Urban and Regional Planning

Code:

L.EA022

Acronym:

PUR

Keywords
Classification	Keyword
OFICIAL	Natural Sciences - Environmental Science

Instance: 2024/2025 - 2S

Active?	Yes
Responsible unit:	Department of Civil and Georesources Engineering
Course/CS Responsible:	Bachelor in Environmental Engineering

Cycles of Study/Courses

Acronym	No. of Students	Study Plan	Curricular Years	Credits UCN	Credits ECTS	Contact hours	Total Time
L.EA	39	Syllabus	3	-	6	52	162

Teaching language

Portuguese

Objectives

The main objectives of this course are to provide students with theoretical and practical skills on Urban and Regional Planning, and provide technical expertise in analysis and decision support regarding urban and regional planning. The aim is to provide tools for the description and interpretation of the current problems of the urban environment and frame the main strategies, methodologies and instruments of action to solve them.

Learning outcomes and competences

Upon completion of this course, students should be able to:

1. Understand the historical evolution and main trends in regional and urban planning, recognizing the challenges of spatial occupation and the impact of urban policies.
2. Analyze the role of spatial planning in sustainable development, considering environmental, economic and social aspects.
3. Distinguish and apply spatial management instruments and spatial analysis tools.
4. Characterize and diagnose urban and regional territories, using quantitative and qualitative methods, with emphasis on the following dimensions: population, housing, economy, transport and mobility.
5. Develop and discuss proposals for spatial intervention, including diagnosis and proposed solutions.

Students will develop skills in the following areas:

• Spatial analysis and urban diagnosis, applying research techniques and processing of spatial and socioeconomic data.
• Mastery of spatial planning and management instruments, understanding their practical application and impact on the urban and regional structure.
• Ability to formulate and evaluate intervention proposals, based on sustained diagnoses.
• Ability to communicate and work in a team, facilitating debates, promoting popular participation and integrating different perspectives in planning.
• Sensitivity to environmental and social issues, promoting sustainable and inclusive development solutions.

Working method

Presencial

Pre-requirements (prior knowledge) and co-requirements (common knowledge)

 

Program

1. Urban and Regional Planning: A Historical Perspective
1.1. The evolution of territorial occupation and the arising problems
1.2. The emergence of planning and its evolution
1.3. The planning trends
2. Sustainable Development.
2.1 The Contribution of Spatial Planning
2.2 Environmental Economy
3. Planning Instruments (Plans). The plans their typology, content, objectives and scales.
4.1 General Concepts
4.2 The Environmental component of Instruments.
4.3 Environmental Impact Assessment
4. The functioning of Urban and Regional spaces. Methodologies for characterization, diagnosis and prediction.
4.1 Demographics
4.2 Housing.
4.3 Economy
4.4 Public Services.
4.5 Transport and Mobility.
4.5.1 Transport and Mobility Systems
4.5.2 Interdependencies and Accessibility
5. Contemporary Challenges

Mandatory literature

DGT-CNT; PDM GO: Boas práticas para os Planos Diretores Municipais, Direção-Geral do Território e Comissão Nacional do Território, 2020 (Download: https://cnt.dgterritorio.gov.pt/sites/default/files/Guia_PDM-GO.pdf)
DGT; Spatial Planning and Regional Development in Portugal, Direção-Geral do Território, 2021 (Download: www.dgterritorio.gov.pt/sites/default/files/publicacoes/spatial_planning_and_regional_development_in_portugal.pdf)
Hall , Peter; Urban &=and regional planning. ISBN: 0-415-07624-2

Teaching methods and learning activities

Classes of theoretical discussion around the presented syllabus.Theoretical/practical classes with presentation of analysis and planning support tools and practical applications of these analysis and planning support instruments to one practical assignmens. Distributed evaluation with final exam.

Software

Microsoft Package (Word, Excel, PowerPoint, etc.)
Outros programas escolhidos pelos alunos para resolução de problemas associados aos exercícios teórico-práticos propostos (sugestões poderão ser oferecidas pelos docentes).

Evaluation Type

Distributed evaluation with final exam

Assessment Components

Designation	Weight (%)
Exame	50,00
Trabalho prático ou de projeto	50,00
Total:	100,00

Amount of time allocated to each course unit

Designation	Time (hours)
Estudo autónomo	30,00
Frequência das aulas	50,00
Trabalho de investigação	50,00
Trabalho escrito	20,00
Total:	150,00

Eligibility for exams

The general regulations of the University of Porto are to be followed, considering a maximum of 25% of absences. Working Students are exempted from these requirements.

Calculation formula of final grade

Calculation formula for the Final Grade (FG)

FG = 0.5E + 0.5PA

(FG = 0.5E + 0.2PA₁ + 0.3PA₂)

where,

FG = final grade (0-20);

E = exam grade* (0-20);

PA₁ - Practical Assignment 1 (0-20): Regional Dimension

PA₂ - Practical Assignment 2 (0-20): Urban Dimension

*The minimum grade in the exam for passing the curricular unit is 7.0 points (on a scale of 20, rounded to one decimal place). Failure to achieve this minimum grade results in failing the curricular unit.

The distributed assessment (consisting of the practical assigment PA₁ and PA₂)  cannot be recovered by exame. The only way to carry out the distribution assessmenti is through the development of the practical assigments durring the regular class schedule.
Working students are not required to attend classes. They may work on assignments individually outside of class. However, they must follow to the schedule established for regular students and present their assignments like regular students (during the scheduled practical class).
Working students should contact the teachers for detailed information and organize their activities accordingly.

 

Special assessment (TE, DA, ...)

The distributed assessment (consisting of the practical assigment PA₁ and PA₂)  cannot be recovered by exame. The only way to carry out the distribution assessmenti is through the development of the practical assigments durring the regular class schedule.
Working students are not required to attend classes. They may work on assignments individually outside of class. However, they must follow to the schedule established for regular students and present their assignments like regular students (during the scheduled practical class).
Working students should contact the teachers for detailed information and organize their activities accordingly.

Classification improvement

Grade improvements must take place during the resit period (upon registration at the administrative services). Any of the assessment components can be subject to improvement. The following principles must be followed:

1. The Exam grade can be enhanced through the Resit Exam.
2. The grade for Theoretical-Practical Assignments can be improved through an oral examination focused on Theoretical-Practical Assignment 1 and/or Theoretical-Practical Assignment 2 – as explicitly requested by the student.
3. The student must notify the lecturer by email at least two days in advance if they wish to have an oral examination focused on either one or both Theoretical-Practical Assignments, to allow for timely scheduling of the oral exams.