Urban Design Guidelines Research Articles

Urban design guidelines for safer and livable residential design: Case of Neelakantha municipality

Urban design guidelines for safer and livable residential design: Case of Neelakantha municipality

Reclaiming urban lost spaces around elevated urban linkages: the case of El Sawy Cultural Wheel, Egypt

In recent times, elevated urban linkages (EULs) have emerged as crucial components of urban development, cutting through the cities’ urban fabric to accommodate the rapid expansion of urban cores and to facilitate traffic flow. However, these massive infrastructures have inadvertently given rise to urban lost spaces—vacant, inefficient areas within the urban fabric. Recognizing these lost spaces as untapped public assets, the paper explores sustainable development strategies to reclaim them into the urban fabric, transforming them into vibrant, multi-functional public spaces. The paper aims to achieve a set of urban design guidelines for rehabilitation design interventions which will be deduced into a comprehensive framework. This framework encompasses criteria for selecting appropriate approaches and types of rehabilitation design interventions, as well as design principles ensuring the desirability of the reclaimed space. The paper applies this framework to assess the El Sawy Cultural Wheel in Egypt, revealing it as a successful example of a reclaimed space. While positive aspects of rehabilitation design interventions are evident in terms of the approach and type of intervention in this case study, there are identified areas with shortcomings in fully implementing the design principles, if enhanced, could elevate the overall quality of the reclaimed space.

Developing Urban Design Guidelines for Creating Sustainable Healthy Neighbourhoods

The research focuses on community engagement and environmentally friendly methods in the creation of healthyneighbourhoods. Public health issues, environmental degradation, and social inequality are on the rise in urban areasas a result of rapid urbanization. A possible solution to these problems is a growing understanding of the role thatgood urban design can play in improving people's health and happiness. In order to identify important ideas andstrategies for making healthy built environments, this study examines case studies of successful healthy communitiesfrom all over the globe, such as Medellin, Colombia; Vauban, Freiburg, Germany; and Copenhagen, Denmark, amongothers. In order to build healthier, more sustainable communities, the research presents a set of thoroughrecommendations based on public health research, stakeholder participation, and urban design ideas. In order topromote social inclusion, preservation of the environment, and equal access to resources, the standards include awide range of topics related to urban planning, such as connectivity, the supply of green space, mixed land use, andcommunity participation. By drawing from a variety of research fields, this research builds to what is already knownabout healthy neighbourhoods, vibrant neighbourhoods that all individuals can be a part of.

Multi-Objective Optimization of Morphology in High-Rise Residential Areas for Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Yulin City, Northwest China

Urban residential areas significantly influence outdoor thermal comfort through architectural morphology. This study concentrates on the multi-objective optimization of the thermal comfort environment in residential areas, with a focus on Yulin—a city in the cold, inland region of Northwestern China. Yulin is characterized by its distinctly defined seasons, particularly harsh and windy conditions in the spring, which significantly impact thermal comfort. Utilizing field surveys, characteristics of scale and layout from high-rise residential areas in Yulin were extracted to formulate design strategies adapted to local climates. The Universal Thermal Climate Index (UTCI) served as the optimization criterion, and genetic algorithms, integrated with parametric modeling software, generated multiple layout schemes. These were refined through the Pareto evolutionary algorithm II to optimize thermal comfort across seasons. Furthermore, the Sobol’ sensitivity analysis method was employed to assess the impact of key parameters on outdoor thermal comfort, identifying crucial layout design elements. The optimization improved UTCI values for different seasons, ensuring year-round comfort. Specifically, summer UTCI improved to 25.51, while winter and spring values reached optimal values of −14.02 and −6.41, demonstrating enhanced thermal retention and reduced wind exposure. Sobol’ sensitivity analysis identified building length, orientation, and density as key parameters, highlighting their critical impact on thermal comfort. This study offers practical guidelines for urban residential area design in similar climatic zones, aligning architectural planning with environmental sustainability and enhancing thermal comfort effectively. This study provides practical guidelines for the design of residential areas in cold inland—seasonal windy—regions and other similar climatic zones, aligning building morphology design with environmental sustainability and enhancing thermal comfort effectively.

