Contemporary Urban Planning Research Articles

A journey through pedestrian mobility and the sustainable city: discussing walkability

The form of the built environment, walkability, and society are directly related, being points that influence not only mobility but several structural areas of a city, ranging from its social dynamics as well as the health of individuals, local and global politics, economy, comfort, safety, the identity of spaces, attractiveness and several other influencing factors. The perception of passers-by is influenced by several aspects, such as lighting, sense of safety, the width of sidewalks, attractiveness of facades and of the public space itself, as well as the potential of the space to promote social interaction, which is one of the essential focuses of contemporary urban planning. This research has the general objective of listing the essential factors when analyzing the walkability of spaces, discussing the aspects of the form of the built environment that favors walkability, thus expressing concepts, indexes, methods, and studies that enable and contextualize pedestrian mobility and its relationship with users, urban form and its potentials. As a methodological contribution, bibliographic review research was used, using studies already done in the thematic axes to systematize and generate the result that meets the objectives of the work. Therefore, a dynamic portrait was obtained concerning walkability and its multisystemic relations with the city, as well as applications in techniques and methods of urban studies.

Fire Safety in Smart Cities in Hungary With Regard to Urban Planning

Today, smart city principles are emerging as a highly relevant method in contemporary urban planning and development. In line with international trends, nations almost without exception have smart city strategies. The assessment system supporting smart development strategies for EU municipalities defines complex indicators in six thematic sub-systems: smart mobility, smart environment, smart people, smart living conditions, smart governance, smart economy. One monitoring aspect of the smart living subsystem is safety. The smart cities of the future will be made up of a network of smart buildings, which will fundamentally determine fire safety based on prevention. In this monitoring theme, the researchers will show how the future of fire safety - a cornerstone of safety- will evolve in smart buildings of smart cities. The researchers will describe the potential of building a smart fire safety network using data generated by building information modelling. They will show how BIM-based complex digital fire safety can be integrated into the fire safety network based on the new digital “one urban one plan” regulation in Hungary. The authors show that their method is suitable for the expansion of a smart cities database based on a digital urban plan.

Micromobility in Urban Trail Paths: Expanding and Strengthening the Planning of 15-Minute Cities

Contemporary urban planning models include urban trail paths. These are paths that create active transportation corridors within a city’s built environment, providing more sustainable travel, especially for short trips. The benefits of their use are plentiful, including improvements in commuters’ health, reductions in energy footprint, and socio-economic benefits for the entire society. In modern urban planning approaches such as the “15-minute city”, urban trail paths serve as connectors, facilitating access to amenities beyond the close-proximity concept of a “neighborhood”. They act as a way of connecting residents to other 15-minute cities/neighborhoods via safe routes, reducing extensive car use. Micromobility constitutes a novel approach to short trips with proven results. This paper explores the possibility of introducing micromobility as a means of connecting 15-minute cities/neighborhoods through urban trail paths. Through a literature review, an analysis is conducted of the opportunities arising from the introduction of micromobility, as well as on the factors influencing its sustained use in urban mobility and the public realm.

PRYWATYZACJA PRZESTRZENI PUBLICZNEJ – STUDIUM PRZYPADKU ZAGRZEB, CHORWACJA

The article explores the topic of privatization of public space occurring in the process of contemporary urban planning policies, on the example of city of Zagreb in Croatia. The division between public and private in the European cities, particularly post-socialist cities, has historically been rather clear. However, with the change of socio-economic system, continuous development and adopting the contemporary planning practices such as public-private partnerships, the line between public and private is becoming blurred. The article analyses current practices and explores the possible risk for the city in case these practices prevail.

Redefining Urban Landscapes: The Spatial Form of Chinese Vernacular Architecture

Objective: This paper explored the spatial form of Chinese vernacular architecture and its transformative potential in urban landscapes. Chinese vernacular architecture embodies a distinct design approach deeply rooted in cultural and historical traditions, harmonizing with the natural environment.
 
 Theoretical framework: Through an analysis of its spatial characteristics and their relationship with the urban context, this study investigated how Chinese vernacular architecture could contribute to sustainable and culturally vibrant urban spaces.
 
 Method: The research methodology involved a comprehensive analysis of Chinese vernacular architecture through literature review, and previous case studies. The research investigates the spatial principles, design elements, and construction techniques that contribute to the unique character of Chinese vernacular architecture. The study also discussed the implications of incorporating the spatial form of Chinese vernacular architecture into contemporary urban landscapes. The integration of these design principles has the potential to promote sustainable urban development by emphasizing principles such as energy efficiency, natural ventilation, and passive cooling strategies.
 
 Results and conclusion: The findings highlighted the significance of spatial form in creating sustainable and culturally rich urban environments. By redefining urban landscapes through the application of Chinese vernacular architecture, cities can become more livable, resilient, and aesthetically pleasing.
 
