Urban Planning Programs Research Articles

A framework for climate change curriculum redevelopment within built environment professional degrees

Cities are important sites for greenhouse gas emission reductions and adaptation to climate change. Yet, the design, development and planning of many cities does not yet reflect this. Research reveals limited coverage of climate change in curricula of built environment degrees. This indicates that redevelopment of the curriculum of built environment professional degrees for greater climate change competencies is needed, and will be critical to achieve the Paris Agreement which seeks to limit warming to 1.5 °C. We address this gap by developing an evidence-based curriculum redevelopment framework for embedding climate change competencies in built environment degrees. A 10-stage framework, grounded in literature, was established, to redevelop curricula of built environment professional degrees for greater climate change coverage. The framework was applied to a Master of Urban Planning program at an Australian university, then refined. An outcome includes the development of a set of intended learning outcomes and generic skills for the program. The framework can be applied to other built environment professional degrees, to facilitate necessary curriculum change to address the climate crisis.

Navigating priorities: Assessing the challenges of curriculum reform in Turkish Urban and Regional Planning Schools

Planning departments in Türkiye recently witnessed a boom. In less than 20 years, the number of universities offering urban planning programs increased from a dozen to 45, most accepting students with limited resources. Urban planning education has faced many challenges over the last two decades, and offering education with limited resources carried this problem to another level, increasing concerns among scholars about the quality of the education and the learning outcomes a planner should possess at graduation. While planning schools in Türkiye deals with the issues above, global debates in planning education revolve around integrating topics such as climate change, inequality, informality, and decolonization into the curriculum. This study aimed to reveal to what extent global issues find their way into Turkish planning school agendas in an environment where more pressing matters threaten the quality of education. To look further into this issue, all documents published by TUPOB (Türkiye Planning Schools Association) since its foundation were analyzed, and seven in-depth interviews with TUPOB members were conducted. A predominantly qualitative approach was utilized. The findings suggest that the lack of resources is the most critical problem for urban planning schools, followed by insufficient teaching faculty. The curriculum updates and integration of global issues such as climate change and urban poverty come later in the priorities list. This research showed that concerns regarding resources and lack of standards take precedence over global discussions in planning curricula.

ВЛИЯНИЕ СПЕЦИФИКИ КОНТЕКСТА НА УПРАВЛЕНИЕ ВОДНЫМИ РЕСУРСАМИ В КРУПНЫХ ГОРОДАХ

Urban areas around the world are also facing a climate crisis – longer, irregular and unpredictable periods of extreme precipitation or heat. In urban areas, the consequences of these changes have the greatest impact on people's lives, and in large cities, these changes occur quickly. Water-based Urban Planning (WSUD) offers an approach to an alternative spatial organization of cities and infrastructures that meets urban and climate problems. However, instead of considering the use of water–saving design technologies as a fundamental concept of the final state of the urban environment, this study examines the theory that water conservation is a variable that depends on the context and other variables in the study area. Thus, water conservation acts as a link between the context and the concept, where the context forms the concept, and the concept provides a focus on how to take into account the context. Therefore, understanding the context helps architects and urban planners to identify opportunities among the many complexities and contradictions in the urban environment, which in the future will positively affect the inclusion of water resources in local urban planning programs and thereby facilitate going beyond hypothetical levels and abstractness of the concept.

The Emergence of Irrigated Agriculture in Semi-Arid Zones in the Face of Climate Change and Urbanization in Peri-Urban Areas in Setif, Algeria

