Representation of urban dynamics
mppg
open public space
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catalizers of public life
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senseable environments
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social approaches
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karen sofIa mata ortas | architecture and urban design Portfolio | selected works 2015
sl se ud arch mppg
dp deririous petare [re]union
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mp Mapping
ph Pothography
sk Skeches
cl Cultural lamp
vi vertical interstices
hc housing as a catalizer of public space
fg fluent greens spread at bulevard rĂo de janeiro
ub urban barrier into social interaction possibilities
fc fragment became city
wh wwalkable hatillo
ca connecting abrantes
at augmented territory
lb linking breakages to the city
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Case of study: Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
system of public interactive spaces
2009
SE
augmented territories Today
academic professional digital interactions through physical oportunities
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar
Undergraduate thesis.
Program: urban plannig and public space. Advisors: Ignacio Cardona | Aliz Mena
Awarded with Honorable Mention
In this age, people think and process information in a different way, they are used to the instantaneity of the hypertext. This project seeks to link digital
people interaction into urban dynamics, understanding there is another dimension in which
people relationships are taking place. Thus, based on the maps of the comtemporaneous city a physical and digital intervention is created in order to generate a system in which people can move and get together in a continuous urban hypertext for the enjoyment.
Understanding digital space as an extension of physical ones, public
at
spaces are connected through a complex network that makes them interact continously and be seen for everybody.
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digital support for public hedge
physical support for isolation
physical support for proximity
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augmented territories Case of study: Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
system of public interactive spaces
Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar
one way to sense city
Undergraduate thesis.
Program: urban plannig and public space. Advisors: Ignacio Cardona | Aliz Mena
Awarded with Honorable Mention
This urban link is about how people could sense the city.
Individual digital interactions need to be visible in order to turn them a collective fact to become urban,
since public space is considered as a space of enjoyment with the facilities of ICTs. Thereby, isolated physical public spaces may be connected to the existing network of places in social media to promote pedestrian flows. The idea is to create a system in which people can recognize all the
opportunities around linking their experiences in an environment that goes from digital to physical, from physical to digital and so on, and which is always collective.
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digital public hedge
digital paths through physical opportunities
pedestrian flows
map of uses
scan it to see the urban dynamic during a day
Case of study: Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
system of public interactive spaces
2009
SE
augmented territories Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar
Undergraduate thesis.
Program: urban plannig and public space. Advisors: Ignacio Cardona | Aliz Mena
Awarded with Honorable Mention second stage: urban dynamics change spaces.
While making this network visible,
opportunities can change the reading of the city and its places,
which are unfolded and transformed according to its users.
The benefit is in making this leisure system a collective one. Otherness is in itself the city’s sense because
knowing the other’s interests, an individual can identify himself with his place and be happy because the other which is not him, is happy, too.
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digital network through the city’s grid in a day time
scan it to see the urban dynamic during a day
people’s aglomeration in a day time
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augmented territories Case of study: Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
system of public interactive spaces
Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar
Undergraduate thesis.
Program: urban plannig and public space. Advisors: Ignacio Cardona | Aliz Mena
Awarded with Honorable Mention
Time as well, needs to be considered
not as a consequence inside the process but as another space in
which urban dynamics switch places.
Then, in this approach, ubiquity and simultaneity appear as relevant
concepts, as well as diachronic meetings allowed by ICTs developed in a physical context.
scan it to see the urban dynamic during a day
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Case of study: Caracas, Venezuela Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar
Undergraduate thesis.
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
system of public interactive spaces
2009
SE
augmented territories Today
academic professional Discovering the city as a place for serendipity
Program: urban plannig and public space. Advisors: Ignacio Cardona | Aliz Mena
Awarded with Honorable Mention
DATA CCS [app]
how this physical digital places change the dynamic in public space
In addition to physical intervention, an urban application was created to explore how to establish a link between physical and digital space, public space connected to virtual space
In order to recognize the possibilities of visualizing this virtual networks as a tool for urban planning and development of public space. The approach to the urban link leads us to a new reading of the territory and its urban fabric, our current city.
people aglomeration
at scan it to see how urban dynamic change in a year
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places conneced to leasure virtual network
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CONNECT[ing] ABRANTES Abrantes, Portugal International Contest Team of two architects. Urban strategy, art, digital intervention: Karen Mata
local
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2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Linking virtual and physical experiences Today
academic professional
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national
global
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The ultimate goal is that Abrantinos experience the world and that the world experiences this city, merging the
Local and the Global to generate an expanded perception of the urban dynamics, and to allow the construction
of a system in which the representative places associated to a particular scale could bolster the creation of a system that fosters Mondialisation,
supported by Augmented Reality.
virtual path
ca
physical path
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2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
El Hatillo, Caracas, Venezuela
2010
connecting and weaving public space in a traditional historic center 2009
UD
walkable hatillo
Today
academic professional Program: Public space Client: AlcaldĂŹa de Baruta. Employer:MA+ [Micucci Arquitectos Asociados] Urban design: Karen Mata.
