Open Space Research Articles

Open spaces as the key to the integration issue of historical site reconstruction projects: a cross-cultural comparison

The reconstruction of historical sites, while a controversial practice, has been common in both Germany and China to mitigate the cultural losses incurred during wars and subsequent redevelopment. This paper contributes to the broader discourse on reconstruction by examining the critical significance of integration between the ‘old’ and ‘new’, which means establishing a smooth and close transition between the reconstructed sites and the surrounding urban environment, as well as the key role of open space in facilitating this integration. Through morphological analysis and site surveys, the Yanghe Tower in Zhengding, China, and the Dom-Römer in Frankfurt, Germany, are compared in this paper. The comparison reveals that the integration issue related to Yanghe Tower was not adequately addressed because the key role of open space was neglected. This paper also examines the sociocultural factors that influenced the design strategies of the two projects, suggesting that future Chinese reconstruction efforts can significantly benefit from attention to the key role of historical open spaces.

Humanizing Public Open Spaces in Jeddah: The Case of Prince Majid Park

Humanizing Public Open Spaces in Jeddah: The Case of Prince Majid Park

Exploring the time-dependent behaviors of the rock mass roof of tunnels in open underground spaces of coal mines through numerical investigation

The stability of rock mass roofs in open underground spaces of coal mines in Iran is a critical concern, as it can have significant implications for mine safety and productivity. The rock mass roofs are prone to degradation and failure due to various factors, including mining-induced stress, water infiltration, and mechanical damage. However, there needs to be more understanding of the time-dependent behaviors of these rock mass roofs. This study aims to investigate the time-dependent behaviors of rock mass roofs in tunnels of open underground spaces of coal mines in Iran using numerical simulations. A 3D numerical model was developed using finite element modeling. The model was validated using field measurements and laboratory tests. The study revealed that the rock mass roof exhibits significant time-dependent behavior in response to mining-induced stress, water infiltration, and mechanical damage. The results show that the rock mass roof deforms significantly over time, increasing the risk of instability and collapse. The study also investigated the influence of bedding planes and roof support on time-dependent behavior, demonstrating the importance of considering these factors in numerical simulations. A novel constitutive model was developed to represent the strain-softening behavior, creep, and relaxation of rocks, as well as strength deterioration with accumulated viscous deformation. The study identified the critical factors contributing to this deformation and instability, including high-stress zones, water infiltration pathways, and mechanical damage. The findings provide valuable insights for developing effective monitoring and mitigation strategies to ensure the safety and productivity of coal mines in Iran.

Can recovered road sweeping wastes provide a soil or soil amendment alternative? An investigation of temporal variability of physico-chemical parameters.

By 2050, 90% of the Earth's topsoil is considered 'at risk' (according to the UN). Within the UK, more than 6 million hectares are at risk of compaction or erosion and soils remain one of the largest components of landfills (e.g. 28 million tonnes in 2016-55% of tonnage received). Hence, sustainable uses and solutions to maintain and restore soils are required. Street sweeping - a routine maintenance operation - handling diverse materials (e.g. grit, litter, leaves, glass, bitumen etc.), and thus containing potentially harmful elements, requiring landfill disposal (or incineration). However, with appropriate physico-chemical treatment, reclamation of gravel, sand, and fine residues (clay and silt) can be ensured. The latter making up approximately 30% of total solids collected, that could provide a 'circular economy' solution as soil or soil amendment, i.e. providing soil functions and essential ecosystem services (e.g. source of raw material, hosting biodiversity, carbon pool), thus, reducing the need for 'virgin material'. Consistent physical (e.g. moisture content, organic matter) parameters suggest 'good' soil properties, able to support plant growth. Chemical properties revealed 'urban' signature of contaminants, i.e. metal(loid) concentrations, whereas high levels of total petroleum hydrocarbons (TPHs), which in part, were attributed to treatment process chemicals. These were found to biodegrade by >70% during storage (using different remediation techniques). Although the material was outside of ranges to be certified as a top- or subsoil (BS 3882 or BS 8601), the suitability within 'public open space' (and 'commercial') surroundings was evident. This study provides the first long-term (over a 12-months period) physico-chemical characterisation of fine residues of recovered road sweeping material (or waste-derived material), following British Standards Institution (BSI) guidelines. Based on the determined characteristics, it aims to; (i) consider physico-chemical characteristics in an "urban soil" context (including temporal variability), to (ii) contextualise the material within soil British Standard specifications, e.g. for topsoil and subsoil, and (iii) evaluate their suitability for use as a soil/soil amendment in relation to human health screening values, e.g. 'soil guideline values' (SGVs), 'safety for use limits' (S4UL) and 'category 4 screening levels' (C4SL).