Exploring the Impact of Urban Morphology on Building Energy Consumption and Outdoor Comfort: A Comparative Study in Hot-Humid Climates

Research simultaneously examining building energy consumption and outdoor thermal comfort within urban environments remains limited. Few studies have delved into the sensitivity of design parameters based on building energy consumption and outdoor thermal comfort. The purpose of this study is to investigate the correlations between urban morphological design parameters and performance indicators, focusing on building energy consumption and outdoor thermal comfort (UTCI), across different urban block layouts in hot-humid regions, like Guangzhou. By establishing six fundamental morphological models—three individual unit layouts and three group layouts—the research explores both control and descriptive parameters through extensive simulation studies. Scatter plot visualizations provide insights into the impacts of various design parameters on energy consumption and UTCI, facilitating a comprehensive analysis of trends and quantitative relationships. Additionally, the study conducts sensitivity analyses on design parameters under different layout conditions to highlight their influences on target performance indicators. The findings reveal common trends, such as the significant impacts of plan dimensions and the Floor Area Ratio (FAR) on energy efficiency and outdoor comfort, as well as differential patterns, such as the varying sensitivities of the Shape Factor (S/V) and the Sky View Factor (SVF), across individual and collective layouts. Ultimately, this study offers a nuanced understanding of urban block morphology’s role in creating sustainable, comfortable, and energy-efficient urban environments, providing valuable guidelines for urban form design in hot-humid climates.

Assessment of public space potential for climate change adaptation in three Colombian cities: nature-based solutions and urban design guidelines

ABSTRACT Cities need to interact more harmoniously with their environment, especially with regard to the urban water cycle. Currently, public space design standards in Colombia do not include rainwater management for reuse in buildings and irrigation of green spaces, wasting treated water on activities that do not require it. The environmental design of public spaces can also help reduce urban temperatures, especially in dense urban areas. Adapting cities and public spaces to climate change is crucial, especially in geographic contexts such as Colombia, where the El Niño and La Niña climate oscillations will further increase precipitations or droughts in regions of Colombia, making urban and rural populations more vulnerable to flooding, landslides and sea level rise. This study aims to assess the public space potential for the adoption of nature-based solutions (NBSs) in three Colombian cities with different hydrological conditions, climates and urban morphologies: Bogotá, Bucaramanga and Cartagena. The potential for NBSs in urban context was assessed with land suitability analysis and MCDA tools. The results showed that adoption of NBS in public spaces and urban design guidelines can be a valuable strategy to prepare our cities for climate change and provide a better support for urban ecosystem services in Colombia.

Study of thermal comfort in the Sentra Primer Barat CBD Area using envi-met simulation

By 2045, it is estimated that almost 70% of Indonesia’s population will live in urban areas. However, the growing population and density of the city of Jakarta has led to a significant increase in temperature, which has a negative impact on the comfort of living in the region. Sentra Primer Barat CBD is one of the strategic central business districts in Jakarta. The purpose of this study is to identify the condition of thermal comfort in the Sentra Primer Barat CBD Area in two conditions, the current conditions and the planned conditions. The planned conditions are adapted into instructions on urban design guideline for Sentra Primer Barat. The study uses ENVI-met software to analyse thermal comfort. Microclimate parameters that are used for the study are air temperature, wind speed, humidity, and Tmrt (Temperature Mean Radiant). The parameters will then be reviewed and utilised to see their implications for thermal comfort index. The results shows a significant difference between the current conditions and the planned conditions. Under planned conditions, there is an increase in average air temperature and Tmrt, while average wind speed and average humidity see a decrease. This indicates higher potential of thermal discomfort in the study area. The thermal comfort index (PET) also deteriorate under the planned conditions. This research highlights the importance of improving thermal comfort in the Sentra Primer Barat CBD Area and provides guidance for better urban planning in the future. It is expected that environmental improvement efforts in this region can improve the residents’ quality of life and promote sustainability of the urban environment.

