The positive final evaluation is the result of two written tests whose final average will be equal or higher than ten (scale from zero to twenty). The realization of a practical research for evaluation purposes is only possible if it is individual and when the student obtained at least 10 or more in one of the two written tests.
The final evaluation includes compliance with the attendance to theoretical classes (limit of absences of less than 25% of planned lectures).

Calculation formula of final grade

Final mark is the average of two written tests. A practical research substitutes one negative test (when it be the case), or majors the average (more than 10 in a 0-20 scale) of two written tests in maximum 3 points.
Where one of two classifications of theoretical tests is less than ten, the student can repeat this test in final exam period for appeal, responding to one or several issues relating to the matter concerned. The action is required if the note is lower than previously obtained eight values.

Examinations or Special Assignments

Individual work resulting from practical ressearch is discussed with the students, according to the above paragraph. Maximum increase of three points (range 0 to 20) of the average result of two theoretical tests.