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The death and of life great american cities
... The Theory of Urban Complexity, pioneered by Jane Jacobs in 1961, suggests that cities are dynamic, complex systems that interact with various elements and are always self-organizing (Jacobs, 1961). Complexity, Successive Assumption, and ...
... Simplicity are the particularly influential theory concepts, according to Jacobs (Jacobs, 1961). The theory posits that urban systems are not linear but evolve through the interactions between these elements, leading to emergent behaviors and patterns. ...
... Jacobs argued for policies that respect the organic, bottom-up processes that contribute to urban vitality and guide development toward sustainability and inclusivity (Sengupta & Sengupta, 2017). Jacobs's (1961) initial theory implicitly supported environmentally sustainable (X3) urban development, emphasizing compact, mixed-use, pedestrian-friendly neighborhoods. Other scholars have since expanded this assertion to address evolving, contemporary environmental concerns (Ekka et al., 2024). ...
This paper investigates the relationship between smart city initiatives and evolving urbanization trends in the United States. The research addresses the critical issue of rapid urban growth in the U.S. and explores how innovations within the smart city paradigm influence urban development. Utilizing principles from Urban Complexity Theory, this study identifies four key variables relevant to smart cities and their impact on urbanization: smart city technology, government policy, environmental sustainability, and socioeconomic factors. A mixed-method approach, combining quantitative and qualitative methodologies, was employed. A web-based survey (n=50) utilizing a five-point Likert scale was conducted among residents of Manhattan, New York, and Capitol Hill, Seattle. Results indicate that the implementation of smart city technologies is significantly associated with shifts in population density, land use diversification, and enhanced infrastructure dynamics. Additionally, residents demonstrated preferences for smart cities based on efficient urban mobility, environmental sustainability, and personal socioeconomic improvements. The findings highlight essential considerations for urban planners, policymakers, and employers. This study concludes that incorporating the identified influential factors into strategic urban planning optimizes city development to better accommodate growing urban populations.
... Urban design goes beyond aesthetics; it reflects an ongoing dialog between space and sentiment, where the built environment can evoke a wide range of emotional responses (Ewing et al., 2006;Gehl, 2013). Works by prominent researchers such as Jacobs (1961) and Lynch (1964) have significantly contributed to this understanding, emphasizing the importance of vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods and pedestrian-centric designs. Jacobs (1961) highlights how human-centered urban design promote social interaction, safety, and a sense of community, while Lynch (1964) focuses on the psychological and cognitive dimensions of cityscapes, stressing the importance of landmarks, paths, and nodes in creating a city's "imageability. ...
... Works by prominent researchers such as Jacobs (1961) and Lynch (1964) have significantly contributed to this understanding, emphasizing the importance of vibrant, mixed-use neighborhoods and pedestrian-centric designs. Jacobs (1961) highlights how human-centered urban design promote social interaction, safety, and a sense of community, while Lynch (1964) focuses on the psychological and cognitive dimensions of cityscapes, stressing the importance of landmarks, paths, and nodes in creating a city's "imageability. " ...
... These findings align with theories of biophilia (Kaplan and Kaplan, 1989;Ulrich, 1983) and human-centered urban design, which highlight the psychological and restorative benefits of natural and pedestrianfriendly spaces. Conversely, features such as visible sky and fences are linked to negative sentiment, reflecting a preference for balanced and enclosed environments that provide a sense of comfort and safety (Alexander et al., 1977;Jacobs, 1961). This study also contributes to the growing body of research on urban morphology and public sentiment by providing empirical evidence for the role of urban form in shaping emotional responses. ...
Introduction
Understanding how urban environments shape public sentiment is crucial for urban planning. Traditional methods, such as surveys, often fail to capture evolving sentiment dynamics. This study leverages language and vision models to assess the influence of urban features on public emotions across spatial contexts and timeframes.
Methods
A two-phase computational framework was developed. First, sentiment inference used a BERT-based model to extract sentiment from geotagged social media posts. Second, urban context inference applied PSPNet and Mask R-CNN to street view imagery to quantify urban design features, including visual enclosure, human scale, and streetscape complexity. The study integrates publicly available data and spatial simulation techniques to examine sentiment-urban form relationships over time.
Results
The analysis reveals that greenery and pedestrian-friendly infrastructure positively influence sentiment, while excessive openness and fenced-off areas correlate with negative sentiment. A hotspot analysis highlights shifting sentiment patterns, particularly during societal disruptions like the COVID-19 pandemic.
Discussion
Findings emphasize the need to incorporate public sentiment into urban simulations to create inclusive, safe, and resilient environments. The study provides data-driven insights for planners, supporting human-centered design interventions that enhance urban livability.
... Finally, we analyze the keywords provided by the model to better understand which aspect of the SVIs is considered when making a decision. Surprisingly, our findings show an alignment with well-known theories from social science like Jacobs' "Eyes on the Streets" [43] and Wilson and Kelling's "Broken Windows" [44]. ...
... The findings of the network analysis align the linguistic cues in the model's outputs with historical theories from urban criminology and sociology, including Kelling and Wilson's Broken Windows theory [44], Jacobs' Eyes on the Street [43], Newman's Defensible Space theory [46] and Social Disorganization Theory [47,48]. ...
... These clusters align closely with criminological theories, such as Kelling and Wilson's Broken Windows Theory [44]. Furthermore, environments classified as Safe featured keywords like "orderly," "residential," and "well-maintained," supporting Jacobs' Eyes on the Street [43] and Newman's Defensible Space Theory [46]. ...
Understanding how urban environments are perceived in terms of safety is crucial for urban planning and policymaking. Traditional methods like surveys are limited by high cost, required time, and scalability issues. To overcome these challenges, this study introduces Large Multimodal Models (LMMs), specifically Llava 1.6 7B, as a novel approach to assess safety perceptions of urban spaces using street-view images. In addition, the research investigated how this task is affected by different socio-demographic perspectives, simulated by the model through Persona-based prompts. Without additional fine-tuning, the model achieved an average F1-score of 59.21% in classifying urban scenarios as safe or unsafe, identifying three key drivers of perceived unsafety: isolation, physical decay, and urban infrastructural challenges. Moreover, incorporating Persona-based prompts revealed significant variations in safety perceptions across the socio-demographic groups of age, gender, and nationality. Elder and female Personas consistently perceive higher levels of unsafety than younger or male Personas. Similarly, nationality-specific differences were evident in the proportion of unsafe classifications ranging from 19.71% in Singapore to 40.15% in Botswana. Notably, the model's default configuration aligned most closely with a middle-aged, male Persona. These findings highlight the potential of LMMs as a scalable and cost-effective alternative to traditional methods for urban safety perceptions. While the sensitivity of these models to socio-demographic factors underscores the need for thoughtful deployment, their ability to provide nuanced perspectives makes them a promising tool for AI-driven urban planning.