Initial demonstration of the Scratch-PET concept: an intraoperative PET with a hand-held detector.

Positron emission tomography (PET) is a valuable tool for diagnosing malignant tumors. Intraoperative PET imaging is expected to allow the more accurate localization of tumors that need resections. However, conventional devices feature a large detector ring that obstructs surgical procedures, preventing their intraoperative application. This paper proposes a new PET device, Scratch-PET, for image-guided tumor resection. The key feature of Scratch-PET is its use of a hand-held detector to scan the surgical field, ensuring open space for surgery while measuring annihilation radiation with a fixed detector array placed below the patient. We developed a prototype device using two detectors: the hand-held detector and a fixed detector, to demonstrate the feasibility of the proposed concept. Both detectors consisted of 16 × 16 arrays of lutetium yttrium orthosilicates (3 × 3 × 15 mm3) coupled one-to-one with 16 × 16 silicon photomultiplier arrays. The position and orientation of the hand-held detector are tracked using an optical tracking sensor that detects attached markers. We measured a 22Na multi-rod phantom and two 22Na point sources separately for 180s while moving the hand-held detector. The rod diameters were 6.0, 5.0, 4.0, 3.0, 2.2, and 1.6mm. Each point source was placed at the field-of-view center and 35 mm off-center which was outside the sensitive area when the hand-held detector was positioned facing the fixed detector. The 2.2 mm rods were partially resolved, and both point sources were successfully visualized. The potential of the proposed device to visualize small tumors was validated.

Spatiotemporal Analysis of Land Use and Land Cover Changes in Bengaluru Metropolitan Region (1990–2023) Using GIS and Remote Sensing

Bengaluru Metropolitan Region (BMR) has undergone significant land use and land cover (LULC) transformations from 1990 to 2023 due to rapid urbanization and economic expansion. This study employs remote sensing and GIS techniques to analyze these spatiotemporal changes using multi-date satellite imagery from Landsat-5 TM, Landsat-7 ETM+, IRS-P6 LISS-III, Landsat-8 OLI, and Sentinel-2A MSI. A supervised classification approach with post-classification accuracy assessment (Overall Accuracy: 85.7–92.1%; Kappa Coefficient: 0.82–0.89) was used to categorize the region into seven LULC classes: built-up area, cropland, vegetation, flooded vegetation, water bodies, bare ground, and rangeland. The results indicate an explosive expansion of built-up land, which grew from 28,009 hectares in 1990 to 202,521 hectares in 2023 a sevenfold increase, largely at the expense of cropland (-36.7%), vegetation (-24.3%), and wetlands (-99%). Water bodies, despite initial decline, increased to 17,913 hectares in 2023, reflecting restoration efforts. The spatial analysis reveals that urban growth has been concentrated around Bengaluru city, expanding radially along major transportation corridors into peri-urban areas, particularly along Tumkur Road, Mysore Road, Old Madras Road, and Bellary Road. The near-total loss of flooded vegetation (from 290,756 hectares in 1990 to 1,423 hectares in 2023) underscores the severe ecological degradation caused by urban sprawl. Furthermore, Barren land declined from 212,109 hectares in 1990 to just 488 hectares in 2023, suggesting almost complete land utilization. The continued contraction of rangeland (from 151,118 hectares in 1990 to 162,033 hectares in 2023) highlights the transition of open spaces into urbanized land. These LULC shifts have profound implications, including increased impervious surfaces, loss of green spaces, and heightened water stress, exacerbating urban heat island effects and flood risks. To address these challenges, the study advocates for polycentric urban development, stricter land use regulations, ecological conservation, and the integration of GIS-based land monitoring into metropolitan planning frameworks. The findings provide critical insights for policymakers, urban planners, and researchers, emphasizing the need for evidence-based planning to ensure climate resilience and sustainable urbanization in BMR.

