To present and discuss themes related to Open Spaces and Environmental studies, to spread the Brazilian and International scientific and professional production.
Universidade de São Paulo. Faculdade de Arquitetura e Urbanismo
A revista Paisagem e Ambiente: ensaios tem licença Creative Commons Creative Commons - Atribuição-NãoComercial-CompartilhaIgual 4.0 Internacional DIADORIM - Diretório de Políticas Editoriais O detentor dos direitos autorais é o autor do artigo. A revista exige apenas o ineditismo na publicação do artigo. O autor tem do direito de divulgar seu artigo conforme sua conveniência.
This article examines the relationship between childhood, landscape, and politics from a phenomenological and decolonial perspective, drawing on fieldwork conducted at Fundação Casa Grande – Memorial do Homem Kariri (Ceará, Brazil). Starting from the hypothesis that a politics without territory is like a head without a body, we propose the notion of conspiring the landscape (from the Latin con-spirare, “to breathe together”) as a conceptual key for understanding practices through which children inhabit, narrate, and reinvent territory. Mobilising Merleau-Ponty’s phenomenology, Rancière’s concept of the distribution of the sensible, Arendt’s notion of natality, Certeau’s invention of everyday life, and Afro-Indigenous epistemologies, we argue that the Foundation constitutes an experience of embodied politics: a political education of the senses in which childhood is not a preparatory stage but a form of political presence. As an original contribution, the article incorporates the framework of Inclusive Social Archaeology as a practice of reading landscape, fostering belonging, and cultivating political imagination.
Copyright (c) 2025 Glauber Piva, Maria Conceição Lopes https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
This article examines nature-based solutions not only as technical instruments for climate adaptation and urban environmental management, but also as political and legal objects produced through collective struggles over the city. Drawing on Social Systems Theory, it argues that social movements operate as local political-legal organizations that translate environmental conflicts into claims for citizenship, participation, territorial justice, and legal recognition. The article combines theoretical analysis, bibliographic review, and case study research to show how nature-based solutions become objects of democratic participation, legal semantics, and environmental justice.
Copyright (c) 2025 Matteo Finco, Marco Antonio Loschiavo Leme de Barros https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Native plants with ornamental potential: a study in the region of Rio das Antas, Santa Catarina
This article aimed to identify native plants with ornamental potential in the Rio das Antas region, Santa Catarina. The methodology adopted for plant identification was the transect walk method, conducted between 2019 and 2020 in areas of Mixed Ombrophilous Forest. Consequently, ten main genera of native plants with ornamental potential were identified: Lantana, Tradescantia, Oxalis, Coccocypselum, Youngia, Clidemia, Adiantum, Callianthe, Solanum, and Tillandsia. The plants displayed relevant ornamental attributes, such as size, branching pattern, flowering, leaf and floral color, as well as hardiness and an absence of apparent pest symptoms during the monitoring period. These results indicate that the evaluated species have potential for application in sustainable, low-maintenance landscaping.
Seed morphology and analysis of the ornamental potential of seven native species of plants from the cerrado
Many native plant species in the Cerrado can be used in landscaping projects. However, a lack of information about these species reduces their commercialization potential and use in landscaping. The objective of this study was to morphologically characterize the seeds and analyze the ornamental potential of seven species native to the Cerrado. For the ornamental potential analysis, the following characteristics were considered: morphological, phenological, reproductive, applicability, and originality. For the morphological characterization of seeds, data on length, width, thickness, and dry mass were obtained.
Urban forest plans as a strategy for climate crisis mitigation and adaptation
In the face of the climate crisis, urban forest planning can protect and expand urban green spaces, create and enhance public spaces, and generate urban, environmental, psychosocial, and economic benefits. Planning enables the development of strategies, programs, and projects in a systematic and interconnected way. Therefore, Urban Forest Plans can serve as a tool for compiling information on urban forest planning, establishing objectives and goals, and covering management rules, tree inventories, mapping, monitoring indicators, enforcement mechanisms, theoretical discussions on the importance of urban forestry, and other relevant topics. The objective of this article is to highlight the importance of urban forests and their planning for climate mitigation and adaptation. For this purpose, documentary research on grey literature was conducted, supporting the significance of urban forests and Urban Forest Plans. In the face of the irreversible climate crisis, planning for urban forests can help build a more sustainable future for urban environments.
