Role Of Urban Design Research Articles

Barriers to Public Participation in Urban Green Infrastructure in China from Stakeholders’ and Residents’ Perspective, A Case Study in Yangzhou

Public participation has always played an important role in urban design and planning. Urban green infrastructure is a part of urban planning and design. This research uses a policy review and semi-structured interviews with residents and stakeholders. The findings suggest that the lack of public participation in urban green infrastructure projects is the result of a combination of both government and the general public. Residents have low interest in participating in urban green infrastructure due to social cultural, public competence and lack of community spirit. Stakeholders have tried to avoid public participation in projects due to limited participation methods and limited project timeline. Citizen participation can be increased through improved technical support, media advocacy and legislation and regulations.

The Role of Urban Design in Creating Resilient Public Open Spaces Surrounding Urban Small Watercourses: A Case Study of the Kumodraz Stream in Belgrade

The Role of Urban Design in Creating Resilient Public Open Spaces Surrounding Urban Small Watercourses: A Case Study of the Kumodraz Stream in Belgrade

Portable Arduino-Based Multi-Sensor Device (SBEDAD): Measuring the Built Environment in Street Cycling Spaces.

The built environment's impact on human activities has been a hot issue in urban research. Compared to motorized spaces, the built environment of pedestrian and cycling street spaces dramatically influences people's travel experience and travel mode choice. The streets' built environment data play a vital role in urban design and management. However, the multi-source, heterogeneous, and massive data acquisition methods and tools for the built environment have become obstacles for urban design and management. To better realize the data acquisition and for deeper understanding of the urban built environment, this study develops a new portable, low-cost Arduino-based multi-sensor array integrated into a single portable unit for built environment measurements of street cycling spaces. The system consists of five sensors and an Arduino Mega board, aimed at measuring the characteristics of the street cycling space. It takes air quality, human sensation, road quality, and greenery as the detection objects. An integrated particulate matter laser sensor, a light intensity sensor, a temperature and humidity sensor, noise sensors, and an 8K panoramic camera are used for multi-source data acquisition in the street. The device has a mobile power supply display and a secure digital card to improve its portability. The study took Beijing as a sample case. A total of 127.97 G of video data and 4794 Kb of txt records were acquired in 36 working hours using the street built environment data acquisition device. The efficiency rose to 8474.21% compared to last year. As an alternative to conventional hardware used for this similar purpose, the device avoids the need to carry multiple types and models of sensing devices, making it possible to target multi-sensor data-based street built environment research. Second, the device's power and storage capabilities make it portable, independent, and scalable, accelerating self-motivated development. Third, it dramatically reduces the cost. The device provides a methodological and technological basis for conceptualizing new research scenarios and potential applications.

The Role of Urban Design in Sustaining External Urban Spaces in Smart Cities: A Case Study of Tengah Districts in Singapore

The Role of Urban Design in Sustaining External Urban Spaces in Smart Cities: A Case Study of Tengah Districts in Singapore

Effect of urban street trees on pedestrian safety: A micro-level pedestrian casualty model using multivariate Bayesian spatial approach

In the past decades, trees were considered roadside hazard. Street trees were removed to provide clear zone and improve roadside safety. Nowadays, street trees are considered to play an important role in urban design. Also, street tree is considered a traffic calming measure. Studies have examined the effects of urban street trees on driver perception, driving behaviour, and general road safety. However, it is rare that the relationship between urban street trees and pedestrian safety is investigated. In this study, a micro-level frequency model is established to evaluate the effects of tree density and tree canopy cover on pedestrian injuries, accounting for pedestrian crash exposure based on comprehensive pedestrian count data from a state in Australia, Melbourne. In addition, effects of road geometry, traffic characteristics, and temporal distribution are also considered. Furthermore, effects of spatial dependency and correlation between pedestrian casualty counts of different injury severity levels are accounted using a multivariate Bayesian spatial approach. Results indicate that road width, bus stop, tram station, on-street parking, and 85th percentile speed are positively associated with pedestrian casualty. In contrast, pedestrian casualty decreases when there is a pedestrian crosswalk and increases in tree density and canopy. Also, time variation in pedestrian injury risk is significant. To sum up, urban street trees should have favorable effect on pedestrian safety. Findings are indicative to optimal policy strategies that can enhance the walking environment and overall pedestrian safety. Therefore, sustainable urban and transport development can be promoted.