This article aims to investigate the complex relationship between a local population and its natural and urban environment. The study area, which was previously dominated by cereal cultivation, is currently facing profitability challenges due to climate change, water scarcity, rapid urban expansion, and the overexploitation of aquifers, influenced by changes in agricultural practices, which are disrupting the local ecosystem. This study relies on three interconnected indicators, population growth, climate change effects on agriculture, and the NDVI (Normalized Difference Vegetation Index), and reveals the impact of these factors on agricultural practices. Google Earth Engine was employed to determine the urbanization and greenness indices using scripts. The significant findings of this study demonstrate the remarkable demographic growth of 49.96% during the study period (2000–2020). Furthermore, this growth has led to a new trend towards intensive farming, with a substantial increase in irrigated lands by 44.19% and a multiplication of protected crop lands by 20 times, rising from 19.88 to 405.89 hectares. Additionally, horticultural production surged by 212.4% during the same period. Moreover, groundwater levels shifted from less than 50 m in the northern regions to less than 150 and 300 m in the southern part of the study area. The water potential in the study zone cannot meet the demands of the new agricultural orientation, which tends to deplete local groundwater, potentially causing recurrent shortages of agricultural products. This study underscores the importance of incorporating agricultural production into future urban planning and development programs to maintain a renewed balance between built environments and agriculture in peri-urban areas.

The Urban Public Park of 21st Century: Challenges and Prospectives

The negligence of adequate planning and development of urban public parks in Nigeria is a huge setback to cities achieving maximum utilization in their social, economic, physical, and environmental sectors. This is coupled with many other managerial problems in maintaining the few available ones; and as such it has led to the gradual decay of the nation’s public parks in urban centres and, hence reduced their benefit to the built environment. The garden has become a part of our daily lives. It has become increasingly important since the 18th and 19th centuries. Parks in the city have begun to be abandoned and city dwellers are more comfortable spending their time in the countryside away from the hustle and bustle of the city. However, since the end of the 20th century, urban residents have begun to realize the importance of urban parks in their daily lives. They have begun to realize the importance of a quality environment and life. To meet these changing needs and wants, it is important to re-evaluate the construction of our city's public parks by looking at their true function in meeting the needs of life, environment, and socio-culture of the users. An open-ended questionnaire administered with twenty-one participants (regular users of public urban parks), reviews the literature on the general need for developing urban parks in Nigeria and critically examines the planning, development designs, and the important facilities and management procedures for urban parks. The result of this study will ensure dignity and remove the intrigues attracted to implementing urban renewal and regional planning programs and it will ensure the sustainability of every urban park project in Nigeria. These benefits include general beauty, healthy lifestyles, increased leisure activities, communal interaction and preservation of natural systems, and maximizing abandoned land spaces.

Cognitive-behavioral urban planning: Criteria and principles of adaptive urban environment

Purpose: The aim of the work is to identify the influence of the urban environment on psychological behavior of large groups of people with the subsequent evaluation of formation criteria and principles of the adaptive urban environment.Methodology: The analysis and systematization of Russian and foreign experience in the formation of the adaptive urban environment in architecture, urban planning, psychology, and sociology. Various types of human perception of the urban environment are studied. Based on sociological data, the percentage of people with different perception of space is determined.Research findings: In cognitive urban studies, cognitive-behavioral urban studies are determined. Various models of human perception of the urban environment are studied. Criteria for assessing the urban environment are developed, which identify adaptive and maladaptive elements of urban space. The selected criteria make it possible to predict a positive or negative impact on the development of urban spaces at the initial design stage. A thorough analysis of the territory development allows choosing the most effective of them to provide the formation of the adaptive urban environment affecting the human psyche.Practical implications: Research results can be used in theory and practice of architecture and urban planning and complement training programs for specialists. Formation criteria and principles of the adaptive urban environment can be included in the design of urban spaces at various levels. Research contributes to further actualization of the human-oriented approach in urban studies and can be integrated in the Human Ecology discipline.Originality/value: The paper proposes monitoring of adaptability of urban spaces according to the given criteria. The principles are developed to carry out a new design, reconstruction or renovation of urban areas. The environment created in this way can have a positive impact on the psychological state of a person.

