Urban Design Projects Research Articles

Research on the Nonlinear Random Matrix Model for Urban Information Model and Modern Urban Governance

In this paper, a nonlinear stochastic matrix approach is used to conduct an in-depth study and analysis of modern urban governance, and an urban information model is designed for practical application based on it. Random matrix theory can calculate and give the average result of all interactions contained in a complex system. By comparing the different characteristics of statistical properties of real systems and random matrices, the special nonrandom properties of real systems are deduced. The dissipative structure theory of open complex systems, the evolution of network entropy describing the robustness of complex networks, can explain the empirical results of random matrix theory from the point of view of system evolution; through the open development of fair data and prevention tools to achieve algorithm correction, promote the design optimization of intelligent models, intelligent platforms, and intelligent programs; and commit to the benign development of technology. At the institutional level, it is necessary to keep the smart city construction synchronized with the rule of law construction, with a two-pronged approach of policy incentives and legal constraints, in addition to the overall promotion of government transformation and pluralistic governance patterns. It exceeds the carrying capacity and adaptability of social systems and institutions. In fact, the productive forces with science and technology as the core are the most active forces in social change and development. The urban information model is a technical and conceptual change triggered by the wave of information in the field of urban planning and construction and urban management, which takes the 3D model as a carrier to realize digital information application and unification in the whole life cycle of territorial spatial planning, urban design, and engineering and construction projects through the simulation of spatial planning and urban design spatial elements as well as the entry, management, and application of engineering and construction project information. Digital technology is applied in the whole life cycle of land spatial planning, urban design, and engineering projects to achieve fine governance and efficient management of urban planning.

Developing Urban Design Research with VINEX

During the mid-1990s and the first two decades of the 2000s, the Netherlands underwent a super zoning programme called VINEX to redevelop peripheral areas. The initial objective is to change to an urban landscape design project for high-density housing, favouring places that tend to be elitist. This research looks first at the evolution of VINEX on urban landscape design and then at how the recent NR development programme has sought to correct housing speculation. Finally, by comparing the objectives of VINEX and the NR programme, this research aims to highlight how land reclamation can also be achieved through new policies of green landscape and social inclusion and not only through land consumption, a peculiar characteristic of Dutch planning.

Formation of Sense of Place Trough Urban Design Project in Chiba, Japan:

Formation of Sense of Place Trough Urban Design Project in Chiba, Japan:

City Symphony

City Symphony

Whose Heritage

Whose Heritage

Decommunization by Design: Analyzing the Post-Independence Transformation of Soviet-Era Architectural Urbanism in Kyiv, Ukraine

This study investigates the spatial effects of the ongoing “decommunization” campaign in Ukraine, a state-led attack on Soviet symbols and ideology in the urban space of the capital, Kyiv. We examine decommunization through the lens of an extensive legacy of architectural, urban design, and monumental art projects erected for the celebration of the 1500th anniversary of the city of Kyiv held in 1982. We focus on four ideological narratives and examine the outcomes of decommunization on four monuments. We find that decommunization’s effect is limited; Communist symbolism has been annotated with Ukrainian identity symbols or neglected, not demolished. We conclude that decommunization has focused on the comparatively superficial qualities of toponomy and Lenin symbols, that the legacy of Soviet identity in Kyiv’s cityscape is much deeper and has proved surprisingly persistent, and that the historiography of the newly independent nation of Ukraine is still in a process of reformation and revision.

The semantic value of historical monuments as cultural heritage in urban texture: cases of Ankara Castle and Anıtkabir

ABSTRACT Historical monuments as cultural heritage are a prominent source of sociocultural values and have semantic values for city residents. Determining the importance level of the historical monuments for the residents will cause the right decisions to be taken in the strategic policy-making process related to recognizing and conserving them. This study aimed to provide empirical evidence of the semantic value of cultural heritage in the urban design project and policy-making process. Since cultural heritage is non-market Product, the Hedonic Pricing Model was used to determine its semantic values in the study. The study determined the semantic value of Ankara Castle and Anıtkabir in Ankara, with the help of the Hedonic Pricing Model, over the prices of houses located in a radius of 1200 meters of these monuments. A total of 364 houses around Ankara Castle and 496 houses around Anıtkabir were examined. As a result, as the houses get closer to the Ankara Castle, their prices increase by 5% per 100 meters, and the house prices rise by 3% per 100 meters as the house gets closer to the Anıtkabir.

