Town Planning Research Articles

Exploring Urbanization Strategies by Dissecting Aggregate Crowd Behaviors: A Case Study in China

Town development, a crucial stage of urbanization, has been increasingly prioritized in recent sustainable socio-economic growth strategies. Vitality, especially the one measured by aggregate crowd behaviors, is widely recognized as a crucial development element. Conducting comprehensive assessments of the drivers of town vitality, particularly crowd vitality, is thus essential for addressing challenges and monitoring progress. This study examines representative towns in China and employs multiple datasets along with XGBoost-SHAP to investigate the mechanisms of development environment factors on aggregate crowd vitality. Key findings highlight the study’s novelty and broader implications: (1) The degree of industrial agglomeration is the most significant factor impacting the dependent measures, providing new data-driven insights into the role of economic clustering in town development. (2) Other indicators, such as the minimum distance to the town center, the enclosure, and car and pedestrian friendliness, can effectively predict town vitality, offering practical considerations for town planning. (3) Industrial innovation and diversification, rational planning of living circles, and enhancement of town conditions emerge as three crucial strategies for promoting urbanization. This study enhances empirical insights with strategies for addressing urbanization challenges, emphasizing how crowd data can be used to inform urbanization policies and planning practices, aiding urban planners in building more sustainable systems.

Analysis and assessment of urbanization dynamics: actors and forms of encroachment on the agricultural land of Constantine in eastern Algeria (1985-2020)

The environmental concern has increasingly become a focus in recent research on town planning and regional development. This paper discusses the renewed issue of urbanization affecting agricultural land and natural environments, with a new approach combining spatio-temporal monitoring of the evolution of the urban area of the province of Constantine, in relation to the agronomic quality of the land. In this context, the present study is based on the agronomic classification of land in the province of Constantine carried out by BNEDER study office in 1987. In addition, it uses maps extracted from Landsat satellite images for the years 1985, 2000, and 2020, and the annual land use data from the agriculture department (DSA), recorded between the years 2000 and 2020. The results obtained from this approach highlight the negative impact of urbanization over the last two decades in the Constantine agglomeration, as well as the strong vulnerability of natural environments and agricultural soil expected in the coming years. The accelerated pace of land artificialization has led to a significant reduction in agricultural space in the Constantine province. The urbanization of the city of Constantine alone consumed more land in 13 years (between 1987 and 2000) than it had in the twenty-seven years following independence, and more than it had consumed in a century before independence. In the event that public authorities do not take corrective and environmental protection actions, the situation regarding this problem will become more difficult to resolve.

Decentralized sanitation alternatives in cities of the global south—A case of constructed wetlands in Bulawayo, Zimbabwe

Constructed wetlands have emerged as a sustainable alternative for decentralized wastewater treatment in developing countries which face challenges with urbanization and deteriorating infrastructure. This paper discusses the key factors affecting the implementation of constructed wetlands in developing countries. A case study research design was adopted, which focused on Bulawayo, Zimbabwe. A mixed-method approach was adopted for the study. Spatial analysis was conducted to identify potential sites for constructed wetlands in the city of Bulawayo. Semi structured interviews were conducted, with relevant stakeholders, such as town planners, civil engineers, NGO representatives, community leaders, and quantity surveyors. The findings reveal that political reforms, public acceptance, land availability, and funding are crucial for the successful implementation of constructed wetlands. Additionally, four sites were identified as the most favorable preliminary locations for these systems. The paper captures all the key factors relevant to the implementation of constructed wetlands (CWs) with a closer look at policy and the role it plays in the adoption of decentralized wastewater treatment systems. Formulating policy around the decentralized sanitation systems was considered imperative to the success of the systems whether in implementation or in operation. The paper adds to knowledge in the subject of sustainable wastewater treatment alternatives for developing countries. However, further research can be conducted with a different methodology to ascertain the applicability of the systems in developing urban cities considering other important aspects in the implementation of wastewater treatment systems.

