URBANISM
TÂNIA A. CARDOSO
Urban Chronicles: Representation and critique of the city in Graphic Novels
Academic Masters thesis. PROURB - UFRJ. Post-Graduation Program in Urbanism - Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brasil. ABSTRACT In some graphic novels, urban life of various cities is depicted by the figure of the wonderer that walks through its insides. This walker is a reflection of the experience lived by its author drawn in the paper. The interaction walker/author with the place, be it a physical, cultural or social element, is not innocent: while he receives stimuli from the environment that surrounds him, he also causes a reaction in this space. The transformation that occurs takes place in both directions. This process allows both: the significance of space by the author/ walker, experiencing it as being important; and the reader/viewer who sees this particular depiction of the city with a fresh look. Issues arise: how to represent what cannot be contained in conventional representations? How to represent the sensitive dimension of the walker/author by appropriating urban space? Would it be possible to recreate that experience in drawing while one walks? The use of graphic narrative sequence and the creation of new orders in the drawing - human action and time - can serve as a useful tool to understand and promote the city. Only with a “ cohesive language that would serve as a vehicle for the expression of a complexity of thoughts , sounds , actions and ideas “ ( EISNER , 2010 [ 1989 ] , p.7 )
it is possible to clarify the complex urban world and its rhythms to the reader. keywords: Sense of urban space; urban drift; graphic novels; sketchbook. PROBLEM Seen from afar, one can testify that cities are the sum of areas and buildings. That is not real. The real city is the one that’s lived by its inhabitants. It’s not perfect; it’s made of fragments and pieces of the daily life. It’s not only a physical element but also composed by a complexity of intangibles elements, building up through the plots of meanings of its inhabitants. So if the city is so complex how does one represents its complexity considering the spaces, rhythms, objects and practices within its streets? This research tries to understand how is it possible to know and represent the city through its fragments and narratives of everyday life by using graphic novels or comics. This is achieved by using a scientific method of research and record just like the ones used by scientific illustrators, archeologists or anthropologists. The focus is in the sensible approach of urban space given by several Graphic Novel authors who de-
scribe their journeys – real or inner journeys – through several cities.
“Seen from afar, major cities are an accumulation of big buildings, big population and big areas. For me it is not ‘real.’ The big city as it is seen by its inhabitants is the real thing. The true picture is in the crevices on its floors and around the smaller pieces of its architecture where daily life swirls.”
Guy Delisle
Joe Sacco
Will Eisner, New York: Life in the big city, p.19, 2009[1981].
Fábio Moon & Gabriel Bá
Ricardo Cabral
Will Eisner
Rhythms of the city movement and permanence
-Road network; -Train and Metropolitan network; -Boat network; -Historical tramway network (discontinued); -Density flow; -Urban centres;
Today, the city extends through the hills of the region. Although most of the homes are on the periphery regions, work is focused on the heart of the city. This pendulum movement caused the transport system to saturate. This along with pollution, garbage, lack of security and mobility does not allow quality of life within the metropolitan city.
Existing mobility lines and urban centralities in the metropolitan region of Rio de Janeiro.
Matrix of possible mobility relationships between urban centres in the metropolitan region.
“Urban mobility is the potential for any human being to come and go in the cities, choosing the way it wants.” By various means, several pathways, various speeds with possibilities to stop, rest, leisure, exchanges and interactions.(1)
-Local mobility network; -Municipal mobility network;
Matrix of possible interactions between municipal and local mobility.
“Architecture is the making of the city over time” (2) The urban voids within the city reveal the potential of transforming large spaces, empty of activities. Places that, in other times, were generators of activities, and now have become obsolete in the urban scene. Not only the movements of the population matter but also the movements of places. Building and destruction, a constant transformation of space. “... We must also bear in mind that the difference between past and future, from the point of view of the theory of knowledge, consists precisely in the fact that the past is partly experienced now, and that from the point of view of urban science, can be the meaning to give to permanencies: they are a past that is still experienced.”(2)
possible interactions through the guanabara bay.
(1)RODRIGUES, M.;THIBAULT S. Contruire la metropole contemporaine. In: Diálogos Brasil França 2012. São Paulo: 28-30 mar. 2012. (2)ROSSI, A. The architecture of the City. São Paulo: Martins Fontes Editora, 1995, p.49.