Land Use and Urban Sprawl in the Case of the City of Rabat in Morocco: An Integrated Approach Using Remote Sensing, Geospatial Modeling, and Machine Learning

This document is produced as part of a project of mapping, monitoring and prediction of urban sprawl in the city of Rabat, using algorithms of machine Learning, remote sensing and geographic information system. It therefore aims to determine and monitor the urban sprawl of the city of Rabat, using new Geo-spatial technologies, this socio-economic mechanism is theoretically based on the increase in the horizontal area of the city, and a decrease in population density. On the contrary, the city of Rabat is characterized by a negative growth rate between the years 2004-2014 at about -0.79% different from 1.2% at the national level, and defined by a higher population density of 255 inhabitants per km2, these statistics were directed to a hypothesis that indicates a horizontal confinement of the city of Rabat and reverse immigration to per-urban territories. In addition, this project is mainly aimed at the implementation of a computerized simulation model for the characterization and prediction of the urban expansion of the city of Rabat for 40 years (1990, 2000, 2010, 2020, 2030). To conclude, the city of Rabat has experienced a very slow urban sprawl, thanks to the green belt put in 1971, and the modernization strategy that has been adapted in recent years to eliminate informal housing, in addition to the development of roads and the new TGV railway line, and also to the lack of land use, of which many large villas of several hectares were built. Although this mechanism is moving very slowly, the city of Rabat has had negative consequences on the territory and the environment. So, local authorities need a creative, innovative and intelligent urban planning programme to both eliminate the effects of this mechanism, and build the pillars of the functional city (smart city).

Building a Receptive Audience for HIA: A PhD Student's Journey to Create a HIA Course

There are few academic institutions in the United States currently offering courses on Health Impact Assessment (HIA). This commentary describes a PhD student’s experience in building a receptive audience for an HIA course within the Urban Planning and Policy program at the University of Illinois at Chicago, how they went about developing the course, and details about the course and its implementation. Key lessons learned from the experience of developing and implementing the course include: having a real-life HIA project for students to work on can be challenging but very rewarding, for both students and partners; utilizing virtual meeting technology to invite guest lecturers from across the world provided an enriching learning experience; and providing clear milestones and setting deadlines for different components of the HIA is helpful for students as they work through the different HIA steps. While the course was successful by almost all metrics, institutionalizing HIA courses within interdisciplinary planning/public health programsremains an ongoing challenge.

HERITAGE PRESERVATION TO ENHANCE TOURISM OFFERS

Saudi Arabia has recently launched many promoting campaigns to pioneer a global excellence model for future growth. The Saudi National Vision 2030 sustains a national quality services improvement based on the commitment of the governmental institutions to build up a prosperous country, starting from the valorization of local traditions. The Saudi heritage was built by ancient societies based on traditions deeply rooted in the country's history. The country aspires to preserve heritage sites and the local environment, to strengthen national identity and Arab values by promoting hospitality services for tourism. In the last years, the Muslim pilgrims and all visitors to heritage sites entering the country from abroad have reached 8 million people by tripling the numbers. The government has started many initiatives and promoted many urban planning processes, programs, and projects to enhance the touristic offer. The intent is to reach a sustainable approach to target the healthy growth of the country and the Saudi Arabian cities. The paper presents some interventions that are currently under development to achieve the Saudi Vision 2030, such as the recent expansions of the Holy Mosques, the modernization of the national airports, and the Makkah Metro project to complement the railroad and train public transportation offer.

Sustainable Heritage Preservation to Improve the Tourism Offer in Saudi Arabia

In recent years Saudi Arabia has launched many campaigns to promote a model of global excellence to be a pioneer in future growth. As part of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia’s National Vision 2030, the country encourages the improvement of national quality services based on the commitment of the government to build up a prosperous country, starting with the valorisation of local traditions. In particular, the Saudi, Arab, and Islamic heritage, built by an ancient civilisation and deeply rooted in the country’s history, is currently valorised to strengthen the national identity of local Arab values. The country aspires to preserve heritage sites and the local environment by promoting hospitality services for tourism. In the last years, Muslim pilgrims and all visitors to heritage sites entering the country from abroad have reached eight million people, tripling the numbers in the last decade. The government has started many initiatives and promoted many urban planning processes, programmes, and projects to enhance the touristic offer. The intent is to reach a sustainable approach to target the healthy growth of the country and the Saudi Arabian cities. The article presents some interventions that are currently under development to pursue the Saudi Vision 2030 and its goals. The recent third expansion of the Two Holy Mosques, the modernization of national airports, and the Mecca Metro project to complement the railroad and train public transportation offer will be presented and discussed as part of the national strategy to achieve a sustainable economy and tourism.

