Inclusive Cities Research Articles

Optimizing Public Spaces for Age-Friendly Living: Renovation Strategies for 1980s Residential Communities in Hangzhou, China

Population aging and urbanization are two of the most significant social transformations of the 21st century. Against the backdrop of rapid aging in China, developing age-friendly community environments, particularly through the renovation of legacy residential communities, not only supports active and healthy aging but also promotes equity and sustainable development. This study focuses on residential communities built in the 1980s in Hangzhou, exploring strategies for the age-friendly renovation of outdoor public spaces. The residential communities that flourished during the construction boom of the 1980s are now confronting a dual challenge: aging populations and deteriorating facilities. However, existing renovation efforts often pay insufficient attention to the comprehensive age-friendly transformation of outdoor public spaces within these neighborhoods. Following a structured research framework encompassing investigation, evaluation, design, and discussion, this study first analyzes linear grid layouts and usage patterns of these communities. Then, the research team uses post-occupancy evaluation (POE) to assess the age-friendliness of outdoor public spaces. Semi-structured interviews with elderly residents identify key concerns and establish a preliminary evaluation framework, while a Likert-scale questionnaire quantifies the satisfaction with age-friendly features across four communities. The assessment reveals that key age-friendliness issues, including poor traffic safety, dispersed activity spaces, and insufficiently adapted facilities, are closely linked to the linear usage patterns within the spatial framework of the grid layouts. Based on the findings, the study develops tiered renovation goals, renovation principles and implemented an age-friendly design in the Hemu Community. The strengths, weaknesses, and feasibility of the renovation plan are discussed, while three recommendations are made to ensure successful implementation. The study is intended to provide a valuable reference for advancing age-friendly residential renewal efforts in Hangzhou and contributing to the broader objective of sustainable, inclusive city development.

Acceptance of "The Others" in Religious Tolerance: Policies and Implementation Strategies in The Inclusive City of Salatiga Indonesia

Acceptance of "The Others" in Religious Tolerance: Policies and Implementation Strategies in The Inclusive City of Salatiga Indonesia

DESIGNING INCLUSIVE CITIES – THE ROLE OF URBAN ARCHITECTURE IN ENHANCING ACCESSIBILITY FOR THE VISUALLY IMPAIRED

Urban architecture's role is vital in creating an inclusive environment for visually impaired people and affording them easy accessibility in navigating through the built environment. This paper debates the essential principles of urban design, which focus on tactile, auditory, and sensory elements to accommodate visually impaired people. It underlines best practices in architectural practice, including the integration of textured paths, audible signals, high contrasts, and wayfinding systems that enhance spatial awareness and mobility. The paper further explores the psychological and social impacts of accessible urban spaces and highlights the importance of inclusive design for independence and social participation. It provides recommendations for taking innovative approaches to user-centred design that will set a path for architects, urban planners, and policy-makers in creating an environment that serves all members of society with equity. This present research exemplified the transformation potential within urban architecture in the pursuit of building truly inclusive cities for visually impaired people's empowerment.

Inclusionary housing policy and practice in South African cities: planning as a spatial transformation tool

AbstractGlobally, housing forms an integral part of accessing the wide range opportunities that cities offer, however, inequality can be exacerbated when significant segments of the inhabitants are excluded from the real estate market or through inaction by the state. The need for affordable housing in cities with hyper-property markets is of global concern for public sector authorities that are pursuing goals of socially just and economically inclusive cities. In the global south, inclusionary housing policies and associated practices have emerged as important tools to increase access for those excluded from the opportunities available in towns and cities. In South Africa, the post-1994 democratic state has continued with the apartheid era practice of providing subsidised housing for the majority urban residents on the outskirts of towns and cities, thereby further entrenching poverty traps and racially based separate developments. Contrary to practice, the state’s well-documented policy position is to reverse the legacy of apartheid through spatial transformation so that cities and towns become economically more inclusive and socially just. It is argued that this requires prioritising the provision of affordable housing in urban centres of towns and cities that offer meaningful working, residing, shopping, recreational and other social opportunities. Although inclusionary housing policy has emerged internationally as an important mechanism to spatially transform urban areas, this forms only one component of a wider range of other possible public interventions. These framework mechanisms could include broader housing development policies, legislation and programmes as well as the urban development policies, spatial planning and land use management practices and incentives. Other incentives that can be used as leverage include the use of publicly owned property (land and buildings), capital infrastructure and development incentives. The public sector can offer both direct and indirect financial assistance and tax incentives to support an inclusionary housing policy. Critically, this should be contingent on the public sector understanding the feasibility, risk and benefits associated with housing projects pursued by private sector real estate developers.