Speed, choise and diversity
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“The city (...) is not made of stone, but of man (...) (1) People are the ones that give value to things, to stone, it doesn’t matter who does it or why. The value of a city is assined to it by the whole community.
-Road network; -Metropolitan network; -Tramway network; -Bicycle path; -Pedestrian flow; -5’ by foot = 150m diameter;
-Bus terminals; -Metropolitan stops; -Tramway stops; -Bike racks; -Central points; -Area of restricted automobile access;
The creation of a restricted access area for automobiles would be a plus for the historical centre of Rio de Janeiro: reducing individual transportation and stimulating various public means to walk around the city will decrease vehicle speed, increase safety in the area and encourage pedestrians to use the streets. Through this assumption it is essential to also reverse the use of the historical buildings to their original state - commerce and housing – to bring back the mixed use status of the area: commerce, housing, services, education, culture, business and entertainment. The reduction of automobilist use in this area is also associated to the need to turn the inside of the building out so that the interior use is project abroad.
Considering the intermodal point of the train Central Station and the Praça XV (pier shipping) as a potential nodal point it is studied the path between the two as a possible area for a plurality of experiments: instead of just walking we start to create, participate, act and modify each moment of city life. There is not a pre-defined way to connect with the city. It is up to us to stimuli what allows the user to improvise, live and appropriate the space according to their choices.
Praça XV/ Square XV nowadays. Sensible approach.
Proposal for Praça XV without the perímetral viaduct and the creation of an opening to be Guanabara bay.
Mobility proposal for Av. Presidente Vargas.
Mobility proposal for Praça/Square Tiradentes with the introduction of ephemeral elements to attract people and events.
(1)ARGAN, G. História da Arte como História da Cidade. São Paulo: Martins Fontes, pp.228, 2006 [1970].
Space, time and movement Praça XV represents a point of extreme importance within the history of the city, not only as a symbolic component, as door to the city and an historical royal plaza, but also as a strategic mobility point. Taking advantage of the rehabilitation and reconversion projects of Rio de Janeiro’s harbor it was sought to create a requalification of the waterfront and an expansion of the boat station connecting it directly to the upcoming tunnel, to a suggested metropolitan network, to a tramway network (adapted from the expected network for the harbor project) and a series of green and pedestrian areas with bicycles paths. This project also includes the expansion of the Navy Museum, its opening to the city and the creation of an Aquarium and a maritime education center, which was already suggested by Oriol Bohigas’ and Nuno Portas’ project to this area. Within the concept of diverse mobility it is suggested the rediscovery of the walking path. Path that is intended to be flexible and to create curiosity about what surrounds it: the buildings. This path is also an ongoing experience; it develops through time along with the rhythms of the city and the several rhythms of its inhabitants. Within the proposed redevelopment of waterfront it is also suggested the demolition on the overpass and the connection of the anticipated tunnel in the works of
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the harbor to the existing one. After reviewing several similar cases where the removal of the viaduct was considered a success, like Seoul, San Francisco or Boston, it was considered that it made no sense to keep it standing. In Manuel Herce Vallejo’s words the highway was what most ruined contemporary cities. The space offered is regulated by the amount of traffic and the more the space we offer to the car, the more cars there will be, ie, the problem doesn’t end.(1)
are unable to change their use, are “blind” spaces or unattractive which makes them also insecure. The use of these containers may bring a new light and experience to an obsolete place without major modifications to
the built environment. These elements may have the most varied functions: it can be used by the traditional informal trade, typical in the area, to create temporary daycare centres or places to nap after lunch. A fair, inclusive and diverse space in every sense: transport, customs, schedule, people. Promoting multiculturalism that is one of the strongest characteristics of Brazilian culture and it should not be lost.