... The current understanding of the concept of smart also includes respect for heritage and strengthening the area's identity, adaptation of monuments, and creation of new, unique, and valuable architecture -being a contemporary icon of the place. Characteristics of these assumptions have been known since antiquity: proper spatial planning, high-quality public spaces, clear urban structure, and spatial order (Jacobs, 1961;Lynch, 1981;Campbell, 1996;Chmielewski, 1996;Ostrowski, 1996;Gehl, 1987Gehl, , 2010Wheeler, Timothy, 2010). Smart solutions can also be found in urban details, such as smart bins, bus stops, or benches that collect information and adapt city services to the needs of residents at a given time. ...
... Założenie takie uwzględnia wykorzystanie technologii informacyjnokomunikacyjnych (ICT) w obszarze monitorowania, analizy, oceny i planowania miasta, co umożliwia inteligentne podejście do miejskich operacji, funkcji, usług i projektów (Kitchin, 2014 dzictwa oraz wzmacnianie tożsamości obszaru, adaptację zabytków, tworzenie nowej architektury unikalnej i wartościowej -będącej współczesną ikoną miejsca. Charakterystyczne dla tych założeń są znane od starożytności: właściwe planowanie przestrzenne, wysokiej jakości przestrzenie publiczne, czytelna struktura urbanistyczna i ład przestrzenny (Jacobs, 1961;Lynch, 1981;Campbell, 1996;Chmielewski 1996;Ostrowski, 1996;Gehl, 1987Gehl, , 2010Wheeler and Timothy, 2010). Rozwiązania smart znajdują się też w detalu urbanistycznym np.: smart śmietniki, przystanki czy ławki, które zbierają informacje oraz dostosowują usługi miejskie do potrzeb mieszkańców w danym okresie. ...
Smart urban solutions are the future critical factors of a city’s resilience, well-being, and sustainable development. They have an essential influence on sustainable development, social awareness, and future eco-friendly trends. Such areas can have an excellent opportunity to become the best exemplary places of innovation that shape the global directions of contemporary public space transformation with dimensions such as social, economic, physical, virtual, and specialized technology. The article aims to compare and show the potential of selected smart public spaces with various functionalities as essential forms of urbanity.
... Healthy urban centers, with many and diverse activities, contribute to city vitality since they have a certain area of influence that can attract people within a large radius (Jacobs, 1961;Bertaud, 2018;Sevtsuk, 2020;Lima et al., 2024). An area with functional retail, more than a means to fulfill the need for goods and services, is important to improve community cohesion (Mazza and Rydin, 1997;Lima et al., 2024). ...
... It is known that the presence of profitable activities contributes to city vitality and community cohesion (Jacobs, 1961;Gehl, 2013;Lima et al., 2024), but to play this function, the commercial center has to be healthy and resilient. Profitable activities take place in the city in a complex process of co-evolution, tending to agglomerate as a network of interdependent agents. ...
The retail and services sectors play a crucial role in urban dynamics and can contribute to urban vitality and community cohesion. Small independent businesses are key elements in the development of a sustainable retail ecosystem and local economy boosting. This study investigates the relationship between plot sizes and the presence of local businesses versus high-capitalized companies in two street sections of Barcelona and São Paulo. It was found that Barcelona’s section has larger plots and a stronger presence of big franchises, suggesting a potential threat to local retailers. On the other hand, São Paulo’s section has smaller plots, with a higher prevalence of local businesses. Findings suggest a correlation between plot size and level of localness in profitable activities. Smaller plots seem to favor local and independent businesses, while bigger plots are related to the dominance of big companies over capital and land.
... The Project for Public Places (2016) describes placemaking as a way of challenging and renovating socio-spatial infrastructures, most notably those inherited from modernist city planners. According to urban activists and sociologists, the functionalist organization of modernist architecture and planning leads to vast stretches of boring, empty, and unsafe green zones, car-dominated cities, and dull residential areas with scarce public space (Jacobs, 1961;Sennett, 2018). Jacobs (1961) was especially critical of the idea that cities could be designed on a drawing board. ...
... According to urban activists and sociologists, the functionalist organization of modernist architecture and planning leads to vast stretches of boring, empty, and unsafe green zones, car-dominated cities, and dull residential areas with scarce public space (Jacobs, 1961;Sennett, 2018). Jacobs (1961) was especially critical of the idea that cities could be designed on a drawing board. She analyzed the many desolate and violent places that resulted from such utopian city-making and, in contrast, described the richness of neighborhoods that developed organically, bottom up, with little interference from urban planners. ...
Despite a strong participatory discourse on the healthy city movement, researchers and activists indicate that low‐income groups and city areas often are excluded from participatory urban development and do not benefit from healthy city policies. To better understand the challenges that citizens who promote a healthy urban environment in low‐income areas face, we analyzed the infrastructural work of a citizens’ initiative. We focused on their building of a socio‐material infrastructure in an empty park surrounded by neighborhoods the municipality and other organizations classified as problematic in multiple ways. The infrastructural work consisted of experiments to attract new publics; regular work to revive a neglected garden; and negotiations with the municipality about new trees, natural play elements, and other additions to the park. However, residents’ work was thwarted by institutional control over the neighborhood public and by unreliable bureaucratic interactions that resulted in endless waiting, adaptations, and failures. In this setting, citizens adjusted their infrastructural work by establishing new alliances and engaging in “garden diplomacy” to maintain constructive relationships and a hopeful perspective. The work citizens do to make new local publics should be acknowledged. Moreover, institutional obduracy and bureaucratic ambiguities form a hostile environment for citizen participation. We characterize this hostile environment as shaped by a “residual realism” that reproduces problem neighborhoods. We end with our contribution to a co‐constructionist approach to public participation.
... We think this is the wrong frame with which to look at prosocial activities. There is no evidence that simply having prosocial activities on a street will reduce crime, although some scholars have argued that informal social controls will be heightened when there are 'eyes on the street' (Jacobs, 1961; see also Eck et al., 2023;Linning and Eck, 2021). Residents of such places cannot solve serious crime problems on their own. ...
Numerous studies emphasise that crime hot spots are antisocial activity nodes where disorder and crime are prevalent. However, researchers to date have not considered prosocial activities at crime hot spots, and how such activities compare to those at other streets in a city. We examine both antisocial and prosocial activities at crime hot spots and non-hot spots using unique quantitative and qualitative data collected in Baltimore City, Maryland, USA. We find, not surprisingly, that crime hot spots are places where antisocial activities such as adults loitering, people smoking tobacco, signs of drug activities and loud noise are much more common than on non-hot spot streets. However, we also find that crime hot spots evidence much higher levels of prosocial activities, including children playing outside, adults out on the street with their children or groups of adults socialising outside. These outcomes remain after taking into account a series of possible confounding factors. In concluding, we argue that scholars and practitioners need to reconsider how they imagine life at crime hot spots if they are to fully understand and prevent crime in urban areas. While crime and other antisocial activities tell part of the story at crime hot spots, it is not the whole story, and failing to recognise this hinders our ability to understand crime hot spots, as well as our efforts to improve them.
