The First Urban Planning, Amarna

Governance and Planning of Mega-City Regions

The purpose of this paper is to provide an analysis of the relationship between urbanization and informal settlements, in order to demonstrate how their amalgamation adversely affects urban development. Empirically, urban development in the developing countries has been facing a variety of challenges. Inherently, the post-1994 era of democratic South Africa has witnessed the emancipation and intensification of contemporary issues within urban development and these include massive urbanization levels and the rise of informal settlements in the cities. The co-existence of the two phenomena impedes adequate urban development. As urbanization takes its course, the resultant is the proliferation of informal settlements. Consequently, encapsulated within the informal settlements, is the upsurge of poverty levels and social-ills such as unemployment, crime, poor service delivery and health hazards such that residents are susceptible to poor conditions of living. Despite all the government’s efforts to address this pestilent socio-economic issue, through development programs and policies that seek to promote equitable urban development. High urbanization levels and informal settlements remain a peril to urban development. It is in this context that this paper argues that unplanned urbanization and uncapped informal settlements are practically hindrances to effective urban development in South Africa. Furthermore, the paper contends that, in this era of promoting sustainable development, there is need for a paradigm shift from a mere generic urban planning and development approach, to a rather more proficient type, which entails planning for urban sustainability. Thus, the paper concludes that failure to curb urbanization levels and the rise of informal settlements in South Africa’s cities is an indication of nominal urban planning and development systems. DOI: 10.5901/mjss.2014.v5n14p641

Introduction What is relationship of design research to methodology of urban design? This paper analyses methodologies of planning and design, and their assumptions about power and value and place of urban dwellers; it introduces critical framework of French cultural theorist Henri Lefebvre1 and refers to a Cartesian subjectivity taken as definitive of modemity. Secondly, four cases of design research-two concerning UK, Williamson2 and Robbins,3 one from Netherlands, ter Heide and Wijnbelt,4 and one from USA, Loukaitou-Sideris5-are examined. paper asks whether research replicates or challenges assumptions derived from conventional methodologies of disciplines such as urban planning and architectural design. Thirdly, alternative models of urban settlement are noted and alternative possibilities sketched. It is helpful to investigate this today because a majority of human inhabitants of earth will soon dwell in large urban concentrations, many in informal settlements which surround cities of southern hemisphere,6 and because history of Western (white, modern) exhibits an increasing dysfunctionality; its replication throughout world is a form of economic colonialism. Although literature of urbanism has equivalents of war stories for a masculine sensibility,' violence on which they are based is neither a fantasy nor an anomaly in post-war history of urban development, as demonstrated by Marshall Berman' '8 account of road building in New York in 1950s. This institutionalized brutality is more than marginalization of publics by enclaved urban development. It begins in a methodology which splits dwellers' experiences of urban living from conceptualization of the city in minds and graphic representations of planners, architects, and designers-which allows a disparity between representation and reality. While representation may be Utopian, experience can be chaotic. Berman writes of Robert Moses, who as City and Parks Commissioner redefined New York as a network of fast roads, that he seemed to glory in devastation 9 but that he genuinely loved New York. 10 This contradiction requires explanation. Do methodologies of urban planning and architectural design facilitate it? 1 Henri Lefebvre, Production Of Space (Oxford: Blackwell, 1991). 2 C. Williamson, Design in Central Milton Keynes: 25 Years on from Masterplan, Urban Design Intemational 1:4 (December, 1996): 335-356. 3 E. Robbins, Thinking Space/Seeing Space: Thamesmead Revisited, Urban Design Intemational 1:3 (September 1 996): 283-91. 4 H. ter Heide and D. Wijnbelt, To Know and to Make: Link Between Research and Urban Design, Joumal of Urban Design 1:1 (February, 1996): 75-90. 5 A. Loukatia-Sideris, Cracks in City: Addressing Constraints and Potentials of Urban Design, Joumal of Urban Design 1:1 (February, 1996): 91-102. 6 E. Wilson, Sphinx in City (Berkeley: University of California Press, 1991), 128; and T. Angotti, Metropolis 200(London: Routledge, 1993), 28; A. Goldberg, The Birds Have Nested: Design Direction for Informal Settlements, Urban Design Intemational 1:1 (March, 1996): 3-15. Also J. Beall, A City forAll(London: Zed Books, 1997), 39. 7 M. Davis, City of Ouartz(London: Verso, 1990); L. Woods, Everyday War in P. Lang, ed., Mortal City(New York: Princeton Architectural Press, 1995), 46-53. 8 M. Berman, All That /s Solid Melts Into Air(London: Verso, 1983). 9 Ibid., 293. 10 Ibid., 307.

