ABSTRACT The integration of urban dwellings and the forest proposed by Alvar Aalto is regaining attention, especially in relation to unbridled global urbanization and its impacts on the socio-ecological environment. Aalto’s approach fosters a deeper connection with nature in everyday life and is credited with significant physiological and psychological benefits for residents. Various scholarly works have explored Aalto’s forest-inspired methods in architecture and design, but there has been a distinct lack of research on the quantitative spatial integration of dwellings and forests within his planning concepts. This study aims to bridge that gap through a detailed four-level spatial analysis of how dwellings are integrated with forests in Aalto’s General Town Plan of Imatra (1947-53), a key project from his mature period. Based on the findings, the plan has a significant level of spatial integration, characterized by factors such as mixing degree, adjacency, proximity, and accessibility between residential areas and surrounding forests. These outcomes illuminate Aalto’s consistent application of his forest-centric philosophy across different design fields. The lessons learned from Aalto can inspire new urban development patterns that favour residents’ access to and interaction with urban forests, ultimately enhancing residents’ connection to the natural environment.

Effective sewage management is vital for public health, sanitation, and environmental protection in urban areas. This study examines the historical development and current status of sewage collection and disposal systems in Bogura, the largest municipality in northern Bangladesh. It explores three key historical periods: pre-1947, 1947–1971, and post-1971. Data were collected through interviews with senior citizens, municipal officials (including the town planner and executive engineer), household surveys, municipality records, and secondary literature. Findings reveal that sewage disposal before 1947 was largely unmanaged, with waste dumped in open areas or ponds. From 1947 to 1971, limited improvements occurred through the establishment of municipal dumping sites. Post-1971, significant improvements in sewage infrastructure were observed, including the utilization of septic tanks and pit latrines, and improvements in the drainage systems. The study highlights persistent challenges such as inadequate treatment facilities, rapid urbanization, and poor maintenance. It recommends integrating modern technologies, strengthening governance, and fostering community participation in sanitation initiatives.

Understanding urban forms is a necessary part of urban planning and depiction of the historical and regional characteristics of cities. In Slovenia, knowledge about urban morphology is mostly the domain of, first, architects, town planners and urban designers and, secondly, geographers, and some art historians and ethnologists. The first group apply urban morphology to discern traces and trends for future spatial development of cities, while the second apply urban morphology to recognize the characteristics of city structure and their regional specificities. Their common feature is that, at first, both were based on intuitive recognition of urban forms; while, in the second half of the twentieth century, this approach was replaced by an analytical approach, which deals with entire cities, as well as particular morphological elements. Development of digital spatial analyses has enabled greater objectivity and comprehensiveness. Knowledge about urban morphology in Slovenia represents, first, the starting-point for envisioning spatial development and structures of new city quarters, which are integral elements of urbanistic plans; secondly, a key resource of characteristics of urban renewal areas and for plans for safeguarding urban tissues; and finally, a tool for defining urban design regulation. The results of such urban morphological research are an integral part of urbanistic projects, as well as in the depiction of buildings and form of cities and rural settlements.

The proposed project work is “Planning, Analysis and Design of Group Houses with Emphasis on Services and Project Planning”. It is proposed in Vedasandhur near adamadurai to Oddanchatram main road. The total area of the land is 10,6669.6sq.m (26 acres). By studying the project planning methodologies it helps us to understand the practical difficulties which may possibly occur during a project. The purpose of our project is to gain experience in current specifications of buildings, applying the design principles to gain the knowledge in a practical way. Planning and provisions of the layout is done as per Directory of Town and Country Planning. AUTOCAD 2018 has been used for drawing the plan and structural elements detailing. Structural elements were analyzed and designed using Structural Analysis and Design Program (STAAD.PRO V8i) and the reinforcement details have been obtained from STADD PRO. Key words: Group Houses, Staad Pro, Auto Cad Software

