Important Public Space Research Articles

Formation and Sustainability in Historical Squares: An Analysis on The Example of Nicosia Historical Urban Texture

Squares, which are social meeting and community areas of societies, have shaped important public open spaces of settlements. Located in historical urban textures, such spaces are also a source reflecting the history of the city with the artefacts from their formation processes. The squares acquired their identity through surrounding formations from different periods in the history of Cyprus and have come to the present day with their active lives. Sarayönü, Selimiye and ?nönü squares in the walled city of Nicosia have developed from their first formation during the Lusignan period of the island up until Venetian, Ottoman, British, Republic of Cyprus. The historical squares, which completed their development relatively during the British period, have been damaged by multi-storey reinforced concrete buildings, which are controversial and incompatible with traditional architecture, added to their textures because of inadequacies in protection, especially after the mid-1970s, and their historical textures have lost their sustainability. This study aims to analyse the historical squares in Nicosia, which have been formed over a period of more than eight hundred years with cultural heritage works from different civilisations, and to reveal the damage caused to their identities by incompatible buildings added to their textures and the importance of sustainability in historical textures with protection. Keywords: Square, sustainability, texture, Nicosia, historical

Numerical simulation of layout and landscape elements on the thermal environment of urban squares

Extreme urban heat poses significant challenges to the resilience and livability of cities. Urban squares are important open public spaces in cities, serving as main locations for residents' leisure and recreational activities and reflect the identity and cultural background of the cities. Improvement in thermal comfort in urban squares can improve the quality of the urban environment and help mitigate the urban heat island effect. This study developed 18 layout and landscape combination scenarios based on statistical analysis of data from 100 urban squares in regions with hot summers and cold winters. Further, the effectiveness of the proposed design solutions in improving the thermal environment was comprehensively analyzed. The results show that: 1) The block array layout with vegetation, water bodies, and permeable tiles is the most effective scenario, with a PET of 31.84 °C, approaching a comfortable level of heat stress; 2) Among the three layouts, the block array layout optimizes thermal comfort better than the main view entrance layout and main view center layout, and reduces physiological equivalent temperature by 10.51–10.77 °C compared with that of the other two layouts; 3) Scenarios incorporating water bodies provide better optimization effects than those with only trees, even when the total area covered by greenery remains unchanged; and 4) Permeable paving materials with high albedo more effectively improve the thermal comfort. Our results highlight a great potential of comprehensively using multiple landscape strategies to improve outdoor thermal comfort, and provides design basis for enhancing thermal comfort in similar sized urban squares in hot summer and cold winter areas.

Older people’s views and usage of recreational spaces in parks with age-friendly outdoor exercise equipment

ABSTRACT Recreational spaces are important public spaces for people of all ages to engage in leisure and physical activities, however older people remain one of the lowest users of park. This study investigated older people’s perceptions and reasons for visiting parks that have undergone refurbishment with the installation of age-friendly outdoor exercise equipment, the Seniors Exercise Park. On-site intercept surveys took place in six parks in Victoria, Australia. Seniors Exercise Park equipment usage was audited over 12 months using on-site Quick Response (QR). A total of 139 older people were surveyed, 55.4% reported visiting to exercise, 25.9% for walking and 21.5% for fresh air/nature. Proximity to home/family (37.4%) and the availability of the Seniors Exercise Park equipment (36.7%) were the main reasons for visiting these parks. The availability of age-suitable exercise equipment in recreational spaces can support and encourage older people to access local parks and engage in physical activity.