LAND GOVERNANCE; FACTS AND EFFECTS. CASE OF THE CITY OF TAHER (WILAYA OF JIJEL IN EASTERN ALGERIA)

All religious laws and man-made laws call for the preservation and sustainability of natural resources, including land as an irreplaceable element.Compliance of land use with the guidelines of development and town planning instruments is a basic principle in land use. This rule of good governance leads to the protection of the environment, natural resources and the preservation of the natural, cultural and socio-economic heritage marking a given territory. Aware of this reality, the Algerian state anticipated this problem early on through the promulgation of laws and regulations governing territorial management, the occupation of urban land and the protection of the environment within the framework of sustainable development.However, the divide between land allocations and its use on the scale of certain urban areas on the eastern outskirts of the city of Jijel gives food for thought on the reliability and feasibility of urban planning instruments in the control of land management. . This deficiency is manifested by the disorderly extension of the built environment, the consumption of natural, forest and agricultural space. This trend, accompanied by the increase in population, generates increasing needs for equipment and amenities and difficulties in the management of all types of waste produced.Taking the case of the city of Taher as a study framework, the decadence of heritage wealth (social way of life, agricultural activities, low population and construction density, hygiene and environmental balance) can increase on board be noticed in view of the areas withdrawn annually from natural landscapes and agriculture. In order to control urbanization and meet the needs for individual housing, the municipality of Taher has planned several subdivisions in accordance with the town planning plan. Despite the fact that the majority of designated land bases are of a public legal nature, these operations for individual residential use have been abandoned under the effect of constraints and disputes. As a result, the land areas in question are invaded by constructions which do not necessarily meet town planning standards and land use rules.

The impact of town planning on direct residential CO2 emissions in rural China

China's commitment to carbon neutrality by 2060 has made decarbonization a key principle for spatial planning (also referred to as urban/city/town planning). Although the mitigation effect of spatial planning in urban areas has been well documented, its significance in rural development has yet to be investigated. This paper addresses this research gap by empirically examining the influence of town planning on rural direct residential CO2 emissions (DRCEs) across 30 provinces in China. Based on various quantitative models, this study not only confirms the significant impact of town planning on rural DRCEs and the moderation effect of plan implementation capacity but also discloses that different dimensions of town planning have disparate roles in rural DRCE reduction. Additionally, regional variations in the mitigation effects of town planning on rural DRCEs were observed. The study also reveals spatial spillover effects, indicating that the influence of town planning on rural DRCEs extends beyond individual areas. Overall, China's experiences demonstrate that well-managed town planning could play an essential role in low-carbon rural revitalization or, otherwise, it may augment rural DRCEs per capita. Consequently, governments should ascribe great importance to low-carbon town planning and allocate sufficient resources to towns, especially those in the central and western regions, so that they can afford professional planning consultation and adequate staffing in plan implementation. Moreover, governments should cooperate to promote knowledge sharing and transferring of low-carbon planning.

Art and archaeology

The first book in this review refers back to a theme we have considered repeatedly in previous reviews: cities, in this case those of Roman Italy and the new modes of investigation that are bringing them alive.1 The volume is particularly interested in looking at the diversity of these centres, laying to rest that early twentieth century faith in the regularity of the Roman town plan. Instead, the case studies in the volume show how towns in different areas of Italy fared and failed to meet the demands of their immediate surroundings as well as responding to wider political and economic changes. This changing understanding comes from two directions: our willingness to ask new questions of the cities and the use of new technology. In all the case studies, different kinds of remote sensing technology (clearly laid out by Martin Millett in the first chapter as a preamble to his case study of Falerii Novi) and drone photography allow the city to be mapped and explored in new ways. The book shows how these have allowed new evidence and questions, affecting traditional interpretations. The whole thing is finished by an epilogue by John Patterson, who pulls together some of these themes and points to new questions.

