City Center Research Articles

Spatial Accessibility and Social Inequality to Health Care in Urban System: A Case Study in Tianjin, China

In recent years, the issue of medical security has received more and more attention from the government, and ensuring people's health is an important task that cannot be ignored. In some areas, medical resources are relatively scarce, and they cannot provide a good guarantee for people's daily medical treatment. In the current paper, the spatial accessibility of medical resources and facilities in Tianjin was analyzed using the Gini coefficients, network technique, and Two-step floating catchment area. The results show that based on 2SFCA analysis, the medical facilities in Tianjin are not evenly distributed. Most of them are concentrated in the south and central parts of the city, while some areas have fewer medical resources. Most of the medical facilities are concentrated in the city center. Based on the network and population analysis, Citizens living in areas with almost complete coverage of medical resources can receive better health care. Some citizens living in an area that can be partially covered by medical resources can accept medical insurance. Living in areas where medical resources are extremely scarce, almost the majority of citizens do not have access to proper health insurance. Based on the Gini coefficients, the results show that the medical resources within 30 km and 20 km are relatively unequal, but the medical resources within 30 km are more equal in the two cases.

Carbon emission effects of land use change in Nanchang, West of Central China Region

Urban development leads to frequent changes in land use, which leads to temporal and spatial variation of carbon emissions. In this study, land use change data, economic and social data, and energy consumption data of Nanchang City from 2000 to 2020 were used to estimate the spatio-temporal evolution of carbon emissions in Nanchang City, and the LMDI model was used to identify the main driving factors affecting the change of carbon emissions in Nanchang City. It is found that from 2000 to 2020, the carbon emission of Nanchang City has a great change, showing a “parabolic” change law, that is, rising first and then decreasing. Comparing the carbon emissions of various districts and counties, the central city is higher than the surrounding districts and counties. Economic development, land use activities and population status have a positive effect on the increase of carbon emissions, and carbon emission intensity per unit of land and land intensity per unit of GDP have a positive effect on the reduction of carbon emissions. The adjustment and optimization of energy consumption structure and the improvement of human-land policies in Nanchang from the perspectives of optimizing land use layout and structure, rationally controlling population size, and advocating low-carbon lifestyle are conducive to the construction of ecological civilization and sustainable development of Nanchang.

Spatial Accessibility of Community Elderly Care Services for the Elderly in Beijing, China

Since China entered an aging society in 2000, the population has been gradually becoming older and aging faster. The accelerating and deepening of population aging poses a severe challenge to elderly care resources. This study addresses the challenges of an aging population and the uneven distribution of elderly care resources in Beijing by integrating data on the city's road network, elderly population, and care centers, Utilized QGIS software and the 2SFCA method to assess spatial accessibility and social equity of elderly care centers in Beijing at the township and street levels. There is a roughly consistent spatial density layout between the elderly care centers in Beijing and the elderly population. A spatial distribution pattern of elderly care centers in Beijing shows an uneven spatial accessibility level, A small number of northeastern and southwestern regions and the central urban area have high accessibility. In general, the spatial equity of spatial accessibility to elderly care centers in Beijing is very good, and the Gini coefficient of spatial accessibility is only 0.17. The results can provide theoretical support for the Beijing government to further improve the layout of elderly care resources in the future.

Experiences of Families Affected by Imprisonment in Turkey: The Case of Ankara Province

ABSTRACT While interest in the impact of imprisonment on families has been increasing, there is still limited knowledge regarding the social, cultural, and relational aspects of the experiences of families of convicted individuals in the Turkish context. This study examines the experiences of families affected by imprisonment in Ankara. Focusing particularly on the effects of a parent’s incarceration on the family, the research employs a qualitative design, with in-depth semi-structured interviews conducted with 17 spouses of convicted individuals. The findings reveal that families of convicted individuals face significant psychosocial and economic challenges, experience hardships throughout the incarceration process, and receive insufficient social support during this period. The study highlights that women, in particular, endure greater difficulties due to cultural pressures stemming from gender roles and social stigmatization. These challenges make it difficult for women to make sense of their experiences and to seek support. Additionally, the geographical location of prisons, often distant from city centers, coupled with stringent security measures, hinders families from maintaining communication and emotional bonds with their incarcerated relatives. This research fills a gap in the literature on the experiences of families of convicted individuals in Turkey, addressing their experiences from a human rights and social justice perspective.