The features of functional and planning zoning and territorial planning of Taimyr (Dolgan-Nenets) municipal district of Krasnoyarsk region

The northern territories of the Russian Federation contain unique natural environment that requires individual approaches, and special policies and regulation methods in all sectors of economy and life of the local population. The key criterion for dividing the territory into certain regions and subzones is extreme natural conditions that affect the functioning of economic sectors, life of the local population and the level of "insecurity" of northern nature. That’s why we distinguish the following subzones: Near, Middle and Far North. Urban planning policy in the northern territories forms the directions of the urban planning forecasts and programs, regulatory documents, scientific research and the phased development of urban planning documentation. The article discusses the main task of functional planning zoning, which consists in ensuring sustainable functioning and stable development of various territories, as well as creating favorable living conditions for the local indigenous population using urban planning tools. Territory zoning is carried out taking into account a comprehensive territory assessment, as well as proposals for its planning structure.

Scanning for Cultural Competency in Online Urban Planning Programs

This article investigates online urban planning degree programs. The Covid-19 pandemic forced urban planning programs to pivot to online delivery instantly. However, there is little preexisting knowledge on online learning in place-making fields of study both in the literature and in practice. Meanwhile, working and learning from home is expected to continue as part of urban planning education and practice. The key tension of teaching urban planning online, as a traditional place-dependent field, is the starting point for our inquiry in this article. To understand the state of online urban planning programs, an internet search was conducted. A database of 176 higher education programs was created that identified only eight online programs including degree-granting and certificate programs in urban planning. These urban planning program results were concentrated in the western United States. Key challenges in online learning were identified through a literature review, including pedagogical efforts in skill transfer and multiculturalism. The eight-program curriculum strategies were analyzed through a qualitative case study analysis. A discussion on the tactics during the transition from in-person to online education in the Department of Urban and Regional Planning at California State Polytechnic University Pomona is also presented. This article provides online urban planning program information for educators currently teaching online and for those interested in creating an online program. Online programs in place-specific fields such as urban planning have particular challenges in understanding communities without site visits, ethnography, or robust in-person community engagement. Online urban planning programs must make additional efforts to achieve a social, collaborative learning and practice environment.

Environmental Determinants of Urban Mental Health: a Literature Review

Introduction: More than half of the global population currently lives in cities; by 2050, this rate is expected to increase to 68 %. The worldwide process of rapid urbanization is associated with significant environmental, economic and social changes, particularly in public health. Results: This review is based on articles published over the last two decades and provides an overview of urban environment-related risk factors for mental health and well-being of citizens. The studies reviewed give evidence of adverse health effects of environmental exposures to air, light, and noise pollution in the cities. The main consequences of their impact on mental health include psychological distress, sleep disturbance, anxiety, depression, an increased risk of manifestation and higher severity of mental disorders, all mediated by endocrine and neurophysiological disorders and oxidative stress. Conclusion: The analysis and assessment of the differential significance of various environmental conditions of the urban environment require consideration of other factors, including social, household, genetic, individual psychological and physiological characteristics. Our findings indicate the importance of further research on the influence of urban environment on mental health, the results of which can be implemented in various hygiene practices and urban planning programs.