The disappearing town planner and layout: “Economic rules for town planning” as a government activity reconsidered

John Wood, the Elder (1704–1754) was an English architect and town planner, whose grandiose plans for the redevelopment of the city of Bath, although only partially realized, instigated the creation of the Georgian city and UNESCO World Heritage Site known today. He was also an antiquary and author, and his antiquarian theories, although largely absurd, profoundly influenced his work at Bath. Wood articulated this influence most clearly in his book An Essay Towards a Description of the City of Bath . Unfortunately, two eminent and widely cited nineteenth-century bibliographers, Upcott and Lowndes, put out a very misleading account of the bibliographical history of this important work. This note aims to clear up the confusion they caused.

Urban ventilation is an effective means of improving air quality and promoting sustainable development of urban areas. For Loess Tableland valley towns dependent on heavy industry, the ventilation characteristics of the town area are poorly understood. Therefore, it is important to first explore wind field characteristics over the negative terrain. In this study, the wind field over the negative terrain under the stable background wind was investigated by orthogonal experiments. Simulation results show that airflow patterns in the valley space can be classified into five categories, which are the unstructured flow, combination of unstructured flow and circulation organization, circulation organization, combination of circulation organization and background wind and background wind. The airflow pattern can affect significantly the vertical distribution of the velocity, temperature and air age in the valley space, and thus affecting the ventilation performance of the valley towns. Ventilation performance of valley towns was worse under the unstructured flow conditions, while it was optimal under the background wind conditions. Additionally, sensitivities of terrain factors influencing ventilation evaluation indices at the pedestrian level were analysed. The present study has provided a scientific basis for town planning and industrial emissions in the valley towns.

Following the Green Belt’s introduction within the 1947 Town and Country Planning Act (TCPA), the policy has arguably become the most established and influential legacies of the UK planning system. The Green Belt is also at the forefront of planning debates internationally, helping to manage growth in global cities such as Toronto, Tokyo and Melbourne. Concerning England, the geographical setting for this paper, the Green Belt commands widespread interest because of the role the policy has played in preventing urban sprawl, while perpetuating romanticised beliefs associated with the countryside. It has, however, also been subject to widespread debate and been progressively attacked due to the deepening housing crisis, which has been attributed as a symptom of the policy. Such critiques are extremely topical; until the election of the UK Labour Government in 2024, the Green Belt has maintained strict application to its overarching aim in preventing sprawl and keeping land open. However, the adopted UK National Planning Policy Framework (NPPF) 2024 arguably represented the most radical shift in the policy and reflected the Prime Minister’s ambition to develop within the so-called ‘Grey Belt’. This rhetoric was taken further within the new draft NPPF (published December 2025) which advocates development near well-served train stations. This direction from central government is predicated upon an evidence-based approach to Green Belt management, as opposed to long-standing nostalgic and qualitative assumptions that the policy is sacrosanct. This paper is befitting with the narrative that the Green Belt should become more of a ‘technical’ policy through a (quantitative) spatial analysis of the social and environmental characteristics associated with Solihull Metropolitan Borough Council’s (SMBC) location in the West Midlands Green Belt (WMGB). The paper identifies several sustainably located sites, outside any environmental designations, which delineate the apparent potential to reform the policy and underscores the belief that the Green Belt is a blanket designation. Critically, the central pillar of this paper presents a first iteration of a spatial methodology that can be adapted in practice to influence future Green Belt decision-making, which could be extended regionally to mediate the policy’s interplay with politics. This article is also included in The Business & Management Collection which can be accessed at https://hstalks.com/business/.