... These neighborhoods experienced a renaissance in subsequent years. Jacobs' book, The Death and Life of Great American Cities (Jacobs, 1961), was a powerful rebuttal to Moses' mode of thinking, and her actions provided a convincing argument against his mode of operating ("Story of cities #32," 2016). ...
Since the advent of automobiles, cities have shifted their paradigm significantly, prioritizing isolation
over connectivity by allowing cars to dominate the cities. Unfortunately, conventional traffic and
roadway design standards have largely catered to this paradigm, often applying automobile-dependent
one-size-fits-all standards regardless of the specific urban context. Consequently, many cities and
neighborhoods have lost their distinctive character and identity. This paper briefly delves into the
historical reasons behind and elaborates specific examples of how prevailing traffic and roadway design
standards have prioritized streets as conduits for cars, often neglecting the creation of walkable cities
and communities that foster a strong sense of place. Furthermore, human-centric design is also
discussed to improve the overall urban experience and promote sustainability and equity in
transportation systems. Moreover, this paper explores myths about technology, which has been a
supposed panacea to rectify mobility problems in recent years. Technology acts as a catalyst, but having
a strong foundation is essential for a truly smart city. Applying technology without a solid foundation
using conventional traffic engineering and roadway design standards can exacerbate existing issues. A
genuine smart city focuses on design ideas that encompass place-making, ecology, culture, and history
while emphasizing connectivity, community engagement, transit, and walkability. Using superficial
technological improvements without addressing the underlying problems is comparable to trying to
enhance something fundamentally flawed, resulting in an ineffective and mismatched solution. we can
harness the potential of technology while ensuring that it serves as a tool to enhance, rather than
overshadow, the well-being of individuals and the vitality of urban communities.
... The qualitative analysis of the urban environment has been at the core of Planning and Urban Design activities from their origin involving the regulatory framework, the social, political, and economical forces driving the processes and trying to question where quality lies. The definition of urban spatial structure is based on the spatial morphology and intensity of residents' activities (Jacobs, 2010). However, some studies highlighted the prevalent role of socio-economic issues and the differences that may arise locally depending on the geographic and climatic conditions which may also affect the socio-cultural background (Talen et al., 2015;Xiong et al., 2016), (Zhang et al., 2024), (Taubenböck et al., 2020), (Ayhan & Mert Cubukcu, 2010), (Bechtel et al., 2006). ...
Understanding crowd behavior aids policymaking to foster livability and sustainability in cities. Spatial forms of the built environment can influence the way people use urban areas, thus exploring the correlation between them is increasingly deemed a useful support to address new city development or existing neighborhood regeneration. The study goal is to investigate the dynamic relationship between urban spatial morphology and crowd's spatiotemporal behavior, exploiting the potential of multi-source big data collection and integration. Hierarchical clustering and geographic distribution measurement are used to this end, and geographically weighted regression models are used to test their dynamic relationship, adopting Lhasa, China, as test-bed site.
Findings show that in Lhasa both the intensity and fluctuation level of crowd activities follow the “core agglomeration to peripheral weakening” pattern in the spatial distribution. The spatial form index can explain a large portion of the spatial heterogeneity of crowd spatiotemporal behavior, showing minimal temporal variation but significant spatial variation. Building density, building height, functional density, and functional mix positively impact crowd behavior, while plot ratio exerts a negative effect. Outcomes of this methodology could be highly relevant to understand how people behave in cities according to spatial forms, and lesson-learned can be derived accordingly to act as strategic guidance in urban growth.
... 요소, 즉 도시시설물과 생활안전 사이에 어떤 밀접한 관계가 내재되어 있으며 (Jacobs, 1961) (Fig. 7). ...
This study analyzed the disaster prevention plan of an activation plan for urban regeneration project sites with high safety vulnerabilities. The study aimed to identify the factors that could increase safety awareness during the chief spatial planning and commercialization stages. The factor analysis conducted by experts was categorized into four types of safety factors: friendly comprising rain gardens, green areas, rooftop greening, small trickles, rainwater storage, and rainwater catchments; technical comprising intelligent fire hydrants, smart shades, smart poles, insulated floor paving, and wall greening; structural comprising aging sign maintenance, floor heating, floor maintenance, underground wiring, and stair maintenance; and facility comprising safety fences and screening. Based on these results, cognitive safety factors should be applied during the urban regeneration planning stage to respond proactively to disasters, while improving outdated living environments.
... Public spaces shape people's interactions with the environment and emotional connections through spatial configurations (Audirac, 1999). Pioneering scholars, including Jacobs (1961), Gehl (1971) and Whyte (1980) have explored relationships between outdoor behaviour, user perceptions, and spatial imagery. Their research often relied on qualitative methods such as interviews, case studies, and field observations, has provided foundational insights into the design and functionality of urban public spaces (Gehl and Svarre, 2013). ...
Housing estates serve as hubs for the daily lives and social interactions of a substantial proportion of urban residents worldwide. A comprehensive analysis of spatial activity patterns within these areas can lead to a better understanding of residents' quality of life, and more human-centric urban planning and management strategies. As digital Computer Vision-based tools enable a significantly higher precision and efficiency of movement and activity detection compared to traditional survey-based methods, new forms of complex urban space analysis are emerging. This study developed a multi-camera pedestrian trajectory tracking method capable of mapping time-based behavioural patterns. Using video recordings and field observations from a case study housing estate in Hong Kong, the development focused on enhancing the accuracy and stability of digital tools, documenting micro-social processes and collective spatial patterns of behaviour. Using various techniques for quantitative analysis and data visualisation, the study demonstrates how human activity tracking can enable the spatial analysis of social interaction and placemaking processes. The case study research in Hong Kong's distinctive urban landscape supports further research on high-density urban public spaces, contributing to planning and urban design strategies aimed at enhancing urban residents' daily lives.
... This should lead Autism researchers to consider the insights of those who have written extensively about the means by which we can shape spaces that support "bridging" relationships between acquaintances and strangers. Ever since Jane Jacobs' seminal The Death and Life of Great American Cities 65 , researchers examining the impact of the built environment on neurotypical social interactions have argued that "bumping spaces" (unintentional encounters) and "gathering places" (for intentional places to meet) are intimately connected to living well 65,66 . But these insights have until now been overlooked in the autism literature, which focuses almost exclusively on Autistic people's own proclivityor supposed lack thereoffor community participation. ...
A diverse portfolio of social relationships matters for people’s wellbeing, including both strong, secure relationships with others (‘close ties’) and casual interactions with acquaintances and strangers (‘weak ties’). Almost all of autism research has focused on Autistic people’s close ties with friends, family and intimate partners, resulting in a radically constrained understanding of Autistic sociality. Here, we sought to understand the potential power of weak-tie interactions by drawing on 95 semi-structured interviews with Autistic young people and adults conducted during the COVID-19 pandemic. We analysed the qualitative data using reflexive thematic analysis within an essentialist framework. During the COVID-19 lockdowns, Autistic people deeply missed not only their close personal relationships but also their “incidental social contact” with acquaintances and strangers. These weak-tie interactions appear to serve similar functions for Autistic people as they do for non-autistic people, including promoting wellbeing. These findings have important implications both for future research into Autistic sociality and for the design of practical services and supports to enhance Autistic people’s opportunities to flourish.