Ground failures and foundation performances in Adıyaman–Gölbaşı following the 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş–Türkiye Earthquake Sequence

The 6 February 2023 Kahramanmaraş–Türkiye earthquake sequence (M7.8 and M7.6) presents an exceptional opportunity to investigate both the effects of local soil conditions on damage patterns under strong shaking conditions and the performance of building foundations in areas that experienced ground failure. The significant ground failure and structural damage in Adıyaman–Gölbaşı triggered an intensive series of detailed reconnaissance and field surveys. This article aims to present the resulting database of observations on ground failures, building, and foundation performances. The field reconnaissance of ground failures and their effects on building performances involved aerial and walk-down surveys, including high-quality photographs taken across the town. In addition, data on building damage statistics compiled by the Ministry of Environment, Urbanization, and Climate Change were accessed and analyzed. The subsurface characteristics of the town were characterized using available data from pre-earthquake site investigation campaigns employed for town planning purposes. It is concluded that the ground failures in the town primarily resulted from soil liquefaction and cyclic softening. Most of the poor building and foundation performances and ground failures were documented in the northern part of Atatürk Boulevard, closer to the lake of Gölbaşı, where soil site characteristics were unfavorable. This revealed once again the significant effects of local soil site conditions, particularly soil liquefaction, on the intensified ground failures, foundation, and structural damage levels.

The inverted city: challenges and dysfunctions of urban planning in new towns in algeria: the case of ali mendjeli in constantine

The inverted city: challenges and dysfunctions of urban planning in new towns in algeria: the case of ali mendjeli in constantine

Sustainability, Beauty, and Power in Architecture

The essay deals with the relationship among (total) power, beauty, and sustainability, which is considered an integral part of architecture and town planning for the future. Although beauty (architecture) is closely related to the good that stimulates our desires, it is often distorted by the construct of power. Sustainability, beauty, and power are all relative, multifaceted, and challenging also in the field of constructions. Ever since the times of primordial human communities and civilisations, beauty and power have been consciously or accidentally connected, and this also applies to their connection to architecture. It is the bearer of both of these nouns. It demonstrates power, warns against it, pleases human senses through beauty and mutual proportional relationships, protects people, but it can also be a symbol of destruction, resistance. At the same time, it is a practical tool and means of expression capable of carrying a certain message, information. The paper delves into deep philosophical contemplations of the three main topics and shows their complicated ties, based on the insights of the most important world and local savants of all times, speaking different languages, and offering different cultural perspectives on the issue. History is confronted with the present and implications the future are presented.

Urban Housing Practices of Policy Implementation in Bamenda, Cameroon

Housing is a fundamental human need, but making sure that every person has access togood quality housing is a worldwide challenge. Public policy impact on the quest for housing adequacy and affordability is visible in Bamenda as Cameroon’s fourth city. This paper investigates the effectiveness of institutional policy and structures put in place to determine the on-going processes of housing management in Bamenda. To explore this nexus, explanatory design was used involving direct interviews of policy officials who operate within the cross sectorial housing institutions in Bamenda. The practice perceptions were captured through a 372 questionnaires survey on households in addition to field observations. Results portray that varied regulatory instruments have been enacted to mitigate housing and urban challenges as the 2004 Town Planning Law and its subsequent decrees signed in 2008, the 1974 Land Ordinance and the 1976 Decree to lay down conditions for obtaining land certificates, the 1996 Environmental Management Law, 1998 Water Code, 2004 Laws of Decentralisation and Deconcentration. Results also show that despite the number of housing institutions and policies put in place, housing practices in Bamenda continue to resist regulatory texts, land certificates and building permits fostering the illegal occupation of flood plains and risky slopes. This paper opts for an effective policy environment that enforces housing laws and regulations, while allowing sufficient flexibility to align to local conditionswithin Bamenda.

Observatory of Town and Biomimetics For Urban Modeling and Architectural Design of Scientific Space in Landscaped Site.

Some modern architectural designs face difficulties in completion ,andthe dificult and complexe shapes lead to an increase in the cost of the project. The irregular urban planning of town creates an imbalance in the urban fabric and causes the functional problems. In this searches using biomimetics , we practice the urban planning of scientific space through projects of scientific use in several branches in a pivotal urban area whose scientific space extends to the eastern suburb of Ouzera Town. After a brief presentation of an urban observatory from Ouzera Town that enhances the scientifc project, the scientific spaces are disgnated for the rapid exucution in scientific space. The architectural design derived from the plants and biological structures facilitates the urban realization insuring easy practices and achieving and urban form through landscape architecture that is consistent in ecologicaland landscaped area of Ouzera Terriory.