The urban fabric of Turkish cities

Urban development of Turkish cities has been strongly influenced by their fast-changing socioeconomic and political framework. In their turn, inherited morphological elements and their spatial organization influence today’s cities, their functioning, and their socioeconomic organization. This paper aims at identifying building and urban fabric types and at studying their spatial organization in Karşıyaka, Izmir, through MFA, an innovative computer-aided protocol. The outcomes are analyzed and interpreted regarding Turkish urban development history. The eight identified fabrics show a close correspondence to specific periods of Turkish urbanization. The model observed in Karşıyaka can be representative of many urban landscapes of Turkish metropolitan coastal regions. The paper contributes to the discussion and research on the identification of urbanization models for Turkish cities and their current development trends. Moreover, it represents a first step for future research on the relationship between urban morphology and environmental psychology, as well as urban planning and urban design guidelines.

Spatial Cognition and Three-Dimensional Vertical Urban Design Guidelines—Cognitive Measurement and Modelling for Human Centre Design

Numerous studies have shown that the emotional wellbeing of urban populations is influenced by various aspects of urban development, such as social factors and the presence of walkable areas and green spaces. However, there is a lack of research that closely integrates urban design and cognition, particularly in the context of vertical and volumetric urbanism. This disconnect between design and science disciplines is evident when reviewing the limited research on emotional and spatial cognition in this specific urban context. This paper seeks to address that disconnect by proposing a comprehensive framework for the cognitive measurement and modelling of the built environment. This will involve exploring and measuring neural mechanisms, employing electroencephalogram (EEG) equipment to measure user responses in vertical and volumetric public spaces. The aim is to create a foundation for further studies in this field that is consistent and rigorous and can facilitate collaboration with cognitive neuroscientists by establishing a shared conceptual basis. The goal of this research is to develop a human-centric approach for urban design that is scientific and measurable, producing a set of urban design guidelines that incorporate cognitive measurement and modelling, with the broader intention to prioritize human needs and wellbeing within urban environments to make them more liveable.

Engagement with Urban Soils Part II: Starting Points for Sustainable Urban Planning Guidelines Derived from Maya Soil Connectivity

Using the Precolumbian lowland Maya model of urban soil connectivity discussed in Part I, we review how soil connectivity can transition into urban planning policy and, by extension, could ultimately become codified as vantages and guidelines for urban design. In Maya agro-urban landscapes, the interspersion of open and green space with construction and paving provides edges (or interfaces) between sealed and unsealed soils at which the potential for soil connectivity manifests. These edges create an undeniable opportunity for urban planning to determine methods, guidelines, and conditions that can enhance soil connectivity. We argue that adequate attention to soils in urban sustainability goals would counteract misconceptions about the compact city paradigm and compensation for soil sealing in urban practice. Through preserving and increasing urban soil availability, proximity, and accessibility, advisory policies can stimulate shared values and everyday behaviours that reinforce the responsible and productive use of urban soils. Such urban planning can enable and encourage widespread participation in urban soil management. To promote policymaking on urban soils, we assess the importance and challenges of using urban green space as a proxy for the presence of urban soils. Our review suggests that urban green space offers high potential for use in urban planning to develop habit architectures that nurture soil-oriented pro-environmental behaviour. However, we also acknowledge the need for consistent and systematic data on urban soils that match sustainable urban development concepts to assist the effective transition of soil connectivity into urban planning codifications. Formulating adequate soil-oriented planning guidelines will require translating empirical insights into policy applications. To this end, we propose methods for enhancing our understanding and ability to monitor urban soil connectivity, including onsite surveys of land-use and bottom-up experience of soils, the mapping of the edges between sealed and unsealed soils, and using landscape ecological scales of analysis. In conclusion, we position soil care and connectivity as a primary task for urban planning and design and digest our findings and empirical vantages into concrete starting points devised as instruments to support urban planning in achieving soil codification.

Public participation in urban design with augmented reality technology based on indicator evaluation