The role of slave trade wealth in creating Liverpool’s park system

ABSTRACT The paper’s two objectives were to identify the extent to which wealth emanating from the slave trade (i) influenced the creation of Liverpool’s parks; and (ii) was influenced by “corporate social responsibility” and/or “conscience laundering” in transitioning slavers’ private estates into public parks. Slavery was the source of Liverpool’s great wealth in the eighteenth and nineteenth centuries. The lack of enabling legislation for parks to provide “breathing open spaces” meant that 10 of the foundational parks in the city’s much admired modern park system evolved from private parks created or purchased by wealthy slavers. However, there was no evidence that the transition of those parks into the public realm reflected any sense of “corporate social responsibility” by the slavers of the city. The conundrums associated with relationships between the evils of slavery and the creation of public parks are most explicit in the creation of Princes Park, which was intended to be a philanthropic, but self-sufficient, public park created by Richard Yates. The Yates family’s interactions with the slave trade were convoluted and their complexity provides an exemplar for better understanding of the slavers’, and parks advocates’, ostensible ambivalence to the slave trade.

Spatial Distribution and Quality Status of Open Green Spaces and Parks in Calabar Metropolitan Area, Cross River State, Nigeria

Urban green areas are often seen in highly developed countries as urban green lungs because of their ability to mediate between man and nature. However, it is not the case in developing countries, where the means of subsistence are considered pivotal and paramount to human existential status. The study examined spatial distribution of open green spaces and parks in the study area and determined differences in their quality. Data for the study were obtained from both primary and secondary sources. A total of 400 copies of the questionnaire were issued to the respondents. Low-level analysis was done using non-parametric statistics, while a hypothesis was tested using Chi-Square parametric/inferential statistics. The result shows that there are significant differences in urban green areas quality at (χ2 =588.680, p<0.05) and accessibility (χ2 = 942.200, p<0.05) in Calabar Metropolis. Further, a Global Positioning System (GPS) device was used to acquire the coordinates of the green spaces and parks in order to delineate them spatially. Geographic Information systems (GIS) infrastructure was used to visualize the spatial distribution of open green spaces and parks in the area. The result is presented in the map output. It was therefore recommended that the destruction of the flora components of the urban green spaces and parks associated with obtaining wood fuel for energy should be discouraged. Finally, the quality of the open green spaces and parks should be improved through the provision of signposts, walkways, tracks, hiking paths, and cycling routes.

Evaluation of and Reconnection to Open Space: The Chicago Strip

Urban open space evaluation is crucial for enhancing human well-being and ecological sustainability, yet existing frameworks often overlook visual connectivity. This study integrates vision as a primary factor in accessibility assessment, combining the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), user experience, and sustainable development frameworks. Focusing on the Chicago River corridor, we employed open data, spatial syntax, and Visibility Graph Analysis (VGA) using DepthmapX software to quantify visual parameters such as clustering coefficient, control, entropy, and integration. Results revealed fragmented visual connectivity, with obstructed zones and highly integrated nodes. Inspired by the Las Vegas Strip’s linear connectivity, design interventions prioritized vision-led strategies: removing visual barriers, establishing viewing platforms, and enhancing waterborne transportation hubs. These interventions demonstrated that visual optimization significantly improves spatial continuity and user engagement. The findings underscore the necessity of incorporating visual metrics into open space evaluation systems, offering planners a replicable methodology to address fragmentation and foster cohesive urban environments.