Effects of Urban Greenway Environmental Types and Landscape Characteristics on Physical and Mental Health Restoration

As important linear public spaces, urban greenways are highly important for improving public health. Many studies have proven the benefits of urban greenways for human well-being, but fewer studies have focused on the impact of their specific environmental types and characteristics on physical and mental health. In this study, 100 subjects participated in a comparative experiment on three types of urban greenways (urban roads, urban parks, and urban rivers), and corresponding physiological indicator (systolic blood pressure [SBP], diastolic blood pressure [DBP], and pulse) and psychological indicator (perceived restorativeness scale [PRS] and positive and negative affect schedule [PANAS]) data were collected. The results indicated that (1) different greenway environment types lead to different physiological and psychological states; (2) urban park-type greenways (SBP [t = 2.37, p = 0.020], DBP [t = 2.06, p = 0.042], PANAS = 2.80, PRS = 5.39) have the greatest physical and mental recovery benefits, followed by urban river-type greenways (SBP [t = 2.84, p = 0.006], DBP [t = 1.29, p = 0.200], PANAS = 2.30, PRS= 5.02) and urban road-type greenways (SBP [t = 0.78, p = 0.440], DBP [t = 0.37, p = 0.716], PANAS = 2.00, PRS = 4.15); (3) plant color and layer diversity have a significant positive impact on the mental health benefits of the three greenway types; (4) the aesthetics of waterscapes and ornaments can significantly improve the perceived restoration ability of urban river-type greenways; and (5) the comfort of pathways and facilities can effectively promote the psychological recovery potential of urban road-type greenways. These findings systematically demonstrate for the first time the differences in restoration potential among urban greenways of different environmental types and summarize the key landscape characteristic predictors influencing the restoration potential of various types of urban greenways. Our research provides new ideas for proactive greenway interventions for physical and mental health and for enriching the restorative environmental science system.

INTEGRATED RESEARCH TOOLS IN URBAN AND SPATIAL PLANNING

In working with urban projects, we are usually faced with the need to study the design object, regardless of its scale, significance and value in the city and the functions it performs. The larger the scale of the research object, the more voluminous our research becomes and, accordingly, requires a clear division into different layers and gradation in order of importance to simplify the conduct of the research itself and the ability to predict the expected results. A classic way of analyzing large territorial, urban and spatial objects is a comprehensive urban planning analysis. However, today's urban and spatial studies go beyond urban planning analysis and require a synthesis with the methods of other social and humanitarian disciplines, going beyond mono-discipline into multidisciplinarity and complexity. Also, changes in values in urban and spatial design, when attention is focused on reuse, mixed use, programmatic design, sustainability and consideration of climate change, the importance of public spaces in the life of the city led to the use of another format of urban studies. For urban objects of different sizes, such as a fragment of the city within the boundaries of the streets, a block, a combination of blocks, an undeveloped part of the city, a post-industrial area that is being revitalized, the author has created a list of seven layers necessary for analysis, which include physical, morphological, social and historical and cultural aspects of the study: 1) territory in the structure of the city, 2) functions and content, 3) accessibility and mobility, 4) morphology and buildings development, 5) inhabitants and stakeholders, 6) open spaces, 7) history and identity. The characteristic features of this urban planning and spatial analysis are, firstly, a proposal at all levels of analysis to fix proposals for changes that will be detailed at the design phase. Secondly, at each layer of research, it is suggested to interact with residents and users and capture their feedback for each layer of analysis. These layers of analytical urban research can be supplemented depending on the complexity and specificity of the research object. And also depending on the direction and requests of the research, the expected results.

Afet Yönetim Döngüsü Çerçevesinde Kamusal Alanların Önemi: 6 Şubat Kahramanmaraş Depremi Deneyimi

Türkiye, coğrafi konumu ve jeolojik yapısı nedeniyle çeşitli afetlere maruz kalan bir ülkedir. İnsanların olağan yaşamsal faaliyetlerini kesintiye uğratan afetler, fiziksel, ekonomik ve sosyal alanlarda olmak üzere pek çok alanda olumsuz sonuçlara yol açmaktadır. Bu bakımdan, olası can ve mal kayıplarını önlemek adına afet yönetimi ile ilgili gerekli önlemlerin alınması hayati önem taşımaktadır. Bu kapsamda çalışma, kamusal alanların önemine ve afet anlarında üstlenebileceği işlevlere dikkat çekmeyi amaçlamaktadır. Çalışmada, 6 Şubat 2023 tarihinde Türkiye'nin Kahramanmaraş ilinde meydana gelen depremler sonrasında büyük hasar gören Dulkadiroğlu İlçesi örnek alan olarak seçilmiş ve sorgulayıcı ve yorumlayıcı bir kaygı ile nitel araştırma yöntemleri (yerinde gözlem, doküman analizi) kullanılmıştır. Dulkadiroğlu İlçesi ile sınırlı olan bu çalışmada, yerel yönetimlerin stratejik planlarında ve uygulamalarında kriz anlarına yönelik sakınım politikalarının bulunmadığı, kamusal alanların afet sonrasına yönelik yeterli tasarıma sahip olmadığı bulgusuna ulaşılmıştır.