Decision-making processes in traditional urban design approaches are mainly top-down. Such processes have defects including not only taking a long time to examine design results but also leading to irreversible impacts after design implementation. Policymakers and researchers stress the importance of collaborating with different stakeholders in the process of urban design policy and guideline making in order to minimize these negative impacts. However, introducing public participation into urban design from the bottom up is challenging, especially when the process involves abstract urban design concepts such as indicators. This paper explores a new workflow aimed at enhancing public participation to cooperate in urban design work with the help of a newly designed platform tool powered by mobile augmented-reality technologies. The platform is intuitive to use and displays scenes of potential urban design results by superimposing the virtual models onto real-world environments on mobile devices. The public stakeholders are provided with this platform on-site to evaluate the initial values of urban design indicators by interacting with the prototype design along with an immersive experience. They can also grow familiar with the concepts of the given indicators during this process, which helps them better understand the implications of guidelines in future published urban design drafts and estimate the potential results. Their feedback is collected, which can help urban designers further optimize the indicators in urban design guideline making in order to improve their rationality. This process of urban design involving public participation is repeatable, which makes it possible to continuously adjust the design results. A user study was conducted to examine the platform’s usability and its ability to enhance public familiarity with the concepts of given indicators and their willingness to participate in urban design evaluation. The study also attests to the possibility of a workflow that integrates public feedback with the urban design process.

On kids' environmental wellbeing and their access to nature in urban heat islands: Hyperlocal microclimate analysis via surveys, modelling, and wearable sensing in urban playgrounds

The aim of this research is to investigate the environmental wellbeing of children in urban outdoor environments by developing and testing a new wearable device called the Baby c-air. Children are particularly vulnerable to environmental discomfort due to their physiological characteristics and lack of awareness about their own adaptation capabilities. This vulnerability can lead to childhood diseases and health issues, especially when exposed to overheating or continuous pollutants. Portable monitoring devices, such as the Baby c-air, can assess children's environmental exposure and provide timely information to limit their health risks.The study involved testing two prototypes of the Baby c-air under laboratory and in-field conditions to verify the accuracy of the device in collecting data. An experimental campaign involving 122 children was conducted in Italy during the summer, across four playgrounds. The option of integrating the COMFA-kid model for thermal comfort assessment was evaluated. The results indicated that microclimate peculiarities underline the importance of a human-centric approach for properly addressing environmental exposure. The discrepancies between thermal sensations provided by interviewed parents/tutors and predicted thermal sensations derived by the COMFA-kid model suggest that adults are generally weakly aware of children's thermal conditions.The Baby c-air can support children's adaptation potential and drive accompanying persons towards implementing conscious behaviors or moving to those areas with better environmental quality. The outcomes of this study can contribute towards urban outdoor design guidelines to improve children's well-being.

Examining the impact of urban canyons morphology on outdoor environmental conditions in city centres with a temperate climate

• The relationship between urban geometry parameters and outdoor environmental conditions in urban areas was examined. • The study tested threshold values in urban design guidelines by experiential means. • The findings demonstrated the effect of urban geometry parameters as environmental mitigation measures. The concept of future-proofing cities seeks to minimize environmental impacts and achieve sustainability by utilising various mitigation and adaptation techniques, specifically by improving urban fabric. Different urban forms and parameters have been extensively investigated in hot, arid and humid climates, however, it is less in temperate climates. In the UK, the current local urban design guides meet the needs of designers and urban planners, however, these guides are still considered descriptive and lack in-depth environmental assessment. This study aims to investigate the recommended threshold values in the National Model Design Code against real sites with different urban canyons morphologies to examine their impact on outdoor environmental conditions. The study used quantitative methods by conducting a review study, a survey of UK urban design guides and modelling using simulation via RayMan and IESVE. The study targeted pre-selected sites in Cardiff and Bristol that were identified as zones with urban heat stress. The results showed that the Aspect Ratio and Sky View Factor in two cities have significantly impacted outdoor environmental conditions in urban areas subsequently affecting the Physiological Equivalent Temperature (PET). The results showed that the recommended values have a significant impact on the outdoor thermal performance of the pre-selected urban canyons. The findings demonstrated that modifying the width of streets and changing the Aspect Ratio and SVF resulted in achieving a positive impact during summer when both factors have a direct relationship. However, when the Aspect Ratio and SVF have an inverse relationship, the results showed extreme cold stress during winter. Therefore, maintaining a direct relationship between the Aspect Ratio and SVF would help to improve outdoor conditions.