Integrating green space measures into future town planning in Zhejiang, China

Integrating green space measures into future town planning in Zhejiang, China

Powers of the Local Authorities at the Grassroots Level in the Process of Development Planning in Sri Lanka

A development plan implanted at the grassroots level such as a city is one of the physical plans consisting of three sub-plans, i.e. National Physical Plan, Region Plans, and Town Plans. This paper focuses on the laws of the local authorities and their powerfulness in comparison to different agencies and central government arms recently set up to implement similar tasks. Authorities such as the Municipality Council have convinced powers to implement development planning for the betterment of society and to set up public comfort and conveniences through their enforcement and implementation together with its planning agency, the Urban Development Authority (UDA). The remaining local authorities such as in rural areas, are still vesting their powers through the Housing and Town Improvement Ordinance of 1915. This paper discusses the core planning powers of Local Authorities (LAs) and their importance to the general public as a law.

A Geospatial Drug Abuse Risk Assessment and Monitoring Dashboard Tailored for School Students: Development Study With Requirement Analysis and Acceptance Evaluation.

The enormous consequences of drugs include suicides, traffic accidents, and violence, affecting the individual, family, society, and country. Therefore, it is necessary to constantly identify and monitor the drug abuse rate among school-going youth. A geospatial dashboard is vital for the monitoring of drug abuse and related crime incidence in a decision support system. This paper mainly focuses on developing MyAsriGeo, a geospatial drug abuse risk assessment and monitoring dashboard tailored for school students. It introduces innovative functionality, seamlessly orchestrating the assessment of drug abuse usage patterns and risks using multivariate student data. A geospatial drug abuse dashboard for monitoring and analysis was designed and developed in this study based on agile methodology and prototyping. Using focus group and interviews, we first examined and gathered the requirements, feedback, and user approval of the MyAsriGeo dashboard. Experts and stakeholders such as the National Anti-Drugs Agency, police, the Federal Department of Town and Country Planning, school instructors, students, and researchers were among those who responded. A total of 20 specialists were involved in the requirement analysis and acceptance evaluation of the pilot and final version of the dashboard. The evaluation sought to identify various user acceptance aspects, such as ease of use and usefulness, for both the pilot and final versions, and 2 additional factors based on the Post-Study System Usability Questionnaire and Task-Technology Fit models were enlisted to assess the interface quality and dashboard sufficiency for the final version. The MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard was designed to meet the needs of all user types, as identified through a requirement gathering process. It includes several key functions, such as a geospatial map that shows the locations of high-risk areas for drug abuse, data on drug abuse among students, tools for assessing the risk of drug abuse in different areas, demographic information, and a self-problem test. It also includes the Alcohol, Smoking, and Substance Involvement Screening Test and its risk assessment to help users understand and interpret the results of student risk. The initial prototype and final version of the dashboard were evaluated by 20 experts, which revealed a significant improvement in the ease of use (P=.047) and usefulness (P=.02) factors and showed a high acceptance mean scores for ease of use (4.2), usefulness (4.46), interface quality (4.29), and sufficiency (4.13). The MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard is useful for monitoring and analyzing drug abuse among school-going youth in Malaysia. It was developed based on the needs of various stakeholders and includes a range of functions. The dashboard was evaluated by a group of experts. Overall, the MyAsriGeo geospatial dashboard is a valuable resource for helping stakeholders understand and respond to the issue of drug abuse among youth.

