Modern timber tectonics:from construction technique to building systems

Every form of construction is based on a set of rules (or system) which is the result of the properties and conditions of the materials employed and the requirements they have to meet. Analysing if new systems are changing traditional timber tectonics is the aim of this paper. First, the paper looks at the two fundamentally different prefabrication principles we can use nowadays. These relate to the two ways of designing and building with a system: systemised building and system building. Also, a large number of innovative new systems are making the relationship between various design aspects more and more complex. All these changes have an impact on the design process and the way architecture is formed: the paper shows how new systems and semi-finished products that have been developed in the past ten years are changing the traditional tectonics of timber, making possible a modern tectonic form

The influence of timber panels on architecture

Since timber is naturally directional, timber products become directionally neutral only due to the progress in manufacture technology. This work studies timber panels with a view to analyse their influence on the architectural form. From a design point of view, two sub-categories are defined. These are solid panels, and optimised panels. Solid panels have a homogeneous and compact section and their thicknesses are relatively small. Composite panels are generally made up with two boards and an inner structure to which they are bonded. The work concludes that the two main typologies of timber panels influence design in a different way: due to their homogeneous inner structure, solid panels allow flexible cutting of the openings, and loads and supports can be placed with few limitations. In the other hand, optimised section panels require more planning and should be treated as finished elements

Timber:materialization and abstraction

In The Origin of the Work of Art, Martin Heidegger explores the conception of ‘things’ as formed matter: if we appeal to use, function or purpose, form is prior to matter, since matter (-mater) wouldn’t be distributed in such manner where this not because of the form. If we elaborate this idea of “determination” or intention, the determinative character of the form is bound up with the purpose of the component made with a particular material, because material is something to be shaped according to intention. In the other hand, a second etymological meaning through the root –mater presents material as an agent of development: it spurs on processes than can be seen as extensions of the substance of matter, instigating perceptual possibilities, acting: absorbing, smelling, degenerating… Instead of the idea of determination, we are elaborating now the idea of “understanding”. Triggered by this discussion on materiality and within the scope of timber as an architectural material, the following question is yet to be answered: is there an ideal form of the material, a form that gets closer than any other to that which timber should be? This work looks at the processes that have shaped and shape timber as a material in order to analyze if it can be released from culturally expected formal notions and respond to applications which extend its material history

The Domínguez House:Alejandro de la Sota's investigation of dwelling

The few discussions of Alejandro de la Sota’s Domínguez House which currently exist cite a retrospective text, dated 1976, where he developed activity and repose as two distinct images within human dwelling. While the Domínguez House has previously been understood in relation to biological rhythms, this paper presents a different reading of this remarkable project – as a deconstruction and reformulation of the contemporary dwelling, one which challenges the inward-looking understanding of human dwelling as shelter. I therefore propose that Alejandro De la Sota was as an architect with a theoretical agenda, far from the conventional view that his was an empirical approach to architecture

Contributos para uma análise crítica do discurso oficial sobre educação literária

Neste texto, pretendemos apresentar alguns contributos para a análise do discurso oficial que emerge da transposição do conceito de educação literária para os textos normativos referentes à disciplina de Português, no Ensino Básico, em Portugal. Assim, procuramos discutir, num primeiro momento, o próprio conceito de educação literária, para, em momento seguinte, o articularmos com a problemática da leitura literária. Procuramos igualmente, ainda no quadro da reflexão teórica, destacar a relação entre a leitura literária e a subjetividade do leitor. Posteriormente, procedendo a análise documental dos acima referidos textos normativos, apresentaremos uma leitura analítica e crítica do discurso oficial. Concluímos que parece existir uma desadequação entre os objetivos de uma efetiva educação literária e o Programa e Metas Curriculares de Português com possíveis implicações negativas no possível leque de práticas adotadas em sala de aula

Miroirs du Risorgimento. Collections, paysages, expositions entre anciens et nouveaux médias

En texte intégral sur le site de l'éditeur : https://www.msh-alpes.fr/fr/miroirs-risorgimentoInternational audienc

Stress ocupacional em profissionais de saúde e seus efeitos a nível individual (saúde psicológica) e organizacional (comprometimento afectivo)

Dissertação de mestrado integrado em Psicologia (área de especialização em Psicologia do Trabalho, das Organizações e Recursos Humanos)Os efeitos negativos do stresse na saúde e bem-estar têm sido estudados em vários grupos de profissionais, todavia, existem razões especiais como referem Quick, Murphy & Hurrel (1992) e Melo, Gomes & Cruz (1997) para constituir os profissionais da saúde como um grupo particularmente afectado pelo stress. O objectivo desta dissertação é o estudo dos efeitos do stress a nível individual - saúde psicológica e a nível organizacional - comprometimento organizacional afectivo num grupo de profissionais de saúde. Outro objectivo será a análise dos níveis de stress ocupacional e o estudo da relação de variáveis sócio-demográficas e profisissionais – sexo, idade e experiência profissional – com o stress. Exploraremos também a relação da percepção de apoio organizacional com o stress e com o comprometimento afectivo. Os dados analisados foram recolhidos junto de 302 profissionais, 90 a exercerem numa instituição de saúde privada e 212 sócios da Associação Portuguesa de Fisioterapeutas. A recolha de dados procedeu-se no primeiro caso através de questionários em formato papel e, no segundo, em formato on-line. Os resultados indicam que 35,5% dos participantes relatam índices globais de stress significativos. De uma maneira geral, são as questões relacionadas com a carreira e a remuneração que parecem desencadear maior mal-estar, seguindo-se as questões relacionadas com as pessoas a quem prestam serviços de saúde, e num terceiro grande domínio, as questões relacionadas com o excesso de trabalho. Observou-se uma relação negativa significativa da fonte de pressão associada à carreira e remuneração com a idade e com a experiência profissional. Também se verificam relações positivas significativas na perturbação da saúde psicológica com o nível global de stress e com as seis fontes de stress ocupacional. As fontes de stress ―excesso de trabalho‖, ―lidar com os clientes‖ e ―relações interpessoais‖ constituem preditores significativos da saúde psicológica. Observou-se também que a percepção de apoio organizacional estava associada ao comprometimento organizacional afectivo.The negative effects of stress on health and well-being have been studied in several professional groups, however, there are special reasons as described by Quick, Murphy & Hurrell (1992) and Melo, Gomes & Cruz (1997) to provide health professionals as a group particularly affected by stress. The aim of this dissertation is to study the effects of stress on an individual level - psychological health and organizational level - affective commitment in a group of health professionals. Another objective will be to analyze the levels of occupational stress and the study of the relation of socio-demographic and professional - sex, age and professional experience - with stress. We will also explore the relationship between perceived organizational support with stress and with affective commitment. Data were collected from 302 professionals, 90 to exercise at an institution of private health care and 212 members of the Portuguese Association of Physiotherapists. Data collection proceeded in the first case through questionnaires on paper and, in the second, on-line format. The results indicate that 35.5% of participants reported global indices of stress significant. In general, the issues are related to the career and remuneration that seem to trigger greater malaise, followed by issues related to people who provide health services, and a third major area, the issues related to excess work. There was a negative relationship significant source of pressure associated with the career and income with age and work experience. Also exist a positive relationship significant disruption of psychological health with the overall level of stress and the six sources of occupational stress. The sources of stress "overwork", "dealing with customers" and "interpersonal relationships" are significant predictors of psychological health. It was also observed that the perception of organizational support was associated with affective commitment