... Contemporary research on renovation builds upon foundational works by Jane Jacobs [4], Christopher Alexander [5], Jan Gehl [6], and other authors [7][8][9][10][11][12] concerned with the relationship between architecture and human well-being. This is evidenced by the focus on the social impact of renovation. ...
... 2 Literature Review J. Jacobs, author of The Death and Life of Great American Cities [Jacobs(1993)], was among the first to focus on urban vitality, highlighting elements such as urban density, land use diversity, and urban planning. Jacobs criticizes modern city planning for large-scale developments that prioritize structural expansion over the needs and scale of human interaction. ...
City leaders face critical decisions regarding budget allocation and investment priorities. How can they identify which city districts require revitalization? To address this challenge, a Current Vitality Index and a Long-Term Vitality Index are proposed. These indexes are based on a carefully curated set of indicators. Missing data is handled using K-Nearest Neighbors imputation, while Random Forest is employed to identify the most reliable and significant features. Additionally, k-means clustering is utilized to generate meaningful data groupings for enhanced monitoring of Long-Term Vitality. Current vitality is visualized through an interactive map, while Long-Term Vitality is tracked over 15 years with predictions made using Multilayer Perceptron or Linear Regression. The results, approved by urban planners, are already promising and helpful, with the potential for further improvement as more data becomes available. This paper proposes leveraging machine learning methods to optimize urban planning and enhance citizens' quality of life.
... Yet, generative models frequently default to learned global priors, potentially reproducing biases or neglecting local cultural markers (Hanna et al., 2024;Jin et al., 2024;Kirk et al., 2024;Sorensen et al., 2024). Our LIVS dataset is explicitly curated to capture local, intersectional preferences in a domain where the geometry, aesthetics, and sociocultural elements of a public space are all crucial (Jacobs, 1961;Gehl & Svarre, 2013;Mitrašinović & Mehta, 2021;Conitzer et al., 2024;Guridi et al., 2024;Dubey et al., 2024;Agnew et al., 2024). This approach aids in systematically evaluating how T2I alignment can be guided by multiple, sometimes conflicting, user-defined criteria. ...
We introduce the Local Intersectional Visual Spaces (LIVS) dataset, a benchmark for multi-criteria alignment of text-to-image (T2I) models in inclusive urban planning. Developed through a two-year participatory process with 30 community organizations, LIVS encodes diverse spatial preferences across 634 initial concepts, consolidated into six core criteria: Accessibility, Safety, Comfort, Invitingness, Inclusivity, and Diversity, through 37,710 pairwise comparisons. Using Direct Preference Optimization (DPO) to fine-tune Stable Diffusion XL, we observed a measurable increase in alignment with community preferences, though a significant proportion of neutral ratings highlights the complexity of modeling intersectional needs. Additionally, as annotation volume increases, accuracy shifts further toward the DPO-tuned model, suggesting that larger-scale preference data enhances fine-tuning effectiveness. LIVS underscores the necessity of integrating context-specific, stakeholder-driven criteria into generative modeling and provides a resource for evaluating AI alignment methodologies across diverse socio-spatial contexts.
... A suitable approach to address potential limitations is to gradually and systematically open up. Residents sauntering in communities may offer "street eye and neighborhood surveillance" [65]. Additionally, the widespread presence of surveillance cameras in Chinese cities also contributes to a sense of security for families. ...
An important aspect of a well-designed urban form is supporting active school travel by adolescents, as it has positive effects on physical activity, healthy lifestyles, and reducing vehicle-related carbon emissions. To achieve this, it is necessary to provide sufficient shading and fewer detours on home–school routes, especially in an era of frequent heatwaves. Analyzing the school travel environment at the city scale is essential for identifying practical solutions and informing comprehensive urban policy-making. This study proposes a framework for investigating, assessing, and intervening in home–school routes in Nanjing, China, emphasizing a dual assessment of commuting routes based on the pedestrian detour ratio and shading ratio. This work reveals that approximately 34% of middle school households in Nanjing face challenges in walking to and from school, with only 24.18% of walking routes offering fewer detours and sufficient shade. We advocate reengineering urban forms by reducing barriers to facilitate shortcuts, thereby providing school-age students with better access to cooler and healthier environments, aiming to promote walking and reduce car dependence. The findings may encourage more families to engage in active commuting and serve as a lever to drive school decarbonization and combat climate warming. Our work, with transferability to other cities, can assist urban designers in piloting urban (re)form incrementally and pragmatically to promote sustainable urban agendas.
... It is also worth noting the study of the urban planning component of the issue, which is the most complex for understanding, as it considers the entire system of different urban areas comprehensively and indivisibly, namely the works of M. Gusev [9], К. Lynch [24], І. Stetsyuk [28]. Of great importance are theoretical works on the transport component in addressing the issues of joint use of urban areas by pedestrians, cyclists, and vehicles, carried out by М. Harbar [6], the socio-economic component -in the works of J. Jacobs [13], W. Whyte [33], L. Wirth [32], М. Storper [29], the aesthetic and emotional-cognitive component in the transformation and development of urban spaces -in the studies of М. Lydon and Е. Garcia [23], J. Lerner [15], C. Day [5], P. Nas [25], as well as universal design issues -in the article by U. Ile and L. Bergmane [11]. The work of G. Simmel [27] should be singled out separately, in which he considers urban space as a set of symbolic points that are saturated with a certain social meaning and are a place of localization of relations between people and information exchange. ...
According to the defined aim of the article, the methodology for the comprehensive transformation of unused degrading landscaped urban areas is proposed, based on the determination of a qualitative indicator of their existing state – the degrees of their historical and architectural value and destruction. The corresponding possible restorative (preserving and restoring) and reconstructive (renewing and transforming) methods of transformation depending on the degrees of value and destruction of a certain area are determined. The most effective combinations of various restorative and reconstructive methods for the realization of comprehensive transformation at different system levels – urban planning, volumetric, and functional, for unused degrading landscaped urban areas, depending on combinations of initial degrees of their historical and architectural value and destruction, are proposed. The principles of the comprehensive transformation of degrading landscaped urban areas, such as “cumulative development”; “contextual complementation”; “attractive spatial disclosure” and “multi-comfort” are formulated. Combinations of planning, volumetric-spatial, and functional transformation of urban space techniques are identified, which reveal the proposed principles, reinforcing each other’s action, and make it possible to effectively recover and improve the quality of abandoned urban space, make it active and attractive for people with different preferences and capabilities. Approbation of the put-forward theoretical provisions in the concept of transformation and development of the degrading area along Pogulyanka Street in L’viv was carried out, which confirmed the effectiveness of the proposed methodology.
