City Life Research Articles

Developing a Derivative Model for the Environmental Flow Index and Exploring its Applications in Modern Urban Contexts

This study develops a derivative model for the Environmental Flow Index (EFI) to evaluate the relationship between urban porosity and environmental flow in high-density urban areas. The model was applied to Sadr City in Baghdad, focusing on the city's unique challenges, such as overcrowding, poor ventilation, and environmental degradation. Using computational simulation tools such as ENVI-MET 5.7 and AutoLISP, the study analyzed environmental variables, including wind speed, temperature, relative humidity, and radiant heat, under two scenarios: the current state with 30% urban porosity and a modified state with 40% porosity.The results demonstrate that increasing urban porosity significantly enhances environmental flow, reflected in improved wind circulation, reduced thermal stress, and better outdoor thermal comfort. For instance, wind speed increased from 2.798 m/s to 6.2361 m/s, while relative humidity decreased by 0.394%, showing a positive correlation with higher porosity levels. The EFI model effectively integrates these variables, offering a standardized and scalable metric for measuring environmental flow. The research contributes valuable insights for urban planners and policymakers, supporting the development of sustainable and livable cities in Baghdad and similar urban contexts.

Augmented reality and digital placemaking: enhancing quality of life in urban public spaces

ABSTRACT Public places affect residents’ and tourists’ quality of life. However, stakeholders may struggle to understand these environments’ features. Digital technology has made interactive urban space models possible, enabling more collaborative and inclusive urban planning. Tehran’s Vanak Square neighborhood uses digital placemaking. Augmented reality with interactive markers lets residents influence planning. The integration of augmented reality with emerging technologies is transforming urban environments. The emergence of urban metaverse cyberspaces and the transformation of cities into smart cities through technologies like AR are revolutionizing how residents do business and live, including virtual offices, stores, and tourism. This integration democratizes services, resources, and skills globally without borders, significantly altering the fabric of urban life. Digital placemaking improves public space design and inclusivity, increasing city life. Moreover, integrating concepts like urban metaverse cyberspaces and smart city digital twins can further revolutionize urban living by democratizing services and resources through immersive technologies.

Encountering not-so-smart technologies in urban spaces: QR codes, screens and the idiocy of smart living

ABSTRACT This article investigates people’s lived experiences of encountering the idiocy of digital technologies in their ordinary lives in smart cities. It regards the concept of “idiocy” as both the limited smartness in the digital society and a moment when actual users of technologies are fooled. Drawing upon mixed-method studies in Guangzhou, this article delineates a QR-coded and screen-mediated public lifestyle that simultaneously bridges the smartmentality and smart citizens and creates idiocy. Although people in Guangzhou are smart enough to participate in smart city projects and actively respond to digital technologies and their problems, they are inevitably subject to constant monitoring and discipline from the top-down operations of smart cities, and it is hard to reject the “smart” lifestyle. Digital technologies in smart cities, as well as their breakdowns, often fool people by interrupting their public events, datafying and categorizing them, reducing efficiency, alienating the “bookend generations”, and excluding some smart people who choose to bypass the algorithmic logic designed for the digital/smart urbanism. Ultimately, this research suggests that future works pay more attention to the tensions between digital technologies and smart people in order to search for an alternative and more hopeful urbanism in the digital era.

