Volumetric landscape: The mix characteristics and co-agglomeration of 3D space use in compact cities

Rapid urban densification in cities of the Global South has intensified land scarcity and constrained the provision of green open spaces, particularly in compact residential neighborhoods. In such contexts, community-based urban agriculture has emerged as an adaptive response to environmental, social, and spatial challenges. While existing studies widely acknowledge the multifunctional benefits of urban agriculture, empirical investigations that systematically examine its spatial logic and integration within dense built environments remain limited, especially in Southeast Asian cities. This study aims to reframe community-based urban agriculture as an integrated socio-spatial and environmental infrastructure embedded within compact urban fabrics. Using a case study approach, the research investigates urban agriculture practices in Kemantren Gondokusuman, Yogyakarta, Indonesia. Data were collected through field mapping, spatial documentation, and descriptive–quantitative analysis focusing on spatial typologies, distribution patterns, green open space ratios, and system integration. The results identify 22 spatially distributed urban agriculture sites operating across private yards, residual spaces, and communal facilities, with a density of approximately 0.055 sites/ha in an area characterized by a green open space provision of only 14.5%. Findings reveal that urban agriculture functions as a micro-scale environmental infrastructure through the integration of spatial efficiency, production systems, environmental functions, and community-based operational mechanisms. Rather than compensating for green space deficits through land expansion, environmental performance is achieved through functional intensification of fragmented spaces. The study proposes an integrated urban agriculture model that synthesizes these interdependent systems, contributing a design-oriented framework for sustainable built environments in dense urban neighborhoods. This research advances-built environment sustainability discourse by demonstrating how urban agriculture can operate as a scalable, spatially integrated strategy for enhancing environmental and socio-spatial performance in compact cities.

Balancing green and compact city: Assessing the quality of residential surroundings

Beyond population density: A new framework for compact cities through amenity survival analysis

Navigating carbon reduction in dense, multi-functional compact cities: Moderators and threshold effects of green space and aging population

One of the most significant challenges in the development of modern cities is the rational development of their space. Effective management of empty areas and other land reserves occurring in the urban fabric and their appropriate development is becoming necessary. This study presents the results of research on the identification of warehouse and industrial areas, as well as auxiliary and post-industrial regions, which have the potential to be successfully transformed towards other functions, specifically housing development. The analysis of available literature and a review of successful implementations of this type of transformation reveal that the key to success is the accessibility of transport and the availability of city services in the transformed area. In addition to accessibility, a vital factor is the size of the transformed area, allowing for the introduction of appropriate development. Thus, a suitability index was developed and calculated based on both factors for Warsaw. Subsequently, the areas with the most significant transformation potential were selected in individual city zones (functional inner city, consolidated urban and suburban). The analysis of the results and a review of the areas with the highest index value indicate the accuracy of the adopted analysis method, potentially selecting areas for transformation in other cities with high investment pressure. Thus, using the proposed methodology, the appropriate use of storage areas may limit urban sprawl and implement the idea of a compact city, which is a response to the ongoing urban crisis.

Striving to provide a sustainable transportation environment and developing urban city centers has become a basic requirement for current and future societies, especially with accelerating pace of urbanization. Therefore, an integrated transportation system with land uses within TOD system provides environmental treatments through developing traffic movement, encouraging walking and cycling, and introducing public transportation, which area lacks. The study, as well as diversity of mixed land use with high density, would achieve gains on economic and social dimensions and preserve land’s “compact city” image. Research presents a model for developing and analyzing possibilities of establishing a TOD center for Iraqi city of Ramadi according to independent indicators selected from experiences and based on TOD planning principles through an analytical approach to inputs in SPSS program, adopting a multiple linear regression model, which includes modeling relationship between land use and transportation. And reaching conclusions about intervention values for all variables with a positive and negative impact, in order to evaluate realistic performance of variable adopted for study area, from possibility of creating TOD in proposed location and possibility of replicating it in other squares in city of Ramadi to achieve integration at city level.

Purpose This paper aims to evaluate three urban spatial transformation strategies – urban intensification, urban extensification and decentralised peripheral densification – that best support environmental sustainability in hyper-dense cities in the Global South, using Dhaka as a case study. Dhaka is experiencing rapid urban growth due to both the peripheral areas’ expansion and the centre cities’ intensification. Design/methodology/approach This research uses a mixed-methods approach combining data collected from site visits in four sample areas in Dhaka, available literature, and semi-structured interviews with 12 key informants (selected by purposive sampling). The research findings were generated using multi-criteria analysis (MCA) across seven environmental criteria and thematic analysis. Findings The research finds that decentralised intensification of peripheral suburbs offers the highest MCA score (0.43). The results suggest that in hyper-dense cities like Dhaka, compact city models (scored 0.18) may exacerbate environmental degradation. Findings claim that urban policy shift toward decentralised infrastructure-led suburban development is more environmentally sustainable than core-area intensification in high-density cities in the Global South. Originality/value To the best of the authors knowledge, this research is original in exploring the potential urban growth management policies considering environmental sustainability in extremely densely developed cities in the Global South. The originality of the study lies in applying MCA, grounded in compact and polycentric city theories, and in critically assessing Dhaka’s urban transformation by linking the theoretical framework with policy evaluation.