ABSTRACT The golden age of the architect-planner was arguably the 1950s-60s, when aspirations of progressive architects rose above standalone edifices and veered towards a more holistic shaping of a better built environment. Certainly in Australia this was the case, as town planning became institutionally established in the post-world war two years. The interface of architecture and planning created a niche for the emergence of urban design. Australian architectural graduates acquired planning training both domestically and internationally, particularly in the UK. There was also a reverse flow and among their number was Gareth Roberts (1928-2009) who arrived quadruply qualified as a University of Liverpool graduate in both architecture and civic design, a confirmed modernist, and working for William Holford, a key adviser for the National Capital Development Commission (NCDC) responsible for overseeing design of the Australian national capital city of Canberra. The latter connection saw him commencing as an NCDC town planner in 1958 and retiring as Director of Architecture a decade later with a special brief for civic design throughout. Between 1968 and 1988, he held senior academic positions at the University of Queensland, University of New South Wales and Macquarie University. This paper surveys and interprets Roberts' career and contributions.

Transition to Net-Zero Energy Communities: Investigating Techno-Financial Feasibility and Social Acceptance

Acquisition of title deeds is the right of residents who own land in regularised areas. Having title deeds ensures the security of property tenure and increases the value of land. The majority of residents at Miyuji ward succeeded in acquiring their title deeds. This study examined social and economic factors influencing acquisition of title deeds among residents in regularised areas at Miyuji ward in Dodoma city. Miyuji ward comprises three mitaas, which are: Kwa Mathias regularised by Wise Plan Company, Miyuji Proper regularised by Independent Planners Company, and the last is Mpamaa regularised by Our Plan Company. Land titling theory guided this study. This study employed the cross-sectional research design. Simple random sampling was used to obtain 153 residents (who acquired and did not acquire title deeds). Also, the purposive sampling technique was used to select the town planner, the chairperson of Mtaa, and a land committee member as key informants. The interview method through questionnaires was used to collect data from residents. Quantitative data were analysed using IBM-SPSS version 27 computer programme in which inferential statistics (binary logistic regression) and descriptive statistics (frequencies, percentages, and mean) were employed. The study found that land conflicts, awareness of the benefits of title deeds, owning more than two land plots, commercial uses of land, access to credit, price value of land, and income of residents were statistically significant with a p-value < 0.05 in influencing acquisition of title deeds among residents in regularised areas. More than half of the residents acquired title deeds in regularised areas of Dodoma city, which is not common in other regularised areas, especially in Mbeya, Dar es Salaam, Songwe, and Kigoma, and thus can be used as a reference for learning. This implies that regularisation interventions have brought positive changes in Dodoma city. The study recommends that local leaders, such as Mtaa Executive Officers and Ward Executive Officers, should not only oversee regularization but also proactively initiate educational programs to inform and encourage residents who have not yet acquired title deeds to acquire them.

This study investigates how grassroots innovations and co-produced planning processes have enabled sustained development control in regularised informal settlements in Mbarali District, Tanzania. Employing a qualitative, embedded case study design, the research was integrated into a multi-phase informal settlement regularisation programme (2019–2025) across eight rapidly urbanising small towns. Data collection methods included spatial audits, participatory GIS mapping, photovoice, focus group discussions, key informant interviews and in-depth interviews. Findings show that co-produced planning processes grounded in trust, transparency and iterative community engagement led to high levels of compliance with approved town planning layouts. Of the 68,239 plots covered by 582 Town Planning Drawings (TPs), nearly three-quarters (72%) remained unchanged five years after implementation. Nail markers functioned not only as physical reference points but also as collective symbols of spatial agreement, reinforcing grassroots-led enforcement. Notably, plan amendments were not driven by resistance to planning, but by socio-economic adaptation, including land market pressures, housing demand and inheritance practices. The study demonstrates that participatory planning, when anchored in adaptive governance, strong local institutions and community stewardship, can transform technical planning instruments into durable, locally owned systems of development control. The Mbarali case makes both practical and theoretical contributions: it extends co-production theory into the realm of urban governance, repositions informal settlements as arenas of institutional innovation; and challenges dominant narratives about the ungovernability of informal urban spaces. These insights offer valuable guidance for designing inclusive, scalable and context-responsive urban planning approaches across the Global South.