Analysis of the role of the TRIZ Model and the TOD concept of changes in urban mass transportation towards comfort of life (Case study around Soekarno Hatta Airport Tangerang, Banten)

The purpose of this study is to analyze the extent of the role of the TRIZ (Theory of Incentive Solving) Model to the negative impact of gentrification of urban changes around Soekarno Hatta Airport Tangerang, Banten, with the concept of Mixed Use Building and the concept of TOD (Transit Oriented Development) can overcome the comfort of living in the suburbs around Soekarno Hatta Airport Tangerang, Banten, especially the area of 5 sub-districts, namely Benda, Kosambi, Neglasari, Rawabokor, and Teluk Naga sub-districts, where the poorest of the three sub-districts are Pakuhaji, Teluknaga, and Kosambi. there has not been much attention from the academic community, so this is a concern to be used as an object of research. The realization of this development concept usually utilizes existing infrastructure, optimizes the use of Mass Transportation networks and increases Community Mobility at the local level. The TOD concept is applied by combining residential areas, shops, offices, open spaces and public facilities within a comfortable walking distance. . it is known that the adjusted R Square value is 0.704, this means that the simultaneous influence of variables X1 and X2 on variable Y is 70.4%, the remaining 29.6% is influenced by other factors.

CULTURAL CONTINUITY OF UTTARAKHAND'S RAMLILA

Ram is the center point of the value concept of Indian wisdom" (Ramchand 2024: 169). Ramlila is an integral part of Indian culture and traditions, through which the life and ideals of Ram are presented in a dramatic form. This performance is very important from religious, social and cultural point of view. The tradition of Ramlila holds a special place in Uttarakhand, where it is a symbol of cultural heritage and community participation. The traditional form of Ramlila in Uttarakhand is full of localness, which is celebrated as a cultural festival in open spaces of villages, towns and cities, government land or buildings and the land of the staging committee. About 44 male and 18 female characters play an important role in the staging of Ramlila. The characters for the performance are usually selected from the local community, who display the traditional art of performance. The roles of the characters, traditional costumes, and the use of local musical instruments make this event even more special and picturesque. These performances show the inclusion of religiosity and customs, which gives the audience a unique experience of spirituality and entertainment. Technology and modernity have also influenced the form of Ramlila performance, such as the inclusion of modern sound and light arrangements, digital technology, modern songs and music and contemporary contexts make Ramlila more attractive. These technological changes have played an important role in connecting the young audience. The dramatic inclusion of contemporary problems and issues also makes the performance relevant and entertaining. Ramlila organizing committees consider Ramlila not only a religious event, but also a means of promoting social unity and community spirit. Along with spreading moral and religious values, this event is also helpful in preserving regional traditions. In Uttarakhand, this event is working to keep people connected to their cultural roots from generation to generation. Uttarakhand's Ramlila is known for its historicity, staging style, cultural diversity, and community participation. It is a wonderful example of harmony between tradition and modernity, where a confluence of traditional culture and modern presentation is seen. The study of Uttarakhand's Ramlila provides an opportunity to understand its historicity, staging style, cultural neutrality, community participation (especially in the context of women's participation), and the balance between tradition and modernity. It is not only a religious and cultural heritage, but also a living tradition, which accepts the change of time and maintains its relevance and originality as well as carries out the process of change and continuity.This is a part of the research work done under the ICSSR funded program "Comparative study of the history of Ramlila staging and contemporary styles of presentation in Uttarakhand and social impact assessment of women's participation".

Rechtsbeugung durch Rechtsprechung?

Abstract Up to now, arbitration in the economy has not been extensively researched. This article uses a selection of arbitration cases from the Rhenish-Westphalian Coal Syndicate during the Nazi era as a basis to examine the practice of arbitration and the resulting change in function of this conflict resolution mechanism. From this perspective, the analysis not only sheds light on the evolution of arbitration into a partially open legal space but also deconstructs the regime’s purported intervention in the syndicate’s autonomous legal framework.

