UrbanCroma: Chromatic Methodology applied to Oeiras Municipality, Portugal

Abstract

This paper presents a research work, inserted in the post-Doctoral applied investigation which aims to test and validate this new methodology. UrbanCroma, the chromatic planning methodology for urban furniture which was applied in Oeiras Municipality, is part of a theoretical and practical work carried out during the research for a PhD thesis, in which the present methodology was developed. Thus, UrbanCroma is mainly intended to be applied into the elaboration of chromatic plans for urban furniture, whose needs do not completely correspond to those proposed by other existing methodologies, destined almost exclusively to be applied to the built environment, i.e., to architecture. These chromatic plans, allow the full performance of Urban Furniture functions, improving its use, and transforming it in a factor of inclusivity, as its elements will become more visible and legible as they stand out from the surrounding environment, whether being built or landscape. Likewise, this methodology has an identification and orientation function, since its elements will constitute harmonic chromatic sets that, although they establish a strong contrast with the surrounding environment, respect the local chromatic traditions, identify the neighborhoods or urban areas and, by their variation, constitute orientation landmarks throughout the city. In this case study ─ Oeiras Municipality ─ that have settlements both on the interior and on the sea front, and is at the same time a miscellanea of old and contemporary, were chosen three different localities: Laje, Carnaxide Historic Center, and a new urban area of Carnaxide. These locals, that encompass social neighborhoods, traditional settlements and modern building urbanizations, inevitably have several characteristics that allow the application of this methodology to a wide range of neighborhoods. So, UrbanCroma application starts by choosing samples areas, which will encompass the case study most representative zones, applying there the new methodology to all furniture elements, in order to increase their potentiality as relevant issues for city color planning. In all these intervention areas, all the colors present in the environment are recorded, being it built or landscape, taking in account all the changes due to climatic variations and the non-permanent colors, whose presence has enough importance to be considered as environmental colours. All these colors were, then, registered in files and maps, in order to create a data-base allowing the identification of all environmental colors. The set of these colors permitted the establishment of the local dominant colors and, these ones, along with the contribute of the local history and culture, constitute the scientific basis upon which, it was established a very comprehensive urban furniture chromatic plan, with scientific rigor, for Oeiras Municipality case study.

Keywords: Color, Methodology, Urban Furniture, Inclusivity

DOI: 10.54941/ahfe1001997