Urban Squares Research Articles

What Is My Plaza for? Implementing a Machine Learning Strategy for Public Events Prediction in the Urban Square

Plazas are an essential pillar of public life in our cities. Historically, they have been seen as public fora, hosting public events that fostered trade, interaction, and debate. However, with the rise of modern urbanism, city planners considered them as part of a larger strategic development scheme overlooking their social importance. As a result, plazas have lost their function and value. In recent years, awareness has risen of the need to re-activate these public spaces to strive for social inclusion and urban resilience. Geometric and urban features of plazas and their surroundings often suggest what kinds of usage the public can make of them. In this project, we explore the application of machine learning to predict the suitability of events in public spaces, aiming to enhance urban plaza design. Learning from traditional urbanism indicators, we consider factors associated with the features of the public space, such as the number of people and the high degree of comfort, which are evolved from three subcategories: external factors, geometric shape, and design factors. We acknowledge that the predictive capability of our model is constrained by a relatively small dataset, comprising 15 real plazas in Madrid augmented digitally to 2025 fictional scenarios through self-organising maps. The article details the methods to quantify and enumerate quantitative urban features. With a categorical target variable, a classification model is trained to predict the type of event in the urban space. The model is then evaluated locally in Grasshopper by visualising a parametric verified geometry and deploying the model on other existing plazas worldwide regarding geographical proximity to Madrid, where to share or not the same cultural and environmental conditions. Despite these limitations, our findings offer valuable insights into the potential of machine learning in urban planning, suggesting pathways for future research to expand upon this foundational study.

An attempt at exhausting a place in Shetland: (field)notes from a (very) small island

AbstractIn what follows, I outline the possibility of directly applying Georges Perec's An Attempt at Exhausting a Place in Paris (2010) to the practice of ethnography. Based on 2 weeks of anthropological fieldwork on the remote Shetland Island of Foula, I attempt a translation of Perec's careful observations of an urban square in Paris in the 1970s into the context of an ethnography in this remote, rural location. After outlining the connections between Perec's book and my work as an anthropologist, I provide readers with my “raw” field notes so that they might then draw out their own analysis in the same way that I believe Perec intended his work to be understood.

Urban biodiversity is affected by human-designed features of public squares

Cities are designed primarily for the benefit of humans but also provide habitat for other species. However, understanding how different components of urban vegetation and other features of urban spaces enable different species or species groups to live in the city remains limited. Here we show that, for the City of Munich, designed features of public urban squares strongly determine the occurrence of different species groups. While taxon richness and abundance increased with increasing ‘greenness’ of the square, different taxa responded to different square features, such as the proportion of lawn, the volume of shrubs and the density of trees, as well as the number of people or pets on these squares. Our results highlight that urban design for human needs affects other species that may cohabit these spaces. Consequently, planning strategies for biodiverse cities that aim to enhance human–nature interactions need to be multifaceted, considering the needs of humans and other taxa to create diverse living cities.

Comparative analyses of publicness in urban squares within a diversifying metropolis

AbstractEnsuring publicness and accommodating more diverse human activity in urban public spaces is necessary. This research analyses the relationship between human activities, ownership, and physical features encouraging or discouraging use within the city centre of Dublin (Ireland), a diversifying metropolis experiencing dereliction. Four urban squares were assessed through fieldwork, including direct observation and behavioural mapping. Results indicate that publicness and features encouraging or discouraging use are not directly associated with site ownership. Nor was the presence of nature and landscaping determined by ownership, though it generated microclimates that promoted a higher mix of activities. Implications of going beyond formal definitions of ownership for publicness placed under broader sustainability agendas and recommendations for urban design practice are derived.

Numerical simulation of layout and landscape elements on the thermal environment of urban squares

Extreme urban heat poses significant challenges to the resilience and livability of cities. Urban squares are important open public spaces in cities, serving as main locations for residents' leisure and recreational activities and reflect the identity and cultural background of the cities. Improvement in thermal comfort in urban squares can improve the quality of the urban environment and help mitigate the urban heat island effect. This study developed 18 layout and landscape combination scenarios based on statistical analysis of data from 100 urban squares in regions with hot summers and cold winters. Further, the effectiveness of the proposed design solutions in improving the thermal environment was comprehensively analyzed. The results show that: 1) The block array layout with vegetation, water bodies, and permeable tiles is the most effective scenario, with a PET of 31.84 °C, approaching a comfortable level of heat stress; 2) Among the three layouts, the block array layout optimizes thermal comfort better than the main view entrance layout and main view center layout, and reduces physiological equivalent temperature by 10.51–10.77 °C compared with that of the other two layouts; 3) Scenarios incorporating water bodies provide better optimization effects than those with only trees, even when the total area covered by greenery remains unchanged; and 4) Permeable paving materials with high albedo more effectively improve the thermal comfort. Our results highlight a great potential of comprehensively using multiple landscape strategies to improve outdoor thermal comfort, and provides design basis for enhancing thermal comfort in similar sized urban squares in hot summer and cold winter areas.