Multi-contaminants in road runoff of a compact city: Characteristics, interactions, and ecological risks.

Impacts of more immediate and less immediate nature experiences on young adults’ mental health: The mediating role of nature connectedness in a compact city in China

ABSTRACT Brownfield urban regeneration projects are crucial for achieving compact city ambitions (Bunker, R., and G. Searle. 2008. “Theory and Practice in Metropolitan Strategy: Situating Recent Australian Planning.” Urban Policy and Research 27 (2): 101–116). However, these projects are complex to deliver with large sites, challenging site conditions, a broad range of stakeholders, and long timeframes for completion. In this context, design governance, interventions in the means and processes of designing the built environment to support public interest outcomes, is essential to ensure that each developed lot contributes to a cohesive neighbourhood and aligns with place quality ambitions. This paper investigates two urban regeneration projects, Lachlan Precinct in Waterloo, Sydney (Eora Country), and Bowden, Adelaide (Kaurna Country), and investigates the role of design review, and in particular, competitive design policy and design review panels, in their delivery in partnership with other forms of design governance. Through the exploration of the interplay of these mechanisms, observations will be made on the benefits and challenges of these approaches, and the role of government in supporting them. Strategic government leadership is essential for steering urban regeneration towards long-term public value. Bowden demonstrates the benefits of government land ownership, while Lachlan Precinct highlights how regulatory frameworks can incentivise private developers to deliver public outcomes. Design review enhances urban regeneration outcomes but depends on broader design governance. In contrast to its application in an infill context, design review in urban regeneration has greater reliance on place-specific planning frameworks, given the extent of change underway. Establishing certainty around key planning parameters, such as development yield, spatial structure, and residential design standards enables design review processes to focus on architectural innovation and context-sensitive responses, rather than re-negotiating fundamental elements.

ABSTRACT PM2.5 pollution significantly impedes sustainable development in large urban agglomerations. Understanding its driving mechanisms allows the development of targeted management strategies. However, focusing on static factors alone limits the ability to regulate the pollution reduction pace. Achieving stable and efficient PM2.5 reduction in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) is challenging. This study employed time series information entropy, random forest, partial dependency plot, and multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) to explore the nonlinearity and spatial heterogeneity of static and dynamic influences on PM2.5. We then applied K-means clustering to design region-specific control strategies. Results revealed that temperature (46.39%) and wind speed (44.12%) primarily drove static PM2.5 intensity, while changes in gross domestic product (GDP; 47.50%) influenced its evolution. Enhancing road networks and building density fosters compact cities that steadily reduce PM2.5. Minor fluctuations in population density and nighttime lighting significantly reduced PM2.5, indicating that stable demographic and economic transitions support sustained reductions. At the subregional level, cooling strategies should be prioritized in the central GBA, while regulating population growth, GDP, and road construction is key in peripheral areas. This study clarifies PM2.5,s dynamic driving mechanisms and offers actionable insights for managing both the level and timing of reductions.

Priority districts for rooftop gardens as a trigger driving age-friendly compact cities

With the rapid pace of urbanization, the Urban Heat Island (UHI) effect has emerged as a significant obstacle to sustainable urban living, characterized by elevated temperatures in cities relative to surrounding rural areas. This article explores the intricate mechanisms driving UHI development, emphasizing key contributors such as the reduction of green spaces, heat-retaining construction materials, compact city layouts, and anthropogenic heat emissions. Meteorological factors further compound UHI intensity, underlining its multifaceted nature. The consequences are far-reaching ranging from increased energy demands and diminished air quality to elevated greenhouse gas emissions and negative impacts on public health and thermal comfort. Climate change exacerbates these effects by altering local weather dynamics and intensifying heat stress. A comprehensive assessment of detection techniques is provided, alongside a diverse set of mitigation approaches. These include nature-based interventions such as green roofs, vertical gardens, urban forestry, and blue infrastructure, as well as technological innovations like reflective roofs and permeable pavements. The article also evaluates the complex role of solar panels, which can both alleviate and contribute to heat accumulation in urban settings. This work contributes to the creation of heat-resilient cities and promotes a shift from concrete-dominated landscapes toward cooler, greener, and more sustainable urban environments.

Due to rapid economic development, high energy consumption, and the depletion of natural resources, resulting in climate change, urban planners and architects face the difficult task of creating a new type of sustainable city that takes into account rapid population growth. The aim of this article is to examine the development of contemporary forms of high-rise architecture and the role of the vertical city in responding to shrinking space and developing a realistic strategy for sustainable urban development. Literature analysis, case studies, and multidisciplinary analysis are used. Pro-ecological solutions are identified and analyzed using the most representative buildings in Asia and a theoretical example in Nanjing. The examples are characterized by above-average height, unusual shapes, and the use of advanced pro-ecological strategies. Greenery plays a key role, including regulating the temperature inside the building. Vertical multifunctionality is becoming an increasingly common response to increasing spatial needs. The apparent lack of understanding of the development of high-rise buildings in cities around the world, extending beyond individual skyscrapers, constitutes a research gap. This article discusses Chongqing, an example of a vertical city, which is understood not only in terms of individual high-rise buildings but also as a whole structure. The study addresses the issue of a new type of compact city: the vertical city. The article provides key guidelines and constraints for creating densely populated, yet sustainable and environmentally friendly cities of the future. The practical application of the study can be utilized by urban planners and decision-makers.