Navigating Urban Space

This paper explores pedestrian mobility patterns in Kypseli, a dense and socio-economically diverse neighborhood in Athens, Greece, that it is considered as a typical Greek residential area, in terms of its built environment and road network characteristics. The research method included crowdsourced geospatial data overlayed on cadastral maps, and semi-structured interviews with residents and visitors to understand the routes they usually take, the routes they could take, and the routes they would like to take. The study also applied space syntax analysis, using angular integration and choice tools, to assess how the urban layout impacts the pedestrian flow. Findings showed that the walking routes are primarily influenced by safety, accessibility, and pavement width, with well-connected streets and streets with intense mixed land-use. The study highlights the importance of urban design and land management in promoting the perceived walkability. It also recommends enhancing pedestrian spaces to create more sustainable, livable, and socially inclusive cities to support the implementation of the Sustainable Development Agenda 2030 SDG 11.

Identification of Determinants That Reduce Women’s Safety and Comfort in Urban Public Spaces (UPS)

Urban development and population growth present new challenges for developing urban public spaces (UPS) in cities. The significance of cities as centers of integration of different socio-cultural groups is growing. Taking into account the diversity of needs and expectations of sensory-sensitive groups (women) as residents and users of urban public spaces is a key task facing modern city managers. Women’s public participation is relevant and important, because recognizing their needs and taking them into account in urban spatial policy contributes to creating cities tailored to the needs and expectations of residents and users, according to the principle of “everyone-important”. This article has goals for the identification of factors that reduce the safety and comfort of women’s activities and the most important architectural features UPS. The results of the research indicate that the determinants that reduce the friendliness of safety and comfort in UPS are a lack of lighting, lack of esthetics of space development, lack of benches and toilets, and street noise. A space tailored to women’s needs and expectations should be well-lit with a level walking and sidewalk surface and include architectural infrastructure elements such as adequate municipal sanitation (toilets), benches and urban furniture, with landscaped green space (squares, flowerbeds, trees), which is in line with the principles of universal design. This study’s results found that such factors can help create safe, egalitarian, and inclusive cities. They complete the research gap in the field of sustainable urban development and are key to developing gender-equitable urban planning and urban development policy practices.

Unveiling the Neighborhood Effect Averaging Problem: The Role of Daily Mobility in Shaping Built-Environment Quality Exposure

Equal exposure to quality-built environments fosters livable, inclusive cities. The neighborhood effect averaging problem (NEAP) suggests that daily mobility plays a crucial role in shaping environmental exposure. This study aims to unveil the NEAP in built-environment quality exposure. Street-view image data and mobile phone signaling data are coupled to measure built-environment quality in people’s residential space and activity space. Subsequently, a conditional process analysis model is employed to investigate how daily mobility, income, and built-environment quality in residential space influence built-environment quality in activity space. The results indicate that (1) there is a significant disparity in built-environment quality exposure, although the disparity in activity space is smaller than that in residence; (2) income exerts a dual influence on built-environment quality in activity space through direct and indirect pathways, and the pathways could be moderated by high mobility; and (3) neighborhood effect averaging is evident at the individual level and manifests as a derived phenomenon associated with income groups. The findings provide insights for better serving environmental equality.

What does it take to co-create place brands? Learnings from an academic-practitioner exchange

PurposeThis paper aims to report on the insights from an international workshop entitled Co-creating place brands: sharing research insights and practical experiences towards more inclusive cities and regions hosted by the Erasmus University Rotterdam. The authors outline their collective reflection and the learnings for place branding theory and practice. Additionally, this paper discusses the need to build practitioner-scholar relationships in a co-creative style, to co-develop more inclusive models for co-creating place brands.Design/methodology/approachThe report details key learnings of a whole-day interactive workshop featuring academic and practitioner presentations and discussions around inclusive approaches to co-creating place brands. The report is structured around key emerging themes and their associated learnings.FindingsThe workshop yielded six important learnings: 1) a key obstacle to co-creating place brands is that co-creation is often misunderstood among decision-makers; 2) all place stakeholders need to be taken seriously if co-creation is to shape a place’s identity and foster cohesion; 3) broad stakeholder inclusion in place branding can be problematic, but it is a necessary condition to the practice of place brand co-creation; 4) co-creating place brands requires going beyond marketing tools and deep into the levels of community life and place’s social and cultural construction; 5) co-creation at all stages of the branding process from conceptual development to performance measurement and sometimes unconsciously; 6) politics of place must be observed (this is crucial yet easily overlooked in co-creating place brands).Originality/valueThe micro-format of the workshop facilitated valuable interactions between academics and practitioners, effectively blending practical, “on the ground”-knowledge with academic ideas, concepts and models. This approach not only generated key learnings with the possibility to advance the field but also highlighted important future research directions.