The research focused on simulating wind patterns in urban planning design offers substantial contributions to both the social and economic aspects of the urban planning and design field. To begin with, it addresses a critical factor in urban development, especially in Mediterranean climates, where natural ventilation significantly influences summer comfort. By incorporating predictive numerical simulations of urban wind patterns, this study provides valuable insights into improving outdoor thermal comfort within urban areas. This holds particular importance in the context of adapting to climate change, as it equips urban planners and architects with informed decision-making tools to create more sustainable and comfortable urban environments. Additionally, this research makes an economic contribution by presenting guidelines for iterative wind simulations in the early stages of designing medium-scale urban projects. Through the validation of a simulation workflow, it streamlines the design process, potentially reducing the time and resources required for urban planning and architectural design. This enhanced efficiency can result in cost savings during project development. Moreover, the study's recommendations concerning simulation parameters, such as wind tunnel cell size and refinement levels, offer practical insights for optimizing simulation processes, potentially lowering computational expenses and improving the overall economic viability of urban design projects. To summarize, this research effectively addresses climate-related challenges, benefiting both social well-being and economic efficiency in the field of urban planning and design, while also providing guidance for more efficient simulation-driven design procedures.

INTRODUCTION: With the continuous advancement of urbanization, urban landscape sculpture plays an increasingly important role in modern urban planning. Traditional planning and design methods make it challenging to demonstrate the three-dimensional sense and artistry of sculpture fully; therefore, this study explores a new method of planning and designing modern urban landscape sculpture based on three-dimensional virtual reconstruction.OBJECTIVES: This study aims to enhance the three-dimensional sense and artistry of urban landscape sculpture planning and design through three-dimensional virtual reconstruction technology to meet the needs of modern urban development better. By using advanced technical means, the planning and design can be made more intuitive and specific and provide urban residents with a more artistic public space.METHODS: The study adopts advanced three-dimensional virtual reconstruction technology, combined with urban planning and design theory, to plan and design modern urban landscape sculpture. Firstly, relevant literature on urban planning and sculpture design is collected to understand the existing design concepts and technical means. Secondly, a detailed virtual reconstruction of the sculpture is carried out by using three-dimensional modeling software to show the three-dimensional effect of the sculpture. Finally, the design scheme is optimized and improved through fieldwork and expert review.RESULTS: Through three-dimensional virtual reconstruction technology, this study successfully shows the whole picture of modern urban landscape sculpture. The design scheme not only has a three-dimensional sense but it has also been improved in artistry. The results of fieldwork and expert evaluation show that the new design scheme is more in line with the needs of urban development and adds a unique artistic atmosphere to the urban space.CONCLUSION: This study has achieved positive results in the field of modern urban landscape sculpture planning and design through 3D virtual reconstruction technology. The new design method not only provides a more specific tool for urban planners but also creates a more creative and artistic public space for urban residents. In the future, the application of this method in different urban contexts can be further explored and expanded to inject more innovation and vitality into urban planning and sculpture design.

Developments in the Urban communities has become issue of great concern. Urban development has been rapid with urban centres springing up from rural communities and sometimes creating an imbalance in environmental systems with attendant consequences and advantages. The study therefore explored the urban system housing development within the context of formulating framework for development, renewal and upgrading in order to achieve sustainable development in urban and rural communities. The aim of the study was to carry out a longitudinal survey of selected areas where there is occurrence of concentration of rural-urban, urban-rural settlement within the selected study areas. Survey was conducted on some parameters as part of the calibrated questionnaire that was designed in Likert Scale 1-5 used for the study. The parameters include evaluation of existing renewal and upgrading pattern, upgrading system, renewal strategies, features of rural-urban growth, challenges of urban renewal and regenerations, influence of urban and rural upgrading system on employment availability, health challenges associated with urban-rural settlement and post occupancy study of satisfaction level of residents of urban and rural settlement housing facilities.The study engaged population of 5 different locations with 100 residents drafted from various selected locations classified as urban and rural settlement as respondents. The data was analysed using Mean Item Score, Simple percentages and regression analysis. Some of the striking contribution in this study includes: System to formulate good renewal and resuscitating, it also include resuscitating decayed component of rural setting at urban location. The study also contribute to knowledge in advocating strategies for urban and renewal strategy like compilation of plans for physical development of the area, development of identified locations, re-accommodation and resettlement of displaced settlements, re-accommodation and resettlement of displaced settlements and reconstruction of the areas devastated by development programmes. Similarly, rural and urban development would bring employment opportunity for all classes of trade either skill labour, un-skill labour and semi-skill labour. Construction activities would attract and provide fortune to different workers category there creating prosperity for all. Finally, the study developed a system framework that could be used for urban and rural settlement regeneration, revitalization, redevelopment and reconstruction. The developed framework would assist in eliminating accommodation challenges, employment problems and health care issues often associated with disparity in settlement growth when rural settlement metamorphosed into urban settlement.