Analysis of Organisational and Economic Support of Urban Parks in Ukraine

The requirements of modern society for urban parks represent them as multifunctional territories. Global trends suggest that parks have a social essence and are focused on creating a healthy and aesthetic environment. But in Ukraine, parks are considered only as landscape and architectural complexes. Therefore, they are financed under urban planning programmes and at the expense of budget funds. Attracting funds from organisations in the field of landscaping requires greater integration of parks into the socio-economic system. At the same time, it is necessary to develop mechanisms for economic incentives for organisations to participate in the improvement of park areas. The purpose of this study is an economic analysis of modern financing of the green economy in Ukraine and the development of proposals for additional sources of financial support for parks. In this paper, using the analytical method, the accounting of the financial state of the green economy in the regions of Ukraine is carried out. Typical problems of modern financing, the main shortcomings of budget financing, and problems of commercial organisations in the field of urban greening are highlighted. Using the economic and mathematical modeling (index method), the analysis of changes in indicators of providing green spaces and, accordingly, indicators of their financial condition is carried out. The practical significance of the study lies in the development of recommendations on additional ways to finance park management based on the introduction of the practice of public-private partnerships, trust agreements, and easement. Requirements have been formed for legal entities that have the right to conclude such transactions. An economic mechanism for stimulating the establishment of publicprivate partnerships and concluding agreements in the field of landscaping is proposed

Environmental-Legal Regulation Of Construction Activities In Cities In The Context Of Fast Urbanization

Ensuring the right of citizens to favorable natural environment depends, first of all, on compliance with environmental standards in usage of land, water, subsoil and other natural resources in the areas of habitat - cities and other settlements, greening construction processes and rational zoning. Issues of legal protection of urban environment were considered at the UN Stockholm Conference on Human Environment (1972), the UN Habitat III Conference on Housing and Sustainable Urban Development (October 17-20, 2016, Kyoto, Ecuador). A new urban planning program was adopted as part of the Habitat-III conference [1]. This study considers main environmental problems in cities were in connection with construction processes. At the same time, we also studied organizational legal measures and scientific-theoretical bases of construction activities. In addition, legal assessment and review of zoning issues, greening of construction processes, benefits of developing “green economy”, introduction of waste-free technologies, as well as construction of energy-efficient buildings and housing was carried out. In the context of achieving goals set by the Concept of the Republic of Uzbekistan on environmental protection till 2030, introduction of environmentally friendly innovative technologies, prevention and reduction of negative impact on the environment, ensuring growth of environmentally oriented economy, “green” standards in construction sphere as well as application of scientific principles are considered essential.

Are Urban Planning Schools in the Global South Prepared for Current Challenges of Climate Change and Disaster Risks?

This article undertakes an analysis of current urban planning programs at universities with a focus on sub-Saharan English-speaking African (SSA) and South East Asian countries (SEA) as comparison cases. The aim is to identify, as an important part of sustainability, the existence and share of climate change and disaster related courses in the curricula, and to understand to what extent these topics are already integrated into current urban planning programs at the university level and thus shape the knowledge and skills of future urban planners. The local academic and professional environments in which the programs are based are taken into account by a review of the historical development of the programs. The analysis in mid-2020 took only those universities and programs into account that have curricula and course titles available online. The data were analyzed both quantitatively and qualitatively. The second part of the research deals with the discussion of how these courses can be best integrated into the existing curricula and thus serve the adequate education of urban planners by providing some concrete ideas.

Spatial structure system of land use along urban rail transit based on GIS spatial clustering

ABSTRACT During the past 30 years of reform and opening up, the level of urbanization in our country has made considerable progress, and more cities have had development conditions of the rail transit. In order to solve various problems caused by urbanization and optimize the allocation of urban resources, in this paper, the significance of spatial planning in big cities was analyzed from the perspective of land space utilization along with the rail transit. Based on GIS spatial clustering mining technology and combined with the basic characteristics of geographic information system, a GIS spatial mining search model that can solve the spatial land use was proposed. Then, by combining the clustering algorithm of some association rules, the land planning and utilization along the urban rail transit were calculated. The actual case was taken to establish the grid elements along with the rail transit, and the GIS spatial clustering algorithm was used to verify the model. The results show that GIS spatial clustering algorithm can effectively verify and calculate urban rail transit land planning programs.