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34%
of urban voids are private.
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32%
of urban voids are inside plots.
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types of plots
The project aims to transform Hatillo’s traditional center in a place for pedestrians. This is a very active place in Caracas due to its cultural activities, but urban dynamics are been weakened because of car use.
Starting from the walkways design, public spaces were augmented and ameliorated, integrating and taking advantage of greenfields, cultural and trading areas.
34%
of urban voids are private.
1154 m2
857 m2
1897 m2
32%
1376 m2 1002 m2
576 m2
Close
Open
Espaced
Open to one side
0 m2
1900 m2
900 m2
3800 m2
out of 3800 m2
out of 8920 m2
out of 15200 m2
of urban voids are inside plots. types of plots
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walkable hatillo
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
El Hatillo, Caracas, Venezuela
2010
2009
connecting and weaving public space in a traditional historic center Today
academic professional Program: Public space Client: AlcaldĂŹa de Baruta. Employer: MA+ [Micucci Arquitectos Asociados] Urban design: Karen Mata.
To guarantee this project,
the
success
1 stage: distend sidewalks
2 stage: define current parking lots for 1
pedestrian activities.
3 stage: complete use for pedestrians 2
3
of
local economies, community participation and public administration were incorporated into planning works as well as a
management plan distributed in stages to join the development and appropriation of the space.
wh
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2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Av. Bolívar de Caracas, Venezuela
2010
Returning the urban fabric to attract public life 2009
UD
FRAGMENT BECAME CITY
Today
academic professional
Program: public space Client: Alcaldía de Caracas Design contest. Team of two architects and an engineer. Urban design: Karen Mata.
Because of several incomplete masterplans Avenida Bolivar has
lost its scale, identity and sense of unity, which has turned out into a deterioration of its urban life. The project aims to recover public life transforming little plot’s areas given for this contest into a system of public spaces linked to important buildings that promote cultural and socio-economic activities, in order to strengthen the axis and create a border condition for enjoyment and the empowerment of its citizens. The objective is to generate a
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espacial frame for cultural and socio-productive activities, that constitute this space as an attraction point within the city.
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Avenue’s scales through the time
Landscape is constantly recreated by using trees that
change its leaves at different times
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FRAGMENT BECAME CITY Av. Bolívar de Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
Returning the urban fabric to attract public life Today
academic professional
Program: public space Client: Alcaldía de Caracas Design contest. Team of two architects and an engineer. Urban design: Karen Mata. Public space is expanded creating a
variety of scenarios through the urban fabric, mixing different scales
where people can get together and optional activities might take place,
Corner’s historical value is rescued by creating places in those empty spaces that let people recognize
and contemplate the landscape.
Additionally, color is used as a local and national value in art and nature to reinforce the identity and to establish a connection between people and location.
fc Current situation: Urban voids
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Proposal : Filling the blanks for public. Before
After
Before
After
La Urbina-Petare, Caracas, Venezuela Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: Social architecture: T.A.C Taller de Aquitectura Gratuita (Free architecture workshop) Professor: Alejandro Borges Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
Caracas is becoming a medieval city due to its building walls and fences, every time bigger to avoid eye and physical contact between the public and private looking for a sense of security that push out the urban man till a point that dynamics in public space seems to be completely absent. Therefore, the idea is to take out what happen inside these walls to the outside in order to promote social
interaction and reduce barriers between society through the public and enjoyment.
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2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
OUT OF MEDIEVAL CITY.
2009
UD
URBAN BARRIERS INTO SOCIAL [inter] ACTION POSSIBILITIES: academic professional
Today
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URBAN BARRIERS INTO SOCIAL [inter] ACTION POSSIBILITIES: La Urbina-Petare, Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
OUT OF MEDIEVAL CITY.
Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: Social architecture: T.A.C Taller de Aquitectura Gratuita (Free architecture workshop) Professor: Alejandro Borges. Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata.
The project aims to transform unused spaces into places by becoming them plural. And which
allow, little by little, to destroy these walls to create public space.
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La Urbina-Petare, Caracas, Venezuela Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: Social architecture. T.A.C Taller de Aquitectura Gratuita (Free architecture workshop) Professor: Alejandro Borges Art interventions: Karen Mata
I decided to continue with this project until now because of its results, in spite of this course
has ended.
Social media acts as a way to get together people and promote activities in which community can involve with. Making use of art and this network, as a small scale of urban intervention, people are able to
take over their city through public space, breaking down the current
urban conditions that are against diversity and create social problems.
