Mixed-use Neighborhoods Research Articles

Résistance Anti-Industrielle: Counterprojects

This article discusses the role of “counterprojects” in architecture and urbanism as critiques of the industrialization and speculative development of urban spaces, particularly in the Brussels of the sixties and seventies. It highlights the contributions of Maurice Culot and Léon Krier, opposing the destructive modernization that was wiping out historic urban fabrics and displacing local communities. Their counterprojects aimed to revive traditional urbanism, emphasizing local craftsmanship, natural materials, and mixed-use neighborhoods and countering the sterile, high-rise developments that had come to dominate European cities. Some of these counterprojects exemplified this other vision, advocating for cities that prioritize human scale, social justice, and environmental sustainability. The author calls for the integration of these values into contemporary urban planning.

Sustainable Transportation Assessment Index (SusTAIN) Framework for Mixed-Use Neighborhoods in India

Sustainable Transportation Assessment Index (SusTAIN) Framework for Mixed-Use Neighborhoods in India

Exploring Commercial Development in Delhi's Mixed-Use Neighbourhoods: An Empirical Study

Exploring Commercial Development in Delhi's Mixed-Use Neighbourhoods: An Empirical Study

Potentials and opportunities for revitalisation of post-harbour areas based on the Port of Zeran inWarsaw case study

The revitalisation of post-harbour and waterfront areas is an issue that has been subject to intensive public discussion over the recent years. The topic is becoming increasingly popular due to the high value of post-harbour areas. They are distinguished by their aesthetic, environmental and recreational qualities. The possibilities for developing such areas are considerable: residential development, waterfront park areas, public spaces, a variety of service developments. So far, many successful projects of such transformation have been carried out. This article focuses on an analysis of the conditions and potential of the Port of Zeran in Warsaw and the possibilities for its transformation. The study was carried out by desk research using available spatial data and information provided in scientific publications. A survey was also carried out on a group of 146 Zeran residents. The results of the analyses showed that the local environment is under heavy anthropopressure and the social and technical infrastructure is in very poor condition, while the area also has many advantages and significant development potential. The most important of these include the convenient location, the favourable ownership situation, the multitude of areas not yet developed and the presence of elements related to former activities. The current condition of the harbour offers opportunities for development in both recreational and leisure and residential directions. It is also possible to create a mixed-use neighbourhood, and the potential development would have a positive impact on the entire neighbourhood.

Territorial heritage gentrification in Abdali in Amman, Jordan

Having established itself as a heritage discourse, planetary gentrification is being studied in terms of how it operates in the Global South. This study focuses on the case of Abdali Amman, a significant mixed-use neighbourhood in Jordan that has experienced numerous mega-gentrification initiatives. According to Bourdieu’s theories of the state and dispositional practices, this study critically evaluates urban gentrification practices. In terms of gentrification governance, which takes place in two adjacent ‘state’ and ‘civic’ zones inside the Abdali district, this study analyses the interactions between transnational and state actors and the intragovernmental (state-municipality) governance system. Gentrification in Amman is connected to the revitalisation of historic sites, is a matter of urban governance, and operates from the transnational sphere along national and local lines. Furthermore, gentrification is caught in a desire/resistance paradox with calls for legitimacy and recognition. As a country in the Global South, Jordan has welcomed capitalist urbanisation. Gentrification is articulated within a flux between deterritorialisation/reterritorialisation, producing a form of ‘heritage gentrification’ in which history and national heritage are sacrificed through a process of satellite gentrification that is rooted in generative cultural transformation and governed by decentralised power structures. Introducing a Western blueprint of planetary gentrification through narrow gates into non-Western environments is a prevailing challenge.

Evaluating the challenges and impacts of mixed-use neighborhoods on urban planning: an empirical study of a megacity, Karachi, Pakistan

