Escuela de Politécnica Superior

Light profoundly impacts many aspects of human physiology and behaviour, including the synchronization of the circadian clock, the production of melatonin, and cognition. These effects of light, termed the non-visual effects of light, have been primarily investigated in laboratory settings, where light intensity, spectrum and timing can be carefully controlled to draw associations with physiological outcomes of interest. Recently, the increasing availability of wearable light loggers has opened the possibility of studying personal light exposure in free-living conditions where people engage in activities of daily living, yielding findings associating aspects of light exposure and health outcomes, supporting the importance of adequate light exposure at appropriate times for human health. However, comprehensive protocols capturing environmental (e.g., geographical location, season, climate, photoperiod) and individual factors (e.g., culture, personal habits, behaviour, commute type, profession) contributing to the measured light exposure are currently lacking. Here, we present a protocol that combines smartphone-based experience sampling (experience sampling implementing Karolinska Sleepiness Scale, KSS ratings) and high-quality light exposure data collection at three body sites (near-corneal plane between the two eyes mounted on spectacle, neck-worn pendant/badge, and wrist-worn watch-like design) to capture daily factors related to individuals’ light exposure. We will implement the protocol in an international multi-centre study to investigate the environmental and socio-cultural factors influencing light exposure patterns in Germany, Ghana, Netherlands, Spain, Sweden, and Turkey (minimum n = 15, target n = 30 per site, minimum n = 90, target n = 180 across all sites). With the resulting dataset, lifestyle and context-specific factors that contribute to healthy light exposure will be identified. This information is essential in designing effective public health interventions.

La experiencia pedagógica que mostramos busca despertar la imaginación en los alumnos de Arquitectura y desarrollar su capacidad espacial a través de la representación de un espacio imaginado, utilizando un texto literario como desencadenante. Se estudia el papel de la literatura como motor de la creación y educación artística, que permite al futuro arquitecto explorar, formar, comunicar y desarrollar su pensamiento analítico y crítico a través del dibujo. Estos procesos mentales y gráficos potencian el pensamiento abstracto, familiarizando al alumno con conceptos plásticos y arquitectónicos como lleno y vacío, densidad y ligereza, estático y dinámico, equilibrio, composición, color, materia o textura. Tras el análisis de las respuestas gráficas se descubren valores ocultos expresivos de la forma y del espacio. Las imágenes sintéticas finales generadas llevan implícitas las ideas y conceptos derivados de las referencias literarias y se materializan con un lenguaje expresivo y abstracto, con gran poder de sugerencia.

The Smart Citizen concept is at an early stage of research in the field of architecture and landscape architecture. ICTs and their use by citizens have been studied exclusively in the fields of engineering and telecommunications sciences as well as Artificial Intelligence. This study seeks to publicize the Smart Citizen concept in architecture and landscape from a spatial understanding and the perception of citizens with intellectual disabilities. A real case study developed by architects in collaboration with psychologists focused on the development of spatial intelligence for people with intellectual disabilities is presented in this study. “The students that participated in these activities belong to San Pablo CEU University course financed by ONCE Foundation (FONCE) and the European Social Fund.” The purpose is to question the effectiveness of the use of technologies for said cognitive development and how even the increased use of GPS navigator systems could be a detriment to the citizen when trying to orient him or herself in open spaces. The result to highlight in this review is to know if a person with a disability is equally capable of understanding a space and navigate it without the aid of GPS as a person without an intellectual disability. Both analogical tools (2D plan) and digital tools (GPS) are used under the same conditions. New lines of research are presented in the study of spatial intelligence through innovating tools or TICs in relation to urban elements where concepts like scale, proportion, light, and shade were identified

El Pardo was named Royal Site, in the reign of Fernando VI. His successor Carlos III proceeded to incorporate to its Heritage its hills and woods. It started then a new urban process and architectural building completed in 1802. After the Spanish Civil War in 1939, General Francisco Franco placed his residence in the Royal Palace of El Pardo. This village began processing and performing its urban and architectural context into an unrecognizable landscape. Diego Méndez, the architect Head of project, concealed a New Urban Development Plan promoted by General Francisco Franco. In order of Royal Gardening design there were two transformations which broke the original design to optimize the housing development or new public spaces. The first is about the Royal Palace Garden and the second one is about the Prince House Garden. This study aims to critically examine the social forces that shape and transform the two main Royal Gardens in this Royal Site in Madrid, Spain. Madrid is chosen as the study case, as part of a funded project entitled “Proximity Landscapes of the city of Madrid. From the 19th Century to the present”, (Cod. HAR2014-57843-R).