Urban Open Space Systems and Green Cities: History, Heritage, and All That

More than half the world’s population live in cities1. According to UN Habitat, we are rapidly approaching the time when five billion people will live in cities, and by 2050 this could be 7.5 billion, with much of the growth concentrated in the global south. The context for this paper is how urban growth is linked to notions of community values which cross-link to concepts of heritage. Urban places are where the majority of the world’s population lives and will increasingly do so. Inextricably linked to this proposition is that urban places are where community memories, identity and sense of place are inherent, and here is the link with heritage. What do these paces mean to us? Are there regional, national and international differences? Parallel with these ideas of urban heritage is the sense of place and attachment people have for green spaces in cities and the incremental loss of green spaces. This prompts the question of how this phenomenon has stimulated scholarly and professional attention on the concept of greening cities. Underpinning the inquiry is an understanding of how urban green growth has become regarded as critical to the well-being of people in urban areas. Central to such concerns is the role of people and their social and cultural values which shape how they see their cities. Notable also is how there has been growing concern for urban conservation since the 1990s and the need to understand cities as people spaces, not just collections of buildings. Discourse on cities as spaces for people has its roots in, and builds on, a paradigm shift in innovative thinking and concepts in the twentieth century which has continued into the twenty-first century. Mindful of this background, the paper opens with a review of the historical background to these concerns on the premise that the past is not always a foreign country2. It then moves into consideration of heritage values and the role of landscape and what we mean by values. This consideration is central to the paper and moves into an overview of the Historic Urban Landscape (HUL) approach as new approaches and tools for urban conservation came into play.

Causes and Remedies of Building Construction Deviation in Dhaka Metropolitan Area Regarding Stakeholders’ Perception: A Case Study

Dhaka, the capital of Bangladesh, is one of the most densely populated cities in the world, experiencing rapid urbanization and significant population growth. This urban influx has resulted in an overwhelming demand for housing, leading to large-scale construction, which is often marked by widespread violations of development control rules and unplanned building construction practices. Significant problems have resulted from these haphazard constructions, such as dwindling wetlands (12.98 % in 2022), decaying green areas (from 17% in 1989 to 2% in 2020), insufficient road networks (7 %), and decreased open spaces (0.9 %). The city is consequently confronted with issues including waterlogging, traffic jams, and increased susceptibility to natural calamities like earthquakes and fires. Despite regulatory frameworks such as the Detailed Area Plan (DAP) 2022–2035 established by Rajdhani Unnayan Kartripakkha (RAJUK); which is the capital development authority, deviations in building construction are prevalent, with commercial, industrial, and residential buildings encroaching on conservation zones and failing to adhere to zoning and setback provisions. This study aims to explore the underlying causes of construction deviations, assess the current state of such violations through field surveys, and identify potential solutions based on stakeholder perspectives. The findings of this study can guide coordinated efforts among government agencies, non-governmental organizations, civil society, and construction stakeholders to improve compliance with building regulations, promote sustainable urban development, and enhance the quality of life in Dhaka

Administrative life in the time before crisis: affect and the codependence of data and fear

ABSTRACT In this article, we study the administrator at Crisis State University, a collaged actor and American institution. Affect, specifically fear and anxiety, is our entry point to unfold the contradiction and tension within what were explained as data-driven decisions during one particular crisis time, COVID-19. We ask: in what ways do data, fear, and anxiety articulate each other in acts of preemption? Our posthuman analysis traces lines of affect and potential across multiple scales, collaging a motley collection of data including interviews with administrators, crisis communications, and news articles. The paper’s approach and analysis open space for novel approaches to examining administrative decision-making in higher education in this age of crisis and data ordinariness. We argue that administrative decision-making, named data-driven, is not driven primarily by data, but rather responds to affects of fear and anxiety. Therefore, we must move away from a commonsense belief that administrator decisions are or should be data-driven, as this common sense reinforces the guiding role of fear and anxiety. We contend that affects of fear and anxiety drive preemptive academic capitalism, thus examining affect is key to imagining and negotiating subversive modes of living beyond this version of academic capitalism.