Non‐Status Citizenship and the Paradoxes of Immigration Regimes in a Sanctuary City

AbstractNon‐status people face a socio‐legal precariousness that contradicts the promises of an inclusive city. Marking Toronto's tenth anniversary of its “sanctuary city” policy, our research assesses the progress and potential of social planning and municipalist agendas to support irregularised residents. Drawing from interviews with service providers, city officials, and non‐status citizens in Toronto, we propose a decolonial politics of urban citizenship recognition we call “non‐status citizenship”. This concept addresses specific paradoxes related to irregularisation, access, jurisdiction, and regularisation. By framing our discussion around these paradoxes, we highlight the discomfort and transformative potential of non‐status citizenship for immigration regimes in sanctuary cities. We argue that recognising non‐status citizenship goes beyond notions of urban citizenship to claim formal recognition and security, which resolves the four paradoxes theoretically, politically, and practically. We also emphasise the role of cities in expanding service delivery and calling out the failure of planning across levels of government.

Translocal networks; a means to inclusive city development

Migrants have relied on their translocal ties to adapt to city challenges, particularly in the global south. Yet, the potential of translocality in facilitating the inclusion of migrants into cities has been less explored. Adopting a systematic review of literature, this study investigates the contributions of translocal networks to promoting inclusive urbanism and discusses their implications for inclusive city development. The results from a synthesis of 45 literature indicate that migrants use their translocal networks to accommodate, socialize and find spaces in cities. Translocal networks have also been used to secure employment opportunities for migrants in cities. These promote migrants’ right to and inclusiveness in cities. However, the effectiveness of translocal networks in promoting inclusiveness is contingent on their dedication and organization. The study therefore calls on governments and city authorities to explicitly identify and engage translocal networks in the inclusive city discourse.

Unveiling the spatially varied nonlinear effects of urban built environment on housing prices using an interpretable ensemble learning model

The relationship between urban built environment (UBE) and housing prices manifests as complex, exhibiting significant nonlinearities and spatial heterogeneity that remain inadequately understood. Taking Shanghai as a testbed, this study employs a novel ensemble learning approach, augmented by Bayesian optimization and Monte Carlo simulation, to decipher the intricate and nonlinear impacts of UBE factors on housing markets across diverse urban geographies. Our analysis unveils substantial spatial variations in how transit accessibility, amenities, residential density, and green/blue spaces influence real estate values. Proximity to metro stations and bike-sharing facilities exerts a more pronounced positive effect than bus stops. Moreover, residents in central areas demonstrate a higher willingness-to-pay for public service amenities, while those in outer suburbs prioritize access to public transportation infrastructure. Intriguingly, it invokes an optimal threshold range of urban density for properties in new cities, thereby increasing the vitality and dense socio-economic networks. Furthermore, the sprawling suburbs have identified an adverse economic impact of large conservation green/blue spaces. These insights can guide policymakers in crafting spatially-tailored strategies that harness localized built environment drivers to catalyse equitable and prosperous urban development. Tailored policies informed by this spatially explicit understanding of nonlinear built environment-housing interactions can foster more sustainable, liveable, and inclusive cities.

When the ‘inclusive turn’ fuels the entrepreneurial city: Critical perspectives from Singapore

The rise of the notion of ‘inclusion’ in urban planning, seen in phrases like inclusive city, calls for a critical analysis of its evolving meaning and its spatial, social and political implications. Paradoxically, the meaning of urban inclusion has narrowed such that it now primarily refers to accessibility for people with disabilities. At the intersection of urban studies and critical disability studies, our article investigates the conceptions, criteria and modes of production underlying the implementation of urban inclusion in Singapore's ‘Enabling Village’, a purportedly inclusive space opened in 2015. We use a mixed‐methods approach, analysing official narratives and conducting site visits to understand the site as both an appropriated and a branded space. We show that, in Singapore, the inclusion agenda interacts with the city‐state's distinctive approach to planning and governance, where social issues are ‘engineered’ and give rise to replicable operational models. Our hypothesis is that implementing the inclusive city through the production and promotion of ‘inclusive’ urban projects such as the Enabling Village fuels the expansion of Singapore as a state‐led ‘entrepreneurial city’ (Harvey, Geografiska Annaler. Series B, Human Geography 1989; 71(1):3–17). In particular, operationalising ‘urban inclusion’ in this way allows for the reinvention of Singapore as a global urban model.

