A intervenção do Indivíduo no espaço público.

In the extent of the final evaluation of the Master in Equipment Design, with specialization in Urban and Interior Design, of the Faculty of Fine-Arts of the University of Lisbon, an investigation was developed about vandalism and the competences of urban design as an eventual solution for its control. The chosen subject-matter arises from the need to understand the complex relationship between the physical environment and the user, evaluating how the aesthetic and functional characteristics of the designed public spaces and its equipment can influence the behavior of users and consequently demotivate or encourage individuals to commit acts of vandalism. For this, a study is conducted characterizing vandalism and its various implications for the physical environment and for the user, according to the diverse physical, psychological and social contexts, by addressing the vandal's motives, the perception of the communities and the damages to the daily life in cities. In the search for possible solutions to the problem of vandalism, several theories and proposals for action are addressed, such as educational programs and social intervention programs. Focusing in particular on those that may concern directly urban design and the treatment of public spaces, like the measures of opportunity reduction. To clarify some of the difficulties that may remain in understanding and elaborating proposals to fight vandalism, various theories of conceptualizing the problem and strategies applied for the elaboration of appropriate solutions are objectively addressed. Including the projetual methodologies that use urban design as a main tool, and those that use urban design as part of a well-organized set of solutions, which when applied together can obtain the best results in the fight against vandalism