Manuel Graça Dias refers William Mitchell when he says that it is clear that we are reaching the end of the era of the automobile. “Cities are choking with them”. It is necessary to think radically the whole concept of urban mobility in cities. He also considers that if public transportation is effectively efficient the inhabitants will by its own accord abandon its cars. Graça Dias also quotes the mayor of Bogotá when he says that a city can be friendly to cars or to the people, but not for both.(2) The redevelopment of the waterfront and of the path to the Central Station has a set of built elements along its way named “Urboxes” within the experimental concept of unpredictability. These “urboxes” are containers built of various materials that allow encounters between people at any given time. Several urban voids and spaces within the city centre
(1)Conference cycle Rio+20 of IAB – RJ (Institute of Brazilian Architects – Rio de Janeiro), jun. 2012. (2)GRAÇA DIAS, M. “Da cidade que deixará de ser viária”, p. 84-99. In: “A Cidade no séc. XXI, Ciclo de conferências – Reflexões, desafios e estratégias”. 2008.
access to the water
mixed use buildings
Bicycle rack; Commercial establishment; House of watersports; Space of recreational games; Existing buildings; Proposed buildings; URBOX; Suggested bicycle path;
education center
waterfront rehabilitation
oceanarium/aquarium
watersports
pedestrian priority
redefining spaces
navy museum and auditorium mixed uses
intermodal station/ boats/ metro/bus station/tramway/ bicycle
connect inside/outside
urbox
municipal market
new urban activities
urbox
Connections and rhythms in LX Graduation project Sete Rios is a complex area in the center of Lisbon. It was an area of old manors and estates that as the city evolved grew in a disorderly manner. The train already divided the area and with the creation of the main highway of the city (North/South axis), in the form of a viaduct, the area became a junction of terrain vagues and of urban enclaves.
1/2 The concept of green corridor, already existing, was reinforced between the several points to improve the quality of the air and sound and also to improve the seasonal migration of urban animals that inhabit the area.
The main idea was to gradually go from a neighborhood scale, to an intermediate scale until reaching the big scale. The space created between the buildings and the viaduct permits a greater flow for the pedestrian, guiding him through several smaller spaces and acting like a big vestibule for the new entrance of the Zoo. The new urban mesh allows a connection between the Zoo, the new cultural complex, the new transportation interface and Calouste Gulbenkian Arts Center. In the center of this connection is the already existing transportation interface of Sete Rios. This interface was expanded and improved with the renovation of the train station, subway, new tramway stops and the addition of the express bus central. This interface strengthens Sete Rios condition of a great mobility center in the city of Lisbon.
floor 1. No scale.
ground floor. No scale.
ground floor of the Zoo vestĂbule. No scale.
The new cultural complex is composed of the Museum of the 21th century city, the Zoological and Biologic center of studies and laboratories, the new administration spaces, library of the Zoo and commercial spaces.
section B. No scale.
section A. No scale.
Exterior
Vertigo: museum of the XXIct city Graduation project Having the unwind of the 20th century city to the 21th in mind the museum develops like a route. Within two independent built elements this route progresses in an ascendant way, through ramps and escalators, intersecting the two elements until it reaches the top of the tallest. From this point it is possible to observe the actual city. The contrasts between light and shadow are created by the relation between spaces of permanence, built with exposed concrete, and spaces of flow, built with a metal structure and perforated metal sheets.
Multipurpose room
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Temporary exhibition
Permanent exhibition Reserves and workshops Auditorium and offices Educational service
Restaurant and store Entrance
uses scheme
mobility scheme
The location of the museum punctuates the entrance to the Zoo vestibule; it also marks the place next to the highway viaduct integrating it as part of the urban requalification of Sete Rios.
structural scheme
Longitudinal section. No scale.
ground floor. no scale.
floor 2. no scale.
floor 3. no scale.
floor 4. no scale.
floor 5. no scale.
floor 6. no scale.
floor 7. no scale.
floor 8 and 9. no scale.
floor 10. no scale.
floor 1. no scale.
floor 11. no scale.
Port Areas:
city, harbor and water
RESEARCH ABOUT THE CON-
NECTION BETWEEN THE CITY, THE HARBOR AND THE WATER TO UNDERSTAND HOW THE TRANSFORMATION PROCESS OF PORT AREAS COULD BE A KEY ELEMENT FOR A POSITIVE IMPACT TO THE URBAN MESH IN DIFFERENT SCALES.
Innovative ways to renew the waterfront may attract resources and flows able to exploit new economies and new regional and global developments within that city. As port spaces are constantly changing and evolving they can stimulate new possibilities in the creativity of its inhabitants and of its investors, creating new urban forms, relationships, landscapes and symbols within the local identity. THE GRAPHIC WORK FOR THE ACADEMIC ARTICLE “PORT AREAS: THE CITY, THE HARBOR AND THE WATER” IS A VERY IMPORTANT PIECE OF THE ARTICLE BECAUSE IT ALLOWS THE READER TO EASILY UNDERSTAND THE EVOLUTION OF SPACE AND ALSO CREATE COMPARISONS BETWEEN STUDY CASES.