Inclusionary planning instruments in two Indonesian cities: a missed opportunity to address urban inequalities

With rising urban inequalities worldwide, inclusionary planning instruments can contribute to more just and inclusive cities and societies by making housing accessible to various social groups. Although these instruments have existed for several decades, their implementation has not always been successful. There is a limited understanding of how these instruments contribute to the public good and the reasons for their failure. By examining the implementation of two inclusionary instruments known as the Balanced Housing Ratio 1:2:3 and the ‘Socialization’ Process used to regulate the construction of new housing by the private sector in Jakarta and Yogyakarta (Indonesia), this article provides evidence to better understand the reasons for their failure and gives entry points for policymakers to be able to design and implement inclusive planning instruments that have stronger impact. The research uses qualitative methods for data collection, including semi-structured interviews as the principal method, complemented by observations, a policy review and a workshop for background and contextual information. This in-depth analysis of the challenges to implement inclusionary instruments related to housing development in Indonesia shows that their failure leads to further social and spatial inequality in cities and a shortcoming of the planning system to contribute to the public good.

Towards inclusive urban real estate: Innovative strategies for shaping urban real estate developments in South Africa

South Africa, like many emerging economies, grapples with the challenges of rapid urbanisation, unequal access to resources, and historical spatial inequalities. Addressing these issues requires a multifaceted approach that reimagines urban real estate development as a catalyst for positive social change. This paper explores the imperative of inclusive urban real estate development in South Africa and presents innovative strategies to promote equity, accessibility, and sustainability in urban environments. Following a quantitative inquiry technique, primary data was gathered from 109 built environment professionals with experience in sustainable urban development. To support this, descriptive and inferential statistics, particularly exploratory factor analysis (EFA), were used. According to the descriptive analysis using the mean score (MS) ranking technique, the development of affordable housing was one of the higher up-front innovative strategies for reshaping real estate development. Ensuring objectivity in city planning, re-engineering the city streets and buildings to create a safer environment were among the highly ranked strategies. The EFA further demonstrated that “urban redevelopment”, “government regulations”, “spatial planning”, “urban policy” and “diversification” were the underlying groups of new approaches for inclusive development. Implementing these innovative strategies, South Africa can move towards a more inclusive and equitable urban landscape, where urban real estate development becomes a force for positive social change, fostering sustainable economic growth and improving the quality of life for all citizens. This research contributes to the ongoing dialogue on urban development in South Africa and offers actionable insights for policymakers, developers, and community stakeholders invested in shaping more inclusive cities.

Testing the Relationship Between Local Context and Immigrant-Serving Nonprofit Strategies

Abstract Studies at the nexus of immigration, organizations, and migrant mobilizations find that the strategies that immigrant-serving nonprofit organizations (INOs) employ differ in cities with disparate levels of immigrant inclusion. Yet studies yield mixed results abound other shortcomings in the literature. This study draws from disparate literatures and theoretical frameworks to assemble an understanding on the interrelations between local context and strategies. I investigate the following questions: how does the level of citizenry inclusion impact the strategies employed by INOs, and do more inclusive cities facilitate or constrain contentious advocacy? I draw from a national sample of INOs to test the empirical relationship. The results have implications for political opportunity theory and future lines of research drawing from this framework. Research, nonprofit practice, and policy implications are discussed.

Analysis of land-use and livelihood transformations in peri-urban areas: Insights from North-Western Ghana

This paper questions claims that peri-urbanization perpetuates the shrinking of livelihood opportunities. A critical analysis of the peri-urbanization process presents a more nuanced transformation of livelihood opportunities. Drawing on concurrent triangulation mixed-method, primary data was sourced from non-farm workers using survey questionnaires, informant interviews, and observation from 225 respondents in a Ghanaian peri-urban community -Bamahu. Digital image software, Erdas Imaging 2015 and Landsat satellite were used to acquire land use and land cover data to affirm spatial differences. Quantitative data were analyzed using descriptive statistics complemented with thematic analysis for qualitative data. The findings showed significant land use and land cover alterations from 2000 to 2019. These changes resulted in the springing up of non-farm livelihoods that populated formal and informal non-farm opportunities. The analysis provides evidence that supports two key contributions to peri-urbanization and livelihood transformation debates. Empirically, it brings in-depth insights from original fieldwork data to highlight specific contextual realities by not only revealing the spatial alterations but also peering into how emerging non-farm livelihoods trade-off with existing farm-based livelihoods. Theoretically, it extends the debate by reframing peri-urbanization as a process of transforming livelihoods that thrive due to infrastructural development, new skills, and a ready market for goods and services. These findings have important implications for opening up a theorization of the peri-urbanization phenomenon. This paper concludes that the emergence of these livelihoods is crucial and should be adequately integrated into urban policies and plans to ensure inclusive cities.