Turkish adaptation, validity, and reliability study of the Quality of Life Gravidarum (QOL-GRAV) scale

BackgroundThe study aims to adapt the validity and reliability of the Pregnancy Quality of Life Scale in Turkish society.MethodsThe study was carried out methodologically between April 2021 and April 2022 at Bayburt State Hospital, the only public hospital operating in the city center of Bayburt. In the study, a total of 355 pregnant women who met the research criteria and volunteered to participate were examined without selecting a sample. Validity and reliability analysis of language and content validity, explanatory and confirmatory factor analysis, and Cronbach- α coefficient were used.ResultsThe factor structure of the Turkish form of the scale was consistent with the original form. As a result of the explanatory appropriate. The internal consistency coefficient was calculated as the total Cronbach-α coefficient of the scale was 0.628 for the first trimester, and 0.628 for the II. trimester 0.727 for trimester, III. Trimester it is 0.698 for a trimester.ConclusionAs a result of the validity and reliability study, the Turkish version of the Pregnancy Quality of Life Scale can be used as a valid and reliable measurement tool.

Integration of GPS Based Floating Car Data into GIS Based Transportation Networks: Antalya Ring Road Example

Although there are many studies on the use of GPS and GIS technologies in transportation planning and accessibility analyses, there is almost few research to reveal the background of the integration process in detail. Addressing this basic problem, our study attempted to develop a free and transparent method to integrate mobile GPS data into transportation network data on GIS environment which can be used extensively in urban and regional planning research especially in transportation and accessibility analyses. Developed method was applied to a particular segment of a ring road of D400 highway within the borders of Antalya city centre and the whole process is described in a detailed manner in order to demonstrate the efficiency and usability of the proposed methodology.

Engaging (with) Places

Places are significant for people, providing grounds for a sense of belonging, identity, and well-being. This article draws on a research project examining people-place relations within the everyday material environment of central Reykjavík. Grounded in a critical heritage studies perspective, the project aims to contribute to an understanding of how individuals ascribe meaning and value to the historic urban landscape and analyse the emotions and affective qualities that emerge through sensory engagement with places perceived as material embodiments of the past. The article addresses the method of solitary, self-led participant walks using audio-visual recording glasses, supplemented with follow-up interviews. This approach facilitates in-situ, on-the-move observations of participants’ spatial encounters, offering insights into their emotional and sensory experiences of the urban landscape. The article delineates how the method enabled participants to immerse themselves in the flow of their walks, evoking a variety of sensorial expressions, mnemonic fragments, and shared narratives prompted by encounters with the material facets of the city centre. The findings highlight the potential of the method to provide partial yet meaningful access to the affective and emotional dimensions of people’s interactions with urban spaces, offering insights into the ways individuals experience and value the historic urban landscape.

The The street names in East Central European cities and towns in the pre-industrial period from a comparative perspective

This research explores the realm of pre-industrial street names within East Central European cities, aiming to unveil the historical, linguistic, and socio-cultural dimensions they encapsulate. Through a cross-regional analysis, common archetypes and naming patterns were researched, transcending geographical confines. The study underscores the relevance of historical atlases in facilitating comparative research, shedding light on street names as repositories of narratives. These names, carrying echoes of professions, ethnic origins, and geographical landmarks, serve as windows into urban evolution and societal dynamics. By embracing the complexity of street names, this research emphasizes the importance of studying street names as sources of urban history.

THE CENTRALITY OF THE LIVING FRAMEWORK AND ITS IMPLICATIONS FOR THE QUALITY OF URBAN LIFE: THE CASE OF THE OLD CITY OF CONSTANTINE

Living in cities imposes a rapid lifestyle subject to the laws and requirements of living in them, as the latter provide the needs of their inhabitants in varying proportions, and city centres are considered the most important living areas. Through this article, we will try to know the relationship between the quality of urban life and the centralized living areas through a field investigation where 50 questionnaires were distributed to the inhabitants of Souika with the help of two elementary schools. After transcribing and analysing the results, it was found that despite the weight of the historical past in every detail of its corners and the services it provides through it or through its surroundings, and despite the deteriorating state of its built framework, which has negatively affected the inhabitants in many aspects of their daily lives, it is still for them the preferred living framework that fulfils their needs and makes them comfortable and satisfied them and shows their attachment to it and their sense of belonging. This is what makes the overall centrality of the old city, including the historical one, not opposed to achieving the quality of urban life in this particular living framework.