... With the shift in tourism from sightseeing to experience, the concept of "slow travel" has taken root in people's minds, and increasingly visitors are willing to experience the local urban culture during their city tours (Giddy & Hoogendoorn, 2018). Streets are carriers of a city's appearance and image (Bi et al., 2021), serving as an important organ of the city and part of its urban built environment (Jacobs, 1961). They reflect the city's unique historical and cultural background and natural climatic conditions. ...
Streets play a crucial role in urban tourism. This study examines the impact of urban street landscape color characteristics on visitors’ emotional perceptions, providing insights for landscape planning. Focusing on Xi'an's inner-third ring road area, we use Full Convolutional Neural Network (FCN) and Random Forest (RF) algorithms to create an visitors’ emotional perception dataset of street images. Machine learning techniques are employed to extract color features, construct quantitative color indexes, and visualize them spatially. Key findings include: (1) A spatial pattern where perceptions of beautiful and lively increase and depressing decreases from city centers, suggesting similarities between visitors' and residents' emotional responses; (2) A complex, non-linear relationship between color features and emotional perception, with optimal responses at color complexity 0.86 and coordination 0.84; (3) More pronounced color characteristics positively affect visitor emotions under non-routine conditions. Theoretically, this study confirms that vibrant environments enhance visitor experiences. Methodologically, it extends tourism studies by integrating streetscape big data and machine learning, moving beyond traditional text-based analysis. The results offer city managers valuable insights into visual preferences for streetscapes, aiding in the optimization of urban landscape design.
... Various urban and humanitarian studies have delved into examining the relationship between humans and their environment and how the spatial configuration of street networks in the built environment can influence pedestrian experience, behavior, and natural movement [36]. Urban pioneers such as Jacobs [37], Gehl [38], Whyte [39], Appleyard [40], Ittelson [41], Altman [42], Luwin [43], and Cullen [44] have addressed the challenges generated by automobile-driven developments, demonstrating the need for pedestrian-oriented alternatives (Table 3). ...
Saudi Arabia has developed initiatives to transform wide street median islands into vibrant linear gardens that enhance city aesthetics, pedestrian safety, and social cohesion. Despite the significance of these spaces, urban designers often focus on physical aspects (Pedestrian Quality Needs) while ignoring social ones (Users’ Needs) which lead to the deterioration of these spaces, weakening their capability to create a positive user experience. This research aims to bridge the gap between the two aspects and highlight the potential of transforming street median islands into friendly linear spaces. The researcher conducts structured experts’ questionnaires to analyze the pedestrians’ needs and measure the impact of PQN attitudes on them to indicate the most effective indicator needed for each need. Additionally, a quantitative technique using the Statistical Package for the Social Sciences was employed to verify and weigh the importance of the PQN indicators that contribute to developing the suggested integrated framework. This framework is developed to be used for evaluating and improving the performance of these spaces. The study findings emphasize the importance of considering PQN and their impact on creating livable street median islands. Moreover, the results highlight the most effective design considerations to ensure the success of these spaces in generating social sustainability.
... In the book "Digital Ethology: Human Behavior in Geospatial Context," particularly in the chapter "How Cities Influence Social Behavior," these factors' profound impacts on residents' lives are explored (Balsa-Barreiro and Menendez 2024). Welldesigned urban green spaces optimize spatial use and significantly enhance residents' happiness and sense of belonging by shaping behavior patterns and social interactions (Jacobs 1961). ...
The rehabilitation landscape of community parks plays a significant role in the physical and mental health of urban residents, social interaction, improvement of the ecological environment, and the sustainable development of cities. This research applies the Grey Statistical Technique (GST) combined with the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP) model to establish an evaluation system for landscape assessment. The system is constructed based on three dimensions: physical rehabilitation, psychological rehabilitation, and spiritual rehabilitation. The GST method is utilized to screen and select evaluation indicators, while the AHP method is employed to construct the landscape evaluation system and calculate the weights of each indicator. The results are as follows: (1) Out of the 30 indicator factors, 13 were not selected through the GST method. (2) The weights of the criteria layer, from highest to lowest, are as follows: physical rehabilitation (D1) with a weight of 0.6370, psychological rehabilitation (D2) with a weight of 0.2583, and spiritual rehabilitation (D3) with a weight of 0.1047. (3) The highest and lowest values in the indicator layer are as follows: D1 (P14: illumination duration 0.2359, P17: hydrological conditions 0.0197); D2 (P21: sense of security 0.1433, P23: human-environment interaction 0.0162); D3 (P34: sense of pleasure 0.0400, P36: aesthetic value 0.0045). This research reduces the subjectivity in the evaluation indicators and provides valuable guidance for the design of rehabilitation landscapes in community parks.
The introductory chapter begins by recounting challenges to, and limitations of, relying solely on positivist approaches to studying policy. Social phenomena, particularly those encountered in the world of public policy, revolve around contested meanings, which require an interpretive approach. Several real-world examples are used to describe the pursuit of interpretive policy analysis.
Urban concentration and economic agglomeration have played an important role in development processes along the last century and were associated with population growth in recent times, suggesting the rising importance of local (non-economic) drivers. The largest metropolitan regions, however, seem to deviate from this path and adhere to more individual expansion models. Territorial characteristics may also influence such paths, suggesting how metropolitan growth is broadly heterogeneous and almost unpredictable. Understanding the intimate mechanisms of metropolitan growth means to seriously consider some active constraints to urban expansion such as the available land to building, the peculiarity of some local contexts, demographic frictions (e.g. because of aging), and regional planning. When regions plan to mitigate ecological and socioeconomic risk for resident populations, sustainability and resilience targets should be regarded as intrinsically associated with metropolitan expansion. Based on these premises, the present chapter provides a brief review of theoretical approaches and practical applications alimenting a ‘resilience debate’ with a specific focus on urban affairs. The ability to adapt to economic/technological change—affecting evolutionary dynamics of regional economies—was intended as a primary key to face with sociopolitical challenges and the demanding request for sustainable development and environmental quality preservation in metropolitan regions.
Navarrete-Hernandez et al. (2021) underscore the connection between the use of public spaces and individual well-being, highlighting benefits such as community integration, a sense of belonging, and enhanced mental health (Anderson et al., 2017; Cattell et al., 2008; Giddings et al., 2011). Despite these advantages, concerns persist regarding the exclusion of certain groups, particularly women, from public spaces (Cattell et al., 2008; Soraganvi, 2017). This disparity in access to public spaces is influenced by various factors, including gender, age, ethnicity, abilities, and social backgrounds (Garcia-Ramon et al., 2004; Jabareen et al., 2019; Williams et al., 2020).