Urban Sound Auralization and Visualization Framework—Case Study at IHTApark

In the context of acoustic urban planning, the use of noise mappings is a worldwide well-established practice. Therefore, the noise levels in an urban environment are calculated based on models of the sound sources, models of the physical sound propagation effects and the position of the receivers in the area of interest. However, the noise mapping method is limited to sound levels in frequency bands due to missing temporal and spectral information of the sound signals. This, in turn, leads to missing information about the qualitative sound properties, as they can be evaluated in psychoacoustic parameters. Beyond the scope of the classical noise mapping, auralization and physically-based simulation of sound fields can be applied to urban scenarios in the context of urban soundscape analysis. By supporting the auralization technology with a visual counterpart of the urban space, a plausible virtual representation of a real environment can be achieved. The presented framework combines the possibilities of the open-source auralization tool Virtual Acoustics with 3D visualization. In order to enable studies with natural human response or for public communication of urban design projects, those virtual scenes can be either reproduced with immersive technologies—such head-mounted displays (HMD)—or using online video platforms and traditional playback devices. The paper presents an overview of what physical principles can already be simulated, which technological considerations need to be taken into account, and how to set up such environment for auralization and visualization of urban scenes. We present the framework by the case study of IHTApark.

Developing an integrated investment decision-support framework for water-sensitive urban design projects

Traditional centralized water-management systems have tended to fall short in delivering environmental and amenity benefits in urban areas. Water-sensitive urban design (WSUD) projects have been proposed as an alternative due to their ability to generate multiple benefits, including improving water quality, water supply, aesthetics, urban cooling, spaces for recreation, and habitat for biodiversity. However, in most cities, investment in such systems has been relatively low, in part due to the difficulty of monetizing the multifunctional benefits of WSUD projects and including them in comprehensive economic analyses. We describe the development, testing and application of INFFEWS (Investment Framework For the Economics of Water Sensitive cities), an economic decision-support system for investment in WSUD projects. INFFEWS is based on a Benefit: Cost Analysis (BCA) framework and is consistent with standard BCA. A prominent feature of the framework is its strong emphasis on quantifying the monetary-equivalent values of intangible (non-market) benefits from WSUD projects. Development of the tools and their supporting materials has involved extensive consultation with intended users, review of existing tools, and primary research over eight years (2013–2020). The frameworks can be applied to business-case development and decision making at multiple levels in public-sector and private-sector organisations.

Social Interaction in Public Spaces and Well-Being among Elderly Women: Towards Age-Friendly Urban Environments.

The world’s population is aging and becoming more urbanized. Public space in urban areas is vital for improving the health of the elderly by stimulating social interaction. Many urban design projects are advertised as age-friendly but ignore the real needs of the elderly, especially elderly women, for social interaction in urban public spaces. Insufficient attention is paid to the physical and psychological characteristics of elderly women when shaping public space. This analysis addresses the question: What are the qualities of urban spaces which facilitate health-improving social interaction for elderly women? Methods include a case study in Beijing, field investigation, mapping, and qualitative and quantitative analysis. The survey was carried out in April 2021, and concerned 240 women aged 55–75 years. Results indicate that the social interactions of older women relate to both their physical and psychological situations. Public spaces can positively impact the psychological well-being and social participation of elderly women. Conclusions include insights regarding the relationship between social interaction and well-being among elderly women, as well as proposing a series of principles for shaping public spaces for an age-friendly urban environment.

