Beyond Tolerance

As cities worldwide experience rapid growth and increasing density due to urban migration, designers face the challenge of addressing intensification while meeting the needs of diverse cultural and ethnic groups. While existing literature in Landscape Architecture and Urban Design emphasizes the importance of social cohesion for urban communities, it often relies on conventional design guidelines that prescribe sociality in urban environments. This thesis diverges from traditional approaches by employing assemblage theory and a focus on involuntary human perceptions in space.

Through the exploration of dynamic spatial relationships and bodily interactions within urban environments, this research develops design strategies aimed at fostering social synergies and promoting interactions in public spaces. By understanding how urban environments shape perceptions and behaviors, the study proposes strategies that depart from prescriptive guidelines, instead focusing on revealing and enhancing the inherent potential within each site to facilitate social synergies.

The culmination of this research is a set of strategies that enable individuals to discover and utilize the hidden potentials within landscapes. These strategies are validated through site-specific testing and iterative design processes, which elucidate their effectiveness, limitations, and implementation procedures for fostering social synergies in urban spaces.

This thesis contributes to the discourse on Landscape Architecture and Urban Design by offering strategies that empower designers to engage with and shape their environments, fostering inclusive and vibrant urban spaces that reflect the diverse needs and experiences of their inhabitants.