IntroductionModern development is patented by rapid urbanization, which largely negatively affects the quality of life. Over the past few decades in the World; in the field of urban planning and the real estate market, Mixed-use development has become a Centre of attention. Karachi is the mega city with the highest population in Pakistan. Gulshan-e Iqbal is considered an upper to upper-middle-class income group residential place where mostly vertical development is observed. Soon the area gets popular for living, and road-facing flats started to engage in Residential cum commercial activities i.e., mixed-used development problems (traffic jams, people's regular mobility, etc.) for residents arose and as the area got crowded day by day these problems became more critical. The present research aimed to examine the land-use type, and its distribution in the area of Gulshan-e-Iqbal I, and investigate the causes of the failure of Mixed-Use Neighborhood development and to prove the problem environmental impact assessment of the area have also been done.Materials and methodsObject-based analyses have been conducted on a very high-resolution image of the SAS planet, Digitization has been done on the image later classified into 14 major classes. After attempting the strategic objective identification of issues causing Mobility, an inductive approach (Resident Survey) to analyze the resident perception and to validate issues raised due to mixed-use development, Environmental Impact Analysis has been done. Air Quality of study area has been done, in this regard PM 10 ppm, PM 1 ppm, PM 2.5, CO, CO2, and TVOC have been conducted for different timings. Wind Velocity has also been recorded for the same locations.Results and discussionIt has been investigated that mixed-use development is spread over the entire area by different ratios i.e., 7.3% by functional land-use, 24% of mixed-use development occupied 24% of total land-use in the area. From public perception, it is concluded that most people have their cars even more than two, and 66.7% park their cars on the streets rather than inside their premises. PM10 ppm values are higher along major roads and expressways and mixed-use development zones. PM2.5 reading is higher (249–267 ppm) at the mixed-use development. The overall Gulshan e Iqbal 1 is under the influence of PM1 pollution i.e., ranged from 153 to 248 ppm. The maximum emission (67–73 ppm) of Carbon monoxide is found at ATMs. The vast spread of CO2 in the atmosphere but along the main roads and interjections i.e., 342 ppm while the highest reading reached up to 800. TVOC is commonly found in congested places where there is more transport in limited areas. Wind velocity is found where the built-up structure is compact wind velocity is ultimately low but the concentration of pollution is higher.Conclusions and recommendationsThis study will be helpful to plan a suitable planning strategy to reduce the daily havoc generated by the constant flux of traffic, for urban development and sustainability.

Mixed-use neighbourhood to maximise urban energy community potential

Renewable energy communities (REC) are key drivers in promoting energy transition to renewable energy sources (RES). To maximise local potential for RECs, matching demand and local production requires the integration of different load profiles. Residential users prevail in urban areas while planning mixed-use neighbourhoods would contribute to having complementary loads towards urban RECs. Mixed areas can optimise the use of renewable production at different hours and limit demand pressures on the network. However, detailed spatial analyses are required to cluster building functions for long-term benefits. This work investigates which mix of building functions in urban blocks can maximise energy self-consumption and self-sufficiency. Five blocks combining residential with productive and tertiary activities are chosen, from a completely residential to a heterogeneous mix. The single loads use representative buildings for the Italian context. The integration of building functions flattens the energy peak loads in the district while increasing the use of PV production. The study identifies the residential and non-residential ratios to maximise energy selfconsumption and self-sufficiency. Domestic users would mainly exploit the production from nearby non-domestic buildings, but adequate exchange mechanisms and upgrade of infrastructure still need to be implemented.

Are local retail services an amenity or a nuisance?

Abstract We test whether local retail services are considered a nuisance or an amenity and how this distinction is capitalized into residential property values. Using a rich, micro-spatial dataset on property sales transactions and business activity in New York City, we estimate the impact of access to neighborhood retail services on residential sales prices. We construct two instruments to channel supply-side drivers of retail change and to address concerns of endogeneity between changes in retail activity and property values. Results show that retail services that are more frequently consumed and experiential, and are located in relatively more mixed-use neighborhoods are positively capitalized into property values. Residents also pay more to be closer to more diverse retail clusters, and relatively less to be closer to chains. This is true across smaller 1-to-4 family homes as well as larger condos/coops and multi-family rental buildings. The price effects from certain classifications of retail, like restaurants and personal services, are mixed depending on the kind of residential property and the local concentration of the retail. Therefore, the relative strength of the amenity or nuisance effect is very much conditioned on the type of service and the localized neighborhood context.

Can Form-Based Codes be the Opportunity to Achieve a Quality Built Environment in Aotearoa New Zealand?

This article suggests that our current land-use planning is routinely failing to make good places where people want to live. The inability of land-use zoning to generate mixed-use neighbourhoods is one reason. Instead of land-use and density calculations, the use of form-based codes might be an opportunity to take a holistic approach to streets, buildings and open spaces when thinking about our future neighbourhoods.