Consilience in Urban Design (?): The Conceptual Convergence of Strange Bedfellows

Abstract This article unfolds how the predominant binary view towards urban design offers an alternative tripartite interpretation. This less orthodox but more realistic probing of the field's methods of praxis (hybridity, spontaneity, and continuity) “dissolves” its dominant formal-informal binary categorizations. Hybridity represents the synergistic city-nature relationship based on visually persuasive methods of design by mimicking natural processes. Spontaneity captures how local creative impromptu small-scale DIY design intervention efforts fill possible gaps in formal top-down urban design projects. Continuity highlights the complementary (rather than polarized) relationship between formal and informal urbanism.

Evaluation of Crime Prevention Theories through Environmental Design in Urban Renewal: A Case Study of Ankara- The Vicinity of Hacı Bayram Mosque

Purpose The aim of this study is to obtain novel results in current conditions by evaluating the built environment with Crime Prevention through Environmental Design (CPTED) principles, in the prevention of crime in urban space. Design/Methodology/Approach The methods of this study; identification of CPTED theories, principles and implementation tools and CPTED principles are evaluated on a particular space due to the fact that the relationship between crime and space varies according to place-specific factors. Therefore, the vicinity of the Hacı Bayram Mosque was determined as the case study area and the physical-spatial characteristics of this area, which is a part of the historical, cultural, religious and tourism centre of the city of Ankara, were defined. Then, the transformation process of the area into a focus of crime and the crime data of 2009-2010 were evaluated with Crime Intensity Analysis to determine the crime types, rates and space-time relationship. It was evaluated whether crime data and CPTED principles were taken into account in the built environment created by the implementation of the 2010 urban design project in the renewal process of the case study area. Finally, with the inferences obtained for the development of CPTED principles and implementation tools, suggestions for the built environment in the study area were developed. Findings CPTED principles applied in urban design projects should be developed with factors such as time-space interaction in the built environment, change of crime types. Values to be preserved in cultural heritage sites and areas adjacent to sacred sites are not obstacles to the implementation of CPTED. Research Limitations/Implications The lack of crime data for the area after 2010 is the most important limitation of this study. Social/Practical Implications The methods and results of this study will contribute to the creation of safe urban spaces and to the planning literature and practices. Originality/Value It has been determined that the effectiveness in the time-space relationship, of the CPTED principles adopted in urban design projects, may decrease after the implementation.

Developing an Approach for Assessing Urban Blue-Green Spaces Towards Sustainable Urban Growth Through Retrospective Cyber Metrics Analysis of Operational Estimations Approaches

Abstract Urban blue-green spaces provide us abundant social, environmental, and economic benefits, but the disparities often exist in their distribution and accessibility. Traditionally urban blue-green spaces are a consolidation of “blue-green infrastructure” within urban areas. Several urban features like parks, forests, gardens, visible water, such as parks, rivers, canals, reservoirs, ponds, lakes, fountains, etc. are categorized or considered under the blue-green spaces and these are very much crucial for various urban ecosystem services. These play a significant role for all stakeholders of the urban community. Thus, everyone must ensure the equitable number of blue-green spaces for all. Recently, several rules and regulations towards the safeguarding of urban blue-green spaces have been outlined. The work presents a methodological framework to develop an approach towards sustainable urban growth with the help of urban blue-green spaces assessments. The current work has attempted to examine the linkage between issues of the urban blue-green spaces for restoring the required infrastructures. It can be utilised for all sustainable urban development for urban planning and design projects to play a pivotal role. The work emphasizes more to develop a methodological framework to analyze the urban blue-green spaces for augmentation with a theoretical framework. It is expected that the advancement of a problem cum objectives-driven approach will help to design an impact-driven approach for planned and concrete action.

Engineering an Ecological Civilization Along Shanghai’s Main Waterfront and Coastline: Evaluating Ongoing Efforts to Construct an Urban Eco-Network