This exploration challenged my understanding of how small interventions might have a huge gathering impact on society,
them together through digital and physical environments that highlight characteristics of neighborhoods.
Moreover, local scale interventions have a real impact on a bigger one, where there are such strong social differences.
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2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
OUT OF MEDIEVAL CITY
2009
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URBAN BARRIERS INTO SOCIAL [inter] ACTION POSSIBILITIES: academic professional
Today
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Fluent greens spread at bulevard rĂo de janeiro Las Mercedes, Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
breaking gaps for a walkable city
Today
academic professional
Program: Public space Client: AlcaldĂŹa de Baruta. Team MA+, BOCA, AM and 3 students. Collaborative work in urban design: Karen Mata
The main goal is to subside the limit established in Caracas by Guaire river and the highway Francisco Fajardo. In
order to close this gap, pedestrian intagration is promoted to facilitate north-south connections within the city.
A public space that spread out as a green corridor for all along the river, stimulating pedestrian movement that brings back opportunities to economical, recreational and cultural development in Las Mercedes, Chuao and Bello Monte. In addition, it seeks to recover the
green potential areas this place had once, before the car started to
dominate and shape all systems.
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Walkable cities
Los dos caminos, Caracas, Venezuela Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar ! Universidad Central de Venezuela. Program: urban design. Professors: Tomรกs Cervilla | Maria Mercedes Hernandez | Ignacio Cardona Team of 4 students in urban design Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
The purpose is to connect urban discontinuities and existing isolated public spaces, allowing
pedestrians to reach them in order to enables a sense of place with this system.
Two of the biggest green areas in Caracas were connected using creeks as an urban element and a natural infrastructure for public life. This linear park allows porosity
and creates a border condition
between two sides that not recognize each other so far today, not only physically but socially.
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2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
CONNECTION SYSTEMS TO RECOVER PUBLIC SPACE 2009
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LINKING BREAKAGEs TO THE CITY: academic professional
Today
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LINKING BREAKAGEs TO THE CITY: Los dos caminos, Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
cross connection through the creek
Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar ! Universidad Central de Venezuela. Program: urban design. Professors: Tomรกs Cervilla | Maria Mercedes Hernandez | Ignacio Cardona Team of 4 students in urban design Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
The project aims to revitalize this area of Caracas, making it not only a place to pass by, but a pass to a place, in which city remains as a place of encounter.
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Petare, Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
interpretation of the environment through urban passages 2009
ud
DELIRIOUS PETARE:
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: urban design Professors: Ignacio Cardona | Rodrigo Guerra Team of 4 students for urban design Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
Slums have managed to gain areas in the city with the most difficult access for its natural conditions. However, mobility is limited and it isolate people to experience the city as well as cut off places to be known and crossed.
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Therefore, a system of vertical passages was created interpreting natural and social landscapes, in order to connect places for enjoyment
and promote optional activities.
It takes 90 minutes to get down the hills
People wait until 30 minutes for a car that take them to their destination.
Today
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DELIRIOUS PETARE: [re]union Petare, Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
interpretation of the environment through urban passages Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: urban design Professors: Ignacio Cardona | Rodrigo Guerra Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata The project act as an hinge to link spaces
resulted for formal and informal processes of urbanisation in a place with
strong slopes. It use visibility as a strategy to get a point of reference in a such a diverse territory and in some way homogenius. Create spaces for public life and cotidianity activities strenghten the ones which are currently taking place there.
After
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2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
Fenicia, Bogotá, Colombia
2010
NEW SOCIAL GROUPS LEAD TO A NEW URBAN FORM. 2009
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HOUSING AS A CATALYZER OF PUBLIC SPACE: Today
academic professional Institution: Universidad de Los Andes. Program: housing typologies Professors: Marcela Ángel Samper | Jaime Gomez Meneses Team of 3 students for urban design Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
The project arises as an exploration
about gentrification in Bogota focused on housing as a social issue for a diversity city. This
initiative called “Progres Fenicia”, plans to transform “El Centro” with an emphasis on public space, mixeduse construction, and public-private partnerships; as a renewal urban strategy. What is interesting and rewarding about this project is that it seeks to
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mix the pre-existing with its future development and expansion.
h
arc
HOUSING AS A CATALYZER OF PUBLIC SPACE: 2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
Fenicia, Bogotá, Colombia
2009
NEW SOCIAL GROUPS LEAD TO A NEW URBAN FORM.
Today
academic professional Institution: Universidad de Los Andes. Program: housing typologies Professors: Arq. Marcela Ángel Samper | Arq. Jaime Gomez Meneses Team of 3 students for urban design Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
New relationships between public and private space are established to put forward the existing urban dynamics and diversify them in a more plural context which promote
a sustainable and progessive development, not only for new
neighbors but also for the families who still want to live there.