Fusion of Dual-Scale Convolution Neural Network for Urban Building Footprints

Building footprint has a significant role in urban design and management but, extracting the building feature is still challenging due to significant variations in scale and shape. Convolution neural networks (CNN) have shown effective results in extracting the high-level and discriminative urban features from high-resolution remote sensing imagery. The traditional CNN architecture has been modified two-scale input based architecture, known as Dual-scale CNN (Du-CNN). However, the repetitive usage of pooling operation leads to a fuzzy boundary of the extracted features. This paper has proposed the MRF-based fusion strategy to take full use of the blurred boundary and define the conditional relationship between classification maps. In the Preliminary stage, we have designed a Du-CNN framework to extract the building feature at different scales. Du-CNN contains a multiple-size asymmetric filter to provide the variation in the receptive field and the depth-wise convolution in the skip connection block for efficient computation. Finally, the classification maps of both CNN sub-architectures are fused using a Modified Markov random field (MMRF). The proposed MMRF technique inherits the properties of Classical MRF with the extension of overlap potential for associating additional terms between the inter-decision layer. The model was tested on Inria Aerial image labeling dataset and Mnih dataset. Experimental result has shown the superior performance of the proposed strategy for extracting the complex building architecture.

Space Matters: Barriers and Enablers for Embedding Urban Circularity Practices in the Brussels Capital Region

Cities across Europe are increasing their ambitions to embrace a circular economy. In this context, a wide-ranging landscape of urban circularity practices is emerging. This article aims to elaborate on the spatial factors fostering or hampering the embedding of urban circularity practices (UCPs) in the Brussels Capital Region (BCR). The article, thus, addresses the following set of questions: What do circularity ambitions imply at the urban scale and what is the landscape of practices aimed at realizing urban circularity? What are the spatial implications of urban circularity practices? What could the role of urban design and spatial planning be in embedding and mainstreaming UCPs? These questions are explored both theoretically, through a literature review, and empirically, through case-study research. We show that access to spaces and land emerges as one of the most recurrent barriers to embedding UCPs in the BCR, and in other European cities too. We argue that while real estate prices are one of the main causes, it is not the only one. Frictions appear in political agendas where the need for more housing, productive spaces, land for urban agriculture, and green–blue infrastructures compete for the same limited space. Concurrently, the systematic building of the last available urban “void” (often brownfields) creates perverse logics of rushing the completions of “traditional” urban projects. Temporary occupations, often cited as exemplary circular practices, increasingly receive criticism when they become a structural limit to long-term perspectives. We have structured our arguments in four sections. First, we define our notion of urban circularity and UCPs. Second, we introduce a methodology and a framework. Third, four types of UCPs are selected for in-depth analysis. We conclude by highlighting potential leverages for working toward a circular spatial design and planning culture that facilitates embedding and mainstreaming urban circularity in the built environment.

Socioeconomic Status and Route Characteristics in Relation to Children's Exposure to Air Pollution from Road Traffic While Walking to School in Auckland, New Zealand.

Pedestrian exposure to traffic-related air pollution depends on many factors; including the nature of the traffic on nearby roads and the route characteristics. In this study, we investigated the effects of differences in vehicle fleet and transport infrastructure on children’s exposure to traffic-related air pollution during their morning walk to school in Auckland, New Zealand. Five pairs of routes to schools—each including a low and a high socioeconomic status (SES) school—were selected and traversed over 7–8 days for each pair while measuring particle number concentration (PNC) and GPS coordinates. At the same time, a sample of 200 license plates of cars from each school’s neighborhood was captured using videos, and the age of each car was extracted using an online database. Both the mean age of the cars and the percentage of old cars (>14 years) were found to be higher in the low SES areas. However, neither measure of vehicle age was associated with a significant difference in exposure to PNC for pedestrians. Route features including narrow footpaths and a higher density of traffic lights may be associated with higher levels of PNC exposure. These findings provide insight into the role of urban design in promoting healthy commutes to school.

