The impact of the reconstruction of megablocks (1990-2020) on the quality of common open public spaces: Blocks 21 and 28 in New Belgrade

The quality of common open public spaces is conditioned, among other things, by the layout and characteristics of the facilities located in their immediate vicinity, but also by the functions and contents, equipment and materialization of the ground floor of those facilities. For this reason, interventions on existing facilities and the construction of new ones around common open public spaces can positivelyor negatively affect the quality of these areas. The construction of New Belgrade began in 1948 and continues today. In the area of New Belgrade, the network of common open public spaces covers more than 50% of the total area of the municipality. Initially, the blocks in New Belgrade were built on the basis of a unique planning solution. The transformation of the blocks began in the 1990s in the post-socialist period, when it became possible to change the legal regulations and enable a greater participation of private investments in the processes of reconstruction and new construction. In order to determine the real impact of the reconstruction of mega blocks on the quality of common open public spaces, this paper will present the criteria for determining the quality of these spaces. The criteria will help to examine the differences between the quality of common open public spaces within a block that has had frequent interventions and one where there have been no significant interventions over the last few decades. The conclusions should provide an answer as to whether and to what extent spatial interventions affect the quality of common open public spaces.

Determination of the radon concentration in homes depending on the insulation used for the floor

A current environmental problem is the presence of radon inside the house. Radon (222Rn) is a noble, colourless and odourless gas that comes from radioactive elements naturally present in rocks and soil. Being gas, it is released from the ground with a tendency to concentrate in closed spaces such as caves, mines, cellars but also in any rooms in the basement, ground floor or with poor ventilation. Due to the differences between the temperature inside and the soil, the radon in the soil will move naturally to the interior of the houses, concentrating in closed rooms. The accumulation of radon inside buildings is a consequence of technological progress. Insulation work, tightly closed windows, poor ventilation of rooms lead to unobservable increase in radon concentration inside. In this paper we aim to present the values of the concentration of radon accumulated inside a house depending on the way of insulating the floor.

Attributing and Defining an Unbuilt 1859 Architectural Plan for the Site of Trogir’s Medieval Walls

This paper discusses the attribution of an anonymous and unbuilt 1859 plan for a four-storey apartment building with commercial spaces on the ground floor, located on the site of the old town walls in Trogir. It proposes Josip Slade as the architect of the plan, interpreting Slade’s architectural language and the development of his approach to architectural heritage. An analysis of the project in a historical socio-political and spatial context, moreover, supports the conclusion that this was intended as rental property, and this paper therefore offers insights into the first known example of the tenement housing building typology in the nineteenth-century Trogir

Asumispalvelujen hankinnan kehykset

Artikkelissa tarkastellaan, millaisia tavoitteita kunnalliset tilaajat asettavat asumispalveluille. Millaisia tilaamisen viitekehyksiä on tunnistettavissa asumispalvelujen tilaajien teemahaastattelujen perusteella? Analyysin tuloksena tunnistetaan kolme kehystä: julkishallinnollinen vahvan ohjauksen, tuotteistukseen ohjaava ja markkinaehtoinen vahvan ohjauksen kehys. Kehyksiä yhdistää se, ettei hankintaosaamiseen sisälly riittävää ymmärrystä tilattavista palveluista ja tuotteista. Tilaajien tavoitteiden saavuttaminen edellyttäisi asiantuntemuksen uutta jäsentämistä. Palvelun käyttäjien itsenäisen asumisen ja elämän sekä henkilöstön asumisen tuen asiantuntemusta tarvitaan palvelujen tilaamisessa ja näin ollen myös sosiaali- ja terveydenhuollon uudistuksessa – esimerkiksi artikkelissa luonnostellun neljännen, yhteistoiminnallisen kehyksen mukaisesti. Kilpailutus ei ole toimiva väline asumispalvelujen tilaamisessa. Sen merkitystä palvelujen laadun, kustannustehokkuuden ja tuloksellisuuden saavuttamisessa on yliarvioitu. Kilpailutus ei ole suoraan vaikuttanut palvelujen laadun eikä palvelujen käyttäjien aseman kohentumiseen, mihin yhteistoiminnallinen kehys antaa uusia mahdollisuuksia. Avainasemassa on tilaajien aloitteellisuus. Julkisen ohjauksen tehtävänä on velvoittaa kaikkia asianosaisryhmiä tyydyttävään yhteistoimintaan. Abstract Frameworks of Commissioning Residential Facilities for Mental Health and Drug Service Users. In Search of a Collaborative Framework This article analyzes the goals that commissioners of residential facilities for mental health and drug service users try to achieve. Are there specific frameworks of commissioning which can be recognized from analysis of interviews with commissioners? The research material used in this analysis is based on field work in three different parts of Finland. The article recognizes three frameworks of public steering: a strong traditional commissioning; a new model for commodification of services and a strong market based commissioning. The critical common denominator of these frameworks is that the commissioners do not have adequate understanding of the services and the contexts of service provision which they are obliged to commission and purchase. To achieve the goals set by the commissioners, a new model of collaborative framework is duly required – this framework puts stronger emphasis on the expertises of users and ground floor staff. The commissioners play a key role in forming new alliances between private and other service providers, the ground floor staff, the service users and other stakeholders. Keywords: commissioning, housing services for mental health and drug service users, collaborative framework