Copyright (c) 2025 Mario Henrique Felgueira Pavanelli, Alessandro Filla Rosaneli https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Living laboratory in the Amazon: university extension practices in floodplain area in Belém do Pará
This work presents the outreach project “Laboratory of Urbanism, Landscaping and Sensory Perception: support for creaqting a system of living spaces and nature-based solutions for the Health Campus” at the Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism of the Federal University of Pará (FAU/UFPA). It focuses on Igarapé Sapucajuba, an area located at the beginning of an institutional green belt, with an important socio-environmental function, and which covers both UFPA land and areas of informal occupation surrounding the Campus. Seeking to build nature-based solutions, in dialogue with the region’s residents and the university community, the project has contributed to the academic and professional training of students involved and to the importance of maintaining green areas, both for the University which houses the Igarapé, and the city of Belém itself.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ana Claudia Duarte Cardoso, Luiz de Jesus Dias da Silva, Rachel Sfair Ferreira Benzecry, Cintia Geraldina Reis da Silva Sousa, Bárbara Faciola Pessoa Baleixe https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Nature as infrastructure: an interdisciplinary experience in landscape practice through geodesign
The Anthropocene era has ushered in a phase of action in combating climate change. Landscape architects play a crucial role in designing landscapes that are better adapted to their context, using the landscape as a means for innovative solutions. This research reports on an interdisciplinary academic experience in developing a decentralized and autonomous wastewater treatment system for two prototypes located in the municipality of Caucaia, Ceará. Geodesign was used to define the interactions necessary to facilitate the co-creation process of the team in designing an Evapotranspiration Basin (EB). Information such as local customs and culture guided decision-making from the beginning of the project in choosing which system to implement. Although geodesign optimizes interactions among the teams involved in the co-creation process, there was a need for more direct exchange between the local community and the team, which enriches the pilot and enables community ownership of the proposal through replicability at the residential scale. The research is ongoing, with the second phase involving the development of a risk monitoring plan for the intervention area.
Copyright (c) 2025 Maria Gabriela Cunha Appleyard, Ana Luiza Bezerra Guerreiro, Victor Brito Dos Santos, José Carlos Alves Barroso Júnior, José Lucas Gomes Mendes, Moana Sobreira Machado, Guilherme Lopes de Oliveira, João Pedro Deodato Barreto, Shaiane Gomes Viana, Joana Pimentel Guedes, Alexandre Araújo Bertini, Newton Célio Becker de Moura https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Landscape and city: theoretical reflections from Jean-Marc Besse and Gordon Cullen
This article examines the conceptual complexities of the terms landscape and urban landscape, drawing on the theories of Jean-Marc Besse and Gordon Cullen. Besse proposes that landscape should be understood as a field of complex interactions, thus surpassing the traditional view of mere visual representation. In the urban context, ambiguities arise that necessitate a theoretical redefinition. Cullen introduces the concept of townscape, emphasizing visual organization and aesthetic coherence in the urban experience. Given the polysemy of the term urban landscape, this article proposes urban morphology as a more precise approach to analyzing the form of cities and their social interactions, contributing to a more detailed understanding of the relations between the built environment and urban culture.