The chapter aims to examine the impact of urban planning and design on the developing world. Urban planning and design have become increasingly important due to changes occurring in global development. This chapter seeks to explore the significance of urban planning and design in the growth and development of sustainable urban centres. Particular emphasis was given to urban centres in the developing world. Urban planning and urban design are different but closely related disciplines that strive to create sustainable towns and cities. Urbanisation has brought with it challenges that most developing countries, such as Zimbabwe are not equipped to handle. There has been a high rate of urbanisation both in terms of the increase of population in cities and the spread of development in urban areas. This has been accompanied by problems, such as overpopulation, overcrowding, shortages of resources and the growth of slum settlements. The projected 50–70% increase in the urban population by 2050 has revealed the importance of urban planning and design in catering for growing populations, especially those in Africa and Asia. Data for this chapter was collected from primary and secondary sources, such as population statistics, reports, journals and the Regional Town and Country Planning Act. Other data was collected through interviews from practicing town planners and observations from existing urban infrastructure in Zimbabwe. The data collected reveals that some countries and their cities have adapted to urbanisation and its accompanying challenges. Zimbabwe has attempted to adopt urban policies from first world countries. The adoption in Zimbabwe of some aspects of urban policies is practicable, but it is not feasible in other facets since the resources and immediate problems are not the same and there are different ways of dealing with them. It is critical for developing countries to seriously consider urban planning and design to come up with contemporary designs that are resilient to current urban challenges. Contemporary urban planning and urban design should centre on marginalised and disadvantaged areas that are constantly being left out in the planning arena.

The transformation of the urban planning system in China from a centrally-planned to transitional economy

Regimes of Urban Transformation in Tehran: The Politics of Planning Urban Development in the 20th Century Iran

Educational inequalities and spatial disparities can be intertwined; consequently, education has become a field of action for urban planners, architects, and urban designers. To establish this key argument of our contribution, we start by explaining the background of education as a field of policy and action in urban development and planning in Germany. We establish how strategies for the development of deprived neighborhoods are focused on a growing variety of education-related topics and measures. Subsequently, we discuss so-called sociospatial educational landscapes as projects in which educational policy, urban planning, architecture, and urban design are particularly closely interwoven. We introduce two examples: “Morgenland Neighborhood Education Center” (Bremen) and “Campus Rütli” (Berlin). Drawing on an in-depth analysis of eight socio-spatial educational landscapes we reconstruct seven motives, describing the deeper meanings stakeholders attribute to the projects. We conclude with a critical reflection on the pedagogization of spaces of childhood and youth inherent in the policies discussed throughout the contribution.

Ecological city is currently a hot topic in urban planning research. How to balance urban development and ecological environment protection has become a focus and difficulty of research. Traditional urban planning is mainly based on experience, but its disadvantage is that it is easy to overlook key geographical factors such as terrain and vegetation and cannot fully reflect the actual spatial characteristics of the city. Therefore, this article applied the combination of urban and rural planning and environmental remote sensing technology to urban planning and design, obtaining a massive amount of data. Through the actual analysis of Langfang, this paper monitored the vegetation, water, land and landscape data of Langfang through environmental remote sensing technology. By using these data to identify existing problems, this article proposed reasonable planning for the problems, in order to achieve the effective goal of ecological city planning and design. It provided a more accurate analysis of urban structure, including urban planning and urban ecological landscape planning. Among them, ecological landscape planning includes renovating ecological embankments, protecting ecological green belts around the city and creating characteristic landscape areas, thereby providing more scientific basis for urban planning and design, making urban planning and design more reasonable and scientific. This paper investigated the planned Langfang City and the average errors of vegetation, soil, water quality and landscape data obtained from traditional field surveys were 0.35, 0.33, 0.34 and 0.31 respectively. The average errors of remote sensing technology in obtaining vegetation, soil, water quality and landscape data were 0.16, 0.15, 0.17 and 0.15, respectively. The total suspended solids content of waterscape 1-10 before planning was 5.51 mg/L and 7.41 mg/L, respectively. After planning, the total suspended solids content of waterscape 1-10 was 3.60 mg/L and 4.47 mg/L, respectively. From this, it can be seen that the error in obtaining data after planning has decreased and the total suspended solids content has also decreased. Urban and rural planning; Environmental remote sensing technology; Ecological city; Land use; Green space planning.