Long-Term Performance of Natural Stone Cobbles for Paving Raised Junctions: Findings from over a Decade of Use

Raised junctions (RJs) are chosen more and more frequently by town planners and road designers in traffic calming (TC) projects. This choice is supported by analyses of the existing transport systems in question. Where a few raised junctions have been designed for the project, use of different paving options may be worth consideration. This article describes a situation where a few RJs were placed on a short street section, all of which were provided with a cobblestone or cobblestone pavement (SBP). In order to verify the commercial viability of this option, we examined the traffic conditions, assessed the severity of condition of the pavements under analysis, and estimated the vehicle accelerations (ACs) and decelerations (DEs) in two chosen study areas, further referred to as the first and second study area. Two noise surveys were also carried out for the purposes of this research: the first one after a few years of operation and the second one after another ten years. Considering the problems of sustainable road construction, many environmental factors were taken into account in the studies. Based on the experimental results, we could assess the effectiveness of using RJs as the only TC measure in 30 km/h zones and check whether the severity of pavement condition depended on the AC and DE values and if SBP can be recommended to mitigate environmental impacts of street traffic. Finally, two pavement structures are proposed to choose from, depending on the local transport system conditions and streetscape characteristics. In addition, the authors recommend the use of solar-power elements at RJs to enhance their visibility and increase the traffic slowing effect.

Building Collapse and Its Prevention in Lagos: The Role of Estate Surveyors and Valuers

Building collapse incidents in Nigeria appear to be on the increase with the cases witnessed in Lagos State being the worst. The situation has been endemic notwithstanding the efforts of professionals and other stakeholders in the built environment. Numerous literatures exist on the issue of building collapse. However, they mostly focus on the roles of other professionals such as Structural Engineers, Builders, Architects and Town Planners. On the contrary, this study centers on highlighting the significance of Estate Surveyors and Valuers contributions by getting their perspectives on building collapse , particularly in Lagos Island areas VI, Lekki, Lagos Island & Ikoyi) of Lagos State. The study employed a conceptual model which identified various factors responsible for building collapse in Lagos Island areas of Lagos, the major roles of Estate Surveyors and Valuers which can facilitate a significant reduction building collapse in Lagos State, the challenges faced by Estate Surveyors and Valuers in ensuring building collapse prevention in Lagos State and evaluated the effectiveness of existing regulations and guidelines governing the role of Estate Surveyors and Valuers in building collapse prevention in Lagos State. Data collection was by the administration of a well-structured questionnaire. Out of 80 copies of the questionnaire administered using Purposive Expert-Homogeneous sampling technique, 83.75% response rate were retrieved and evaluated for further analysis, with mean item score, and inferential statistics using Chi-square Test for the hypothesis test. The result indicates that Estate Surveyors and Valuers have significant impact in the prevention of building collapse. Based on the research findings, some useful recommendations were advanced.

Shift from Traditional to Modern Building Concepts and Designs in Ringim Town: A Comparative Study of Aesthetics, Values, Functions and Durability

This study is part of an Undergraduate Project for the award of “B.Tech (Hons) Building Technology Education” at the “Abubakar Tafawa Balewa University”, Bauchi State, Nigeria, and is aimed to identify the contrasts between Traditional and Modern Buildings in Ringim Town, Jigawa State, Northern Nigeria, with respect to their “Purposes, Durability, Aesthetics and Values. The study's subjects were the residents of Ringim Town, with 88 respondents drawn from ten cohorts of young people (under 40) and Adults (over 40) living in the Katutu, Galadanchi, Walawa, Majiyawar-Gari, and Marakawa Quarters. In order to better understand the shift from traditional to modern building concepts and designs in Ringim, the study used a quantitative approach, specifically a structured questionnaire that focused on groups of youths and adults and asked questions about functions, durability, aesthetics, and values. The answers to the research questions were analyzed using the simple mean and standard deviation. The study's conclusions showed that while traditional buildings in Ringim had greater fire, acoustic, and thermal insulation, they also have poor water resistance, to name a few drawbacks. It is advised that experts in the fields of Architecture, Town planning, and Construction, among others, pay attention to the indigenous Design theory, Technology, Artisanship, and Craftsmanship connected to the emergence of Traditional Building. Additionally, recommendations indicated that, for comparative purposes, comparable studies had to be carried out at other tiers of educational establishments, such as Colleges, Polytechnics, and Universities, as well as in other parts of the State and Nation.