Copyright (c) 2025 Denis Ferri da Silva https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Connecting places and people: green-blue infrastructure proposal for an urban section of the railway line in Campina Grande, PB
This article presents the methodology and results of a project developed by students of the Landscape Planning II course in the undergraduate Architecture and Urbanism program at the Federal University of Campina Grande. The project aimed to develop a landscape plan for Green-Blue Infrastructure at the urban macro scale, integrated with the existing gray infrastructure in Campina Grande (PB). The main objective was to design an intervention within the walkable surroundings of a section of the railway line that crosses the city’s macro-urban zone. The activities included field visits, the construction of a theoretical-methodological framework, the production of cartograms, and the elaboration of a diagnosis and preliminary design. The process highlighted the importance of Green-Blue Infrastructure in creating more sustainable and inclusive cities, promoting quality of life and community well-being.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rafael Caldas de Araújo Cunha, Alison Matheus de Melo Silva, Mauro Normando Macêdo Barros Filho https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
When the visible is not seen: perceptions of the urban landscape in downtown Bauru
The article analyzes the urban landscape of downtown Bauru, a city in the interior of São Paulo, by articulating the structural concepts of Kevin Lynch with the ethnographic approach of José Guilherme Magnani. The aim is to make visible those elements of the city that, although physically present, remain ignored or rendered invisible in everyday urban life. The methodology combines a bibliographic review, walking ethnography, affective listening, and analytical systematization, allowing for a sensitive reading of paths, landmarks, boundaries, districts, and nodes. The analysis reveals how these elements preserve memories, affections, and dynamics that resist the erasure caused by modernization and spatial fragmentation. Thus, the “urban invisible” does not refer to physical absence, but to the symbolic silencing imposed by social, political, and economic practices that devalue cultural heritage and everyday memories. By proposing an articulation between experience, perception, and structure, the study contributes to a more complex, critical, and affective understanding of the urban landscape and its importance to collective identity.
Inventory and diagnosis of trees in green areas and urban roads of the municipality of cachoeira do Arari, Pará
This study aims to conduct a comprehensive inventory and qualitative diagnosis of the urban arborization in Cachoeira do Arari, Pará, to identify the floristic species that constitute the urban vegetation and assess their health status and management practices. The findings seek to inform and support the development of public policies incorporating urban forestry as a fundamental component of the city’s sustainable development strategies. The floristic survey was carried out through a complete census of all woody species. Qualitative parameters were evaluated by examining the phytosanitary conditions of the trees and analyzing their spatial arrangement in relation to the existing urban infrastructure. The study underscores the critical importance of strategic planning to ensure a balance between the preservation of urban trees and the safety and well-being of the community.
Copyright (c) 2025 Breno Vinícius Bragança Avelar, Alecsandra Ribeiro Araújo, Nariar Siqueira Conceição, Whellyson Pereira Araújo Cordão, Flaubert Queiroga de Sousa https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Nature as urban drainage infrastructure: a narrative review on blue infrastructure for flood resilience
This article presents a narrative review of the literature on the use of Blue Infrastructures as Nature-Based Solutions (NBS) for urban flood resilience. NBS provide social and ecosystem services, strengthening urban resilience to climate change. This article explores the role of nature as infrastructure for urban drainage, analyzing the challenges and potential of NBS. Additionally, by examining the effectiveness of NBS as drainage tools, the study proposes reflections for enhancing their application. To achieve this objective, the article presents a narrative review covering urban resilience, followed by NBS and Blue Infrastructure (BI). The conclusion examines the role of Blue Infrastructure within the NBS concept, highlighting its potential and limitations. It is hoped that this work enriches the academic literature on the subject, expands the implementation potential of these solutions, and fosters discussion on nature as infrastructure.
Copyright (c) 2025 Tainah Frota Carvalho, Newton Célio Becker de Moura https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Landscape in transition: valley bottoms in Bauru - SP
The landscape of valley bottoms in Brazilian culture is characterized by conflicts, challenges, and latent potential. This research aims to examine the contemporary transformation processes affecting these open spaces in Bauru, São Paulo, by investigating possible alternatives to mitigate socio-cultural, environmental, and urban issues. The study supports a transition from so-called lost landscapes to productive landscapes. Aligned with global debates on climate change, food security, demographic growth, and sprawling urban expansion, the research is grounded in the intersection of governance and public policy, civil society, planners and managers, and the disciplinary field of Landscape Architecture itself. To structure the investigation, an exploratory study was conducted using the case study method, drawing on multiple sources of evidence—including bibliographic and documentary materials, as well as direct observations—that enable movement between temporal and territorial scales, fostering alternative approaches to landscape interpretation, planning, and design.