The paper builds on the evidence of an increasing consensus towards citizens' engagement practices in shaping both the form and functioning of the city, and on the apparent distance between the setting up of governance structures adequate for participatory processes to be performed, and the daily urban planning and design. Against this context, the research investigates whether public participation processes are adequately and appropriately addressed in urban planning and design practices. A bibliometric analysis on participatory processes' connection with urban studies (including urban governance, planning, design and development) is described, together with an in-depth evaluation of some works, which makes it possible to appreciate the complexity of the topic. The bibliometric analysis shows a significant divide between the traditional fields of social sciences, built environment disciplines and information technologies; and no common understanding or framework to translate aspirations for greater citizen participation into improved planning, design and construction of city infrastructures. Discussion and conclusions provide, thus, some guidelines for an ambitious research agenda to address these shortcomings based on a systems approach, able to integrate the processes and results from direct participatory processes into decision making for urban planning and design.

The urban planning system seeks to guide appropriate development to the right place and to prevent inappropriate development from taking place aiming at securing sustainable development. However, rapid urban growth due to high fertility and rural-urban migration have exerted pressure on the environment of urban settlements. Urban settlements in developing countries, especially, are facing increasing issues and challenges in various aspects, i.e. physical, social and economic. In Malaysia, various researches and studies have been carried out to understand the issues and challenges of urban settlements in the country.This issue of Planning Malaysia aims to share findings of researches/studies in various aspects of urban settlement and planning in Malaysia. It covers the aspects of globalization and urban planning, urban forms, finance, housing, social, agro-tourism, recreation, urban spaces, transportation, and heritage.The authors of paper 1 suggest that neoliberal globalization certainly gives rise for enabling urban settlements as can be seen in the area of Kuala Lumpur and Selangor. However, the process brings further challenges to the Malaysian planning system such as social injustice and environmental deterioration. In paper 2, the study on urban sprawl has found that cost of development is higher when built further away from service centres. The substantial infrastructure costs savings can be achieved by increasing urban densities and locating new development near existing built-up areas. In paper 3, the authors highlighted the efforts by the government to eradicate squatters and providing low-cost housing in Malaysia. However, the existing policies and programs have yet to meet the target of “zero squatter”.For social-related issues, paper 4 concludes that most of the local respondents from one of the medium cost apartments felt that the presence of foreign immigrants negatively affecting them in terms of family and community relationship, sense of belonging, safety and housing price/cost. In paper 5, the authors discuss several negative and positive impacts on locals due to the presence of foreign immigrants in agro-tourism industry in Cameron Highland.In terms of recreational planning in urban settlements, paper 6 shows that recreational facilities in urban areas can give satisfaction to youths. It covers the aspects of the current state of the facilities, proximity, accessibility and level of maintenance. Meanwhile, paper 7 indicates that the nature and human interactions require elements of open spaces such as green spaces, water elements, and physical attributes to enhance the human-human and human-nature interactions.For the aspect of transportation, paper 8 found that majority of respondents were not ready to consider cycling or walking as an alternative mode of travel. Besides, respondents who use their cars more frequently have lower level of willingness to use public transport. Further, the authors of paper 9 also found that majority of respondents did not use bicycles as a primary mode of transportation in their daily trips to work, shops, and others even though the provision of cycle lanes and the related infrastructure were excellent. In paper 10, the authors look into public transportation service (Hop-On Hop-Off bus) for urban tourism. It was found that the single route bus service for whole Kuala Lumpur city centre is not suitable. It takes tourists too long to complete the route. The authors propose that the existing route should be broken into three.For the issues on heritage, paper 11 shows that gentrification is a decent way of developing an urban heritage site to be in line with the development strategies of a country. However, uncontrolled gentrification can result in negative consequences. In the study area, many members of the local community felt marginalized and isolated in their place of birth.Finally, it should be mentioned that the publication of this Planning Malaysia Journal is aimed at encouraging professional/academic communication and sharing of research findings among practitioners, policy makers, researchers, students, and managers in urban development and planning related fields. Continuous research, study, and sharing of knowledge should be able to improve the existing practice of planning, design, andmanagement of urban settlements.