Shaping Cities and Housing Environments for People

Since the 1960s, urban landscapes and housing environments have been profoundly shaped by industrial and technological advancements, alongside globalization. However, despite increasing environmental consciousness, urban planning has often neglected human-centered and neighborhood-scale approaches, resulting in urban environments and housing complexes lacking essential physical and social qualities. Modernist urban planning, while addressing certain urban challenges, has inadvertently given rise to issues such as urban sprawl, lack of diversity, and social alienation, as exemplified by the failure of developments like the Pruitt-Igoe housing complex. This article explores human-centered approaches in urban planning and design, championed by influential figures like Constantinos A. Doxiadis, Jacqueline Tyrwhitt, N. John Habraken, Amos Rapoport, Christopher Alexander, and others. Their theories emphasize integrating human needs, behaviors, and cultural contexts into planning, focusing on fostering vibrant communities, adaptable environments, and responsive design principles. Inspired by traditional Mediterranean and Middle Eastern settlements, the neighborhood emerges as a pivotal unit for fostering social cohesion, well-being, and belonging through the integration of private, semi-private, and public spaces to create meaningful connections. Addressing the deficiencies of contemporary car-centric and fragmented urban environments requires strategies that prioritize pedestrian-friendly spaces, community participation, and responsive design tailored to local contexts. Ultimately, achieving socially and environmentally sustainable urban environments depends on cohesive planning, innovative policymaking, and active community involvement. This vision requires a commitment to addressing both social and environmental dimensions of urban life, ensuring livable, inclusive, and resilient cities for future generations.

Growers Without Borders: community and remote sensing of encounters with nature

ABSTRACT This paper studies the benefits of a collective remote sensing method in the context of Growers Without Borders, an eco-social farm in Hong Kong. The farm was a collaborative effort of a design school and a hotel association to develop methods for recycling compost and food waste. Researchers recruited volunteers and asked them to sign in to a WhatsApp group. The group provided the researchers an opportunity to understand the volunteers when they were working on the farm and encountered issues they would not have faced in their city life. This paper describes encounters with plants, critters, and soil to show how these methods gave geographically dispersed participants and researchers access to the farm and its activities.

Adapting the ITF's Transport Policy with a Focus on the EU's Strategy of Sustainable Mobility

Urban regions worldwide face increasing challenges in mobility planning due to transformative developments such as climate change, energy crises, migration, digitalisation, and the rise of artificial intelligence. In Europe, frameworks like the European Union's Sustainable and Smart Mobility Strategy and the International Transport Forum's (ITF) policy measures aim to create sustainable, multimodal, and efficient urban transport systems. This paper explores how these frameworks can be integrated to enhance urban mobility governance, focusing on the Brussels-Capital Region’s Good Move plan. The plan emphasises shared mobility, digitalised multimodal systems like mobility as a Service (MaaS), and a regulatory framework that balances innovation with public oversight. Through a "learning by doing" approach, this study highlights the interplay between public and private actors, effective data governance, and market regulation to establish a viable MaaS ecosystem. Key findings underline the potential of MaaS to reduce urban emissions, improve accessibility, and promote sustainable travel while addressing regulatory challenges such as data-sharing, competition safeguards, and equitable mobility subsidies. The paper concludes with actionable recommendations to optimise MaaS integration and support urban regions in achieving resilient, livable cities through sustainable mobility solutions.

Protecting trees in the urban forest: a systematic review of literature on acts, bylaws, ordinances, and regulations

Trees contribute to the livability of cities. To preserve the urban forest, many governments have turned to regulatory mechanisms, ranging from local bylaws and ordinances to state and federal legislation. To understand the history, scope, perspectives, successes, and challenges of disincentive-based tree protection legislation, a systematic review was conducted using PubMD, EBSCOHost, Web of Science, and Scopus. The review, which was not geographically constrained but contained only English-language articles, included 114 publications. The literature highlights that the history of urban forest legislation is long. However, tree protection regulations were popularized more recently, built on years of more general environmental policies. While the adoption processes for tree protection legislation vary across both cities and countries, it is often driven by appreciation of urban forests and led by municipalities with the support of the public and non-governmental organizations. Tree protection legislation defines what trees are to be protected, typically based on size, species, or land use, although cultural or heritage trees are often protected as well. Some tree protection legislation includes replanting clauses and enforcement procedures to increase their effectiveness. The protection of large, culturally important trees and replanting requirements are largely supported by both the public and urban foresters, although support is greater in urban areas. However, whether the legislation actually works is unclear. Conflicting evidence and study limitations preclude direct causal relationships, although areas where tree protection legislation was removed experienced subsequent tree loss. On-going challenges at the local level include underenforcement, conflicting legislation, and underfunded programs. Tree protection legislation is also vulnerable to socio-political changes that prioritize private property rights and development over private tree protection. Amidst widespread urban tree loss, further research that provides a better understanding of the successes of tree protection legislation will help justify their continued use in urban forestry programs globally.