Metamorfose Theater
How can we create an urban theater adaptable to ‘s-Hertogenbosch Tânia Alexandra E. F. Cardoso & Pedro de Castro Pereira
The Metamorfose Theater consists in two elements: two pallet containers, each with cardboard benches inside. The motto came from the idea of creating a theatre flexible enough to be able to transform itself on grounds of place, interacting with the people and integrated in the city. The city itself remains the main scenery. The container is made of standard pallets used in abundance in industry and shipping services.
The benches are made of honeycomb cardboard. this material is one of strongest sctrutures available. it can hold up to 630kg/m2. It is used commonly to fill furniture or give internal suport to bigger structures. The honeycomb structure has the ability to expand 4 times its size. two models (2 containers and 4 benches) have the capacity for 300 people.
Façade
How does it work?
The theatre can be transported in a truck and placed in the desired location.
Once placed the container, the benches are pulled out, sliding until you get the right shape for the desired event.
set the inner layout with the pallets stored in the upper compartment.
Within the benches are the galleries. These are formed by leasure spaces and recreation, and also a space to support catering.
Section
there are several ways of composing the models of Metamorfose Theater. Among them we highlighted six. From these, we’ve chosen four applied examples in the city that we consider to be the most relevant to the topic under discussion.
Linear Layout
Half-Moon Layout
Circular and Rectangular Layout
Patio Layout
1-Markt
Linear layout - for shows that require linear movement like a parade, or for linear locations in the city. Ex.: the Canal.
2-Arena
“half moon” layout - for irregular urban morphologies. Ex.: the markt. circular and rectangular layout - for shows that need a central stage and a more intimate atmosphere. Ex.: the arena and the parade square.
3-Waterfront
patio layout - at last but not least, the audience can always admire a show with 137.802 actors... ‘s-Hertogenbosch itself and its people! Once completed the events for which the theatre was designed, it can be dismantled and its materials reused or recycled.
4-Parade Square
2 3
1 4
WORK EXPERIENCE 2010 - PRESENT: freelance ILLUSTRATOR.
2014: 1st place in the Mural competition for Sesimbra é peixe e Arte na Rua / Sesimbra is fish and art on the street, Sesimbra, Portugal. (IlLUSTRATION - live drawing); 2014: Seixal desenhado - drawings made at urbansketch workshops 2013-2014. integration in the collections of postcards for L1B- cultural association, Seixal, Portugal.(IlLUSTRATION - colLectivE exhibition); 2014: integration in the collection of Tulane University with the fanzine Gluttonous Dogs, New Orleans, U.S.A. (IlLUSTRATION - colLectivE exhibition); 2013: Maak Jouw Theatre (WITH pedro de castro pereira). ‘s-Hertogenbosch, THE NEDERLANDS. (arCHITECTURE/URBANISMcolLectivE exhibition); 2013: 1st Festival of Literature and Illustration of Bahía. brasil. (IlLUSTRATION - colLectivE exhibition); 2012: 10th International Poster Competition Francisco Mantecón, Terras Gauda. Spain. (IlLUSTRATION colLectivE exhibition); 2010/2011. Mostra ÚniQa. New Talents of Portuguese Illustration and Design at Who Gallery. Portugal. (IlLUSTRATION - colLectivE exhibition); 2010: Academia ÚniQa live at LUX fragil with P:A:U:S (with CARMELINO, Mauro ; SEGURADO, A. ; SANTOS, A. ; FARINHA, V. ; BARBEDO, N.). New Talents of Portuguese Illustration and Design at Who Gallery. Portugal. (IlLUSTRATION - live drawing event with live streaming); 2010: 1st place in the contest for the Poster Competition Festival Altitudes, Regional Theatre of the Serra de Montemuro. Portugal. (IlLUSTRATION);
2012 - 2014: Researcher for CNPq and FAPERJ at Post-Graduate Program in Urbanism at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro.prourb,-ufrj. rio de janeiro. brazil. Researcher in LAURD - Laboratory of Urban Analysis and Digital Representation in PROURB-UFRJ. Brazil. Tutoring classes of Observation Drawing 2 for FAU - Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. PROURB-UFRJ. Brazil.