Copyright (c) 2025 Ryller Veríssimo, Luciana Bongiovanni Martins Schenk https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The use of “mais-valia” and “mais-valerá” as transformative elements of the cityscape of Rio de Janeiro
This paper aims to shed light on the effects of compensation laws, known in the city of Rio de Janeiro as “mais-valia” and “mais-valerá,” on the urban landscape. The use of these mechanisms to build beyond permitted parameters has become a cultural practice, earning the nickname “puxadinhos” (makeshift extensions). From the 2000s onward, these laws became a recurring subject of complementary legislation that authorized their application. Their peak occurred in 2024 with the new Master Plan, which introduced the largest incentive program for “puxadinhos” in the municipality. Part of this work draws on doctoral research defended in 2014 that examined the influence of urban legislation on the city’s landscape.
Copyright (c) 2025 Rogerio Goldfeld Cardeman https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Design guidelines for increasing bird diversity in urban open spaces
Urban open spaces can contribute to biodiversity conservation. While urban ornithology studies are abundant in temperate countries, there is a lack of them in the tropical regions that offer landscape design guidelines for promoting bird diversity. This study proposes guidelines applicable at three scales: local, urban, and landscape. The first focuses on small interventions at the parcel scale and the adoption of native vegetation; the second provides strategies to promote a mosaic of open spaces; and the third addresses the connection of urban space with the surrounding landscape. In total, 21 guidelines were produced and applied in an urban area of the municipality of Serra, Espirito Santo, Brazil. Additionally, four new guidelines were derived from contextual demands. The study demonstrates the applicability of these guidelines and their potential for incorporation into public policies aimed at promoting the diversity of native bird species.
Copyright (c) 2025 Homero Marconi Penteado, Beatriz Mourão Barcelos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Protected natural spaces in focus: procedures for understanding the structure of the coastal landscape of Natal - RN
The processes involved in urban development increasingly compromise the remaining natural areas that withstand human-induced changes. The expansion of urban fabric alters the composition of natural spaces, reducing them to isolated and scattered fragments. In Natal, where settlement began along the banks of the Potengi River, 10 territorial fractions spared from this process are officially recognized by the municipality as Environmental Protection Zones. Considering native vegetation cover as an essential element of this study, the objective is to present the mapping, distribution, and structural analysis procedures of four of these fractions, located along the coastal fringe and hosting ecosystems such as reefs, beaches, mangroves, restingas, dunes, the Atlantic Forest, and coastal plateaus. The analysis focuses on classifying vegetated fragments using GIS and photographic records, aiming to support landscape planning for these natural spaces.
Copyright (c) 2025 Emmanuelle Séfora Cabral Silva, Ruth Maria da Costa Ataíde https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Methodological proposal for developing a diagnosis of public leisure spaces in Foz do Iguaçu - PR
Public open leisure spaces are structuring elements of a city and are recognized as important for urban life. However, like several Brazilian municipalities, Foz do Iguaçu lacks an accurate survey of existing squares and parks, as well as other spaces of collective appropriation. Moreover, the municipality does not have a sector responsible for developing projects and maintaining these spaces. Thus, this article presents a methodological proposal for conductng a diagnosis of public leisure spaces in Foz do Iguaçu. For this purpose, a bibliographical survey of scientific productions on the topic was employed. We present a methodology that can be replicated in other municipalities and the material produced can serve as support for managing existing spaces and elaborating public policies that aim to qualify public open leisure spaces.
Copyright (c) 2025 Juliana Rammé, Alexandro Alberto Domaradzki Sidor, Leane Tessaro de Araujo, Vitória Francescon Cittolin, Juciele Da Silva Andrade, Maria Alejandra Angarita Cediel, Tamara Fernanda Diaz Parada https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Public lighting and its effects on the sense of safety: the case of Agenor Moreira Square, Vila Velha - ES
The increase in urban violence reveals a scenario of emptying public spaces, especially at night. In this article, we investigate the influence of public lighting on the sense of security, taking as a case study the square Agenor Moreira, in Vila Velha, Brazil. Behavioral and physical-environmental maps and interviews were constructed to support the spatial analysis. The analytical-classification tool "QualificaURB" was also applied, which revealed an improvement in the indicators of public lighting and surveillance of the square after its renovation. The discussions highlight the influence of lighting on urban appropriation and the sense of security, as well as assist in urban planning for optimized lighting projects and solutions aiming at the safety of its users.