Waterfront Redevelopment Five Decades Later: An Updated Typology and Research Agenda

Since the second half of the twentieth century, when maritime practices began migrating outside their traditional central city areas, urban regeneration at the water’s edge has been one of the key issues in port cities’ planning agendas. Waterfronts in port cities have become strategic areas for a range of reasons, such as economic growth, city branding, and addressing housing pressures. However, recent studies also show how their transformation is now more profoundly influenced by hypermobile capital and global finance, and by broad sustainability concerns. The established narrative of waterfront redevelopment as a response to weakening port‐city relationships no longer necessarily represents the present of all port cities, as more nuanced accounts are needed. With examples from Europe and across the world, this article reflects on waterfront redevelopment practices, by building on existing attempts to provide typologies and periodise the history of this phenomenon and focussing on the key approaches emerging in the last decades. It is argued that today’s approaches to waterfront redevelopment, and ultimately contemporary relationships between ports and cities, are changing and possibly differentiating from the “port out, city in” rationale underpinning past schemes. Current practices appear to be ranging from the wholesale transformation of redundant waterfronts into neoliberal urban spaces for consumption and capital accumulation to more “fine‐grained” planning strategies to build more (environmentally, but also economically, socially, and culturally) sustainable urban waterfronts by integrating or restoring port‐related activities within mixed‐used areas.

The Attitudes of Secondary School Students Studying in Different School Types Towards Physical Education and Sports Lessons: Comparison of Village and City

The main aim of this study was to determine the attitudes of secondary school students towards physical education and sports lessons by making comparisons according to settlement and school types. In selecting the study group, the stratified purposeful sampling method, which is a type of purposive sampling method and one of the non-random sampling methods, was adopted. The data were collected and evaluated using a personal information form and BES course attitude scale. SPSS statistical program was used to analyze the data and the significance value was accepted as .05. As a result of the analysis, it was determined that the data were normally distributed and t-test was used for pairwise comparisons, Post-Hoc Tukey and One-Way Variance Analysis (ANOVA) were used for more than two comparisons. According to the results of the research, no significant differences were found in the mean scores of the students' attitudes towards the BES course according to variables such as gender, residence in the city center or rural area, mother's occupation, father's education level, school type and place of residence. However, significant differences were found in the mean scores of the students' attitudes towards the BES course in terms of factors such as being on the school team, gym status, class levels, transportation to school, location of the school, father's occupation, mother's education level.

Predictive Logistic Models for Off-Street Parking Policy

The land in city centers is typically used for commercial and industrial purposes, leading to increased traffic congestion. To promote more efficient, sustainable, and accessible land use in city centers, it is necessary to manage incoming traffic flow and travel demands effectively. This can be achieved by implementing appropriate parking policies, which should be predicted carefully to avoid adverse effects on human and economic activities. A case study is conducted in Duhok city, Iraq, aims to estimate the potential responses of city center travelers to reasonable off-street parking restriction policies. Real data were gathered through interviews with a quantitative sample of drivers to assess their reactions to two policies: increasing parking fees and reducing available parking spaces. The study examines central parkers’ socio-demographic and travel characteristics, including origin, trip purpose, timing, parking duration, search time, payment, income, age, and car occupancy. The study presents the results of two binary logistic models used to estimate the probability of implementing new parking policies to alleviate traffic congestion and improve movement. The findings suggest that travelers are more inclined to change their mode of transportation or travel time of day rather than altering their destination or canceling their trip. The findings contribute to the ongoing discourse on sustainable urban development and offer practical solutions for addressing the complex challenges associated with traffic volume and movement control in developing cities. This study aims to contribute to the growing body of knowledge on sustainable urban transportation planning and offer practical recommendations for transportation authorities.

The Post-Networked Condition in the Urbanized Periphery: Transforming Water Supply and Sanitation Services in a Southern European Metropolis

ABSTRACT Urbanized peripheries are frequently regarded as unsustainable due to the high costs of infrastructure provision, escalating resource demands, and low social cohesion stemming from unequal access to services. In an increasingly suburbanized world, addressing this complex infrastructural crisis is crucial. Meanwhile, in consideration of these challenges, the European Union introduced the New Green Deal, promoting a strategy of hybrid investment in both networked and alternative forms of infrastructure development. However, there is limited understanding of how current suburban infrastructures are (re)produced and how interventions should be designed to support a more sustainable and progressive approach to service provision. This article proposes a conceptual and methodological framework centered on the “post-networked condition” to examine the heterogenous socio-technical foundations of Southern European metropolises. I argue that through the operationalization of this framework we can better integrate the characterization, diagnosis, and transformation of these socio-technical landscapes, bridging gaps in the traditional siloed debates of infrastructure transition studies. I conclude by calling for a shift in suburban studies beyond the prevailing neoliberal emphasis on densification and compaction as the main drivers of urban periphery transformation. Extending the concept of the post-networked condition beyond city centers and into urbanized peripheries offers a more comprehensive framework for addressing these transformation challenges.