Women often face feelings of insecurity when navigating public spaces, impacting their freedom of movement and psychological well-being (Ratnayake, 2013). This fear of insecurity can lead to women avoiding outdoor activities, thereby diminishing the vibrancy of urban areas (Blobaum & Hunecke, 2005). To address these challenges, a range of architectural and urban planning strategies has been proposed (Dymen & Ceccato, 2012; Harvey et al., 2015; Gargiulo et al., 2020; Jorgensen et al., 2002).
This paper explores various approaches to codesigning public open spaces to address women's perceptions of safety and security as a bottom-up approach. Through the presentation of findings from visual narratives, mapping, and surveys, the paper advocates for urban planning strategies that prioritize women's safety. By contributing to the academic conversation on gender-sensitive urban planning, the research underscores the practical significance of its findings in fostering safer and more inclusive public spaces in Leeds.
Our task in this article is to investigate selective permeability in the city of Busan in South Korea. Drawing on Gibson's tenet that perception organizes around "affordances" or action possibilities, the selective permeability model suggests that a single setting can be objectively supportive or hostile to different individuals. Embodied pragmatists and phenomenologists influenced Gibson, and we explore how factors like cultural habits, language, gender, age, geographical topography, and built form in Busan combine to alter bodily comportment so that action-closing "negative affordances" can manifest to one individual but not another. This, in turn, may make one stay in or retreat from Busan or places in it. For example, there is evidence that middle-aged Russian-speaking men experience greater safety-and thus freedom of movement-in some areas of Busan, as compared to younger Russian-speaking men, not to mention women. Throughout, we follow Dewey's lead in adopting what might be called "constructive realism," which holds that changes, once introduced to the world by human actors, are concretely there independently of any single observer—a position that weighs against dismissing inconsistent impressions of an urban setting as mere psychological projections
This research observes the evolution of the role of public space in the city of Durrës, Albania. The work studies the dynamic political and historical transformations shaping its evolution over the past century through an urban lens. The goal is to understand the relationship between public spaces and social patterns, the interplay between planned and unplanned design, and how people use the space and respond to these changes. These insights can help identify recurring issues and risks in public space planning and future urban development.
The study is divided into two sections: historical and contemporary. By examining the historical and cultural significance of each era, the main public space typologies of each are identified and can be compared. A gradual transition from organically formed public spaces towards structured, planned ones is observed over time. However, informal public spaces persist, highlighting the impact of cultural heritage. This transition is analysed to understand its causes, effects, and the challenges it addresses or creates.
The study identifies patterns in the loss, adaptation, and use of public spaces through urban analysis, historical mapping, photographic documentation, and surveys. The main public spaces of the contemporary city are examined through their defining challenges. Patterns of misuse, underuse, and overuse often show the same or similar causes, even in different public space types. The main issues include the privatization of public land, commercial intrusion, identity loss, absence of climate sensibility and lack of accessibility. On the other hand, positive aspects are most evident in multifunctional or open public spaces, areas of historical significance, spaces shaped by practices, and those with close ties to nature.
By analysing the evolution of Durrës' urban fabric and assessing current challenges, and opportunities of public spaces in Durrës, this research provides insights for urban planners, policymakers, and scholars. It aims to contribute to developing more inclusive, adaptive, and resilient public spaces.
Urban design lies on the confluence of variety of disciplines and professions and highlights experiential qualities of cities in three dimensions (3D). Urban designers typically analyze cities with images and plan representations, representations of street frontages and street sections as representation of the "city on eye level". This paper looks at the literature in urban morphology and urban design theory to discuss three main paradigms for analyzing streetscapes and public spaces: images, street frontages and street pro(file)xemics that dominate urban design as research and professional field. It furthermore discusses eclectic approaches and creates a collaged streetscape representation as a drawing board for urban designers recommending an eclectic fusion of morphological theories as džukela urbanism. Džukela (mongrel) is an "ursprache" word for a street dog on the Balkans that is typically a tough, rough and sturdy mix of dog breeds. As eclectic, džukela or mongrel incorporates the meanings of dirty and impure together with its perseverance, variety and longevity. Urban design can be understood as "a mongrel discipline" and urban designers as eclectics. Urban designers faced with theoretical and practical considerations and urban problems can follow the eclectic approaches and theories to develop methods to better analyze streetscapes and public spaces.
The study presented is part of a broader research on women, city, and everyday life funded by the National Council of Humanities, Sciences, and Technologies (CONAHCYT) of Mexico and the Observatory of Cities of Tecnologico de Monterrey, carried out in collaboration between these three institutions: Universidad de Guadalajara, Tecnologico de Monterrey, and Universidad Autonoma de Guadalajara. When we talk about cities from a gender perspective, proximity is an indispensable value. Women have the difficult task of reconciling the role and times of care with their productive work and the rest of their daily activities. Thinking about a reorganization of urban space from a neighborhood scale means supporting care tasks, favoring the creation of support networks and making the use of time more efficient, which would also allow a more equitable distribution of these tasks, leading to the construction of more inclusive cities and societies. The crises that cross contemporary times, accentuated by the recent global pandemic, have increased reflection on these issues: “the quarter-hour city”, a concept coined by Carlos Moreno in 2015 and taken up by Mayor Anne Hidalgo as an urban proposal for the city of Paris has become the foundation of a new paradigm of sustainability and quality of life. The objective of this chapter is to argue and propose the construction of a methodology for qualitative analysis at the neighborhood scale that allows measuring proximity from a gender perspective. As part of the results and future applications of this study, the possibility of allowing new mappings of the territory through qualitative measurements of proximity is envisaged.
Environmental criminology and urban planning literature acknowledge the link between neighborhood permeability and crime patterns, yet consensus eludes discussions about the precise impacts of population mobility. In this study, we enhance permeability measurement by detailing the direction of population flow through fine-scale mobility data analysis on the census tract level for outflow and inflow measurements. We collect and analyze the relationship between mobility flow and crime incidents, including aggravated assault, burglary, motor vehicle theft, and robbery in Houston during 2019. Our findings indicate a positive correlation between population outflow and inflow and all crime types examined while controlling for other factors. Notably, the effect of population outflow surpasses that of population inflow across all crime models. In line with existing literature, we observe a positive association between concentrated socioeconomic disadvantage, residential instability, and crime risk in the study area. Drawing on insights from environmental criminology theories, especially routine activity theory and social disorganization theory, this study contributes to the existing literature by enhancing the measurement of travel mobility and its directions under community permeability. The results provide insight into how population mobility influences crime resilience with fine-scale geographic patterns. The findings underscore the importance of distinguishing between direction-specific measurements when considering environmental permeability within crime-place research models.
The important role that the presence of people, especially residents, in place-time might play in controlling crime has been noted by several theoretical perspectives. The empirical challenge has been measuring the numbers of people in place-time. Recent technological advances provide the locations of individuals each time they use their mobile phones to access applications. Activity patterns offer the information necessary to classify devices as belonging to residents or nonresidents. This research examines how dynamic resident and nonresident population are separately related to crime (assault, theft, and vandalism) in micro area units across four different within-day periods (morning, day, evening, and night) controlling for racial heterogeneity, poverty levels, residential mobility, 311 calls related to disorder, and land use.