The advancement of cutting-edge technologies significantly transforms urban lifestyles and is indispensable in sustainable urban design and planning. This systematic review focuses on the critical role of innovative technologies and digitalization, particularly artificial intelligence (AI), in urban planning through geo-design, aiming to enhance urban life. It begins with exploring the importance of AI and digital tools in revolutionizing contemporary urban planning practices. Through the methodology based on the Systematic Reviews and Meta-Analyses (PRISMA) protocol, this review sifts through relevant literature over the past two decades by categorizing artificial intelligence technologies based on their functionalities. These technologies are examined for their utility in urban planning, environmental modeling, and infrastructure development, highlighting how they contribute to creating smarter and more livable cities. For instance, machine learning techniques like supervised learning excel in forecasting urban trends, whereas artificial neural networks and deep learning are superior in pattern recognition and vital for environmental modeling. This analysis, which refers to the comprehensive evaluation conducted in this Systematic Review, encompasses studies based on diverse data inputs and domains of application, revealing a trend toward leveraging AI for predictive analytics, decision-making improvements, and the automation of complex geospatial tasks in urban areas. The paper also addresses the challenges encountered, including data privacy, ethical issues, and the demand for cross-disciplinary knowledge. The concluding remarks emphasize the transformative potential of innovative technologies and digitalization in urban planning, advocating for their role in fostering better urban life. It also identifies future research avenues and development opportunities. In light of our review findings, this study concludes that AI technologies indeed hold transformative promise for the field of geo-design and urban planning. They have proven instrumental in advancing predictive analytics, refining decision-making, and streamlining complex geospatial tasks. The AI’s capacity to process expansive datasets and improve urban planning accuracy has facilitated more sustainable urban development and enhanced the resilience of urban environments.

PurposeVertical urban settlements are becoming the predominant form of contemporary urban design in response to population increase and rapid urbanization. These developments are, however, perceived to be poorly designed and incongruent with the users’ needs. The purpose of this study was to present a resident satisfaction assessment of Hong Kong’s vertical settlements.Design/methodology/approachA review of the literature was conducted on the concept of vertical urbanism, residential satisfaction and postoccupancy evaluation. Fifty performance indicators were classified into three groups including indoor environment, safety and maintenance; furniture, utilities and spaces; and privacy, appearance and city life. These indicators were used to develop a Web-based questionnaire administered to residents in the three administrative regions of Hong Kong. Ninety-eight respondents participated in the study, and the results were analyzed using the resident satisfaction index and the overall satisfaction index. A multilinear regression analysis was also made to develop a model describing the most relevant performance indicators for determining the overall residential satisfaction.FindingsThe results revealed that residents expressed dissatisfaction with performance indicators, including “level of noise generated from outside the building (neighboring buildings, traffic, noise, etc.),” “variation and stability of indoor temperature,” “sustainable design of the building’s environment (cyclability, walkability, electric charging stations, etc.),” “availability and capacity of car parking,” “size and adequacy of spaces for social interaction” and “considerations for occupants with special needs (disabled, aged people, children, occupants with a medical condition, etc.).” The results also revealed that some indicators such as the maintenance of elevators, adequate interior space and surrounding areas were considered as significantly influencing residential satisfaction. Similarly, the building height and wind-induced motion were not significantly influencing residential satisfaction. The results also revealed that a multilinear Regression model with five variables and an adjusted R2 value of 93% could estimate the overall residential satisfaction.Originality/valueThe concept of vertical urban design is the new paradigm in the shaping of future cities. The originality of this study is its adoption of post-occupancy evaluation to assess occupants’ residential satisfaction. As well as the determination of factors that should inform the planning, design and management of vertical urban settlements. Thus, the study has significant implications for research in vertical urban development, as well as the professional practice of building and urban planners, designers and managers.