Health-Oriented Evaluation and Optimization of Urban Square Space Elderly Suitability: A Case Study of Yiyang City Center

Urban squares are the main place for older adults’ daily activities. The spatial layout of the urban square is not only related to the construction of a healthy city and the equitable distribution of public resources, but also of great significance in enhancing the sense of gain, security, and happiness of older adults. This essay takes “health needs of older adults” as the perspective, and constructs a multi-dimensional evaluation index system of urban square space for elderly suitability in terms of physiological, psychological, and social health. It also takes six urban squares in Yiyang city center as an example and analyzes and evaluates them using GIS network analysis and the entropy weight method. The results of the study show that (1) Yiyang city center squares show the distribution characteristics of “dense in the middle and scattered around”, and the spatial distribution is not balanced, which leads to a small service area. (2) The overall intervention value of urban square space is mainly distributed between 0.291 and 0.710, with an average value of 0.481, and the overall intervention effect of the square is good. The reasons for differences in health interventions for older adults in urban square spaces centered on six aspects: the quality of the square space, the variety and convenience of travel lines, the tidiness of the environment, physical activities, safety, and social interaction. Based on this, this essay proposes three optimization strategies for the renewal of urban squares, the construction of characteristic squares, and the reconstruction of the urban square space system. The aim is to provide a reference for the future design and renewal of the elderly suitability of urban squares, so as to promote the construction of a healthy city.

Discovering the meaning of contemporary urban squares for its users—a case study of Poznan, Poland

The study aims to identify the meanings of urban squares that operate in the minds of their users. Three research methods were used for the study: in-depth individual interviews with ten city square users, a survey using the Computer Assisted Web Interview (CAWI) technique, and an observational study. The qualitative material collected was transcribed and analyzed using NVivo software. The results of the survey were statistically analyzed using SPSS software. The survey results suggest that urban squares are considered in two categories: administrative (in terms of official names that function in documents) and mental (in terms of certain perceptions of squares). Factors that play a role in distinguishing a square from the urban structure are (1) its physical characteristics, (2) its location in the urban structure, and (3) the activities that can be carried out there. The study identified 11 meanings of urban squares. These meanings can co-occur in different configurations. They may also change over time due to spatial changes (temporary or permanent). For most survey participants, using urban squares is important or very important. However, responses in this regard vary significantly by age. The statements of the youngest respondents, between 18 and 39 years of age, are of particular concern. These people were most likely to state that the use of this type of space is unimportant or indifferent to them, which could be a harbinger of a crisis. It is necessary to conduct further research in this area and extend it to other types of urban public spaces.

Testing Strategies for Planting Design in Urban Squares to Improve Human Comfort throughout the Seasons

Green urban squares are essential in densely built neighborhoods and enhance their quality of life. Investment in the greening of urban areas will have a beneficial impact, particularly regarding human thermal comfort. Smaller than parks, squares can be easily spread over the cities and should be part of any neighborhood. While the cooling effect of green squares during hot summer days is increasingly well established, microclimatic assessments during all seasons are still missing. This study aimed to determine whether it is possible to identify an optimal greenery design that maximizes human thermal comfort, as indexed by physiological equivalent temperature (PET), in temperate climates across all seasons. This study employed a “research by design” methodology, utilizing the micrometeorological simulation model ENVI-met to analyze the impact of greenery on PET improvement across different seasons. The objective was to identify the most effective combination of greenery for PET improvement. To achieve these objectives, two urban squares in Munich, Germany were selected. This selection was based on the assumption that typical greening practices, exemplified by the presence of trees, shrubs, and grass, would significantly impact urban squares and their microclimatic effects on human thermal comfort. The small square with a grass surface underneath trees, Alpenplatz, is highly influenced by the surrounding buildings, affecting the sky view factor (SVF), a crucial aspect of the urban environment. Marstallplatz, an open, large square that is not highly affected by urban morphology, was analyzed through simulation scenarios combining grass, shrubs, and trees. The results demonstrate that hot summer days are of primary concern for climate-sensitive urban square design in order to avoid health risks and thus need to be prioritized without compromising comfort for cold days. To attend to both needs, increasing the number of deciduous trees for shading during the day and the amount of grass to enhance air cooling at night are particularly effective. Nevertheless, microclimate design for the spring and autumn periods must also be considered, with the provision of adaptable opportunities for sheltered and sun-exposed spaces.