RETRACTED: Smart city image landscape design based on wireless sensors

Smart City is a city environment that advanced sensors combine to manage the city's assets the information technology virtually. Data they have collected, because it is the foundation of these services, the sensor network is an integral part of the smart city. Wireless sensors are to be deployed in several different locations, therefore a relatively inexpensive ability to transmit remote data to reduce the power consumption and maintenance costs; the small built-in sensor is incredibly essential. For each sensor, since it prerequisites for complex information, and Smart City needs is rugged, the integrated sensor system is the concept of Smart City in development. The most important thing is the smart city's side, and the reverse in urban design the plan is to reveal the importance of the role of landscape design. The purpose of this article is, from the point of view of urban design, find outlines the concept of Smart City, highlighting important touchpoint of smart urban landscape design that leads to strong principles of smart, relations and the role of urban design, planning and creativity it is to be sustainable development, city to allow for efficient urban development and beautiful urban landscape.

Tracing Path: From Conserved/ Museum towards Vivid City– Role of Urban Design

Tracing Path: From Conserved/ Museum towards Vivid City– Role of Urban Design

SUPPORTING URBAN DESIGN WITH OPEN SOURCE GEOSPATIAL TECHNOLOGIES

Abstract. Urban designers collect information about a city or neighborhood, design improvements so that the city is functional and pleasant to live in, and communicate these improvements to relevant stakeholders. The use of space and the spatial relationships between physical features play a significant role in urban design, therefore much of the information that is collected and manipulated is georeferenced. We followed a scenario-based approach for collecting requirements for urban design projects. Functional and non-functional requirements were categorized into data collection, data storage and management, and data visualization. Subsequently, we reviewed and evaluated open source geospatial tools that can be used for the collection, storage, manipulation and visualization of geospatial data in urban design projects. Based on the evaluation, we propose an open geospatial toolbox for urban design projects. The results are equally applicable for researchers and professionals in other disciplines who collect data at the neighbourhood level.

Urban Design as a Form of Agonistic Democratic Expression

This article reflects on the potential of urban design to contribute to spatializing the theory of agonistic democracy grounding this reflection by three specific urban practices that have emerged from cracks in the democratic system under neoliberalism: a protest, a community-developed square, and an artistic intervention in the public space. The analysis of these practices valorizes the role of urban design as a potential methodology for contesting the consensus of democracy from the very praxis of shaping urban spaces illustrating how urban design practices can contribute to democratizing society. “How do urban design practices contribute to the discussion of democracy under neoliberalism?” The spatial practices analyzed were observed in three different neoliberal cities: marches in Santiago de Chile, an informal public space in Madrid’s downtown, and an artistic intervention near Euston in London. Finally, the article constructs an agenda for a democratic contestation using urban design resulted from these explorations of spaces of dissensus.

Heat-health action plans in Europe: Challenges ahead and how to tackle them

High temperatures have periodically affected large areas in Europe and urban settings. In particular, the deadly 2003 summer heat waves precipitated a multitude of national and subnational health prevention and research efforts. Building on these and other international experiences the WHO Regional Office for Europe developed and published in 2008 a comprehensive framework for prevention, the heat-health action plans (HHAPs). This provided a blueprint used by several national and subnational authorities to design their prevention efforts. A decade after the publication of the WHO guidance, a wealth of new evidence and acquired implementation experience has emerged around HHAP effectiveness; heat exposure; acclimatization and adaptation; heat-health governance and stakeholder involvement; and the role of urban design and greening interventions in prevention. This evidence and experience can guide the strategies to tackle current and upcoming challenges in protecting health from heat under a warming climate.

The role of urban design in childhood obesity: A case study in Lisbon, Portugal.

We hypothesize that physical features of the urban environment might enhance or prevent childhood obesity. Thus, this study's main goal was to verify if there is an association between the neighborhood urban design and childhood obesity-independent of well-known childhood obesity determinants, such as, father's level of schooling (as a proxy for socioeconomic status), and parent's weight status. This study classifies neighborhoods according to land use and building features using hierarchical clusters analysis and examines their association with childhood obesity through logistic regression models. Four clusters resulted from the analysis: Cluster 1 represents areas with older buildings and mixed land use, cluster 2 is an area with small rented buildings and urban areas, cluster 3 comprises newer buildings with parking and urban green space, and cluster 4 is a forest area. Living in cluster 3 protects from childhood obesity, even when adjusting for father's level of schooling or parent's weight status. There are distinct urban configurations in Lisbon's municipality and children who live in Cluster 3 (more recent and greener neighborhoods) seem to be protected from obesity. Therefore, public policy should focus on healthy urban planning at the neighborhood level, to promote positive impacts on peoples' health.