Impact of Power Interruption on Buildings and Neighborhoods and Potential Technical and Design Adaptation Methods

This paper presents a state-of-the-art review of the impact of energy interruptions on people, buildings, and neighborhoods and discusses some technological and design strategies to mitigate some of these impacts. An exhaustive literature review was carried out employing keyword searches in the ScienceDirect and Scopus databases. The literature focuses mainly on 37 keywords, which occurred in more than two sources. Based on this literature survey, the paper highlights that, depending on their duration, power outages can have a severe impact on people, buildings, and neighborhoods. The lives of vulnerable individuals dependent on electrical medical devices can be threatened even in short-term power interruption scenarios. Longer-term power outages affect multiple aspects of daily life, such as communication, thermal comfort, life quality, transportation, health, and security, in addition to potential damage to buildings and their contents. The paper identifies and discusses various methods that can be implemented to reduce vulnerability and improve adaptation to climate-related power interruptions. These methods range from simple, low-tech solutions that enable users to temporarily cope with hours of interruption to more sophisticated methods requiring advanced planning. These adaptation and coping methods are classified according to various criteria, including their ease of implementation, accessibility, potential cost, ease of use by occupants, and their potential to address various needs. The paper finally discusses the impact of building and neighborhood design on improving adaptation to energy interruptions. High-performance building design can extend the time that a building can passively operate without reliance on mechanical systems for heating and for cooling. Building shape and geometry, as well as the spatial design of the neighborhood, can maximize solar access and therefore facilitate the implementation of PV and solar technologies. In addition, the design of mixed-use neighborhoods with access to various facilities and basic amenities assists in prolonging the self-reliance of the community as a whole. This work aligns with the vision of the Sustainable Development Goals: by identifying methods and technologies to reduce the impact of power interruptions and improve the energy resilience of urban areas around the globe, this work can contribute to the direct and indirect fulfillment of several Sustainable Development Goals (e.g., SDGs 7, 11, 13, and others). Although the work is performed in a North American context and specifically refers to the Canadian climate, the methodology can be implemented in other climatic and regional conditions.

Influence of urban morphology on facade solar potential in mixed-use neighborhoods: Block prototypes and design benchmark

Influence of urban morphology on facade solar potential in mixed-use neighborhoods: Block prototypes and design benchmark

Gourmet and the Ghetto

In the twenty-first century, Rome’s former Jewish Ghetto has experienced rapid “foodification,” in which food businesses come to dominate a previously residential or mixed-use neighborhood. Why and how has foodification taken place in Rome’s former Ghetto, and how unique is this case? What can this example teach us about foodification as a phenomenon? Foodification is influenced by broader forces, including gentrification, but is also affected by factors particular to this neighborhood. These include Jewish heritage tourism; religious dietary laws; and a growing curiosity about hyper-local food, such as cucina ebraico-romanesca (Jewish-Roman cuisine), and about dishes outside the Italian canon. Jewish-style and kosher restaurants have developed to stimulate and satisfy multiple demands, serving “traditional” Jewish-Roman dishes; Middle-Eastern and North African dishes; new interpretations of popular Italian dishes; and kosher versions of international foods popular in Italy, like hamburgers and sushi rolls. Contrary to the idea that this diversity threatens the Jewish-Roman tradition, I argue that the neighborhood’s foodscape reflects the variety of communities and tastes in contemporary Rome, where local specialties persist alongside a wide range of other options. This article argues that although foodification is often connected to gentrification and tourism, it should be distinguished from these phenomena. By asking how the former Ghetto’s new restaurants communicate heritage and identity, I demonstrate that foodification can take place in ways that are specific to a particular neighborhood, and that the food has become one of the major means by which the former Ghetto’s past and present character is articulated in Rome.

Walkable Neighborhoods

Problem, research strategy, and findings We examined whether living in a walkable neighborhood influenced the happiness of younger and older city residents. The data for this study came from a comprehensive household population survey of 1,064 adults living in 16 neighborhoods in Dublin City (Ireland) and its suburbs. We used multigroup structural equation modeling to analyze the direct and indirect effects of walkability on happiness, mediated by health, trust, and satisfaction with neighborhood appearance. We found living in a walkable neighborhood was directly linked to the happiness of people aged 36 to 45 (p = .001) and, to a lesser extent, those aged 18 to 35 (p = .07). For older adults, we found that walkable places mattered for happiness indirectly. Such built environments enhanced the likelihood that residents felt more healthy and more trusting of others, and this in turn affected the happiness of older people living in walkable neighborhoods. Takeaway for practice We found that the way neighborhoods are planned and maintained mattered for happiness, health, and trust. Our findings suggest that mixed-use neighborhood designs that enable residents to shop and socialize within walking distance to their homes have direct and indirect effects on happiness. We call for an ongoing dialogue and evaluation of the way our urban and suburban neighborhoods are planned, designed, and developed, so that people can live in walkable places that better enable health and wellbeing.