INVESTMENT RISKS AND RETURNS IN THREE-STAR HOTELS IN ENUGU CITY, SOUTH EAST NIGERIA

The measurement of risks and returns are the variables for determining the performance of real estate investments. Risk is the probability of variation between actual and expected outcomes, while return is the profit realized from investment. Factors such as capital expenditure, operating expenditure, location, and scale are important variables in hotel investment. However, since this study concentrates on three-star hotels, scale was not considered as all hotels under consideration were of the same scale. This study analysed the risks and returns of investment in three-star hotels in Enugu city between 2015 and 2024 by calculating the Arithmetic Mean Return (AMR), Standard Deviation (SD), and Coefficient of Variation (COV) over the period. From a study population of fifty (50) three-star hotels in seven (7) locations in the city namely: Independence Layout, New Haven, Ogui Road, GRA, Trans Ekulu, Ebeano Tunnel, and Abakpa Nike, seven (7) hotels were selected,one from each location for the study. Data on the net annual income and capital values of the hotels between 2015 and 2024 were obtained through questionnaires sent to the general manager of each of the selected hotels. The results of the study found an inverse relationship between risks and returns among hotels with high capital values; risks were high while returns were lower. Hotels located in the city centre also had less returns due to higher expenditure and competition associated with central location. The study recommends that hoteliers should increase their returns and reduce risks by reducing their capital and operating expenditure.

Managing the Cultural Heritage of Cities in Times of Climate Change: Case Study: Larissa, One of the Hottest Cities in Greece

Although cultural and urban environments are often seen as separate from the natural environment in planning and development by local authorities and governments, a transdisciplinary approach to cultural heritage is necessary—or at the very least a viable alternative—in today’s context of severe global challenges such as climate change. This perspective must encompass vital aspects of intangible heritage, including the practices, knowledge, and skills that communities, groups, and individuals recognize as part of their cultural legacy, which are passed down through generations in response to their environment, interactions with nature, and historical experiences. Within this framework, traditional knowledge, skills, and practices related to climate can become subjects of preservation, supported by the existence of old buildings as records of the historical continuity of the city and effective climatic management. As climate change is likely to increase the frequency and intensity of severe heat stress events, studies are examining the relationship between urban geometry and microclimate within city centers. The conservation of built heritage in historic centers helps promote local sustainable development by preserving both the historical character and urban geometry of the area. By turning this threat into an opportunity, the climatic factor can be seen as a key area of interaction between the natural, urban, and cultural environments of a city. This perspective is crucial for the sustainable development of cities like Larissa, where the main climatic challenge—high summer temperatures—diminishes the city’s appeal to residents, visitors, and investors.

Examining The Factors Affecting Women's Family Planning Attitudes and Perceived Barriers to Contraception Methods

Objective: The aim of this study was to examine the factors affecting women's attitudes towards family planning and their perceived barriers to contraception methods. Method: This descriptive, cross-sectional and correlational study was conducted in a university hospital in Bursa with 382 women between October 2018 and October 2019. Data were collected with the Family Planning Attitude Scale and the Perception Scale of Barriers to Contraceptive Use. Results: The mean total scores of the Family Planning Attitude Scale and the Perception Scale of Barriers to Contraceptive Use were determined to be 115.4±39.7 and 78.1±41.7, respectively. The mean total score of the Family Planning Attitude Scale was found to be statistically significantly high in women lower who were 33 years of age or younger, married, graduated from high school or above, had a nuclear family, had a high-income level, lived in the city center, were aware of and used birth control methods, received counseling about birth control methods, and had a planned pregnancy. The total mean score of the Perception Scale of Barriers to Contraceptive Use was statistically significantly lower in these women (p

Identifying spatiotemporal pattern and trend prediction of land subsidence in Zhengzhou combining MT-InSAR, XGBoost and hydrogeological analysis

