Ergodesign & Usability in Built Environment

City projects focused on citizens and life quality.

Talking about the countless complexities of contemporary cities is a recurrent practice in academic works and congresses, especially in the area of Urbanism, an activity entirely focused on the theme. However, it is precisely because of its complexity that its questions do not end, on the contrary, the Urban Space increasingly demands new knowledge from other disciplines that contribute to its development. Faced with this interdisciplinary scenario, Environmental Design stands as a tool capable of promoting organization, dialogue and planning among the parties involved. The purpose of the work is, therefore, to clarify its possible methodological contribution in the planning and management of Urban Projects. It is also important to highlight that experiencing built environments is an activity and that it will be fully addressed from the perspective of Ergonomics.

Working at home during pandemic: a challenge for blind workers

Social isolation has changed the lives of all of us and in all sectors of our lives. We find work and leisure in the same place. But how was the adaptation of the visually impaired at that time? According to the Ministry of Labor, in 2016, around 418,500 people with disabilities were employed in Brazil, but this number corresponded to only 0.9% of the total number of formal contracts. This situation was further aggravated at the beginning of social isolation, where 23,069 people with disabilities lost their jobs (MENDES, 2020). Based on these data and on the reality of social isolation, this master's thesis aims to understand the working environment of the visually impaired at this time, understanding the physical and psychological impacts on users. This research also points to a future where the home office will be present, even if not fully. Thus, it is necessary to have a critical and attentive look at the experience gained in the last year, focusing on the physical and mental well-being of workers with visual impairments.

Urban furniture of the squares of São Luís, from the perspective of Ergonomics of the Built Environment

The presence and importance of public spaces in cities can be observed since ancient civilizations when people have always sought the promotion of free spaces where people could gather, express themselves, and exercise citizenship. In this work, the cut will focus on one of the typologies of public space: the squares. In August 2019, the macro program "São Luís em Obras" was launched by the City Hall of São Luís, which contemplated several services in the areas of infrastructure, health, education, and urban mobility, among others. In this scenario, many squares in LSão Luís underwent interventions, receiving landscaping, paving, installation of urban furniture, and playgrounds, among others. This work aims to answer how urban furniture in São Luis' squares has influenced people's interaction and the appropriation of these spaces. The objective is to understand, from the approach of the built environment's ergonomics, how some squares' urban furniture in São Luis' city influences the interaction of people and the appropriation of these public spaces.

(Graduate Program in Design, Federal University of Maranhão)