Evolution of Ural cities at the turn of the 20th–21st centuries

The growth of cities and the transformation of their urban structure reflect the impact of numerous factors: economic, political, social, ideological and others. The Ural region with its concentration of larger cities is among the most urbanised in Russia. The paper explores the urbanistic processes in the Ural region at the turn of the 20th–21st centuries in the context general economic, political and moral factors. The methodological basis of the research rests on the theories of urbanisation and urban development, and the evolutionary approach. The study uses analytical, statistical, and comparative methods. The data for 1989–2022 reflecting the dynamics of urbanistic processes is taken from the Federal State Statistics Service of the Russian Federation. The boundaries of the Ural agglomerations are sourced from the official territorial and strategic planning documents. The findings indicate several trends in the transformation of the Ural settlement system and its urbanistic structure, in particular, a qualitative change of the cities’ industrial structure, a decrease in the employment in industry and a fall in the urban population, intensification of agglomerations processes and population tending to concentrate in larger cities. The indicated processes of deurbanisation and deindustrialisation of the Ural region result in the augmented share of larger cities, greater imbalance between size groups of cities. The paper is the first to describe the Ural Urban Square that encompasses four larger urban agglomerations – Ekaterinburg, Chelyabinsk, Ufa, and Perm. The paper underscores that the Ural Urban Square becomes a place of concentration of investment, human, economic, and social resources, the core of the development of the Ural macroregion and its neighboring territories.

A Systematic Review of Outdoor Thermal Comfort Studies for the Urban (Re)Design of City Squares

In the upcoming period, city squares’ urban redesign will be crucial in achieving sustainable development goals. This study presents a systematic review of OTC-related studies for the urban design of city squares using the PRISMA 2020 methodology. A review included a total of 173 papers from 2001 to 2023. The results identified five study types—clusters based on four pre-defined criteria: study approach, data collection methods, time duration, and primary objectives. The clusters indicate that more than half of all studies are related to the comparison of thermal comfort and heat mitigation measures. Most of the case studies were located in one of three climate zones: temperate oceanic (Cfb) (58 studies), hot summer Mediterranean (Csa) (40 studies), or humid subtropical (Cfa) (28 studies). The most common geometry of the analyzed urban square is medium-sized, is rectangular, and has dominant axel orientation south–north. Also, based on all five clusters, several research gaps were identified, appropriate for future research: the majority of studies related to the traditionally considered climate areas, no typology of urban square geometry configuration based on OTC assessment, and the lack of a local design model for assessing and improving the thermal comfort of city squares.

Diversity, structure, and carbon sequestration potential of the woody flora of urban squares in the Brazilian semiarid region

Diversity, structure, and carbon sequestration potential of the woody flora of urban squares in the Brazilian semiarid region

Evaluation of overall comfort based on combined thermal-acoustic effects in urban squares

Investigating the combined effects of compositive human–environmental factors and developing indices to quantitatively measure environmental quality is essential. In this study, combined thermal-acoustic effects on overall comfort were used to develop evaluation models based on the demand for environmental improvement in severe cold cities, with small-to-medium-sized squares as examples. Parameter analysis was conducted to comprehensively evaluate overall comfort in squares with different spatial forms. Results indicate that thermal and acoustic environments significantly affected the overall comfort and varied with season, accounting for 58.7%–68.2% of the variations in overall comfort. Evaluation results indicated that the distribution of overall comfort was more similar to the sound level because of the significant difference in the acoustic environment. Block orientation, surrounding roads and the length-width ratio of squares were found to have different effects on overall comfort. The results can be applied to the comprehensive evaluation of environmental quality in urban squares.