Investigating urban form, and walkability measures in the new developments. The case study of Garnizon in Gdansk

Sustainable transport choices are gaining much attention as they may support the global shift towards reducing the carbon footprint and developing more energy-efficient cities. The relation between urban form and sustainable transport has been discussed by academics and practitioners and there is a consensus that specific parameters of urban form can encourage walking and discourage car use. Following global recommendations on sustainable development, countries take steps towards strengthening pedestrian accessibility by implementing spatial characteristics of walkable neighbourhoods, but also by mobility and urban design strategies. This issue, however, is not properly recognised in countries with short experience in sustainable urban development, such as former socialist countries. In Poland no studies on walkability-related parameters of urban form have been carried out, hence the knowledge in this field is limited. This paper aims to address this gap by providing evidence of a newly built urban district located in Gdansk, Poland. We present the Polish case with three examples of new urban districts from Western Europe, that are designed as sustainable and walkable environments. The methodology is based on the descriptive case study. It includes characteristics of design parameters namely the components of the “walkability index” as well as mobility solutions and urban design guidelines. The results show the current position of Garnizon development in relation to the Western European cases with regard to the existing post-communist legacy and allow for indicating differences and possible shortcomings. Additionally, the study results can be discussed in the context of improving the quality of the housing environment in Poland through pedestrian-oriented development strategies.

A Vine Copula‐Based Ensemble Projection of Precipitation Intensity–Duration–Frequency Curves at Sub‐Daily to Multi‐Day Time Scales

AbstractPrecipitation intensity–duration–frequency (IDF) curves play a crucial role in the design and planning of urban infrastructure to reduce the risk of urban flooding and rainfall‐triggered landslides. However, changing rainfall characteristics in a warming climate render conventional IDF curves inappropriate due to the statistical assumption of stationarity. In this study, we develop vine copula‐based projections of future IDF curves at sub‐daily to multi‐day time scales with a multi‐model ensemble of five regional climate simulations over China. Stochastic spatiotemporal downscaling of precipitation is achieved to generate extreme precipitation simulations at a high spatial (0.1°) and temporal (3 hourly) resolution. These downscaled simulations are combined by the vine copula to improve the reliability and accuracy of climate‐model‐based IDF curves relative to historical observations. Our findings reveal that climate‐model‐based stochastic downscaling of precipitation reproduces the IDF curves well based on historical observations in China. The vine copula multi‐model ensemble approach outperforms Bayesian model averaging by generating more accurate and reliable IDF curves. The urban areas of 196 Chinese cities are projected to experience an increase in extreme precipitation of up to 30% in intensity and nearly two times the frequency of historical events under a high emission scenario (RCP8.5). The current urban infrastructure of more than half of the 196 cities would thus be inadequate to prevent losses caused by rainfall‐triggered hazards if designed solely based on historical precipitation observations. Compared to the climate‐model‐based IDF curves, we find that statistical IDF curves based on a nonstationary time covariate (i.e., extrapolating historical trends) are likely to underestimate the risk of urban infrastructure failures under a warming climate. This work highlights that urban infrastructure design guidelines in China should be upgraded to adapt existing IDF curves to the changing climate.

현대인의 건강증진을 위한 국내 도시공원 액티브디자인 분석 - 뉴욕시 액티브 디자인 적용을 중심으로 -

Due to the development of medical and scientific technology, people are living longer than ever before. With these additional years of life, people are showing a renewed interest in health-promoting physical activities but are seeking to do so in a time efficient manner, as they go about their daily lives. Therefore, this study analyzed environments in which people can naturally and sustainably improve their health. Previous studies were used to examine the importance of modern people’s health activities and the use of urban parks. We used the New York Active Design Guidelines and Seoul Urban Design Guidelines to create an active design checklist for domestic urban parks, and based on the checklist, we analyzed the active design of the six domestic urban parks: Seoullo7017, Son Kee-chung Sports Park, Training Center Park, Munjeong Neighborhood Park, Asia Neighborhood Park, and Ogeum Neighborhood Park. Our analysis revealed a need for significant design improvements. Firstly, various internal facilities and guidance facilities should be provided in order to increase the openness and publicity of the park. Secondly, all pedestrians, including the disabled, should be able to engage in safe and enjoyable activities which promote the continued use of physical exercise. In the future, further research will be needed to promote the ‘Seoul Active Design Guidelines’ to ensure parks match the needs and characteristics of the citizens of Seoul.