Achieving Humanist Cities: Learning From Urban Feminism and Feminist Planning

As planners and urbanists continue to debate urban reforms needed to achieve humanist ideals – including just forms of sustainability – several different schools of thought are vying for influence, including cultural urbanism (celebrating the everyday, temporal, occasional, and timeless), pluralist urbanism (aiming for a co-produced city that is more democratic, participatory, and open-ended), and inclusive urbanism (focusing on the right to the city and its accommodations for all populations). Here, we examine feminist urbanism – the specific challenge of gender-equal spaces, particularly public spaces – as a model framework that suggests how the other schools of thought can be combined and translated into practical action. We focus on the nature and importance of public space and the role of gender inclusiveness in assuring public spaces that are more broadly open, participatory, pluralist, and supportive of temporal and everyday activities. We thus find that the emerging concept of feminist urbanism reveals essential issues for a wider humanist urbanism – in particular, who the city is meant to serve and whether the public realm is equitably ‘public’ to all its users. We note major remaining questions and research lacuna to be investigated, and we conclude with several policy and design recommendations.

Analysis of place function and spatial distribution on HSR station area: A case study of Jinanxi Station

The HSR station area not only assumes the function of the city’s external communication, but also is an important public space, which plays an important role in the urban development. Based on the relevant theories, this paper analyzes and evaluates the status quo of the site functions in the Jinanxi Station area by combining the on-site survey and POI data. It is concluded that the site functions in the Jinanxi Station area are formed relatively slowly, with strong characteristics of circle structure and single residential function, showing unbalanced characteristics, but it will have huge space for future development. So in order to achieve an integrated development between station and city, it should avoid a single residential function, and achieve diversified functional development, require planning guidance and government guidance as well as further support and orderly promotion of policy funds.

Study of Kridosono’s Urban Quality Space in Yogyakarta using TUSA

The importance of public spaces is one of United Nations’ Goals. Green Open Space in Kridosono which is aspired by the government is a public open space that can be easily accessed by the public and as main open space contributes as a sports field. Based on other studies related to Kridosono, most of them questioned how to improve the urban space quality of the Kridosono area as a public open space. This study aims to examine the elements that are factors in improving the urban space quality, so that we can know and feel of optimal spatial quality as a Public Open Space. Tools for Urban Space Analysis (TUSA) is a novelty/state of the art/novelty in the discussion. The results are to obtain elements related to improve the urban space quality, to fulfill all Nodal, Spatial and Environmental attributes and values for Hardware & Use-Socio Perception for Software.

Educational Values in Lubuk Larangan Local Wisdom in Rantau Pandan Village, Bungo Regency, Jambi Province

This research explores the educational values embedded in the local wisdom of Lubuk Larangan in Rantau Pandan Village, Bungo District. To achieve this goal, the method used is qualitative research with a descriptive-analytical approach. Data was collected through interviews, observations, and documentation, and data validity was maintained through data source triangulation. The results of this research reveal that the local wisdom of Lubuk Larangan encompasses several valuable educational values. First, there are moral and ethical education values that promote awareness of good and proper behavior. Second, social education values help strengthen interpersonal relationships in the community and promote cooperation. Third, religious education values inspire spiritual and moral beliefs among the local population. Lubuk Larangan serves as an important public space for education for the people of Rantau Pandan. Through the introduction and understanding of these values, the community can preserve and pass on their cultural heritage while enhancing their understanding of ethics, morals, and deep-seated social and religious values. The results of this research make a significant contribution to appreciating and utilizing local cultural richness as a source of valuable educational values.