 Originality/value: The paper advocates for the inclusion of these spatial design principles in contemporary urban planning and architecture, advocating for a holistic approach that balances environmental sustainability, cultural heritage preservation, and human well-being. It was determined that the spatial form of Chinese vernacular architecture possesses significant potential for redefining urban landscapes.

Cooperative planning under pro-development urban agenda? A collage of densification practices in Zurich, Switzerland

Like in many cities and regions worldwide, densification is the current urban development paradigm in Switzerland. Although considered one of the main policy mechanisms for sustainable land use, densification strategies are mainly employed by the private sector, causing adverse social effects. Additionally, profit-oriented urban planning challenges the traditionally exercised norm of cooperative planning. By analysing multiple case studies of densification projects in Zurich, this paper elucidates the nature of cooperation in contemporary urban planning: Is cooperation perceived as genuine inclusion of the weaker parties, or is it dominated by the negotiations between the powerful ones? To address such questions, we examine the main cooperative mechanisms and bottlenecks to achieve effective cooperation; the dominant alliances in planning; and the ways these actors identify compromises. The research reveals an elite-driven and pro-development collaboration approach among public authorities, landowners, and developers with minor integration of less powerful actors, despite the continuous effort to advance (formal and informal) planning instruments to secure social inclusion. Consequently, the study offers some directions for refining contemporary Zurich's mainstream planning approach to address the challenges posed by the neoliberal discourse and practice, hence, being relevant for similar socio-spatial settings confronting a pro-development urban agenda.

Qualitative Analysis of the Cooling Potential of the Streetside Vegetation of Kharagpur, West Bengal, India

The urban heat island (UHI) effect is a major challenge in contemporary urban planning. The large number of paved surfaces, anthropogenic activities and combustion of fossil fuels are the major contributors of this phenomenon. Urban green spaces are known to mitigate the UHI. Since streets constitute a major portion of the urban areas, greening the streets can help reduce heat stress significantly. To study the impact of orientation and density of the street side vegetation on their cooling potential in Kharagpur, West Bengal, India.
 A suitable site, meeting the orientation and the density of vegetation criteria, was chosen for collecting the primary data through an instrument survey. Ambient temperature, surface temperature and solar radiation data was collected from the thirteen cross-sections marked across the site. As part of the preliminary data processing, relative variations of ambient temperature, surface temperature and the solar radiation attenuation was calculated. The values pertaining to these three secondary parameters were used to form matrices corresponding to each of the trees of each of the cross-sections. These matrices were then compared with their corresponding matrices to estimate which side exhibited a higher cooling potential. Besides, a colour-coded matrix was also generated from the calculated shade index to evaluate the amount of incident solar radiation blocked by each of these trees.
 This study corroborates the previous findings that the shade providing trees can alter the microclimate of the area. Besides, it was also observed that the Northern pavements of the east-west oriented streets are cooler than the Southern pavement. Furthermore, it was also noticed that if the crown of the tree is present at a greater height from the ground, then lower solar angle results in less blockage of the incident solar radiation. Also, it was evident that a higher density of tall, shade providing trees, maximally block incident solar radiation on a street. This study can help in understanding the pattern of cooling potential of the street side vegetation in a warm and humid climatic zone like Kharagpur so that the plantation can be planned judiciously.

The “soft edge”: Heritage, special character, and new planning directives in Aotearoa cities

Divergent visions for urban form are currently contesting the future of cities in Aotearoa. Severe pressures of population growth, inadequate housing supply, and unsustainable transport systems are raising a spectrum of voices on the appropriate planning response. The heritage field is enfolded in these debates, as intensification pressures have amplified questions about the value of historic urban fabric and the planning mechanisms that sustain it. To what extent should cities’ existing areas be retained or developed, and who gets to decide?
 Focusing on the “soft edge” of heritage—early suburbs valorised as “special character”—the paper traces the history of heritage-making in urban Aotearoa and its role in maintaining the ontological security of the settler state. It first explores the processes of identifying and managing historic urban forms that have gradually evolved through Aotearoa’s planning legislation, from the early town planning acts to the Resource Management Act 1991. It then analyses the tension between contemporary urban planning directions and historic places conservation, exploring the concept of “amenity,” which is implicated in both. It concludes with some avenues for deeper collaboration between planning policy and heritage-making for more spatially and culturally equitable cities.

Urban Planning and Sustainable Land Use

The main purpose of this Special Issue is to gather the literature from diverse disciplines on contemporary urban planning and land use in different regions, in order to contribute to addressing the global challenges of sustainable urban development [...]

