Authors:Eduardo Prieto Abstract: Far from constituting a specialization, and far from being reduced to the principles of simple 'sustainability', the environmental approach to architecture has a long history that can be traced back to Vitruvius and passes through the treatises until it reaches modernity. Architecture manipulates form, matter and energy to shape environments with a certain cultural imprint—it is both matter and environment as well as form and symbol—, and this definition not only enlarges the heart of the discipline, but also enriches it with its own values but also with its own contradictions. Values and contradictions that must be taken into account when understanding the complexity of the architecture of the last hundred years, determined by the succession, conjunction and mixture of a series of environmental paradigms that are still largely in force: the hygienic, technocratic, bioclimatic, thermodynamic and sustainable paradigms.
Authors:Herlina Merinda Abstract: This research aims to examine the achievements and policies of walkable cities in Jakarta and Lisbon through a bibliometric and Systematic Literature Review (SLR) approach. This study focuses on walkability research trends and Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) policies implemented in the two cities from 2020 to 2024. The research results show that Jakarta faces various challenges related to pedestrian infrastructure and walkability policies that are less effective in supporting sustainable mobility. In contrast, Lisbon has succeeded in developing infrastructure that supports pedestrians, including wide and well-maintained sidewalks, pedestrian zones and clear signage. Policies in Lisbon also emphasize pedestrian safety, reducing vehicle speeds in residential areas, and increasing the visibility of road crossings. Bibliometric analysis shows that research in Lisbon is more focused on the integration of walkability in public policy and holistic urban planning, while research in Jakarta is still limited and less directed at concrete policy implementation. Based on these findings, this research provides recommendations for improving walkable city policies in Jakarta by taking lessons from the Lisbon experience. This includes the need for more integrated urban planning, improving the quality of pedestrian infrastructure, as well as policies that support sustainable mobility and pedestrian safety.
Authors:Catarina Ribeiro, Nuno M. M. Ramos, Inês Flores-Colen, Nuno Valentim Abstract: This paper covers the evolution of the balcony archetype since the late nineteenth century when balconies took on a significant role in housing buildings to understand the main paradigms and concerns that conditioned the design of balconies. Throughout the analysis of the literature and primary sources, this overview aims to contribute to the redefinition of the Mediterranean balcony archetype. This study proposes the division of recent balcony design history into three key periods: rise of open balconies in the 19th century related to the new health and hygiene standards; mid-20th century’s reinterpretation of the traditional shading systems for sunlight and ventilation control on balconies; and the popularization of the glazed balconies on the 1970s in response to the energy crisis. This understanding of how the exploration of balcony design was shaped by the search for comfort and well-being at each moment could contribute to more sustainable housing models in the South Mediterranean countries.
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