Exploring the Land Cover Material Interaction of Urban Open Space on the Thermal Comfort of Crowds in High-Temperature Environments and Retrofit Strategies: Two Case Studies in the Nanjing Xinjiekou District

The increased frequency of extreme hot weather events in recent years poses a significant threat to the lives and health of urban residents. Consequently, the thermal comfort of urban open areas has garnered growing attention. The ground material in these urban open areas directly impacts the thermal environment, which significantly influences the comfort of crowds. This study aimed to assess the effect of land cover materials in urban center squares on the thermal comfort of people in high-temperature conditions. Eight types of land cover materials were selected from the two urban squares in the central district of Nanjing Xinjiekou. Physiological equivalent temperature (PET) calculations were performed by measuring the surface temperature, the air temperature, the humidity, and other relevant data to evaluate population thermal comfort. The findings indicated that grass provided the highest thermal comfort, with PET scores ranked as follows, from low to high: grass, permeable bricks, granite, concrete, basalt, bluestone, andesite, and asphalt. Additionally, factors such as color, roughness, and shade within the same material also impacted thermal comfort. Subsequently, using the ENVI-met 5.1 software, surface materials exhibiting superior thermal comfort were simulated for replacement, aiming to confirm the experimental results and propose retrofit strategies for improving urban square thermal comfort by optimizing material selection. The outcomes of this study hold significant implications for urban open space design and the overall well-being of city dwellers. The thermal environment in urban centers during high-temperature conditions can be improved by optimizing the choice of land cover materials in urban open areas, thereby enhancing the comfort of the population.

Geopolitics of Urban Squares: Atmospheric Securitisation and Counterterrorism in Everyday Urban Spaces in Berlin

ABSTRACT In this article, we scrutinise the concept of ‘affective atmosphere’ at the Breitscheidplatz in Berlin, Germany. By unpacking key moments and elements in the Breitscheidplatz’s history, when measures of security and counterterrorism transformed, we investigate how the felt experience of city dwellers and users of the square altered. We argue that the concept of atmosphere, taking the affective dimension of urban life into account, offers an enriching layer of understanding the everyday life in European cities. By focusing on the spatial and affective securitisation that was implemented before and after the attack in 2016, this paper converges everyday urban geopolitics and the concept of affective atmospheres. Bringing together the engagement with experiences of everyday urban life and the atmospheric situation that security and counter-terrorism measure entail in European urban spaces. This paper approximates the felt experience and intangible elements with the help of sensory ethnographies. Shedding light on the aesthetic and sensorial paradoxes of securitisation and counterterrorism measures, hegemonic practices of affective politics and discriminatory spatial expulsion are unravelled.

An Interactive Data-Driven Multiple-Attribute Decision-Making Technique With Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Information for Satisfaction Evaluation of Public Art in Urban Squares

An Interactive Data-Driven Multiple-Attribute Decision-Making Technique With Interval-Valued Intuitionistic Fuzzy Information for Satisfaction Evaluation of Public Art in Urban Squares

Urban Squares Renewal in Promoting Sustainable Urban Prosperity and Low-carbon Transformation: Evidence from Comparisons between Piazzale Loreto and Wujiaochang

Urban Squares Renewal in Promoting Sustainable Urban Prosperity and Low-carbon Transformation: Evidence from Comparisons between Piazzale Loreto and Wujiaochang

Urban Squares within the Framework of Urban Design: Kadıköy Square, Turkey

This article aims to give a comprehensive perspective to the design concept in urban squares, which is the research subject of landscape architecture and related disciplines, and to reveal the criteria in the design process. This research was carried out with the idea of "how to design urban squares as a qualified urban service area?". For the squares to fulfill their functions and be well-functioning urban services, they should be evaluated in the light of various design criteria. In this study, using AHP (Analytical Hierarchy Process), 40 different design criteria were brought together and examined in Kadıköy square in Istanbul. In this context, a multi-criteria design approach has been developed that will enable citizens to spend more of their free time in the squares and to adopt positive feelings in these spaces. By evaluating the research criteria, it was found that 21 criteria were not included in the design process in Kadıköy Square. For this reason, Kadıköy Square is in a low suitability class. The study is seen as a mechanism that shows the unique features of urban squares in the design process and how the squares should be developed in the process of becoming a qualified service area. While studies are emphasizing that the squares in the cities are important open spaces, there are no studies that include concrete criteria that can ensure that the squares are qualified spaces. Bringing together all the criteria related to squares and creating a basis for a multi-criteria design process reveals the value of the study.