Assessing spatial configuration of barrier-free facilities from the perspective of age-friendliness: A case Study of Beijing, China

Enhancing urban inclusivity is a crucial task for sustainable urban development. One key challenge is to create seamless and accessible urban space that caters to the mobility needs of people, especially the elderly. Addressing this pressing challenge requires a comprehensive overview of barrier-free facilities (BFFs) configuration within cities. In this study, we propose an integrated framework for assessing the BFFs in Beijing by leveraging open BFFs data and mobile phone data. The proposed framework encompasses considerations of spatial distribution, accessibility, and supply-demand patterns of BFFs. Our findings reveal the significant agglomeration and heterogeneity of BFFs in Beijing, as well as serious spatial and social inequalities. Furthermore, the supply-demand relationship of BBFs in Beijing is relatively good, with 77.8% of supply-demand balanced areas. Overall, our study provides a holistic understanding of the BFFs within Beijing, offering valuable insights for informed decision-making in inclusive city planning and development.

Achieving social inclusion for vulnerable urban residents through community gardens: a case of Bulawayo city, Zimbabwe

ABSTRACT More than half of the world’s population lives in cities, and this proportion is projected to reach 70% by 2050. This increased urbanisation has fuelled a growing divide among urban dwellers, bringing with it complex exclusions in terms of employment, social and political status within the cities. There is a growing need to transform urban environments into socially inclusive societies that prioritise the needs of the most vulnerable people. Many stakeholder attempts have been made to create more inclusive cities that promote social justice and equity through community gardens in urban areas. This study surveyed community garden farmers to assess the effectiveness of community gardens in addressing social inclusion in Bulawayo city. The results showed that community gardens in urban areas are an important policy tool for achieving social inclusion. The results will be significant to the academia, policymakers, local authorities, and community-based organisations.

Inclusive Cities for Visually Impaired People

Objective: The objective of this study is to to present a literature review and its evolution regarding how elements of city architecture can contribute to the inclusion of the visually impaired and the most appropriate way to reproduce it, specifically in the context of Brazil. Theoretical Framework: The urban organization of a city can either contribute to or hinder human interactions, social inclusion, and the autonomy of people with disabilities. However, for a long time, cities were not planned to accommodate diversity, becoming even a segregating space for some minorities, such as the visually impaired. Method: The methodology adopted for this research includes the review and discussion of books, articles, specialized virtual pages, and pertinent legislation. Results and Discussion: The results obtained revealed that urban orientation elements for the visually impaired lack standardization, making them a hindrance to their perception. Research Implications: Future work needs to invest in the research for the standardization of tactile maps and floors, also incorporating new technologies. Originality/Value: This study contributes to the literature by discussing city architecture from the perspective of the visually impaired, highlighting practical contributions for better territorial performance for this specific population.

Non-Linear Impact of Economic Performance on Social Equity in Rail Transit Station Areas

Rail transit station areas (RSAs) are heralded as a transformative approach to urban planning, emphasizing the integration of transportation, housing, and commercial development to foster sustainable and inclusive cities. This study presents a comprehensive exploration of the interplay between transit-oriented development (TOD) economic performance and social equity in RSAs, employing advanced methodologies, like eXtreme Gradient Boosting (XGBoost) and SHapley Additive exPlanations (SHAPs), to decipher the complex relationships between TOD characteristics and social equity outcomes. Focused on Dalian’s urban center, this study integrates diverse datasets, including mobile location, geospatial, and economic price data, to construct a nuanced analysis framework within the NPE (node–place–economic) model. The results indicate that economic factors significantly impact overall social equity, particularly influencing key variables, such as weekday and weekend commuter population densities. Local explanatory plots reveal that economic performance variables associated with transportation development exhibit a broad non-linear impact on social equity in RSAs. This study advances equitable urban development through TOD by stressing the importance of factoring in multiple variables in RSA planning. This approach is vital for creating synergistic effects, fostering equitable spatial planning, and has both theoretical and practical benefits for improving residents’ well-being.