Effects of microclimatic factors on stomatal conductance of plants in vertical greenery systems in humid subtropical areas

• Reduced irrigation in winter does not significantly affect VGS. • The transpiration in winter is about 1/3 of that in other seasons. • The E of southwest-oriented VGS is 41% higher in the afternoon than morning. • A stomatal model in VGS in humid subtropical areas is proposed. Plant transpiration through stomata is crucial in land surface physical processes and the hydrosphere-atmosphere-biosphere water vapor cycle. Applying stomatal models to vertical greenery systems (VGSs) is challenging because of the unique plant habitat. However, VGSs are widely used in subtropical areas; thus, plant transpiration in these systems should be investigated. Field measurements are used to determine the relationship between stomatal conductance ( g s ) and different microclimatic factors: solar radiation ( I ), air temperature ( T a ), relative humidity (RH), and soil volumetric water content ( θ ). A stomatal model based on multiple nonlinear regression is proposed, and its accuracy for different VGS plant species is verified with field measurements. The model's root mean square error (RMSE) is 57% lower than that of existing models. The latent heat flux from transpiration ( E ) of VGS in different seasons and orientations are calculated, and design strategies are proposed to utilize the cooling potential of VGS better. The prediction accuracy of the water vapor transfer, thermal comfort, and building energy consumption can be improved by incorporating the proposed model into an urban canopy model (UCM) and building energy model (BEM). It will provide guidelines for sustainable urban planning and VGS design regarding heat island mitigation and building energy savings.

Urban Design Guidelines for Improvement of Outdoor Thermal Comfort in Tropical Cities

Climate change and rising temperatures are some of the biggest challenges tropical cities face. These cities need to be designed to accommodate high population growth while providing a comfortable thermal environment. In this context, we propose a framework for developing urban design guidelines with a focus on improving thermal comfort in outdoor environments, a concept known as Outdoor Thermal Comfort (OTC). The framework is based on computing climate variables such as temperature, wind speed, humidity, and others for several urban design strategies at the district scale. Furthermore, we use the spatial occupancy over the course of the day in the district to calculate an overall OTC performance score. Finally, the design strategies are ranked and represented in a three-dimensional space. The strategies are extracted from the body of knowledge of urban planning and design, and adjusted to local status and building codes. The climate variables are computed using numerical climate models, and the OTC performance score is calculated using a statistical risk management model. The guidelines discussed in this paper are limited to passive design strategies such as urban geometry, orientation and vegetation for tropical cities with high density. These guidelines can be used to support architects and urban planners in the early design stages of a new district.

Public open space in high density cities: the case of Hong Kong

ABSTRACT Using a combination of empirical research methods such as spatial analysis and on-site observation, this article aims to shed light on the physical and social characteristics of 27 Public Open Spaces (POSs) in Central and Western Districts in Hong Kong. This study will contribute to a better understanding of their role, function and usage, so as to help establish a broader strategy for the revitalisation and upgrading of these important public resources. The results of the analysis indicate that a large percentage of the POSs examined have several shortcomings that may contribute to their low usage, and which render them unattractive. Poor accessibility, outdated design principles, the absence of active frontages and a lack of flexibility in the use of the space are some of the factors that the rigid application of planning policies have produced over the years. As such, this study suggests that a revision of current urban design guidelines, in light of the shortcomings that they have inadvertently generated, could establish a new direction in the provision and management of POSs in Hong Kong, providing new opportunities to create a more sustainable and people-friendly urban environment.

Spatial planning guidelines for child-friendly spaces: an African perspective

ABSTRACT This research investigates the planning and design of child-friendly spaces in an African context by means of a placemaking approach. Previous research has focused on place-making and urban planning and design guidelines for public spaces, but with limited focus on child-friendly public spaces. Thus, this article investigates and recommends urban planning and design guidelines for child-friendly spaces in an African context. The research employs a qualitative research analysis to investigate child-friendly spaces in two African case studies, Dandora, Naibobi, Kenya, and Orlando East, Johannesburg, South Africa. The investigation illustrates the need for context-based planning and place-making principles adopted to fit the needs of child-friendly spaces. Whilst the research is intended as a pilot investigation, with the urban planning and design guidelines identified requiring further refinement, findings provide insights and contribute to the planning knowledge base, especially on how planning and design of public spaces can shape more child-friendly public spaces.