Geography

Code:

20203A2

Acronym:

20203A2

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
CNAEF	Architecture and Urbanism

Instance: 2019/2020 - 1S

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	34	MIARQ	2	-	3	-	81

Teaching language

Suitable for English-speaking students

Objectives

 

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.)

 

 

Learning outcomes and competences

 - 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 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 (rural/urban; city/country; center/periphery).

 

 

 

 

Working method

Presencial

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.

 

 

Mandatory literature

Domingues Álvaro 340; Cidade e democracia. ISBN: 972-8479-39-8
Orlando Ribeiro; Geografia e Civilização, Livros Horizonte, 1983
PORTAS, N; DOMINGUES, A.; CABRAL, J.; Pol´ticas Urbanas II, Fundação Calouste Gulbenkian, 2010
DOMINGUES, A.; A Paisagem Revisitada, Centro Estudos Geográficos, 2001
Ascher François; Metapolis. ISBN: 972-8027-88-3

Teaching methods and learning activities

Teaching Methods

 

This program is developed in lectures (90 minutes 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.

Evaluation Type

Evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

designation	Weight (%)
Exame	100,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

designation	Time (hours)
Frequência das aulas	0,00
Total:	0,00

Eligibility for exams

is mandatory the presence to more than 13 attendance in class

Calculation formula of final grade

Final grade is the result of writem final exame