Innovation districts as strategic urban projects: the emergence of strategic spatial planning for urban innovation

ABSTRACT This paper contributes to the emerging research on innovation districts (IDs) by conceptualizing them as strategic urban projects. IDs connect innovative activities to their spatial foundations and thus provide a territorial framework for strategic spatial planning efforts. The extant literature on IDs, focusing mainly on ID characteristics and placemaking, has failed to acknowledge that ID development requires an integrated planning approach to realize the so-called new union between form and function, which is often executed via strategic urban projects. Integrated planning, as discussed in the literature on strategic spatial planning, emphasizes coordination both between a range of stakeholder interests and between administrative sectors and spatial scales. This, in turn, is often rooted in path-dependent connections between diverse sectors and organizations. A case study examines the gradual adoption of the new strategic planning approach while the Turku Science Park area in the city of Turku, Finland, was being transformed into an ID. It demonstrates the rise of a new integrated rationale in contemporary urban planning and economic development, one that strategically envisions a spatial form for economic development objectives. The case offers lessons for academic and policy debates on ID development, underscoring competence building in strategic spatial planning.

Peri-urban planning: A landscape perspective

The management of peri-urban development has emerged as a new context of contemporary urban planning. Its dynamic and diverse nature presents major challenges and opportunities for urban sustainability. However, a more integrated framework for peri-urban planning has been progressing slowly. An examination of the epistemology of the landscape concept reveals three salient aspects of landscape relevant to multiple domains of peri-urban planning – the unifying, morphogenetic and socialised. Although landscape research has translated into peri-urban management, its full potential has yet to be realised. Among the three landscape dimensions, morphogenesis is relatively neglected. By foregrounding morphogenesis, the three epistemological orientations of landscape can be rebalanced and reintegrated to form the basis of a new planning framework for more continuous, harmonious and sustainable peri-urban development.

A journey through pedestrian mobility and the sustainable city: discussing walkability

The form of the built environment, walkability, and society are directly related, being points that influence not only mobility but several structural areas of a city, ranging from its social dynamics as well as the health of individuals, local and global politics, economy, comfort, safety, the identity of spaces, attractiveness and several other influencing factors. The perception of passers-by is influenced by several aspects, such as lighting, sense of safety, the width of sidewalks, attractiveness of facades and of the public space itself, as well as the potential of the space to promote social interaction, which is one of the essential focuses of contemporary urban planning. This research has the general objective of listing the essential factors when analyzing the walkability of spaces, discussing the aspects of the form of the built environment that favors walkability, thus expressing concepts, indexes, methods, and studies that enable and contextualize pedestrian mobility and its relationship with users, urban form and its potentials. As a methodological contribution, bibliographic review research was used, using studies already done in the thematic axes to systematize and generate the result that meets the objectives of the work. Therefore, a dynamic portrait was obtained concerning walkability and its multisystemic relations with the city, as well as applications in techniques and methods of urban studies.

Exploring changes in residential preference during COVID-19: Implications to contemporary urban planning.

The advent of the COVID-19 pandemic and the subsequent lockdown has reshuffled our daily routines and activity spaces. The home and its immediate environment have attained a critical role in coping with the confinement both as living, working and recreational space. Drawing on a longitudinal survey from greater Oslo, we analyze shifts in residential preferences amidst COVID-19. Given the pandemic induced movement restrictions, we pay special attention to the mediating role of perceived accessibility on the link between several sociodemographic/locational/housing characteristics on preference shifts. Amidst a drop in perceived accessibility, outdoor assets like gardens or balconies, and motility by car and public transport are amongst the residential and locational amenities that have gained most in people's considerations for a new dwelling peri-pandemically. Dwelling satisfaction and preferences with regard to neighborhood density, dwelling size, and work-proximity, have remained largely unchanged despite a clear trend towards more teleworking. Our results can be understood as a nod of approval to contemporary compact urban planning. Nonetheless challenges as to bolstering its resilience still linger and more needs to be done to mitigate the inequalities in (perceived) access to in-home, near-home, and mobility assets that we have also observed to have (re)-immerged in the wake of the pandemic.

IMPACTS OF PUBLIC REALMS IN CREATING A COMFORTABLE URBAN SPACE FOR EVERYDAY USE: A CASE STUDY OF URBAN PATTERN IN ALMATY

Public realms connect different parts of the city for gathering and social events, encourage job opportunities and help for better social life based on collective activities. However, contemporary public realms in cities consist of different public and private spaces used by diverse social groups. Thus, the cross-section of Satbayev, Baitursynov streets and Bukhar Zhyray boulevard in Almaty is selected as a test-bed for the investigation. Currently, the public realm represents fragmented spatial networks divided by highways to separated neighbourhoods. The paper depths into existing urban planning outcomes for potential urban transformations. These findings will be archived through morphological mapping, direct non-participant observation, and public realm photographing. The research confirms the hypothesis that public realms in contemporary urban planning are rather exclusive than inclusive due to lack of equity for daily visits, flexibility of use and urban informality.

Complexities of contemporary urban planning in local government in the City of Polokwane, Limpopo province.