Tutoring classes of Visual Communication for FAU - Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. PROURB-UFRJ. Brazil.
2011 - 2012: Illustrator for InzuConcepts. Adaptation of illustration to architectural design and its communication. Decorative Illustrations alluding to various projects.
2011: Promoter and seller for Springevents with Nescafé. Promoting and sale of Dolce Gusto espresso machines.
2010: Illustrator for Who, Creative Talents Agency with Delta q. Live personalization of coffee machines with Posca pen. illustrations, collective exhibitions and presentations.
EDUCATION
2012 - 2014: Thesis Title: Urban Chronicles: Representation and critique of the City through Graphic Novels. Master in Urbanism (concept CAPES 6) by the Post-Graduate Program in Urbanism at the Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. PROURB-UFRJ. Brazil. 2003 - 2008: Degree in Architecture (pre-Bologna) by the Faculty of Architecture, Technical University of Lisbon, Portugal.
Cultural production publications: the walk in the dialectics between reality and fiction in the graphic novel Portugal. In: ARCHITECTURE AND URBANism Post-Graduation notebooks vol. 13, nº 2, p. 119-139. Mackenzie Presbyterian University, São Paulo, 2013, Brazil. architecture and urbanism through Graphic Novels: Dreams of the city by Jean Nouvel. In: 2nd international seminar Representar Brazil 2013: re-
presentations in architecture, urbanism and design. Article and poster presentation. University of São Paulo, USP, august 7. 2013. Brazil. The transformations in the city represented in Comics: Chicago seen by Chris Ware. in: V!RUS 09: the city and the others, Outuber 16, 2013, brazil. The wonderful walled spectacle ( gustavo d’avila siqueira neto). in: CityvisionWeb in collaboration with Studio X Rio de Janeiro. August 5, 2013. Brazil /Italy. Metamorphose Theatre (with Pedro de Castro Pereira). in: Maak Jouw Theatre Catalogue, July 2013. ‘s-Hertogenbosch, The Nederland’s. Encontro às três. In: Heyrope! Compilation of comics. Studio Kat and and Federación de Casas de Juventud, October 2011. Spain.
Additional Information
2013: Workshop on Urban Sketches. Walking and sketching in são paulo. University of São Paulo, USP, Brazil. 2013: International seminar Methodological breaks for a critical media - community media, city, community opportunities in the city today. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Brazil. 2013: Workshop of urban sketches (12h). Panoramic Lisbon: City route with drawing specifications. Ministered by Richard Câmara in collaboration with Montepio. Lisbon. Portugal. 2012: (online)Design: Creation of Artifacts in Society. University of Pennsylvania, U.S.A. 2012: 2nd National Seminar of Research and Graduate Studies in Architecture and Urbanism. Participation as part of the support team for the ANPARQ seminar. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro. Brazil. 2011: Seminar on entrepreneurship and social innovation Making Art. Challenges in cultural management. Federal University of Rio de Janeiro, Brazil.
2009: japanese manga Masterclass. Kingpin books, portugal. 2009: Workshop of scientific illustration. Creating an illustration of the mammal vespertilionid auritus plecotus. Ceila Quercos, Setubal. Portugal. 2009: Comics workshop. kingpin books, portugal. 2009: Masterclass about Portfolio management with C. B. Cebulsky. kingpin books, portugal. 2008: Symposium of Architecture and Construction. instituto superior técnico, technical university of lisbon, ist-utl, portugal. 2008: animation Workshop. introduction to storyboarding. ministered by ricardo blanco in collaboration with byblos, portugal. 2008: origami Workshop. ministered by joaquim tondela in collaboration with faculty of architecture of lisbon. fa-utl. portugal.
Volunteering
2012, 20-21 July. Participation in the organization and development of a Workshop on urban and environmental awareness for PROURB in the international event Rio +20, Cúpula dos Povos. Rio de Janeiro. Brazil. 2009 September-November. Exhibit assistant, ticket-sales, educational service guide and disassembly for the biennial Experimenta Design. Lisbon. Portugal.