Recent ecological civilization policies make clear that China is willing to play a leading role in a sustainable green transition. But there are still discrepancies in definitions, appreciation and evaluation of ecological assets. This paper examines how Shanghai works on a sustainability transition, with a focus on its main urban waterfronts and coastline, in the context of an extremely high population concentration, world’s highest real estate values, and continuous urban development pressure. This paper will mobilize insights from the academic field of sustainability transitions to show how urban planning and design ambitions are translated into realities on the ground. In its latest Shanghai Master Plan (2017-2035), the city commits itself to set an example for other Chinese cities. Moreover, Shanghai’s city leaders want to inspire and push cities internationally to become more adaptable and resilient, both in the Global South and Global North. The spatially most radical action to realize this ambition is to create “a green and open eco-network” with 60% of Shanghai’s municipal territory to be used for ecological purposes, mostly wetlands. This paper will examine three urban planning and design projects that have key positions within this eco-network. On all three sites there are land-use conflicts, between urban development and ecological (re-)development. The first case is the recent transformation of no less than 120 km of former industrial dominated waterfront along the Huangpu River, of which half was completed between 2016 and 2021. The second case, Nanhui Coastal Wetland Reserve with adjacent Lingang New City; and the third case, Chongming Eco-Island, started both around the millennium and had a 2020 planning horizon. After learning lessons from their previous sustainable innovation journeys these latter two projects entered a new phase as part of the eco-network. The paper concludes with seven practical recommendations aimed to reduce discrepancies between expectations and their implementation in practice: 1) use clear definitions; 2) co-create a shared vision for the future; 3) stop building on vulnerable locations; 4) create conditions of social learning; 5) supervision needs to go beyond planning boundaries; 6) step beyond an anthropocentric approach; and 7) foster a more experimental approach.

COMPUTER AIDED SCHEMATIC DESIGN: HOW TO MANAGE LARGE DATA IN THE EARLY STAGES OF URBAN DESIGN PROJECTS

The study was designed to research and analyse the existing methods used in the industry and propose alternative solutions that would meet the growing project demand. One of the major findings of this paper shows that 65% of interviewed architects and urban designers reported a lack of data accuracy in their concept design solutions, as well as dissatisfaction with the segregated concept design process. Having identified key inefficiencies in pre-design and the schematic design stages of urban design, the study develops a multiplatform web application - a space planning tool that is capable of assisting with data informed design decisions in the early stages of large-scale urban design projects. The alternative solution allows for the execution of concept stage prototyping through UI cell modification by integrating data and generating spatial solutions based on the adjacency requirements.
 Purpose: the purpose of this study is to understand, improve and eliminate inefficiencies in the early stages of the urban design process.
 Methodology: this study will first review existing inefficiencies of the architecture and urban design industry using 2 researched methods: non-participant observations and surveys. Non-participant observations were continuous and were carried out for a period of 9 months. The group that was studied involved 17 people that worked on the early-stage design stage of large-scale architecture and urban design projects. In addition to that, a survey was carried out to examine the identified inefficiencies further and to confirm the hypothesis. The survey involved 370 industry professionals from over 15 countries. Based on the developed understanding of project delivery inefficiencies, a classification will be developed to categorize the existing software. Finally, this study will conduct a series of experiments to develop a technical solution to meet current industry demands.
 Results: identification of key pre-design and the schematic design inefficiencies, development of a multiplatform web application.
 Practical implications: the application is being tested and used in the industry of architecture, urban and spatial design, it has the potential to save companies time and financial resources.

Air Traffic Assignment for Intensive Urban Air Mobility Operations

In high-density urban air mobility (UAM) operations, mitigating congestion and reducing structural constraints are key challenges. Pioneering urban airspace design projects expect the air vehicles to fit into structured UAM corridor networks. However, most existing air transport networks are not capable of handling the increasing traffic demand, which is likely to cause congestion, traffic complexity, and safety issues. To adapt the increasing demand to the current airspace capacity, a novel macroscopic traffic assignment model is proposed to mitigate the congestion and organize the structure of air traffic flow. Firstly, the UAM corridor is designed and fitted into graph representation. Then, a traffic assignment problem based on linear dynamic system is formalized to minimize the congestion factors and the intrinsic air traffic complexity. A two-step resolution method based on Dafermos’s algorithm is introduced to efficiently solve this optimization problem. A case study is carried out on a two-layer air transport network with intensive UAM operations. The results demonstrate that the proposed model can successfully mitigate urban airspace congestion and organize the UAM traffic into a low-complexity flow pattern. This approach can be used as a tool to assist air navigation service provider in strategic planning for a given transportation network.