Landscape architecture as means of forming national identity in public spaces in buffer zones of Ukrainian cultural heritage objects

The article presents the results of the author's study of the formation of national identity in public spaces by means of landscape architecture. It has been presented that public spaces are separated on democratic and totalitarian by the socio-political factor. The most expressive about the manifestation or change of national identity is the urban environment of important public spaces, that are centers of popular assemblies, demonstrations and other collective events. Based on the theoretical analysis of the development of the Ukrainians, the main aspects of the manifestation of national identity in the public spaces are democracy and sacredness. It means giving democratic features to public spaces and creation memorable places. The key symbol of Ukrainian identification – is vegetation as an image of the infinity of life, the strength of the spirit and love for the Motherland. Additionally, in the article, is analyzed intercultural and instinctive perception of landscape scenes. These features correspond to the deep foundations of human perception of the environment: natural forms; zoning; semi-closed space; the presence of greenery and water. The internal filling of space should be carried out taking into account comfort and safety, but with a bias towards national motives. In particular, we have identified such features of the Ukrainian landscape style as: zoning and monoculture; the presence of a stalls and front gardens; abundant autochthonous gardening; and sacred elements of improvement. The newly created concept of an identical space device should be fixed in a special document - the design code of the buffer zone. The design code should contain detailed characteristics regarding the improvement of the buffer zone. The formation of national identity in the public spaces of buffer zones of cultural heritage monuments will contribute to the implementation of safety and security functions without violating the traditional nature of the historical environment.

Research on the Spatial Quality of Urban Village Main Streets in Shenzhen from the Perspective of Nighttime Pedestrian Demands

Our findings shed light on existing theoretical investigations and the sustainable development of urban villages and the policy recommendations are proposed for the sustainable development of urban villages. It is widely acknowledged that public spaces in urban villages play an important role in residents’ everyday lives, and the nighttime activities of most pedestrians are confined to the main streets in urban villages. Main streets are an important public space in urban villages at night and are a focus for comprehensive renovation in China. There has not been adequate research on main streets at nighttime, and such research is necessary to improve the quality of urban spaces and achieve high-quality development. This study used methods such as literature analysis, on-site research, and semi-structured interviews to understand the spatial characteristics of the main streets of urban villages at night and summarize the demands of pedestrians. This study used the Kano model to adjust the structure of the analytic hierarchy process (AHP) model to form the AHP–Kano model and construct an evaluation system based on the evaluation dimension of pedestrian needs. We conducted a questionnaire-based survey of pedestrians on the main streets of Pingshan Village and Nantou Ancient City in Shenzhen, and obtained the dominant categories of pedestrian demands and the results of satisfaction evaluations from the main street spaces of the two urban villages at night. According to on-site research, we analyzed the problems in the main street spaces of the two urban villages at night, and propose targeted renovation suggestions, which have clear value for improving everyday public spaces in urban villages at nighttime.

Public Discourse of Genetically Modified Organisms in China: An Investigation of Commenting and Reposting Behaviors on Social Media

This study examined the factors affecting user engagement in the genetically modified organism (GMO) discourse on one of the most popular social media platforms in China. A content-analysis study was conducted with a sample of the most commented GMO posts on social media and over 7000 comments. Firstly, posts from well-known and government accounts facilitated the online discourse of GMOs. Secondly, the nature of the event and the features of GMO messages influenced how users engaged with the online discussion. Thirdly, among the commenters, female users were more likely to agree with the original posts whereas male users were more likely to repost the message. In conclusion, social media users held negative attitudes toward GMOs as they tended to repost more and agree more when GMO risks were mentioned. Source and message features, as well as commenters’ characteristics, were found to have a significant impact on user engagement. Social media continued to serve as an important public space to facilitate public debate on a controversial scientific topic.