Social and spatial heterogeneities in COVID-19 impacts on individual's metro use: A big-data driven causality inference

While mobility intervention policies implemented during the early stages of the COVID-19 outbreak had a significant impact on public transit use, few studies have investigated the individual-level responses in metro transit riding behaviors. Using long time-series cellphone big data from frequent metro users in Shenzhen, China, we developed a quasi-experimental interrupted time series (ITS) design to estimate the treatment effects of mobility intervention policies on people's daily shares of metro transit use (SMU). The results indicate that the first-level emergency response (FLR) and the public transit restriction (PTR) policy yielded abrupt drops in SMU of 8.0% and 17.6%, respectively, whereas the return-to-work (RTW) order had an immediate recovery effect of 14.5%. The effect of the FLR is time-decreasing while those effects of the PTR and the RTW are time-increasing. Females and elderly people living in neighborhoods near the city center with low population density and fewer transit stations are more adaptable to policy interventions for reducing SMUs, while the recovery effect of RTW is relatively low for the elderly living in less mixed-use neighborhoods with reduced transit service. These findings can help policymakers design more socially- and spatially-precise and equity mobility intervention policies during a pandemic.

Towards the development of energy sharing methodology between different buildings for high efficient neighborhood design

Devising methods to recover waste heat and to share it within a neighborhood can lower the energy footprint of this neighborhood and reduce its dependence on the utility grids. This paper presents a novel methodology for capturing waste energy from individual buildings and sharing the recovered energy with an entire neighborhood. A survey of the current state of research on energy sharing is presented. A mixed-use neighborhood consisting of retail, residential, and greenhouse buildings is modeled to develop a holistic design of energy sharing strategy. Neighborhood-level waste heat recovery and distribution network is modeled in the EnergyPlus-DesignBuilder co-simulation platform. The energy sharing methodology is applied to different neighborhood configurations and neighborhood densities. The results show that with the application of energy sharing methodology integrated with energy efficient design and on-site solar energy, a net reduction of 74% energy in the mixed-use neighborhood is achieved compared to a design complying with the minimum requirement of the applicable energy codes. Similarly, a net 90.46% reduction in greenhouse gas (GHG) emissions is realized by energy sharing and on-site carbon capturing using neighborhood greenhouse.

Linking Urban Planning, Community Environment, and Physical Activity: A Socio-Ecological Approach.

Lack of physical activity is a growing concern among public health advocates and urban planners. Our socio-ecological model incorporates urban planning and World Health Organization actions on physical activity to identify key factors related to leisure-time physical activity at the community level. Our 2019 nationwide US survey of 1312 communities enables examination of the influence of individual, community, and policy levels on physical activity. Individual factors-poverty, aging, minority population, and longer commuting time-result in lower physical activity. Community-level factors have both positive and negative effects. Physical activity is lower in rural and suburban communities, but higher in communities with more transportation services, recreation and social activities, and safety. Communities with mixed-use neighborhoods and complete streets also show higher levels of physical activity. At the policy level, zoning and cross-agency collaboration have an indirect effect on physical activity by increasing these community-level factors. This suggests an alternative approach to promoting physical activity. Local governments can promote transportation, recreation and safety, especially in rural and minority communities lacking active-friendly built environments and facing challenges from aging population, poverty, and longer commuting time. This socio-ecological approach can assess multilevel factors related to physical activity in other countries.

Making the Cotton District (White): Urban Renewal, New Urbanism, and the Construction of a Nostalgic Neo-Plantationist Pastiche

Sometimes heralded as the first ever new urbanist development, Starkville, Mississippi’s Cotton District neighborhood stands out as a relatively dense, walkable, and mixed-use neighborhood in the otherwise car-centric landscapes of the rural south. Together with the neighborhood’s colorful buildings reminiscent of the grand homes of the antebellum South, these elements obscure the fact that the neighborhood as it exists today is the result of a federally funded urban renewal project that razed much of the adjacent Black neighborhood of Needmore and opened up the present-day Cotton District as a space for new investment. In excavating the details of these different elements of the Cotton District’s history, our central conceit is that the Cotton District represents what we call a “nostalgic neo-plantationist pastiche” produced through the material and symbolic displacement of Blackness and its replacement with both material and symbolic whiteness. By conceptualizing this landscape as constituted fundamentally by white nostalgia for a mythical, bygone era of plantation capitalism, and instantiated through a bricolage of architectural and design styles, we seek to draw attention to the precise ways that this landscape actively (re)constructs the past, rather than simply representing it. At the same time, the case of the Cotton District offers an opportunity to reconsider received wisdom in urban design and planning concerning the historic and contemporary linkages between urban renewal and new urbanism, and racial inequality and urban planning more generally.

