Inclusive design to overcome isolation

The establishment of the roças, Portuguese agrarian settlements on São Tomé island between the 19th and mid-20th centuries, created a hierarchical network that still influences community segregation today. These settlements functioned as self-contained units linked by roads and railways, designed to maximize production and profit while isolating smaller dependencies from one another. The study reveals how this built environment persists in shaping societal structures, using space syntax analysis and in situ observations to demonstrate the enduring impact of colonial urban planning on social dynamics.

Abu-Raya, R., & Eloy, S. (2024). Inclusive design to overcome isolation. Advanced Research and Design Tools for Architectural Heritage, 53–84. https://doi.org/10.4324/9781032637396-4