This study explores the spatial and symbolic transformation of Catuspatha in Semarapura, Bali, and its reinterpretation through the Regenerative Livable Built Environment (RLBE) framework. Catuspatha, a sacred urban node in Balinese towns, traditionally serves as the cosmological center that aligns with local values and community activities. Through qualitative and spatial analysis, this research examines how the form, meaning, and functions of Catuspatha have changed across historical periods—from the royal-era sacred plaza to a modern urban intersection—while assessing cultural resilience amidst tourism-driven urban development. The results reveal a significant shift from spiritual and communal orientations to vehicular and economic functions, risking the loss of its original sacredness. By proposing a contextual model that integrates sacred urbanism and cultural resilience, this study emphasizes the importance of restoring spatial harmony, socio-cultural identity, and regenerative values in heritage town planning. The model serves as a strategic framework to guide urban planners, architects, and policymakers in revitalizing traditional nodes as livable and meaningful urban spaces.

Christopher Addison enjoyed two careers, one as an anatomist followed by that as a politician. He described the detailed topographical anatomy of the abdomen, and his name is associated with one of its key anatomical planes. His political career was influenced by his commitment to social reform and for the need for improvement in public health achieved through government intervention. He held several ministerial offices, and he was the first Minister for Health. He played important roles in the passage of the National Insurance Act 1911 and introduced the Housing and Town Planning Act 1919. Following the Second World War, he was responsible as Leader of the House of Lords for the passage of legislation including that related to the formation of the National Health Service.

The paper analyzes the history of one of the most frequently relocated and transformed pharmacies of Cluj (Hu. Kolozsvpr, Germ. Klausenburg). Unlike the oldest pharmacy in town, which remained stable after privatization in both location and ownership, the Unicorn (Hu. Egyszarvú, Germ. Einhorn, Lat. Unicornis) has often changed owners and location. It was the second pharmacy to open in the city and one of the few pharmacies that could be inherited. It functioned for 283 years in three locations. This case study aims at correcting already published information and analyzing the history of this pharmacy in the context of Cluj and Transylvania between the eighteenth and the twenty first century, revealing political and administrative changes, the acceptance or rejection of religious orders, town planning transformations, trends in the ethnicity and gender of pharmacists, as well as marketing strategies and cases of competition among pharmacies.

Local authorities in many countries serve local communities by facilitating and maintaining public amenities. Apart from that, local authorities also manage the planning and development of local tourism. A tremendous number of responsibilities and work are burdening local authorities to manage the planning and development of tourism islands. This research aim is to identify management barriers faced by local authorities managing the Peninsular Malaysia Marine Park Islands. The results were obtained from in-depth interviews with the four local authority officers and document analysis. The local authorities are Majlis Bandaraya Kuala Terengganu (MBKT) for Redang Island, Majlis Daerah Marang (MDM) for Kapas Island, Majlis Daerah Besut (MDB) for Perhentian Island and Tioman Development Authority (TDA) for Tioman Island. Two officers from each local authority were interviewed. The officers are from the Department of Town Planning and the Department of Municipal Services and Licensing. Altogether, nine officers were interviewed. Several barriers have emerged from the analysis. The results indicated that six barriers are common, and three barriers are specific to the departments. The common barriers are a lack of funding, a lack of staff, time constraints, substantial distance from the mainland and a lack of commitment from top management and a lack of intergovernmental coordination/collaboration. This research can be extended to marine parks located in Sabah and Sarawak, and a comparative study can be accomplished for further improvements in the planning and management of the MPIs.

This paper examines the alignment of Malaysia’s Social Impact Assessment (SIA) governance with Malaysia MADANI values in advancing inclusive development. Using qualitative document-based policy analysis, it analyses PLANMalaysia’s SIA guidance (PPSIA, 2023), the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172), and official MADANI policy documents. The analysis focuses on participation, safeguards, transparency, and monitoring. The findings identify three recurring governance gaps: participation remains largely consultative, safeguards for vulnerable groups and cultural rights are unevenly operationalised, and post-approval monitoring and accountability mechanisms remain weak. The paper outlines evidence-informed options to strengthen governance coherence and inclusivity consistent with MADANI-oriented development.