Unveiling the Urban Morphology of Small Towns in the Eastern Qinba Mountains: Integrating Earth Observation and Morphometric Analysis

In the context of the current information age, leveraging Earth observation (EO) technology and spatial analysis methods enables a more accurate understanding of the characteristics of small towns. This study conducted an in-depth analysis of the urban morphology of small towns in the Qinba Mountain Area of Southern Shaanxi by employing large-scale data analysis and innovative urban form measurement methods. The U-Net3+ model, based on deep learning technology, combined with the concave hull algorithm, was used to extract and precisely define the boundaries of 31,799 buildings and small towns. The morphological characteristics of the town core were measured, and the core areas of the small towns were defined using calculated tessellation cells. Hierarchical clustering methods were applied to analyze 12 characteristic indicators of 89 towns, and various metrics were calculated to determine the optimal number of clusters. The analysis identified eight distinct clusters based on the towns’ morphological differences. Significant morphological differences between the small towns in the Qinba Mountain Area were observed. The clustering results revealed that the towns exhibited diverse shapes and distributions, ranging from irregular and sparse to compact and dense forms, reflecting distinct layout patterns influenced by the unique context of each town. The use of the morphometric method, based on cellular and biological morphometry, provided a new perspective on the urban form and deepened the understanding of the spatial structure of the small towns from a micro perspective. These findings not only contribute to the development of quantitative morphological indicators for town development and planning but also demonstrate a novel, data-driven approach to conventional urban morphology studies.

Garden Cities of yesterday, roots of urban sustainability?

Ebenezer Howard is one of the foundational figures of town planning. His Garden Cities of To-morrow envisions a Utopian synthesis of the urban and the rural to enhance the well-being of residents, in contrast to the industrial megalopolis of the late 19th century. While realized Garden Cities took many forms different from Howard’s original layout, this is the one we find in the urban roots of the deep past. About 4350 BCE we see the formation of large, circular, decentralized settlements in what is today central Ukraine. Elsewhere, in the Brazilian Amazon between 1200 and 1600 CE, we see a transformation of the jungle into a vast park landscape filled with clusters of circular settlements, with horticultural land-use in between them. In addition to similarities in planning, these past settlements also involve the social aspect of countering inequality and fostering freedom and cooperation. This paper explores the possibility of Garden Cities in the past and the implications of decentralized ‘rurban’ landscapes from the deep history perspective of archaeology.

Future land use and land cover simulations with cellular automata-based artificial neural network: A case study over Delhi megacity (India)

According to United Nations projections, future global urban growth will mostly occur in Asian megacities. In this study, a Cellular Automata based Artificial Neural Network (CA-ANN) model is used to simulate the future land use and land cover (LULC) over Delhi megacity (India). Delhi, projected to become the world's most populated city by 2030, is an example of a data poor city in Asia, having millions of climate vulnerable people. The CA-ANN model of Modules for Land Change Simulation (MOLUSCE), an open-source plugin, is first tested to simulate the LULC for 2009. Based on good validation results-structural similarity (SSIM; 0.8288), overall accuracy (79.78 %), kappa index of agreement (KIA; 77.25 %), and minimum validation overall error (0.0379), the same model set-up is used to carry out LULC simulation for 2030. This model is found to be simple, efficient, and computationally less expensive tool, and can be used to model future LULCs with a minimal set of inputs, a constraint often found in data poor cities. Results show continued increase in built-up area from 38.3 % (2014) to 53.8 % (2030), at the expense of cultivable areas, forests, and wastelands. The study incorporates past and future LULC change trajectories to highlight the changing LULC dynamics of the megacity from 1977 to 2030. Rate of urban sprawl, calculated using compound annual growth rate (CAGR) is projected to be 2.51 % for 2014–2030, substantially higher than the estimates for 2006–2014 (0.62 %). Further, the past and future urban growth patterns for Delhi are found to mimic other big Asian cities. The database generated from the present study has wide applicability for scientific research community, governmental bodies, profit and non-profit organizations for topics concerning-future urban climate research, climate risk and adaption policy frameworks, climate finance budgeting, future town planning, etc.