We find no statistically significant relationship between resident population except for increased odds of an assault in the night period. Nonresident population is significantly related to increased odds of an assault (all times) and a theft (all times except night). Increased odds of a vandalism incident are present only in the evening period. The importance of nonresidents in our work suggests the need to disaggregate the classification into theoretically relevant categories such as place managers and other frequent users of places.
In the city center, the need to make urban routes pedestrian-oriented in these areas of the cities is felt; at the same time, many pedestrian development projects face new challenges in urban development after implementation. One of these issues is paying attention to the "concept of place" in the creation of pedestrian-oriented routes in the course of their place-making. Therefore, the current research aims to forecast the location indicators before the implementation of the sidewalk in urban routes. The research method is a combination of qualitative and quantitative with a structural-interpretive approach. In the first stage, the presentation of location indicators from among the location models was discussed in combination with finding the location indicators of sidewalks in previous studies using the VOS viewer method. Then, using the Delphi method and Micmac structural analysis, it was shown that the indicators of links, spatial connectivity and readability are the most influential direct variables and event variables, the diversity of strata and the presence of tourists are the most influential components in the future of street pavement construction. Takhti, Shariati, Shohada and Baba-Taher are in Hamedan city. The findings show the relationship between spatial and physical structure factors and their impact on social factors. Also, the results indicate that in the analysis of the spatial structure by means of Space Syntax, Shariati Street has a higher number of readability that comes from the relationship between the values of integrity and connection; It has better conditions to be pedestrian-oriented from the "concept of place" dimension than the other three streets.
There is substantial discourse around the benefits of active transportation, both to cities and to those that inhabit them, yet literature is less forthcoming about the way in which these benefits may be reliably captured. It is on this background that this study examines the potential of active modes of transportation to providing valuable physical activity for Nigerian urban dwellers. The study confirms the physical inactivity of Nigerian cities as there were records of prevalence of death due to physical inactivity-related Non-Communicable Diseases (NCDs). This paper provides a broad overview of a wide ranged benefits of walking and cycling to activating the Nigerian cities. Regretfully, the car-centric planning paradigm, lack of infrastructure for active transportation and lack of provision for pedestrians in the master plan are major deterrents. Therefore, the study recommends effective urban planning and design, provision of convenient, safe, and connected walking and cycling infrastructure, government policies and public campaigns and enlightenment programs.
This research aims to explore and answer the question of what sustainable urban patterns are and how a computer can help urbanists generate a range of urban patterns that can be evaluated for sustainability. It does that in the case study area in Belgrade by employing the concepts of transect urbanism and parametric design. First, the research defines the concept of sustainable density and links it to the concept of urban transects to identify sustainable urban patterns. These are later used to generate evaluation-ready results through an evolutionary algorithm. The goal is to sustainably connect the areas of Zemun with the area of New Belgrade, which have different densities and morphological patterns. The generated results were evaluated using both quantitative criteria (Floor area ratio) and qualitative criteria (Granularity, Building volumes and Urban structure) to identify the most suitable computer-generated results. The two assessments used in conjunction allowed for a more rounded evaluation of the possible outcomes and a better understanding of possible scenarios and strategies for development.
This article introduces the concept of “sensual urbanism” as a critical intervention in urban theory, challenging the dominant paradigm of hypersexuality in urban discourse. While acknowledging the valuable insights gleaned from critiques of hypersexual urbanism—particularly regarding objectification and exclusion in public spaces—we argue that this narrow focus often reduces the complexity of urban experiences to overt sexuality, neglecting the multifaceted sensory dimensions that shape social connections and everyday life. Drawing on non-representational theory, queer theory, and feminist geography, we propose an expanded framework that embraces a multi-sensory approach to urban design. This framework considers all five senses—sight, sound, touch, taste, and smell—as crucial elements in fostering inclusivity, belonging, and empathy within urban spaces. By moving beyond the visual hegemony prevalent in architectural discourse, sensual urbanism foregrounds the diverse sensory experiences that contribute to the richness of urban life, with particular emphasis on inclusion for marginalized communities whose sensory realities may diverge from normative standards. Through case studies, including London’s sensory gardens and Toronto’s Church-Wellesley Village redesign, we demonstrate the practical application of multi-sensory urbanism. Our findings reveal that reducing urban spaces to sexualized identities can perpetuate exclusion and hinder diverse experiences of belonging. Conversely, incorporating sensory design elements—such as tactile surfaces, multi-sensory signage, and soundscapes—can create more inclusive public spaces. This article's primary contribution lies in establishing sensual urbanism as a comprehensive framework for reimagining urban intimacy and inclusion, advocating for design strategies that acknowledge the plurality of sensory experiences in creating more just and accessible cities.
In recent decades, we have witnessed an intellectual revolution in urban and regional planning research (especially economic geography) as well as the role of creative capital in the urban-regional economic growth has been addressed. This study aims to examine the role of creative capital in Iranian urban-regional economy through using Richard Florida's (theory on) creative capital. According to the theoretical literature, results showed that Iranian creative capital would act as an engine of urban-regional growth, especially urban-regional economic growth, and has high explanatory power in explaining the growth of urban-regional economies. It was also found that factors such as talent, diversity and tolerance, technology, per capita income and local facilities together play an important role in the locational choices of creative capital and where they live and work. Finally, the map of the geography of creativity in Iran was drawn from the findings. Drawing up a map of the geography of creativity in the provinces of Iran largely illustrates the future economic growth pattern and shows which provinces can succeed in increasing competition of cities and regions in the cultivation, conservation, and absorption of creative capital.
According to theoretical literature in the context of Iran, it can be concluded that in the creative age ideas and intellectual capital are replaced by natural resources, and human creativity will be the ultimate source of economic growth. As creative capital becomes an unlimited resource as well as the main driver of economic growth, the growing competition of cities, regions, and countries is increasingly dependent on the maintenance and absorption of creative capital.
Walkability has been the subject of research for quite some time now. There are solid findings from a wide range of disciplines, and yet in reality the realization of pedestrian-friendly urban areas is rare. Why is that? Urban planning is a highly political undertaking; only a few politicians dare to incur the displeasure of the car lobby, the conservative economy and the - in their opinion - still car-driving and car-owning majority of voters. Rarely do decision-makers, like Anne Hidalgo or Leonore Gewessler at present, act seemingly free of fear of the next election. Regardless of this fact, the question arises: What would the state-of-the-art walkable city look like? In addressing this question, this article not only provides a comprehensive research on walkability across the disciplines, but above all attempts to examine the findings to see whether they are suitable for implementation at all. For this reason, the second part of the text deals with the attempt to translate theoretical knowledge into the real-physical world within the chosen perimeter of the Vienna Westbahnhof site. The research by design method was chosen in order to transfer the partial knowledge about walking as a basic function of traffic science or as a leisure-immanent behavior, or about the parameters of quality of stay in public space into an inclusive planning basis. The aim was to detach planning from conventions and instead force a development of the built environment based exclusively on current walkability research.