ABSTRACT In northern cities, the long, dark winters shape everyday outdoor life in ways that are often overlooked in planning discourse. In Stockholm, Sweden, winters are less severe in terms of temperature and snow, but marked by prolonged darkness. Outdoor activity during those months is especially important for public health and wellbeing. Drawing on everyday sensibilities and inspired by affordance theory, this paper explores how residents of Botkyrka – a suburban municipality shaped by Sweden's modernist welfare planning – engage with snowy public spaces during the winter months and reflects on accessibility of recreation in winter. Through multi-seasonal observations and photographic documentation of footprints and informal activities, the paper examines the making of recreational spaces in snow-covered landscapes. The study shows that the “left-over” snowy ground, often overlooked in formal planning, become vital arenas for a spontaneous winter play and everyday recreation. These spaces support accessible outdoor activities, particularly for families whose routines are challenged by daylight limitations. The findings suggest that the legacy of generous green space from modernist welfare planning offers affordances for winter recreation, even as current urban planning trends towards densification put such spaces at risk. By foregrounding the daylight sensitive winter daily life, this paper argues for a more nuanced understanding of public space that includes the informal and temporal spaces for outdoor recreation. It calls for planning approaches that recognise ways in which people inhabit winter cities and stresses the importance of accessibility of open spaces for sustainable wellbeing albeit the contemporary compact city paradigm in planning.

Suburbanization and urban sprawl, alongside the concept of creating compact cities, highlight the need to repurpose undeveloped, degraded spaces, such as post-industrial and warehouse areas. Revitalizing these spaces involves addressing the land’s physical condition and improving the social and economic well-being of local communities. In many European cities, the late 20th century saw industrial activity dominate. However, after 1989, political changes in Poland led to the relocation of industry from central districts to make room for modern residential and service developments. An example is Warsaw’s Żerań, previously centred around industrial hubs. A key challenge in redeveloping such areas is addressing land contamination, reclaiming degraded post-industrial zones, and eventually revitalizing the space to introduce new functions. Contamination often leaves these areas unused for years, but proper remediation can breathe new life into them. Furthermore, public spaces such as parks and squares in Żerań are often underused, but proper design following cleanup can foster social connections and contribute to a well-functioning urban environment. Revitalizing degraded urban areas ensures rational use of available space, aligning it with desired functions. Identifying and addressing these areas can transform neglected industrial zones into thriving residential and service centres, attracting new residents and investors.

ABSTRACT As the principal goals of the current intensive development are the systematisation of resources and the intensification of the built environment, compact cities have become a basic urban planning theory and strategy in the country. As a result, TOD is now the primary method for implementing regional intensification, which is consistent with compact city development. There is, however, disorderly growth in density and a lack of clarity regarding the functional combination of current strategic regions of central stations in Chengdu. Consequently, this study discusses how to quantify and propose reasonable standards for intensive development within the TOD station space, where density continues to increase. Considering Shanghai is the leading city in China for TOD development; this study will focus on Shanghai's TOD strategic region. This will allow us to gain a better understanding of the urban compactness index for Chengdu's central stations. Based on the principle of normal distribution, the indicator target thresholds for different types of regions in Chengdu Central Station were analysed, providing quantitative support for the development of the strategic region of the central station.

Integrating NbS in compact city renewal: Preferences, constraints, and opportunities

Abstract Rapid urbanization requires swift infrastructure development, often prioritizing flat areas while leaving behind undulating terrain due to expensive and slow activities required for their preparation. In Pakistan, suburban flat agricultural lands are converted into residential and commercial zones but as demand grows, the undulating areas are levelled hastily sometimes leading to inadequate or no compaction. This study aims to enhance the performance of such loose unsaturated soils by introducing moisture using Vertical Sand Drains (VSDs) in a regulated manner to achieve maximum pre-construction settlement along with shear strength quickly and cost effectively. Simulating freshly levelled areas, indigenous soil was subjected to rigorous testing in an uncompacted and unsaturated state against static loading of self-weight and surcharge to observe the effect of VSDs at various moisture contents. Better moisture distribution and more cumulative settlements were observed when VSDs were used. Maximum enhancement in shear strength was observed when 16-17% moisture content was achieved in the soil mass. Shear strength and cumulative soil settlement increased to 82% and 135.7% respectively when VSDs were used along with surcharge loading. The findings of this study will help in preparing unused lands for infrastructure development on a macro scale rapidly and economically for efficient land usage and thus development of compact and sustainable cities.