The impact of noise on green open space value.

The impact of noise on green open space value.

Regeneration and community in socio-cultural spaces

This collection of projects highlights experiences that, through spaces dedicated to culture and community, create a physical infrastructure for local regeneration. The proposed architectural works include spaces for museums, parks, and cultural centres, as well as venues for local and municipal associations hosting informal cultural activities. Despite being located in various regions of the Alps, these projects share common characteristics, such as hosting adaptable and open spaces that can accommodate different functions. Their strength lies in their indeterminacy, being Lefebvrianly “produced” by the communities that inhabit them. Moreover, these buildings are thoughtfully integrated into their surrounding context, with the functional plans and internal relationships between spaces closely connected to the surrounding outdoor areas and nearby built structures.

CityBuildAR: Enhancing Community Engagement in Placemaking Through Mobile Augmented Reality

Mostly, public places are planned and designed by professionals rather engaging the community in the design process. Even if the community engaged, the engagement process was limited to hand drawings, manual mappings, or public discussions, which limited the general public to visualize and well-communicate their aspirations with the professionals. Against this backdrop, this study intends to develop a mobile application called “CityBuildAR”, which uses Augmented Reality technology that allows the end user to visualize their public spaces in a way they want. CityBuildAR was developed by the authors using the Unity Real-Time Development Platform, and the app was developed for an Android Operating System. The app was used to assess community interests in designing open spaces by categorizing participants into three groups: those with limited, average, and professional knowledge of space design. The open cafeteria of the University of Moratuwa, Sri Lanka served as the testbed for this study. The study findings revealed that: (a) Mobile Augmented Reality is an effective way to engage people with limited knowledge in space design to express their design thinking, (b) Compared to professionals, the general public wanted to have more green elements in the public space; (c) Compared to the professionals, the general public who were not conversant with the designing skills found the app more useful to express their ideas. The study guides urban authorities in their placemaking efforts by introducing a novel approach to effectively capture community ideas for creating inclusive public spaces.

Machine learning-based model predictive control for multizone building automation: A case study

In Singapore’s hot and humid climate, air-conditioning and mechanical ventilation (ACMV) systems account for over 60% of commercial building energy consumption, driving efforts to enhance energy efficiency through predictive control strategies such as model predictive control (MPC) to overcome the limitations of conventional reactive building automation systems. This paper presents a multizone MPC system designed to optimize energy consumption and thermal comfort in a commercial building’s ACMV system in Singapore. The system was implemented in a multi-use test building with real occupancy and a deployment area of approximately 850 m2, partitioned into six learning zones, two office spaces, and three open spaces. The ACMV system serving the deployment area consisted of two primary air-handling units and 16 fan coil units, where chilled water was supplied to the cooling coils, and conditioned air was distributed through motorized diffusers. To facilitate predictive control, data-driven thermal prediction models were developed for each zone using a non-linear autoregressive exogenous network with exogenous inputs trained on historical data and disturbances. Thermal comfort optimization was guided by the predictive mean vote, which was targeted at 0, representing thermal neutrality (as per ASHRAE 55 standards), and constrained within a range of −0.5 – 0.5. Performance comparisons demonstrated that the MPC system achieved over 42% energy savings compared to the original thermostat-based control while enhancing thermal comfort. Despite its advantageous control performances, challenges for large-scale deployment remain, including implementation costs, scalability, and model accuracy. Future work can address these challenges by developing comfort models that leverage existing building sensors.

Construction Technology of Ultra-thin Hyperbolic Fully Cast Steel Tower Structure

When constructing iconic buildings in urban squares or open spaces, there is a type of ultra-thin double curved fully cast steel tower structure that is recognized and widely promoted for its beautiful architectural design, reliable structural safety, and other advantages. Due to its limited application in the field of architecture, researching and summarizing the construction technology of this structure has progressive significance.