The spread of practices and devices designed to make cultural heritage accessible has expanded the possibilities for bringing blind and visually impaired people into contact with works of art through reliefs, bas-reliefs, and three-dimensional models. In painting, however, tactile translation poses specific challenges, especially when understanding the work depends on the perspectival construction of space: transposing only the outline into relief makes figures and objects recognizable but does not convey the geometric relationships that establish their position, distance, and hierarchy. This paper proposes considering tactile drawing as a tool for interpretation rather than a simple transcription of the image. The methodology begins with an analysis of the painting’s perspective construction and continues with the simplification of information and its tactile codification; in cases where the spatial component is significant, it proceeds with perspective reconstruction, understood as the transition from two-dimensional representation to an explorable three-dimensional configuration. The research connects the theory of representation, descriptive geometry, haptic perception, and accessibility, treating perspective as a bridge between the visual image and tactile space: the goal is not to reproduce the painting, but to make accessible the relationships upon which its spatial structure depends.
In response to the challenges faced by urban planning over recent decades, collaborative urbanism has emerged as an alternative approach capable of bringing disciplinary practice closer to the actual needs and aspirations of residents by combining citizen participation with technical expertise. Its implementation, however, requires a redefinition of the theoretical and operational framework of urban planning towards more socially oriented approaches incorporating mediation, participation, and the collective production of space. Drawing on the case study of Vallcarca, a neighbourhood in Barcelona where a participatory planning review culminated in the approval of a ‘Modification of the Metropolitan General Plan’ (MPGM), this article identifies the disciplinary transformations required by such processes, placing the psychosocial process of appropriation of space at their core. Based on an analysis of residents’ contributions to participatory processes and their role in fostering affective, symbolic, and functional bonds with lived space, the study proposes a redefinition of urban intervention strategies. It thus reflects on the new objectives, scales, tools, and professional roles that could shape an urban practice oriented towards the development of an “appropriable city.”
The altarpiece façades of the Franciscan Missions stand out as defining elements within each of the five heritage complexes located in the Sierra Gorda, in the north of the Mexican state of Querétaro. These buildings were built in the mid-eighteenth century. Their façades are characterized by striking decoration and polychromy, contributing to the architectural values that led to their recognition as a UNESCO World Heritage Site in 2003. This article presents a comparative study of the Missions’ façades, based on compositional analysis, and their relationship to the iconography and polychromy they display. The iconographic program, based on Christian doctrine, is enriched by autochthonous allusions, and the result reflects the collaborative craftsmanship of the Franciscan missionaries and the Pames indigenous people (Chichimecas), giving rise to a particular mestizo Baroque style. Furthermore, the polychromy allows the iconographic elements accentuated through color contrast, achieving harmony on the façades. Finally, the chromatic cohesion, based on the complementarity between the portals’ warm tones and the vibrant green landscape, creates spectacular scenes that integrate and frame these mestizo Baroque gateways within the natural environment of the Sierra Gorda.
Los avances recientes en neuroarquitectura están generando evidencia empírica sobre la relación entre las características del espacio construido y los procesos cognitivos y emocionales humanos. Integrar este conocimiento en el diseño de entornos educativos representa una vía prometedora para fundamentar científicamente las decisiones arquitectónicas y optimizar las condiciones de aprendizaje. Mediante un estudio de caso centrado en las Escuelas Técnicas Superiores de Arquitectura españolas, se identifican 24 configuraciones y tres tipologías principales: aula teórica, aula gráfica y taller de proyectos. Se evalúa su espacio y se comparan con evidencias neurocientíficas recientes. El trabajo concluye que muchas escuelas han convergido empíricamente con criterios hoy respaldados por la neurociencia, aunque persisten espacios mejorables. Se recomienda priorizar proporciones adecuadas y flexibilidad espacial en aulas universitarias.