Light pollution impact assessment in Hong Kong: Multi-dimensional measurement and spatial numerical modelling on integrated light sources in the neighbourhood level

Light pollution in recent years has drawn surging public concerns in Hong Kong. The improper management of the light sources causes pollution, particularly light trespass on the community level, which obstructs the residents. Yet more studies are expected to quantitatively and systematically assess the severity of the artificial light trespass problem, and to offer practical solutions for mitigation and urban management. This study was conducted on a typical high-density, mixed-use neighbourhood in Tsim Sha Tsui district. The study consists of on-site measurement and model simulation. Three illuminance measurements were conducted to evaluate the impact of light pollution on the streets and light trespass on the nearby buildings. It was found that the impacts on the buildings (mean illuminance of 3 lx) are less significant than on the streets (mean illuminance of 188 lx) for the target study area. Indoor measurement at various height levels showed a mean illuminance level of 0.6 lx, which is much lower than the international limit of 25 lx. Meanwhile, the modelling work, consisting of correlation, verification and regression analysis, was carried to bridge luminous flux from light sources and illuminance received at the target. A three-dimensional (3D) model was developed to mimic the actual situation and was used to identify the primary light sources causing impacts. While a growing number of research is found on measuring and modelling the intricate light pollution in such a micro scale that elevates explicitly the importance of extrapolating the light pollution effect vertically from street level to building level, direct simulation is still lacking. This study also refined and summarised the research methodology to serve as a feasible and organised protocol for setting up the measurement and modelling work. This can be adapted in future assessments on light trespass issues under similar circumstances elsewhere, like scientific research, urban planning, or property development projects.

Development of an integrated index to quantify thermal comfort and walkability in urban areas

Although outdoor thermal comfort is extensively investigated in urban areas, the measures are barely focused to determine the walkability through these spaces. Therefore, a space with a high level of thermal comfort can experience a low level of pedestrian agglomeration while a space with a low level of thermal comfort can be massively used by inhabitants. Therefore, the solution to urban design and planning can be significantly altered if both dimensions are simultaneously taken into the account. This study investigates the relationship between spatial configuration and thermal comfort potential to evaluate the effect of spatial configuration on outdoor environmental quality. For this purpose, a framework is developed to understand the impact of built urban areas on thermal comfort and space syntax performance using a high-resolution spatial model to simulate the correlation of thermal comfort and betweenness centrality of a case study neighbourhood in the hot and humid climate area of Al-Khobar in Saudi Arabia. The mixed-use neighbourhood is analysed by the universal thermal comfort index and several space syntax metrics. The presented study uses Grasshopper environment and Ladybug and Decoding Spaces tools. The simulation study expressed that significant changes in orientation and buildings heights have a remarkable effect on improving OTC and space syntax in the urban neighbourhood.

Transit-Oriented Development and Livability: The Case of the Najma and Al Mansoura Neighborhoods in Doha, Qatar

Since the 1970s, Qatar’s rapid urban growth has resulted in a segregated and poorly connected urban form, particularly in the country’s capital, Doha. Although the recent opening of the Doha Metro has begun to mitigate some of the city’s challenges, local authorities recognize the need for a more comprehensive urban design which can ensure safe and convenient connectivity with the public transportation system. To this end, the government has developed the Qatar National Development Framework, an action plan for the management of Qatar’s urban development. One of its aims is to integrate the Doha Metro with the urban fabric of the city and to ensure that urban growth follows the principles of transit-oriented development, referring to a pattern of development centered on transit hubs supporting a mix of land uses in a well-connected and safe urban environment. This research article attempts to assess the effects of transit-oriented development on livability in mixed-use neighborhoods. The area around the Al Mansoura metro station within the Najma and Al Mansoura neighborhoods is selected as a case study. This analysis of urban form uses integrated modification methodology and focuses on three main determinants: compactness, complexity, and connectivity. Based on this analysis, several recommendations are made, whose implementation should enhance livability throughout the study area.