Quantitative Evaluation of Friendliness in Streets’ Pedestrian Networks Based on Complete Streets: A Case Study in Wuhan, China

In recent years, with the rapid growth in the number of cars, the safe and convenient street pedestrian traffic network in cities has been broken by motor vehicle lanes. The pedestrian traffic function of streets as an important urban public space has been lost, and the pedestrian friendliness of streets needs urgent improvement. However, the existing pedestrian-friendly street space assessment has not yet formed a set of full-factor quantitative evaluation systems, making the construction of pedestrian-friendly streets still in the conceptual stage and lacking practical significance. The complete streets design concept clarifies the goal of street pedestrian space construction and proposes the full elements of street pedestrian space design, which provides important support for the construction of the street pedestrian friendliness evaluation system. Based on the complete streets design concept, this study constructs a complete set of quantitative evaluation systems of street walkability from three aspects of street space: traffic, environment and function. Meanwhile, a street pedestrian usability evaluation method is proposed to further explore the actual demand of streets. Combined with the comprehensive evaluation matrix of street pedestrian friendliness and usability, the areas where the planning of street pedestrian space does not match with the actual space are explored. The case study in Wuhan found that the overall pedestrian friendliness was high in the area, but there was significant variability. The study area is dominated by streets in need of improvement, with medium demand–low friendliness, and both the pedestrian friendliness and usability of the streets need to be improved.

Social Sustainability and Globalization; A Resilient Quarter and Suq Mutrah in Muscat-Oman

This study examines the impact of globalization on the historic urban fabric of Mutrah, with a specific focus on the coastal neighbourhood of Sur al Lawatiyah and the development of the souq Mutrah in Muscat, Oman. The city's urban design reflects its challenging and fractured history, marked by fortified walls, towering forts, and a dense, clustered urban fabric, particularly during and after the Portuguese occupation. Additionally, the study explains how social sustainability, one of the key pillars of sustainability, has been affected by globalization. Despite being separated from the surrounding neighbourhoods by massive walls and gates, the souq Mutrah, located in the middle, is a crucial public space for people to gather, making it an essential element in Islamic neighbourhoods. Furthermore, the study examines the effect of the souq Mutrah's development on the surrounding neighbourhood of Sur Al-Lawatiyah. The souq has been redesigned and transformed into a larger market that attracts people from all over the world, reflecting the city's multi-cultural identity. Although some residents have created physical and social boundaries to protect themselves from visitors, the souq remains an important public space for locals to gather, trade, and work. Ultimately, the study concludes that the souq's development has increased social interaction and the sense of space without negatively affecting the surrounding neighbourhood's identity or way of life.

Ecohydrology Approach to Strengthen Public Green Open Space Management towards Comfortable Common Space and Playground in Kalijodo Area – Jakarta Province, Indonesia

Jakarta City is one of the largest cities in Indonesia, experiencing urban areas development generally intensive and unsustainable. This development impacts directly or indirectly on landscape degradation. Kalijodo is one of the important public open spaces (POS) constructed in the Jakarta Capital Special Region to facilitate different social functions and ecosystem services. This paper aims to describe the non-ideal condition of the Kalijodo area as a POS and to strengthen its functions towards a Public Green Open Space (PGOS). The Kalijodo POS had actually 47.91 % vegetated and 52.09 % of non-vegetated land cover and this area cannot be categorized as PGOS due to its vegetated land cover under a minimum threshold of 75 %. This condition is closely related to other aspects and parameters which indicate that Kalijodo POS has low water absorption ability, low water storage capacity, high average air temperature, high Thermal Humidity Index (THI), and low potential for economic benefits. The ecohydrology principles were taken into consideration for understanding, assessment, and identification of possible efforts to achieve the PGOS level. Several possible actions would be suggested for improvement consisting of increasing vegetated land cover, replacing pavement hardeners, introducing bio pores, constructing water ponds and wetlands, increasing public participation, and adjusting appropriate government policy and regulations. These efforts will probably have positive impacts on average air temperature reduction, increasing water absorption ability and potential economic gain, entering THI to a comfort zone and positive people's perception, as well as increasing people attendance.

