The relation between buildings and public spaces in the context of sustainable compact cities : Understanding the impacts on human behavior- cases of Ørestad and Hammarby Sjöstad

Abstract: This master thesis discusses the relation between the buildings and public space in the context of the compact cities, and how it interferes on human behavior related to walking experience and pleasurability. In order to illustrate how the human scale is portrayed in different scenarios, two case studies - Ørestad District, Copenhagen and Hammarby Sjöstad, Stockholm - have been selected to be studied in different scales, shifting from the block structure to the use of the building groundfloor. This enables me to identify the similarities in the process of composition of each compact city and, in case of contrasting comparisons, have a more critical discussion and understand the negative impacts on the user experience.