This article recommends that the Polokwane Local Municipality should implement a solar system plant and generate gas from the increasing level of waste in the City of Polokwane. Furthermore, the Polokwane Local Municipality should transition from operating street lights, office lights and traffic lights with electricity towards the use of solar systems.

Debates Paper: COVID-19 and urban informality: Exploring the implications of the pandemic for the politics of planning and inequality.

The COVID-19 pandemic has highlighted a major contradiction in contemporary urban planning. This is the relationship between the entrepreneurial modes of urban politics that shape contemporary planning practice and the interrelated dynamics of economic precarity and informalisation of low-income communities that exacerbate contagion, and therefore enable pandemic spread. Through a review of literature on the urban dimensions of COVID-19, and on the historical relationship between pandemics and urban planning, we develop a framework for analysing the debates that are emerging around planning approaches to addressing contemporary pandemic risk in low-income, informalised communities. We argue that post-pandemic debates about urban planning responses are likely to take shape around three discourses that have framed approaches to addressing informalised communities under entrepreneurial urbanism - a revanchist approach based on territorial stigmatisation of spaces of the poor, an incrementalist approach premised on addressing the most immediate drivers of contagion, and a reformist approach that seeks to address the structural conditions that have produced economic precarity and shelter informality. We further argue that any effort to assess the political outfall of the COVID-19 pandemic in a given context needs to take an inter-scalar approach, analysing how debates over informality take shape at the urban and national scales.

Complexities of contemporary urban planning in local government in the City of Polokwane, Limpopo province

Jàmbá: Journal of Disaster Risk Studies aims to engage, inform, and catalyse scholarly discourse within research and real-world practices that work towards the minimisation of vulnerabilities and disaster risks throughout developing communities with special emphasis on Africa.

Restructuring urban planning to facilitate sustainable consumption

Food, mobility, and housing are essential and fundamental to human life. At the same time, these consumption areas have the highest climate impact. To achieve a higher degree of climate-friendly consumption, radical changes in everyday practices of food, mobility, and housing are needed. In this paper, empirical data demonstrates that time is perceived as a limited resource in everyday life which drives (un)sustainable practices. Through discussions of the perception of time and related practices, it becomes visible that urban mobility planning connects specific food and housing practices through an understanding of historical and contemporary urban planning supporting time efficiency. This indicates that rethinking urban forms and infrastructure can provide frames that can restructure everyday practices to become more sustainable. To exemplify this, the 15-minute city concept is used as a speculative example of how to restructure everyday practices and facilitate a planning approach that is aligned with sustainable consumption.

Planning instruments enhance the acceptance of urban densification.

Dense and compact cities yield several benefits for both the population and the environment, including the containment of urban sprawl, reduced carbon emissions, and increased housing supply. Densification of the built environment is thus a key contemporary urban planning paradigm worldwide. However, local residents often oppose urban densification, motivating a need to understand their underlying concerns. In order to do so, we examined different factors driving public acceptance of housing densification projects through a combination of a conjoint survey experiment and different proximity frames among 12,402 participants across Berlin, Chicago, London, Los Angeles, New York, and Paris. Respondents compared housing densification projects with varying attributes, including their geographic proximity, project-related factors, and accompanying planning instruments. The results indicate that the acceptance of such projects decreases with project proximity and that project-related factors, such as the type of investor, usage, and climate goals, impact densification project acceptance. More specifically, we see a negative effect on acceptance levels for projects with for-profit investors and a positive effect when the suggested developments are mixed use or climate neutral. In addition, planning instruments, such as rent control, inclusionary zoning, and participatory planning, appear to positively influence acceptance. Interestingly, a cross-continental comparison shows overall higher acceptance levels of densification by US respondents. These multifaceted results allow us to better understand what drives people's acceptance of housing projects and how projects and planning processes can be designed to increase democratic acceptance of urban densification.

Physical Environment Analysis of Low-rise Resident Area at the Local Level : The Case of Cheongju-City

The city’s low-rise residence not only displays the characteristics of Korea’s modern and contemporary urban planning but also contributes to the preservation of a distinctive urban landscape. Low-rise residences are urban dwellings comprising small plots and blocks, and they have variable characteristics in contrast to apartment complexes. They are also affected by local environmental and physical factors depending on where they are located in a city. Understanding the construction of low-rise residences and the planning process for each area of living space and physical shape transformation is the first step in the research approach. Second, the study examines the characteristics of the street environment via the lens of the urban landscape. Third, physical aspects such as layouts, building arrangements, and external spatial shapes in low-rise residential area block units are evaluated. By combining the results of block-scale analysis of residential areas, it is reasonable to conclude that low-rise residences form a distinguished urban residential landscape based on a sustainable environment and characteristics that have been preserved by accommodating commercial or residential functions based on the respective circumstances of each city.