Enhancing Accessibility in Public Spaces: A Computational Study of Hatirjheel Lakefront Using Space Syntax

Public spaces are vital for urban living, contributing to the environmental, social, and economic aspects of city life. Hatirjheel Lakefront, a newly developed recreational area in Dhaka, offers significant potential for enhancing accessibility and connectivity in a rapidly urbanizing metropolis. This study aims to evaluate global and local integration of access routes and propose strategies to improve pedestrian and vehicular connectivity using Space Syntax methodology and DepthmapX V10 software. The key findings indicate that while Hatirjheel demonstrates strong global integration, regional integration remains moderate, with certain access roads being underutilized due to poor connectivity. Recommendations include enhancing integration through connecting dead-end roads, improving pedestrian pathways, and constructing foot-over bridges to mitigate vehicular traffic barriers. This study contributes to urban planning by providing actionable insights to optimize accessibility in public spaces, supporting recreational and economic activities. The findings are critical for creating a more integrated urban fabric in Dhaka, ensuring sustainable urban growth. This research provides actionable strategies for urban planners to optimize the use of public spaces, reinforcing the role of Hatirjheel as a vital component of Dhaka’s urban network.

Everyday Life in the Spectacular City: Making Home in Dubai By Rana AlMutawa. University of California Press. $29.95. February 2024. ISBN: 0520395069

Everyday Life in the Spectacular City: Making Home in Dubai By Rana AlMutawa. University of California Press. $29.95. February 2024. ISBN: 0520395069

Residential Marginalization of Renters: Social Adaptation of Urban Youth in Suburbanized Living in First-Tier Cities

This paper explores the phenomenon of residential marginalization in China’s first-tier cities, focusing on its impacts on urban youth and their adaptive strategies in suburbanized living. As Beijing, Shanghai, Guangzhou, and Shenzhen transform into global economic hubs, the escalating housing crisis—characterized by rising property prices, speculative markets, restrictive urban planning, and the exclusionary Hukou system—has displaced low- and middle-income renters, particularly young professionals, to suburban peripheries. This spatial exclusion exacerbates social inequality, limits access to urban resources, and undermines the cultural and economic vitality of these cities. Drawing on the intersection of housing market dynamics, urban planning policies, and socio-economic barriers, this paper provides an in-depth analysis of the systemic drivers of marginalization. It examines the resilience and ingenuity of suburbanized youth, highlighting their use of technology, co-living models, grassroots initiatives, and entrepreneurship to navigate the challenges of suburban living. By reimagining suburban spaces through innovation and community-building, young renters demonstrate remarkable agency, though their adaptations also underscore the pressing need for structural reforms. The paper concludes by advocating for equitable housing policies, inclusive urban planning, and sustainable suburban development to address the root causes of marginalization and ensure first-tier cities remain accessible, dynamic, and inclusive spaces for all residents.

Broadcasting the Life and Death of Victorian Cities: Urban Heritage in Ken Russell's Early BBC Shorts, 1959–61

In the aftermath of the Second World War, the question of how to care for and preserve Victorian urban heritage was an important topic in public debate. At the beginning of his career at the BBC, Ken Russell made four highly original short documentaries that address this issue from several different points of view. John Betjeman: A Poet in London (1959) and Shelagh Delaney's Salford (1960) offered middle-class and working-class perspectives on the large-scale destruction of Victorian buildings to make way for modern planning and high-rises, while A House in Bayswater (1960) and London Moods (1961) further elaborated on points made in the first two films. Considered as a thematic cluster, these four films map how several discourses intersected on the contested site of Victorian urban heritage, not least the different voices of middle-class and working-class stakeholders, both of whom had an interest in preserving aspects of urban architectural heritage, but for widely different reasons. As such, a close reading of these films demonstrates how topical documentaries can become, over the distance of more than half a century, a powerful site for reconstructing and understanding the subtle shadings of past attitudes and old cultural debates.