The Expressions of Political Power in Panoramic and Grand Space in Ancient Roman Empire before A.D. 476

This article argues the occupation, penetration and radiation of political power in the panoramic space by explaining the typical public architecture and public space in the former Roman Empire. As the most important public space, squares are the places where emperors show their powers. So the political elites try to occupy it. In Colosseum the emperors’ supreme power is thoroughly and incisively expressed by the carefully designed space settings. The public baths with compound decorations and functions are the visual panoramic scene. In this entertaining public space political power penetrates the individual life. The grandness of public architectures in roman city are the result of powers’ ostentation. With the imperial structure the styles and functions of public architectures in roman city radiates the whole empire. With these three relations between power and space this article draws two conclusions. First the ostentatious power based on the competitive power system is the connector between the republic and early empire. The great achievements in public architecture are the fruits of it. Second the super grand territory is the result of the links between military and politics. This links lead to the competitive power system. It also explains why the roman empire is invaded by the barbarians in the west but it continues in the east. 

Astana mosques: strategies and practices of designing new public spaces

Using examples of the construction of mosques in the capital, the article shows how the discourse of the importance of Islam for cultural memory manifests itself through the practice of forming new public spaces. Despite the fact that, in comparison with the general Kazakh trends, the increase in the number of mosques in Astana is not so significant, each new mosque in the capital is formed as a unique of case, where, in addition to the main religious issues, one can also trace: state policy in the field of cultural memory; the growth of emotional, symbolic and infrastructural load on mosques; the increasing role of participation in the spaces of the mosque. Every decade, not only the main cathedral mosques, larger and larger in terms of its size, are being opened in the capital, but also the primary infrastructural linking of mosques to different urban spaces takes place. The article also discusses the question of who is the actor of the emergence of these new mosques. One of the examples of the "diplomacy of mosques" was the Nur-Astana mosque built at the expense of a foreign investor; by order of representatives of the political elite and local communities, projects of Islamic religious buildings, unique in its architectural solutions, were implemented. The article uses an infrastructural approach, which made it possible to identify important aspects in the topography of mosques in the metropolitan area, in the specifics of relations between state authorities, patrons, Muslim clergies and other interested parties that have a direct impact on the strengthening and development of mosques as important public spaces. There has also been an increase in the practices of opening Islamic culture museums at mosques in the last decade, which contributes to the transformation of the usual image of the mosque and strengthening their importance in the mass consciousness as an important object of cultural memory infrastructure. Key words: infrastructural approach, memory infrastructure, cultural landscape, mosque, public space, Astana, Spiritual Administration of Muslims of Kazakhstan.

‘ALL EYES ON ME’: The (In)Formal Barriers to Market Trade in Europe

AbstractStudies of marketplaces in the global North have often conceptualized markets as important public spaces of social encounter and conviviality where visitors, regardless of race, age, class or gender, feel they have an equal right to be. Yet comparatively little has been written about how inclusive European marketplaces are for the traders who (want to) work there. In this article we argue that the common conception of marketplaces as accessible to everyone, and as vehicles of socioeconomic mobility, is oversimplistic and romanticized. We draw on empirical data from marketplaces in four European countries to focus on the more or less informal ways in which markets are regulated by managers and traders themselves, and on the exclusionary and inclusionary effects of this process that may ultimately determine traders’ access to and success in these markets. This article not only challenges dominant conceptions of marketplaces as accessible and inclusive, but also addresses prevalent stereotypes about economic practices in the global North and assumptions about the ways in which these differ from practices in the global South.

Quality of public space and sustainable development goals: analysis of nine urban projects in Spanish cities

The starting point of this research is the urban model promoted by the United Nations through the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). The importance of public spaces is especially highlighted in Goal 11.7: “provide universal access to safe, inclusive, and accessible, green, and public spaces …” The quality of public spaces can be properly assessed by reconsidering the quality indicators and investigating their development potential, which is the main focus of our research. This study is based on a theoretical and methodological reflection on the quality of public space, considering the contributions of some contemporary urban traditions and a few recent experiences. From this perspective, a variety of public space projects developed in the European sphere have been selected and analyzed. The quality parameters identified in this initial analysis were then applied to the analysis of nine representative case studies in three Spanish cities (Madrid, Barcelona, and Zaragoza). The main goal is to propose a methodology that helps to evaluate the quality of those public spaces and determine its relationship with the safety, accessibility, and inclusiveness conditions they offer.