Water Urbanism Analytical Study of Design Principles in Contemporary Urban Production

Water is an important element of urban development due to its relationship with changing environmental and climatic conditions in particular, thus, contemporary trends suggest the link between water and urban development processes, offering a new kind of safe coexistence with water through the role of urban design, social life and ecological renovation. The research explores the concept of (Water Urbanism) to make cities more coherent and open towards water environment, as a contemporary track contributing to the development and sustainability of cities on the one side, and extract the most important indicators for the design principles for the water urbanism approach on the other side, the problem of the research was identified as “the absence of a comprehensive theoretical framework for the design principles of the water urbanism approach according to sustainable city development trends”, and the hypothesis of the research states as "the design principles of the water urbanism approach for multi-uses are integrated through networks and water linkages”. The hypothesis of the research was tested in two urban models that adopted a clear blue network design with the open urban spaces system. The research found a set of theoretical and practical conclusions concerning formulas that fulfill the design principles of the water urbanism approach. الملخص یعتبر الماء عنصرا مهما فی التنمیة والتطویر الحضری نظرا لعلاقته بتغیّر الظروف البیئیة والمناخیة على وجه الخصوص، لذا ظهرت توجهات معاصرة تقترح الربط بین الماء وعملیات التنمیة الحضریة وتعرض نوعاً جدیداً من التعایش الآمن مع الماء، من خلال دور التصمیم الحضری والحیاة الأجتماعیة والتجدید الایکولوجی. یستکشف البحث مفهوم الحضریة المائیة (Water Urbanism) لجعل المدن أکثر تماسکاً وانفتاحاً تجاه البیئة المائیة کمسار معاصر یساهم فی تنمیة المدن واستدامتها من جانب، واستخلاص أهم مؤشرات المبادئ التصمیمیة لنهج الحضریة المائیة من جانب اخر، فتحددت مشکلة البحث فی "عدم وجود اطار معرفی شامل للمبادئ التصمیمیة لنهج الحضریة المائیة على وفق توجهات التنمیة المستدامة للمدن"، وفرضیة البحث لتنص على "تتکامل المبادئ التصمیمیة لنهج الحضریة المائیة الخاصة بتعدد الاستخدامات من خلال الشبکات والروابط المائیة". تم اختبار فرضیة البحث فی أثنین من النماذج الحضریة اعتمدت تصمیم واضح لشبکة البنى الزرقاء مع منظومة الفضاءات الحضریة المفتوحة. توصل البحث الى مجموعة من الاستنتاجات النظریة والعملیة المتعلقة بصیغ تحقق المبادئ التصمیمیة لنهج الحضریة المائیة.

Incidental great public spaces and the role of urban design in South Africa

Urban Design in South Africa as a formal profession has a relatively short history. However, in practice, there have been many examples of what must be considered both good and bad Urban Design. There have also been numerous debates at universities and conferences on what Urban Design should be. However, in the constant making and re-making of urban and rural space, Urban Design has a tenuous and weak presence. This article interrogates the rather low profile of Urban Design in the country and why it is not growing or better positioned compared to other countries. This is done through a discussion of three cases that illustrate the often incidental making of great public spaces in contrast to the thoroughly planned approach. The article argues that spontaneous projects of high quality, rather than over-planned projects, where shortcomings result from this preoccupation to rationalise, often have a greater potential to strengthen the role and value of Urban Design. Such an approach would favour incremental, flexible and sensitive proposals and interventions where spontaneity and adaptation are recognised and celebrated, as well as support the notion that urban design should set a framework for many role players to respond to in shaping the city.&nbsp

The role of landscape design in Smart Cities

Smart cities are not a new phenomenon and it is an interdisciplinary definition that became a popular labeling for modern cities. However, there a is surprisingly little academic research in urban design and planning field that discusses this phenomenon. Smart cities definition is similar to intelligent, creative, sustainable or liveable cities which appears to be considered as a part of a play with words. In most of the technological and social science articles smart cities refer to a smart urban management and development via technologies and infrastructure. Based on the scientific literature overview, there are several factors affecting the city smartness, such as technology, people and communities, economy governance, planning and infrastructure. Overall there is a little information and research on urban design principles and tools in the smart city’s creation and contribution to its smartness. The most important thing is to clarify the urban design, planning and landscape design role importance to a smart city context and vice versa. The aim of this paper is to overview the smart cities concept from urban design perspective to find and highlight the important touch points, relation and role of urban design, planning and landscape design in smart cities creation. This would lead to the robust principles for smart European cities that would enable to achieve sustainable development, efficient urban growth and a better urban landscape.