Copyright (c) 2025 Amanda Jeveaux Passamani, Larissa Leticia Andara Ramos, Luciana Aparecida Netto de Jesus https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The influence of public square arborization on the microclimate
Amid growing concerns about climate change and quality of life in cities, this study explores the influence of public spaces on the urban microclimate, highlighting the regulatory function of vegetation. The objective is to quantify green areas in public squares in Regional 9 of Vitória and relate them to demographic factors, per capita income, and temperature. The research combines qualitative and quantitative approaches, using Google Earth images and AutoCAD measurements to calculate shaded areas. Temperature and humidity data were collected on-site, and the maps were created using QGis, with calculations performed in Excel. Results indicate that neighborhoods with higher income levels have more squares and that vegetation significantly influences the microclimate, with temperature variations of up to 2°C between squares and 5.6°C between shaded and unshaded areas within the same square.
Copyright (c) 2025 Bruna da Silva Santos Brandão, Luciana Aparecida Netto de Jesus, Larissa Leticia Andara Ramos, Iasmin Tamanini Secco https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Landscape analysis in the immediate geographic region of Cachoeira do Sul (RS): dynamics and influences of water resources and the impacts of the climate disaster in May 2024
The Immediate Geographic Region of Cachoeira do Sul (REGICS), composed of the municipalities of Cachoeira do Sul, Novos Cabrais, Paraíso do Sul, and Cerro Branco, is located at the transition between the Atlantic Forest and Pampa biomes, a crucial factor for the regional landscape. This study aims to analyze the dynamics and patterns of water resources in the floodplain of REGICS via an ecological approach. The adopted methodology consists of four stages: analysis of land use and land cover maps; comparison with satellite images focusing on the 2024 floods; horizontal and vertical studies with profiles; and the compilation of results accompanied by corresponding photographs. The results indicate that the regional landscape is undergoing transformation, impacting water resources. This transformation is strongly linked to climate change, as evidenced by the 2024 floods.
Copyright (c) 2025 Maiara Baldissarelli, Amanda Eloísa Kasburger, Maicon Pinto de Moraes, Ariane Brum Rodrigues, Raquel Weiss, Martiele Wilhelm, Gabriela Martins Flores, Ariel Felipe Geraldo Zaghetti https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
For a popular landscape architecture: reflections for research, praxis and the teaching of landscape architecture
The current phase of global warming, caused by hegemonic production patterns, exacerbates inequalities. The issues addressed in this article involve the relevance of landscapes, landscape-thinking (Berque 2023), opaque spaces (Santos, 1996, 2000), and popular landscapes for the formulation of a new perspective for landscape architecture that we conceptualize as “critical and popular landscape architecture.” The work is the result of decades of professional, research, and teaching-extension experience of the authors in popular territories, where various methodological procedures have been employed, always having field immersion in common. The collective results of the work in popular landscapes demonstrate the relevance of dialogical procedures for the procedural construction of new knowledge, contributing to the qualification of landscapes, citizenship, and the renewal of the teaching of architecture and urban landscape by valuing extension practices.
critical and popular landscape architecture
Copyright (c) 2025 Eugenio Fernandes Queiroga, Ana Cecília Mattei de Arruda Campos, Daniela das Neves Alvarenga, Isabela Sollero Lemos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The hypotesis of Belvedere Linear Park: social agents and the dispute for free spaces in the city
This work seeks to contextualize and discuss the process of mobilization for the creation of the Belvedere Linear Park, located between the municipalities of Belo Horizonte and Nova Lima, Minas Gerais. The area — in dispute by organized social groups, State, and estate Market — holds socio-environmental importance for the metropolis, bordering the dense urban fabric and advancing over the region of mountains and conservation units. Via field and documentary research, we seek to record the dynamics of the agents involved, contributing to investigations into contemporary landscaping challenges regarding consolidation and use of free spaces. We highlight that the proposal for a new leisure and preservation space has occurred in the practices and discourses of organized residents, even before its institutionalization, revealing the potential of the initiatives of social groups and their actions in shaping the landscape.