Sustainable Streetscape and Built Environment Designs around BRT Stations: A Stated Choice Experiment Using 3D Visualizations

The incompatibility between the microscale-built environment designs around mass transit stations and stakeholders’ preferences causes dissatisfaction and inconvenience. The lack of a pedestrian-friendly environment, uncontrolled development patterns, traffic and parking issues make the street life vulnerable and unattractive for users, and affect the mass transit usage. How to design the streetscapes around mass transit stations to provide a user-friendly street environment is a crucial question to achieve sustainable transit-oriented development goals. To recognize the specific attributes of streetscape environment relevant in local context of BRT Lahore, this paper presents the results of a visual preference experiment in which nine attributes of built environment were systematically varied across choice sets. Multinomial logit models were set up to identify the preferences of three target groups: BRT users, commercial building users and residents at different locations. The research indicates that not only the road-related factors (bike lane and sidewalk widths, crossings facilities, street greenery) have a significant influence on people’s preference but also that building heights, and the typology of buildings and housing projects around BRT corridor have shaped these preferences. When planning and designing urban design projects around mass transit projects, these significant attributes should be considered.

Modernization imposed: SOM’s practice in China – A case study of Wuhan

AbstractSkidmore, Owings & Merrill Limited Liability Partnership as one of the best ‘localized’ overseas design companies in China, has participated in more than ten large-scale urban design projects in Wuhan, which has greatly changed the urban image and architectural style of Wuhan. Its space model of ‘grid road system + high-rise building’ replaces the traditional urban pattern of ‘street + residence’, causing huge cultural conflicts and historical rupture. Based on the planning of Wuhan Hanzheng street as an example, this paper attempts to uncover the cause of formation, the motivation mechanism of ‘grid road system + high-rise buildings’ space model, and to explore how Chinese cities realize the urban modernization with Chinese characteristics.

A Methodology for Assessing the Impact of Living Labs on Urban Design: The Case of the Furnish Project

This paper presents a framework to support the assessment of urban design projects through Urban Living Labs (ULLs). The framework is based on the Tactical Urbanism (TU) practices and involves the use of Mobile Urban Elements (MUE) in uncertain and potentially confusing conditions (e.g., the COVID-19 context). The methodology includes the application of the Four-Phase Model (problem and ideation; development; implementation, testing and assessment; final proposal) and a quantitative and qualitative assessment. The proposed assessment criteria were developed through an evaluation according to three aspects: (1) feasibility impact; (2) social impact; and (3) spatial impact. The methodology was applied to Furnish, an urban design project based on a ULL and prototyping, which was recently developed in five European cities. The empirical results, obtained using the impact analysis, indicate that the prototypes developed in the project are transferable to other cities and generate social interaction in public spaces. The applied research showed that the Four-Phase Model may be used as a new and improved iterative design process: the LOOP Scheme. The application of this assessment methodology to ULLs may provide valuable information for the future planning of urban interventions in public spaces.

Ecosystem Services Assessment Tools for Regenerative Urban Design in Oceania

Tools that spatially model ecosystem services offer opportunities to integrate ecology into regenerative urban design. However, few of these tools are designed for assessing ecosystem services in cities, meaning their application by designers is potentially limited. This research reviews and compares a range of ecosystem services assessment tools to find those that are most suited for the urban context of Oceania. The tool classification includes considerations of type of input and output data, time commitment, and necessary skills required. The strengths and limitations of the most relevant tools are further discussed alongside illustrative case studies, some collected from literature and one conducted as part of this research in Wellington, Aotearoa using the Land Utilisation and Capability Indicator (LUCI) tool. A major finding of the research is that from the 95 tools reviewed, only four are judged to be potentially relevant for urban design projects. These are modelling tools that allow spatially explicit visualisation of biophysical quantification of ecosystem services. The ecosystem services assessed vary among tools and the outputs’ reliability is often highly influenced by the user’s technical expertise. The provided recommendations support urban designers and architects to choose the tool that best suits their regenerative design project requirements.