Urban Design as a Collective Enterprise: The Challenge of Housing Development in Memphis (TN, USA)

ABSTRACTThis paper uses three theoretical frameworks to critically reflect on the outcomes and implications of an urban design process stemming from an action research planning experience. The process, focused on the re-development of a public housing complex in the Vance Avenue Neighborhood (Memphis, TN, US), was carried out by a community university partnership—the Vance Avenue Collaborative—playing a fundamental role in trying to re-orient planning practice and research in the city of Memphis. The paper offers some general insights to reflect on the role of urban design as a public and civic endeavor supported by collective interdisciplinary research.

The Role Of Urban Design in Urban Renewal Processes; Case of Söke/Aydın

Ülkemizin şehircilik konusunda fazla bir gelişim gösteremediği ve sürecin istenen şekilde yönetilemediği, farklı çevrelerce kabul edilen bir gerçektir. 3194 Sayılı İmar Kanunu ve bu kanuna bağlı ilgili yönetmeliklerin kentlerin mekânsal değişim ve dönüşümünde sınırlı sayılabilecek bir etkide bulunması, farklı araçların sürece dâhil edilmesi gerekliliğini ortaya koymaktadır. Bu araçların en temelinde ve merkezinde ise kentsel tasarım kavramı yer almaktadır. Bu çalışmada, ülkemizde yıllardır süregelen ve hala devam eden çarpık kentleşme sorununun, kentsel yenileme kavramı özelinde değerlendirilerek, yenilemenin kentsel tasarım ile birlikte kurgulanması gerekliliği üzerinde durulmuştur. Kentsel tasarım kavramının, planlama süreci içerisinde, etkin bir araç olarak kullanılması ve süreci yönlendirmeye yönelik katkı sağlaması yönünde Söke Belediyesi’nce yapılan çalışmalar örnek olarak seçilmiştir. Söke Belediyesi’nce yapılan çalışmalarda mevcut sorunların onaylı alt ölçek plan kararları ile çözümünün mümkün olamayacağı ve klasik planlama anlayışıyla parsel ölçeğinde plan tadilatları ile de çözülemeyeceği fark edilerek, kentsel tasarım ölçeğinden başlayıp kentsel yenileme esaslı imar planlarının elde edilmesi stratejisi ve yarışma yönteminin benimsenmiş olması Söke’nin örnek çalışma alanı olarak seçilmesini nedenlemiştir. Bu kapsamda Söke Belediyesi’nce yapılan çalışmalar özelinde, kentsel yenileme, kentsel tasarım ve planlama sürecinin nasıl yönetildiği açıklanmış ve bu süreçte ortaya çıkan sorunlarla birlikte çözüm yollarının neler olabileceği hususunda öneriler geliştirilmiştir.

Adapting Bioretention Construction Details to Local Practices in Finland

Bioretention is a method of storm water management that includes several processes following the natural hydrological cycle. Bioretention, or variations of it, include rain gardens and bioswales, infiltrates, filtrates, evapotranspirates, and help to store and manage storm water run-off. A bioretention cell retains water, removes pollutants, and provides water elements for urban green areas. Although bioretention is a promising method for multifunctional storm water management, its construction details should not be copied from other climatic areas. A direct application may dismiss local conditions, materials, and construction practices. This study aimed to adapt construction details for bioretention to Finnish local practices and conditions and to formulate bioretention constructions that balance water, soil, and vegetation. First, construction details were reviewed, then local adaptations were applied, and finally, the application and two variations of growing media in two construction depths were tested in a test field in Southern Finland. Sandy growing media allowed the efficient retention of water during the first year, but failed to provide vital growth. The use of topsoil and compost in the growing media improved growth, but held high electrical conductivity after infiltration. All the experimental cells in the test field showed activity during the melting periods, both during winter and spring. If bioretention plays a multifunctional role in urban design and engineered ecology, the design parameters should not only focus on storm water quantity, but also on quality management and vegetation growth.