Towards sustainable cities: Evaluating the distribution and functionality of green spaces in Atakum

The rapid increase in urbanization has led to a concentration of population and buildings, resulting in reduced green spaces and disrupted ecological balance. This trend negatively affects the well-being and quality of life in cities. Designing green spaces according to planning standards and protecting these areas is crucial for the sustainability of urban environments and the preservation of livable spaces for future generations. In light of these challenges, it is vital to preserve and expand green spaces for both environmental and social reasons. This study aims to evaluate the spatial distribution, size, and adequacy of existing green spaces in 16 neighborhoods of Atakum, a district in Samsun that has recently undergone intense urbanization. It also assesses the accessibility of these spaces using Geographic Information Systems (GIS). The analysis of urban green spaces in Atakum was conducted through spatial and buffer zone analyses using the Spatial Analyst tool in ARCGIS 10.7, revealing the current situation of these vital areas. The findings highlight the significance of green spaces in ensuring livable and sustainable urban development, especially in rapidly urbanizing areas. The research identifies substantial disparities in the distribution and accessibility of open and green spaces in Atakum, indicating an urgent need for improved urban planning. Using GIS analysis, the study compares the availability of green spaces against the World Health Organization’s recommended standard of 10 m² per person. Results show that many neighborhoods fall short of this benchmark, a situation exacerbated by rapid urbanization and population growth. This deficit adversely impacts residents' physical and mental well-being, as adequate green space is essential for public health, social cohesion, and environmental sustainability. Additionally, the analysis reveals that existing green spaces primarily serve recreational purposes and lack multifunctionality, limiting their usability for diverse community needs. To address these deficiencies, the study recommends a multi-faceted urban planning approach, emphasizing the equitable distribution of green spaces, the design of multifunctional areas, and robust community engagement in the planning process. It also stresses the need for stronger legal frameworks to preserve and create green spaces, advocating for the integration of research and data analysis to inform evidence-based policies. In conclusion, this research contributes to understanding how urban green spaces can enhance livability, particularly in the context of climate resilience. The findings underscore the importance of strategic planning in fostering sustainable and inclusive urban environments in Atakum, offering valuable insights for future urban studies in similar contexts.

No-Stop City as Building

Archizoom’s hypothetical project of 1969–72 is the ultimate interior. Comprised of a floor, ceiling, and grid of columns, No-Stop City stretches infinitely in all directions, potentially consuming the whole world in its fluorescently lit belly. The project and its aims are commonly thought of in relation to other radical and speculative projects of the 1960s and 1970s—those of Archigram and Superstudio, for example—and to the sociocultural critique they posed. However, it also belongs within another lineage of architectural discourse, which might be said to run from the polemic image of a co-op interior published by Hannes Meyer in 1926 to the diagrams and sketches of Claude Parent and Paul Virilio arguing for the oblique as a mode of inhabitation for Architecture Principe (1966) to the perspective drawing of boxers inside a locker room made by Madelon Vreisendorp for Rem Koolhaas’s seminal publication, Delirious New York (1978). This second set of unbuilt projects is inseparable from the critique engaged by those of the first group, yet the discourse is differently centred. While all are equally theoretical in nature, the first set ultimately led away from buildings and toward their contents—to furniture and installations—while the second reinforced buildings and their constituent elements as the domains of influence. This essay examines the double life of No-Stop City by comparing it to these two sets of projects, each of which raise questions about the notion of building. In place of building-as-form, these readings of Archizoom’s unbuilt interior offer building-as-act, as an action tied to unbuilding, rebuilding, and reconceiving of the limits and possibilities of both contemporary life and the discipline of architecture.