Zagrebačka stanogradnja u prijedlozima planova i generalnim urbanističkim planovima od 1945. do 1990.

Rješenje stambenoga pitanja svakoga člana društva, kao i kvaliteta njegove realizacije, jedan je od ključnih izazova svakoga društva kao cjeline, ali i svakoga političkog sustava. U razdoblju socijalizma to je pitanje jedan od glavnih društvenih i političkih problema, koji se na razini gradova nastojalo riješiti kreiranjem sveobuhvatne stambene politike koja se pokušala ostvariti generalnim urbanističkim planovima i urbanističkim programima. U gradu Zagrebu na toj se problematici radilo kontinuirano u Urbanističkom zavodu grada Zagreba i njegovim pravnim prethodnicima, prije svega preko urbanističkih prijedloga i planova objavljenih 1949., 1953., 1965., 1971. i 1986. godine. Istraživanje se temelji na generalnim urbanističkim planovima Zagreba (regulatorne osnove), jednome programu urbanističkoga razvoja i dva prijedloga urbanističkoga razvoja: Vlado Antolić, „Regulacioni plan i direktivna regulaciona osnova Zagreba” (1949.); Zagreb: direktivna regulatorna osnova Zavoda za urbanizam NOGZ 1953. (1953.); Urbanistički program grada Zagreba: smjernice za razvoj (1965.); Generalni urbanistički plan grada Zagreba: elaborat (1970.); Generalni urbanistički plan grada Zagreba: sažetak (1985.). Ovim se radom nastoji ustanoviti koja su sustavna rješenja predviđena, kakve su bile projekcije razvoja grada i kretanje broja stanovništva te kakva je bila realizacija urbanističkih prijedloga i planova.

“Like a Fish Out of Water”

Problem, research strategy, and findings Many planning practitioners, faculty, and students have worked to address diversity and inclusion. However, only a few studies have examined specifically the ways in which African American and Latinx students perceive and experience instruction related to racial/ethnic diversity and the overall diversity climate as part of their urban planning education. This study, conducted by the Association of Collegiate Schools of Planning (ACSP) Planners of Color Interest Group (POCIG), is based on 451 surveys with urban planning students of all racial/ethnic identities and 14 in-depth interviews with African American and Latinx students. Survey results show that most students report an overall supportive and positive climate for diversity within their programs. Nonetheless, survey data also show differences between African American, Latinx, and White students’ experiences of bias and discrimination. Furthermore, interviews revealed that African American and Latinx students continue to face challenges in urban planning programs. Takeaway for practice The educational training of planners, in general, does not attempt to undo discriminatory practices; instead, these racialized tensions move from the classroom to the workplace. Ultimately, strategies to diversify the planning profession fail because of exclusionary interpersonal and institutional practices. Findings provide insight into how to better support African American and Latinx students in academia and as future practitioners. Results also suggest that greater representation of African American and Latinx students, coupled with mentorship, the creation of counter-spaces, and faculty/staff training on racial microaggressions, could foster more inclusive learning environments in urban planning institutions. Fostering inclusive environments will, in turn, help students learn how to develop healthy relationships with diverse communities. These interpersonal skills likely will translate into a more welcoming workplace and expand opportunities for effectively engaging Latinx and African American communities.

Students’ Enrollments in Urban and Regional Planning Programs and Crossroad to Career in Planning in Nigerian Universities

This study investigated students’ enrollments in Urban and Regional Planning (URP) programs in Nigerian universities. It also explored factors that influenced decisions about URP education. A total of 550 students from nine universities selected across the country participated in the survey. The research revealed that only 46 percent of students applied to study URP. It identified skills acquisition, interest, and career specialization as key factors that influenced students’ choices. Ignorance was identified as a major restraint for the choice of URP. The dominant factor that differentiated between students who chose URP and those that did not was the time of awareness.