Copyright (c) 2025 Marcos Felipe Sudre Saidler, Eduardo Archetti Martins Arruda https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Complex cartography in the critical reading of physical and historical processes of the landscape of São Carlos (SP)
São Carlos (SP) currently has a characteristic of uneven urban sprawl towards its outskirts. This process is associated with the emptying of the city’s downtown, which highlights social and environmental issues both in terms of the increase in unrented commercial properties and flooding aggravated by climate change. To address the lack of systemic planning, the hypothesis of this paper is that more comprehensive and transdisciplinary research methods would be capable of producing interpretations of greater complexity, intertwining in a cartography denominated complex, which deals with physical, sociocultural, and historical processes of the landscape. Complex cartography is associated with a phenomenological vision and we intend to reflect on the process that unites and separates the downtown and peripheries, while at the same time looking for ways to represent, based on evidence, information that aids in this investigation.
Copyright (c) 2025 Luciana Bongiovanni Martins Schenk , Renata Michelon Cocco, Patrícia Cereda de Azevedo https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Analysis and Classification of Urban Green Areas in Palmas (TO) for Sustainable Management
The article examines the modern reality of Palmas, Tocantins, Brazil, and discusses the importance of maintaining urban green areas to mitigate the negative consequences of urbanization. The municipality manages its green spaces via the Municipal Green Infrastructure System (SisMIV), created in 2018. The study categorized urban lots designated as Green Areas (AVs) according to SisMIV guidelines, using Geographic Information System (GIS) tools to organize, identify, quantify, and analyze these lots. The study highlighted the importance of accurate data for environmental management, emphasizing that geoprocessing via GIS is a valuable tool for informed decision-making. Additionally, this article underscores the need for data-driven urban space management to address climate and environmental challenges.
Copyright (c) 2025 Gabriela Miranda Sampaio Freires, Sarah Afonso Rodovalho https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
This paper presents partial results of an interinstitutional action research project focused on the theme of urban floodplains. If the idea of floodplain, analogous to the condition of being a floodplain dweller, usually brings with it depreciative values, viewed from the perspective of the asepsis of the “High” areas of cities, this work investigates recent initiatives of cultivation and experience of the landscape in humid terrains. These are vegetable gardens and orchards invented since 2016 by residents of Vila Santa Filomena next to the Água da Grama stream, in Bauru (SP). The text focuses on the roles of field research based on aesthetic experience (BÖHME, 2010) and the poetic images that correspond to it (BACHELARD, 2013) in investigative processes directed at the landscape. As urban void without a destination, in an almost clandestine manner, a feeling of nature insinuates itself in an original way, shared by plants germinated at random, accustomed to ponds, and by the seeds and seedlings planted by people interested in cultivating them. The results obtained so far allow us to signal the relevance of bodily perception and the critical exploration of the imaginary as material and method for a more precise assessment of the symbolic values of the floodplains and their latent landscapes.
Copyright (c) 2025 Arthur Simões Caetano Cabral https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Essay for environmental planning of the agroecological transition of the Macaé and Ostras river basin
This study proposes a landscape prototype for mapping the potential for agroecological transition in unurbanized areas within the Macaé and Ostras River Basin, Rio de Janeiro. Its objective is to identify areas suitable for agroecological practices, considering environmental, social, and economic factors. Using data from the Brazilian Institute of Geography and Statistics (IBGE), the study maps areas appropriate for agroforestry systems and sustainable preservation by analyzing hydrography, urban infrastructure, and terrain. Through geoprocessing and parametric cartography, it identifies areas capable of sustaining a larger population, promoting food self-sufficiency, biodiversity conservation, and mitigating the impacts of conventional agricultural practices.