Public space act as a mediating system to control and mollify this big social contrast in Latin America’s cities.
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in order to generate better ideas according to the people who actually live there and who knows exactly the natural, historical and social values of this place in Fenicia. Studies and quality standards were applicated to the current situation of each house to understand their needs.
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2015
2014
Ventilación por unidad
2013
2012
Anamaría Ortíz / Karen Mata O.
Iluminación por unidad
HABITAR
People were asked and consulted during the program about the proposals to get an abroad view,
Las siguientes tablas muestran un indicador de calidad del habitar de acuerdo a unos parametros de ventilación e iluminación natural, aplicados a un grupo de viviendas ubicadas en Fenicia.
Institution: Universidad de Los Andes. Program: housing typologies Professors: Marcela Ángel Samper | Jaime Gomez Meneses Team of 3 students for urban design Architecture & interviews: Karen Mata
2011
Fenicia, Bogotá, Colombia
2010
NEW SOCIAL GROUPS LEAD TO A NEW URBAN FORM. 2009
sl
HOUSING AS A CATALYZER OF PUBLIC SPACE:
Today
academic professional
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Baño
Studies and quality standards were applicated to the current situation of each house to understand their needs.
Current housing’s situation
Some typologies of housing according to their users.
STUDENTS
ELDERS AND DISABLED
AUGMENTED FAMILY
TENANTS
Patio de ropas
Zona social
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DELIRIOUS PETARE: Petare, Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
interpretation of the environment through urban passages Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: urban design Professors: Arq. Ignacio Cardona | Arq. Rodrigo Guerra Team of 25 students in the program Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: urban design Professors: Arq. Ignacio Cardona | Arq. Rodrigo Guerra Team of 4 students for urban design Architecture: Karen Mata
dp Bringing the projects to the community for those who have been done, was an opportunity to learn from them about the viability of each project. As a result, an academic program
is transformed in a bidirectional process of learning that close ties between the community and institutions.
WHAT WOULD BE YOUR ROUTE IF YOU HAVE THESE PASSAGES?? People were asked to indicate their daily routes if these proposals were built in Petare. Above, there is an example.
The idea is to map the impact of proposals in people’s daily life, their percepction of the
living place, and the perception of themself, in the social landscape.
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Chacaito, Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
public transforming private
2009
arc
vertical interstices Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: architecture Professors: Franco Micucci | Enrique Cilia | Bernardo Dorbessan. Architecture: Karen Mata
Located in the middle point of important public spaces in Caracas.
This tower acts as an urban hinge articulating metropolitan nodes of encounter through a vertical public space. The idea is to take the experience of long walkings through the streets and incorporate it into a private tower to
stimulate public life, mixed-uses and the idea of private buildings open to the city.
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Lo Location
Public and private places of encounter
Pedestrian ways
Vertical system of public space
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vertical interstices 2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
public transforming private Chacaito, Caracas, Venezuela
Today
academic professional
Institution: Universidad Simon Bolivar Program: architecture Professors: Franco Micucci | Enrique Cilia | Bernardo Dorbessan. Architecture: Karen Mata The project seek to serve as an activator of public space, adding a start or end point to a important pedestrian walkway in Caracas, which leads people to the other nodes of the system.
This vertical public space creates new layers for public dynamics. A
new level of interaction for pedestrians.
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Detail facade skin
Type plant of common spaces
Section
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Helsinki, Finland
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
regenaration of the waterfront using private investment for public space 2009
arc
cultural lamp [Jäälyhty]
academic professional
Program: Museum & public space Client: Alcaldìa de Baruta. Team: MA+, BOCA, AM and 3 students. Architecture and urban design: Karen Mata
It was conceived as a piece with relevant effect on the system of open public space for the city, due to its roll providing many places for the enjoyment and access to the hole urban system. It should be understood as an oportunity to recover most of
the underutilized land of the waterfront for the generation of pedestrian promedades, plazas and parks, according to the new
environmental goals of the city.
cl
CONNECTIONS AND MOVILITY
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Pedestrian
Bicycle
Vehicles
Today
spacial perceptions through the hand
mpp
sketches
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occupaying urban spacial qualities
Infrastructures
Spacial form
mpp
photography
ph
m
Leisure systems
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Caracas
Bogota
Medellin
NYC | Boston
Madrid | Avila | Brussels
mpp
mapping Caracas, Venezuela
2015
2014
2013
2012
2011
2010
2009
urban dynamics and physical space Today
academic professional
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System of the spaces used for pedestrian and areas of physical interruptions or disconnections.
karen sofIa mata ortas | architecture and urban design portfolio | selected works ksmata@gmail.com |
2015