Research on the Impacts of Homestay Program on Rural Areas in Case of Homestay Program in Jingxian County, Anhui Province, China

This paper examines the development and impact of homestay programs in Jing County, Xuancheng City, Anhui Province, China, with a particular focus on the rural Cai Cun Village. Homestay programs have gained popularity among urban Chinese tourists seeking respite from city life, offering them immersive experiences in rural environments. The study underscores the importance of homestays as a rural development strategy, highlighting their role in enhancing local infrastructure, boosting economic growth, and fostering community cooperation. By analyzing demographic, social, economic, political, cultural, and geographic factors, as well as interviewing local homestay operators, the research identifies both the benefits and challenges associated with homestay operations. Key issues such as management inefficiencies, audience limitations, seasonal unemployment, and non-committing participants are discussed. The paper proposes solutions, including the integration of agricultural activities, targeted advertising, and increased government intervention to address these challenges. The findings offer valuable insights for potential homestay operators and contribute to the broader discourse on rural revitalization, emphasizing the potential for homestays to drive sustainable development in less-developed regions.

Advancing Biocentric Architecture through Smart Building Application

The research explores the use of biocentric architecture concepts on top with smart building applications to promote sustainable design practices. Biocentric architecture prioritized ecological equilibrium and human well-being. In recent years, the introduction of smart building technology has created new potential to improve biocentric design methods. The research focuses into how smart building technologies like Internet of Things (IoT) sensors, data analytics, and automated systems can be used to boost energy efficiency, improve indoor environmental quality, and increase occupant comfort within biocentric architectural frameworks. The research assesses the effectiveness of smart building techniques in supporting biocentric principles by conducting a thorough assessment of literature review and case studies, considering issues such as resource conservation, ecosystem integration, and user-centric design. The findings emphasize the potential synergies between biocentric architecture and smart building technology to create healthier, more sustainable buildings. This study contributes to the on-going environmentally conscious design practices by advancing biocentric architecture with smart building solutions. It also provides insights for architects, urban planners, and policy makers who want to create resilient and liveable cities.

IVAN FRANKO’S SHORT STORY “AT THE WOODSHOP”: THE FOLKLORE CONTEXT

In the short story “At the Woodshop,” while outlining the trials a village boy faces in adapting to the urban environment, Ivan Franko added a remarkable layer of oral lore. He employed the songs and narratives popular among the Drohobych craftsmen to explicate how the schoolboy from Nahuievychi village came to understand his surroundings and got accustomed to the city life. The writer revealed numerous common features and a significant number of variations between the folklore of Nahuievychi and Drohobych. He particularly noted the active circulation of craftsmen’s narratives, known as ‘workshop stories,’ which reflected the traditional way of life of the working class and became a unique legacy of urban culture. For example, one story recounts the tale of a master watchmaker who suffered because of his skill. Additionally, Ivan Franko focused on a particularly popular group of spiritual songs, mostly church carols known as ‘pastoral songs,’ which originated in printed hymnals. These works, richly embellished with everyday details and marked by a straightforwardness of expression while preserving significant poetic appeal, were in high demand among the townspeople of Drohobych and held leading positions in their modest and generally unpretentious repertoire. In addition to direct references to the oral texts heard in the suburbs of Drohobych in the 1860s, the writer provided a detailed description of family life, highlighting the obvious signs of predominant female element in this Halychyna town. Considering the subject area of contemporary humanities, these observations fall within the competence of cultural anthropology. Franko, as a master of literature, demonstrated not only the keen observation characteristic of a true belle-lettrist but also the ability to comprehend and explain the genesis of a complex cultural phenomenon.

Practicing community and sociality in public: scenes from amateur football at the Hackney Marshes, London

ABSTRACT This article explores the social life of amateur football at the Hackney Marshes in London. Based on a season-long period of participant observation, the article looks at the different registers of social and cultural life achieved through the practice of playing amateur Sunday League football. Studying this everyday amateur sporting scene in detail highlights how communities of practice are made, and how focusing on shared activities can shed new light on how the public life of cities can be more than a community of strangers. The article also contributes to the emerging literatures on social infrastructures showing how spaces like sports fields can support the development and maintenance of social connection. This case study highlights how the social life being observed cannot be separated from the practice of playing football, and that if we want to facilitate the realization of more abstract values in urban environments – e.g. community, cooperation, kinship – then it is necessary to provide the kinds of social infrastructures that make it easier to take part in activities together.