Augmented reality revolutionizes the way individuals interact with urban environments, fostering novel collaborative modalities in public space design. Our study introduces 'City Craft', an augmented reality application which empowers users to create and modify urban layouts by selecting, positioning, and editing 3D models collaboratively. We detail the deployment of City Craft in two field studies with 33 participants, where the application was used in public space. Results indicate that when participants were paired on a single device, collaboration was synchronous and involved shared control, whereas larger groups engaged more asynchronously. The consensus among participants is that City Craft invites a new perspective on public space, fosters creativity and a collaborative mindset. We argue in situ use of AR tools such as City Craft increases interest in participating in urban design and can aggregate different views on public space use, which can be further refined collectively. However, City Craft should be complemented with a mix of digital and analog tools across the different stages of the design process.
The incremental development of organic urban tissues is influenced by a multitude of interconnected factors. This study delves into the intrinsic complexities of these forms, highlighting human-scale qualities often overlooked in contemporary urban design and planning. Specifically, it examines historic urban tissues in the hot and dry regions of Iran, exemplified by the city of Kerman. These urban areas were historically characterised by walkability, accessibility, and passive thermal comfort—attributes that contribute to sustainable urban forms. This paper explores the patterns of access networks in Kerman, focusing on how primary public spaces like bazaars and marketplaces interconnect with secondary residential areas. It aims to analyse the urban typo-morphological patterns that link various city parts to the main public realms, along with the micro-climatic adjustments facilitating these connections. The research highlights how recent alterations such as top-down urban development, infrastructural changes, and the introduction of vehicular roads, have significantly transformed the configurational characteristics of Kerman’s once-walkable urban tissue. These transformations have obscured many micro-climatic solutions born from centuries of incremental urbanism, especially in the historic core. Utilising temporal mapping of the city’s access network from the first aerial image in 1957 to the present, the study employs Space Syntax and statistical classification to analyse each temporal stage. The analysis classifies access network elements based on the to-movement and through-movement measures and provides comparisons between different temporal stages of core transformations. The temporal stages are selected based on the introduction of significant new elements into the grid. The findings reveal the impact of new roads on traditional mobility patterns, showing a shift favouring vehicular over pedestrian movement. This disruption is particularly evident in transitional spaces, which are crucial for pedestrian flow. While significant historic buildings are preserved, the pedestrian access network has deteriorated. The outcome shows that the decline in walkability is a result of the formalisation of the grid, which prioritises the creation of longer, more connected vehicular pathways through the city, often at the expense of pedestrian-friendly routes. The patterns identified in this study offer valuable insights for future urban planning, especially in preserving and revitalising the remaining parts of Kerman’s historic core.
Introducción: La accesibilidad universal es un derecho fundamental en la ciudad. La mejora de la accesibilidad física en espacios y edificios públicos contribuye a una ciudad justa e inclusiva. Esta investigación evalúa la accesibilidad universal en edificios públicos ubicados en Quito, localizados en la Centralidad La Carolina como zona de influencia Metro. Los espacios y edificios públicos evaluados en esta zona tienen su actividad principal enfocada al servicio de la comunidad. La investigación plantea poner en valor la accesibilidad física a todos los edificios de la ciudad para fortalecer los principios de una ciudad inclusiva. Metodología: La metodología Incluye una revisión de literatura especializada y el análisis de casos como referentes de métodos de evaluación sobre accesibilidad universal ubicados en Europa y Latinoamérica. Se diseña un instrumento de evaluación y valoración de la accesibilidad con categorías como: aproximación urbana y variables de accesibilidad física desde el espacio público hacia el edificio público. Resultados y discusión: Los resultados indican que la accesibilidad universal a los equipamientos públicos tiene un alto porcentaje de eficacia, considerando la importancia de acceso universal en zona metro. Conclusiones: Se concluye implementar como piloto la metodología para garantizar el derecho a la inclusión, equidad y cohesión social.
The concept of liveability, rooted in ancient philosophy and evolving through urban research, lacks a singular definition but emphasizes the quality of life in urban environments. This study examines the effectiveness of the Liveability Index introduced by the Ministry of Urban Development, Government of India, in discerning spatial disparities in liveability within Madurai City, Tamil Nadu. Utilizing secondary data from various sources, including the Corporation of Madurai City, the study evaluates 49 indicators categorized into four pillars: Institutional, Social, Economic, and Physical. Through a detailed spatial analysis, the study identifies areas characterized by higher and lower levels of liveability, providing insights into the factors contributing to disparities. The findings reveal that liveability in Madurai is notably high in core wards, with some peripheral wards also exhibiting favourable scores. The primary pillars determining liveability are identified as Physical and Social, with Governance presenting exceptions. However, discrepancies in the Economic Index highlight the need for additional indicators for a comprehensive assessment. The study underscores the importance of the Liveability Index in facilitating city-to-city comparisons and identifying areas for improvement, thereby enhancing urban planning and policy interventions.
Walking practice became central in architectural teaching mostly after the Second World War, within a broader context of transformation in pedagogical methods aimed at departing from the traditional approach of viewing architecture primarily as a matter of technique and form. Methodological tools and theoretical inquiries from social sciences and performing arts begun to interweave with those in the discipline of architecture. Walking is recognized as both an innovative and inherently intuitive method for exploring the qualities of the human environment and built spaces. Not only major figures of the 20th century’s architecture pointed out the importance of the human body moving through space (as exemplified in la promenade by Le Corbusier), but there has also been a growing interest in urban planning that places walking in the very centre of concerns for designers, envisioning the reconstruction of cities and neighbourhoods. Walking thus has a central role, not only as an objective within designed environments but also as a means of understanding these spaces as experienced places open to redefinition.In this paper, we present, reflect upon and discuss the results of the site-specific action One hour, One Path. Narrations of Acronafplia that took place in the area of Acronafplia in Nafplion (Greece). This site-specific educational workshop was initiated by ENSA Paris-Malaquais School of Architecture (Paris) and implemented in collaboration with the Department of Performing and Digital Arts of the University of Peloponnese (Greece). On the 4th of November 2021 twenty master students of ENSA Paris-Malaquais and ten bachelor students from the Department of Performing and Digital Arts met for the first time and for a three-hour session in order to explore the area of Acronafplia guided by a series of in-situ explorations and prompted by questions suggested by their supervisors. How does the body experience the distinctive landscape of Acronafplia? In what ways can movement through space, lead to new forms of appropriation of the city and the public space, while considering the palimpsest of heritage traces?First insights from the fieldwork experience highlight the potency of walking in stimulating engagement with the observed environment. By federating in situ different disciplines and ways of looking but also by enhancing a constant interaction with other bodies (co-walkers), the exercise aims to unveil ways in which walking can be a promising pedagogical tool at the intersection of disciplines concerned with spatial studies.
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