Copyright (c) 2025 Vinicius Ferreira Mattos, Maria Lis Paula De Moraes Dos Santos https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Urban ecology and the requalification of degraded areas: teaching as a vector for critical reflection
This paper reports on a set of didactic experiences in teaching landscape design, focusing on the environmental recovery of the Mulembá Valley, in Vitória, Brazil. The main objective of these experiences was to raise students’ awareness about the applicability of landscape design as an environmental strategy, going beyond the merely ornamental interventions. The methodology included the presentation of theoretical concepts, case studies of environmental requalification, and an exploratory visit to the field of intervention. Via photographic records and observation drawings, students identified the main elements of local landscape and also the challenges for recovering the site. The results highlight the importance of working with native species, introducing approaches that go beyond human-centered strict strategies, as well as developing site-specific solutions that are sensitive to their respective context.
Copyright (c) 2025 Iago Longue Martins https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
The affective perception of Praça Costa Pereira's landscape, Vitória/ES
Affective perception arises from the interaction between the individual and the environment, as well as from the human brain’s ability to perceive and react emotionally by activating its mechanisms for emotions, feelings, and memories. The main goal of this paper is to understand the affective landscape of Costa Pereira Square, focusing on the emotional variations it evokes. The square was chosen because it is the oldest and most tree-lined square in the lower city; its surrounding area features a preserved architectural complex that has withstood the effects of time; and it is a public space of great vitality. The exploratory research, with a qualitative approach, uses the collection of narratives to evaluate the perception of two user groups: G1 – with affective ties to the square, and G2 – without ties. The results show that the square consolidates a unique ambiance, evokes positive memories, is recognized for its scenic value and heritage, and is appropriated by the population, despite the center’s degradation.
Fictional projections, anticipated catastrophes: the power of climate fiction in addressing the environmental crisis
Climate fiction has become an increasingly relevant genre for exploring the environmental challenges facing our world today. This paper reflects on the absence of social and political engagement with the environmental crisis and the potential role of climate fiction to spark empathy and inspire action towards the issue. Furthermore, the paper examines three works of climate fiction—The Netherlands Lives with Water by Jim Shepard, Venice Drowned by Kim Stanley Robinson, and The Living Mountain by Amitav Ghosh. Through the lens of these narratives, the paper explores how fiction can transcend the limitations of traditional scientific discourse by engaging readers emotionally and imaginatively. These stories detail ways in which to provide a more relatable and impactful means of communicating the urgency of the crisis. Ultimately, it argues for the value of climate fiction as a critical tool in motivating climate action.
Copyright (c) 2024 Mariana Pereira Guimarães, Hermano Luz Rodrigues https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0
Sizing aspects of the experimental plant of ecological treatment by constructed wetlands on a university campus
Constructed wetlands (CW) are a decentralized and ecological technique of wastewater treatment, especially taking into account the recent change in its legislation related to full coverage up to 2033. An experimental ecological wastewater treatment based on vertical flow CW was implemented at the university campus. Due to the complexity of natural purification processes into a CW, its sizing process consists in several challenges, mainly, the sizing parameters which present great variability, such as its area, the concentration of pollutants inside, and the decay rate. According to the k-C’ model, different scenarios were performed, resulting in the required area ranges from 26 to 60 m². The required area as 31 m² was chosen for construction purposes, however the plant will have flexibility in controlling the influent flow and hydraulic retention time. This experiment will establish relationships between the population served, the required area and the efficiency of pollutant removal, aiming to meet effluent standards. The experimental plant, in addition to functioning as an open-air laboratory and a living area for the local community, will allow to obtain new designs that enable further research.
Rafael Malheiro da Silva do Amaral Ferreira
Copyright (c) 2024 Rafael Malheiro da Silva do Amaral Ferreira, Francisco Martins Teixeira, Beatriz Rohden Becker https://creativecommons.org/licenses/by-nc-sa/4.0