Zhengzhou city (China) experienced relatively significant land deformation following the July 20, 2021, extreme rainstorm (7·20 event). This study jointly utilised Multi-temporal synthetic aperture radar interferometry (MT-InSAR), eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost), and hydrogeological analysis to quantitatively assess the extent and trends, as well as the causes of land deformation before and after the 7·20 event in Zhengzhou city. The findings detected three major subsidence zones and two uplift zones within the city. The most significant subsidence occurred in the northern part of Zhongmu (− 28 mm/year), the northwest of Xingyang (− 16 mm/year), and the western region of Gongyi (− 6 mm/year). Conversely, a notable uplift was observed in the central city district (13 mm/year) and Xinzheng Airport (12 mm/year). The accuracy assessment of in-situ measurements (GNSS and levelling) yielded an overall root-mean-square error (RMSE) of 2.2 mm/year and an R-square of 0.948. Subsequently, the feature evaluation results based on the XGBoost method suggest that road density and precipitation are the dominant factors affecting land deformation in the entire study area or in the subsidence and uplift zones individually. Nevertheless, the other five factors (groundwater storage, soil type, soil thickness, NDVI, and slope) also act on land deformation individually and are intricately intertwined with each other. Furthermore, hydrogeological analysis from six groundwater wells reveals a synchronous relationship between groundwater level decline and land subsidence. The building load analysis shows a significant correlation between build-up density and subsidence rates, especially for those severe subsidence areas, with the maximum correlation coefficient reaching 0.6312. Finally, the geographic patterns analysis of post-event demonstrated a northeastward trend in land deformation, with a gradual reduction of deformation impact from 2018 to 2022.

Analysis And Improvement of Poor Bearing Capacity Soils in Düzce Province by Jet grouting Method

Turkey is situated in an earthquake-prone zone, and due to its geographic location, Düzce is among the most hazardous regions in the country and the world. The seismic risk in Düzce province is significantly influenced by the North Anatolian Fault (NAF), which is characterized by an active tectonic structure. This area has experienced earthquakes of varying magnitudes both before and after the instrumental recording period. Especially, two significant earthquakes occurred in 1999: on August 17, an earthquake with a moment magnitude of Mw = 7.4 struck the Adapazarı-İzmit region. Shortly after, on November 12, 1999, another earthquake with a moment magnitude of Mw=7.1 hit Düzce area at approximately 18:57, lasting for about 30 seconds. During the August 17 earthquake, the eastern section of the Düzce fault, measuring 43 km, was activated. The November 12 earthquake is considered to have been triggered by the previously unbroken eastern section of the Düzce fault as a result of the initial faulting. In the city center, the soil composition mainly consists of fine gravel and sandy gravel in certain areas. Previous earthquakes have resulted in structural damages primarily due to bearing capacity issues, and liquefaction phenomena have also been observed in some locations. In this study, the soil beneath a planned three-story building in Düzce, an area identified having a liquefaction risk, was improved using the jet grout method.

On measuring the change in historical city centres: an attempt at comparing human perception and deep learning through visual quality of street space

On measuring the change in historical city centres: an attempt at comparing human perception and deep learning through visual quality of street space

Keeping streets safe at night: navigating jurisdictional boundaries between the police and the private security industry

Purpose Keeping streets safe at night to protect users of the night-time economy (NTE) is a responsibility shared by the police and private security companies, yet little is known about this collaboration in practice. The study aims to explore the experience of both agencies to reveal examples of good practice as well as any tensions and risks that emanate from this partnership. Design/methodology/approach Focus groups with 19 police officers and four private security guards were conducted in one city in the Southeast of England, UK, during 2023, to elicit their narrative accounts of working at night and their attitudes towards one another. Findings The study revealed the importance of non-statutory agencies in maintaining order in the city centre at night, often in the absence of a police presence, at the expense of their own safety and without legal and physical protection. However, private security guards recognised that they sometimes traversed their jurisdictional boundaries. This practice concerned the police, as it compromised formal investigation and blurred lines of responsibility. Both the police and security guards identified training needs, experienced violence themselves, felt unsupported in their work and recognised that more could be done to build collaborative working relations. Practical implications The findings suggest several practical strategies that would enhance statutory and non-statutory collaboration, particularly through strengthening the understanding of where jurisdictional boundaries should be drawn. Specifically, the instatement of formal channels of communication between formal policing and private security, alongside joint training, would be beneficial. Originality/value This study explores a gap in the current knowledge and understanding of how order is maintained at night. There is limited research into the role of private security and our understanding of police experiences of night working is nascent. By holding focus groups simultaneously with both agencies gave new insights into the current working relationship and views of one another. The respondents articulated not only mutual respect but also significant levels of distrust and misunderstandings, leading to risks for both groups and users of the NTE. The findings provide recommendations to strengthen collaborative working.