The notion of heritage assessment has evolved from valuing monuments in isolation to recognizing heritage as complex socio-economic cultural systems. While the early approaches emphasized tangibility, later shifting to tourism potential, and economic valuation methods, where the heritage context was seldom considered. Subsequent frameworks have incorporated economic impact and sectoral development while specifically focusing on economic returns or heritage conservation. In recent years, integrated frameworks and management toolkits have broadened scope to include social, governance, and cultural aspects. However, frameworks remained generic or significantly oriented to the cultural heritage, lacking context-sensitive approaches tailored to the heritage ecosystem. This study aims to develop Cultural Heritage Town Development Index (CHTDI), a comprehensive framework that unifies conservation, socio-economic, physical, environmental, economic, and developmental aspects. Formulated using a three-stage integrated Delphi–AHP (Analytic Hierarchy Process) technique and PCA (Principal Component Analysis), this framework integrates six-dimensional criteria comprising parameters ranging from heritage-specific aspects to community participation, tourism, infrastructure, economy, cultural entrepreneurship, development policy, revenue generation, etc. The application of CHTDI to heritage towns in India demonstrates its diagnostic capacity to reveal sectoral gaps and aids evidence-based urban planning, representing the future of heritage assessment, and advancing value-centric models to comprehensive heritage ecosystem evaluation.

The built environment sector is central to Malaysia’s national the built environment sector is a critical driver of Malaysia’s economic growth and societal development, yet it is widely recognised as highly susceptible to corruption. This study examines corruption risks and mitigation strategies within the sector from the perspective of professional bodies. Employing a qualitative approach, semi-structured interviews were conducted with six senior representatives from key professional bodies, which were the Board of Architects Malaysia, Board of Engineers Malaysia, Board of Quantity Surveyors Malaysia, Land Surveyors Board, Board of Town Planners Malaysia, and the Institute of Landscape Architects Malaysia. Participants were selected based on their extensive professional experience and positions of authority within their organisations, ensuring informed insights on governance, ethics, and sectoral practices. Findings indicate that corruption is multi-dimensional, occurring at all stages in the built environment, from tendering to construction and post-contract compliance. Tendering was identified as the stage most prone to integrity risks, driven primarily by large financial transactions, procedural ambiguities, and social pressures. While respondents believe that professionals are generally not the main actors in corrupt practices, they operate within a system that can enable misconduct, highlighting the importance of ethical awareness and institutional guidance. Professional bodies play a crucial role in promoting integrity, through mechanisms such as ethics-based examinations, professional development programmes, whistleblower policies, and collaborative initiatives with the Malaysian Anti-Corruption Commission. Despite their limited statutory authority, these bodies contribute significantly to safeguarding public interest and reinforcing ethical standards. The study concludes that effective corruption mitigation by the professional bodies requires integrated governance across project stages, strengthened professional ethics, and continuous collaboration between professional bodies and regulatory authorities. These findings provide practical implications for policymakers, professional bodies, and practitioners, offering insights into corruption risks and strategies to enhance transparency, accountability, and professional integrity in Malaysia’s built environment sector.

Bamenda’s urban landscape is a paradox: a city planned on paper yet built in defiance of every plan. This study investigates the persistent challenges of urban planning in the Bamenda urban space from 1972 to 2020. It argues that the Bamenda urban space faced severe challenges in town planning, which were overwhelming and remained unresolved over the decades. The study made appeal to some selected primary and secondary sources, and conclusions were drawn after a qualitative historical analysis. The findings reveal that among the many challenges, the Anglophone problem/crisis stood out as the most significant obstacle to effective planning in Bamenda.