Human-Scale Greenery in the Window View

In recent decades, the quality of life in cities has declined due to rapid growth. The global ecological crisis and climate change are leading to pollution and overheating of the environment, resulting in deteriorating health conditions and social segregation. The fact is that greenery in urban environments significantly improves people’s well-being, health, and satisfaction. The research presented in this paper was focused on the issue of greenery in residential neighborhoods, which has many positive effects in addition to the health benefits. The purpose of the article is to check whether greenery also has an artistic effect in addition to environmental benefits. In the research, the importance of greenery was highlighted by examining two residential neighborhoods in the urban environment of the city of Ljubljana, Slovenia. Elements of greenery were analyzed from the perspective of “human scale”, which refers to the size, texture, and arrangement of physical elements that correspond to human size and proportions. There were seven indicators highlighted that were used to verify the human scale: area connectivity, readability, and completeness of the ambience; transparency of tree canopies, and perception of artistic composition principles. The results show that the presence of greenery in residential neighborhoods is an important element of the human scale.

Observation Angle Effect of Near-Ground Thermal Infrared Remote Sensing on the Temperature Results of Urban Land Surface

During the process of urbanization, a large number of impervious land surfaces are replacing the biologically active surface. Land surface temperature is a key factor reflecting the urban thermal environment and a crucial factor affecting city livability and resident comfort. Therefore, the accurate measurement of land surface temperature is of great significance. Thermal infrared remote sensing is widely applied to study the urban thermal environment due to its distinctive advantages of high sensitivity, wide coverage, high resolution, and continuous measurement. Low-altitude remote sensing, performed using thermal infrared sensors carried by unmanned aerial vehicles (UAVs), is a common method of land surface observation. However, thermal infrared sensors may experience varying degrees of sway due to wind, affecting the quality of the data. It is still uncertain as to what degree angle changes affect thermal infrared data in urban environments. To investigate this effect, a near-ground remote sensing experiment was conducted to observe three common urban land surfaces, namely, marble tiles, cement tiles and grasses, at observation angles of 15°, 30°, 45°, and 60° using a thermal infrared imager. This is accompanied by synchronous ground temperature measurements conducted by iButton digital thermometers. Our results suggest that the temperature differences between the remote sensing data of the land surface and the corresponding ground truth data increase as a function of the increasing observation angle of the three land surfaces. Furthermore, the differences are minor when the observation angle changes are not more than 15° and the changes are not the same for different land surfaces. Our findings increase the current understanding of the effects of different angles on thermal infrared remote sensing in urban land surface temperature monitoring.

Towards collaborative smart cities: a participatory framework to co-develop an environmental monitoring dashboard along the Texas Coast

ABSTRACT Cities in coastal regions are particularly prone to experiencing environmental impacts arising from both natural and human causes. Additionally, Climate Change imposes stressors on communities along shorelines. Smart city concepts can assist communities in informed decision-making, building on technology-based approaches to measure and evaluate various aspects of everyday life in cities. While smart city concepts have gained significant momentum over past decades, this study presents an approach to integrate the human factor from the early stages of developing smart cities. The active engagement of residents underscores the pursuit of data accessibility and equity within urban governance. This study outlines a comprehensive participatory framework integrating local knowledge and stakeholder engagement into designing and implementing an environmental monitoring data dashboard for coastal communities. By leveraging insights from multiple disciplines – including urban design & planning, civil engineering, computer science, and public policy – this research seeks to create a sociotechnical network that effectively addresses the complex interplay between technology and human factors. To do so, this study follows the Participatory Action Research paradigm, deploying a mixed-methods approach for developing a data dashboard tailored to the specific needs of communities and their environmental challenges. The Texas Coastal Bend Region serves as a case-study to demonstrate the development and application of a six-step participatory framework, developing a sociotechnical monitoring network on flooding, air quality, and water quality. The outcomes of this study serve as a guide for engaged scholars and designers in developing participatory frameworks for designing data dashboards addressing academic and non-academic constituents, residents seeking informed insights, and decision-makers entrusted with the stewardship of urban development in a vulnerable context.