Evaluation of Treated Wastewater Quality for Reuse in the Northern Region of Minas Gerais

Objective: This study aims to analyze the quality of effluents treated at three Wastewater Treatment Plants (WWTPs) in the northern region of Minas Gerais, evaluating reuse potential and proposals. Theoretical framework: The practice of reusing sanitary effluents holds significant economic and environmental importance. It conserves water resources allocated for higher priority uses. When assessed and compliant with regulations, effluents become potential water sources for agriculture and urban squares. The trend towards reusing treated effluents presents an alternative to meet water demands that could be satisfied with lower-quality water. Method: The study conducted laboratory analyses of three COPASA MG sewage treatment plants, referred to as WWTPs I, II, and III, between January 2021 and September 2022. Parameters crucial for effluent reuse, including Biochemical Oxygen Demand (BOD), Electrical Conductivity (EC), Hydrogen Potential (pH), Escherichia coli, Sodium Adsorption Ratio (SAR), and viable helminth eggs, were monitored and evaluated. The feasibility of proposed water reuse methods was assessed by analyzing the quality of treated effluents from the three WWTPs, considering that the treatments adhered to the conditions and effluent discharge standards outlined in Joint Normative Decision COPAM and CERH-MG No. 01 of May 5, 2008 (Minas Gerais, 2008), as well as the reuse parameters defined in Normative Decision CERH-MG No. 65/2020 of June 18, 2020 (CERH-MG, 2020). Results and Conclusion: The findings indicate that the effluents treated in the studied WWTPs are suitable for reuse, with potential corrective measures for non-compliant parameters. This allows for irrigation of urban squares, subject to approval by local authorities, and internal irrigation within interested businesses. Research Implications: This approach is highly relevant for fostering discussions on expanding reuse practices and shaping regulations through legislation, norms, and deliberations. Originality: This study stands out due to its in-depth investigation, ensuring a viable water reuse source for localities facing water scarcity, particularly in the northern region of Minas Gerais. This innovative topic, though less explored in literature, is gaining momentum in environmental discourse, thanks to the potential of effluents for agricultural purposes.

A COMPARATIVE STUDY ON THE ROLE OF URBAN SQUARES’ PATH IN SHAPING THE CITY IMAGE OF PAST AND PRESENT ADMINISTRATIVE CAPITALS IN MALAYSIA

The ‘Dataran’ or urban square has been suffering an identity loss as a result from rapid urbanization despite its significance in shaping the city image. The concept of "city image," often referred to as a city's reputation or perception. Even though numerous studies had address different contribution of an urban square, there is only limited information that addresses its role in shaping city image, especially in relation to administrative capital in Malaysia. This paper is vital as it intends to provide emphasis to the actual role of the urban square once again. This study aims to examine the role of urban squares’ path in shaping the city image through observable analysis on past and present administrative capitals in Malaysia; Dataran Merdeka, Kuala Lumpur and Dataran Putra, Putrajaya. The observable analysis will draw attention to two subject matters of paths; Clarity of Access Linkages and Directional Quality. Comparison will be made and the urban square that shows a stronger role in shaping the city image will be determined. Conclusively, it is found out that the urban square with higher clarity in the access linkages and strong directional quality are prone to show stronger role in shaping the city image. Based on the observable analysis, Dataran Putra shows a stronger role in shaping a city image as almost 100% of its’ paths shows clarity in its’ access linkages and form a strong directional quality due to its radial alignment.

Aesthetic atmospheres and their affordances in urban squares

PurposeThis study aims to explore aesthetic atmospheres and their affordances in urban squares to advance knowledge on the research and design of attractive living environments.Design/methodology/approachDescriptions of pleasant and unpleasant experiences of urban squares were collected using qualitative questionnaires with open-ended questions. The theoretical framework and the lens of aesthetic affordances were applied to pinpoint and understand the connections between the place attributes and experiences.FindingsThis study found four distinct aesthetic atmospheres formed by perceived synergies of both the material and immaterial aspects of the environment. It was also found that the atmospheres may shift. A model that shows the aesthetic atmospheres and their potential affordances as layered and emerging is presented.Research limitations/implicationsEveryday aesthetics considered as affordances open new research perspectives for the understanding of what generates attractive living environments – or not.Practical implicationsAesthetics affordances may provide the design professionals and alike means on how to design places that engender specific aesthetic atmosphere.Social implicationsGathering and discussing commonplace aesthetic experiences in everyday life may enhance democratic participation in place development among people with different levels of design expertise.Originality/valueThis study combines theories of place with a novel concept of aesthetic affordances to identify distinct aesthetic atmospheres. A holistic overview structure of how the various constituents of aesthetic atmospheres relate to each other provides new ways of studying and understanding urban aesthetic atmospheres.