Home environment and noise disturbance in a national sample of multi-family buildings in Sweden-associations with medical symptoms

Background Poor acoustic conditions at home can have negative health impact. The aim was to investigate home environment factors and medical symptoms associated with noise disturbance. Methods All adults (≥18 y) registered in selected apartments in Sweden were invited to participate in a questionnaire survey including medical questions and personal factors. Totally 5775 adults participated (response rate 46%). Information on home environment was obtained through an indoor environment questionnaire. Two-level logistic regression models (individual, municipality) were performed to estimate associations. Results Totally 11.9% reported noise disturbance in general at home. Noise disturbance from voice/radio/TV/music/similar sounds from neighbours (13.2%), scraping sound/footsteps/thumping from neighbours (16.5%) and road traffic (16.1%) were common. Younger age and smoking were related to more noise disturbance and more medical symptoms. Noise disturbance was related to tiredness, headache and difficulty concentrating (OR = 1.70–8.19). Renting the apartment (OR = 2.53) and living above ground floor (OR = 1.37) were related to more noise disturbance in general. Living in newer buildings (constructed from 1986 to 2005) was related to less noise disturbance in general (OR = 0.40–0.59). A warmer climate (OR = 1.95), higher municipality population density (OR = 1.24), a longer living time (OR = 1.34), construction year (1961–1975) (OR = 2.42), renting (OR = 1.80–2.32), living above ground floor (OR = 1.45) and having a bathroom fan (OR = 1.84) were associated with increased noise disturbance from neighbours. Factors associated with increased noise disturbance from installations or ventilation/fans/heat pumps included a warmer climate, higher municipality population density, construction year (1961–1995), renting and any mechanical ventilation. Higher municipality population density, construction year (especially 1961–1985) and renting were associated with more noise disturbance from traffic (OR = 1.77–3.92). Renting the apartment (OR = 1.73) and living above ground floor (OR = 1.60) were related to more severe traffic noise disturbances. Noise disturbance in general was partly a mediator of the effects of old buildings, renting the apartment and lack of mechanical ventilation on medical symptoms (% of total effect mediated by noise disturbance: 19–44.8%). Conclusions Noise disturbance can be associated medical symptoms. Younger age, smoking, a warmer climate, higher municipality population density and different building factors (e.g. renting the apartment, construction period 1961–1985) can be associated with noise disturbance.

A survey of damage observed in Izmir due to 2020 Samos-Izmir earthquake

An earthquake of magnitude 6.9 hit the city of Izmir (Turkey) on 30 October 2020, resulting in 117 deaths (in Turkey) and considerable economic losses. The earthquake also triggered a tsunami. Following the earthquake, field surveys are being conducted in a Covid-secure way to study and document the damages caused. The earthquake caused significant damages to residential buildings mainly located in the district of Bayrakli and Bornova. However, no damages were observed in railway and roadway bridges or tunnels and that helped the rescue operations. The damages were mainly structural which included the so-called pancake collapse (where the entire building collapsed) and soft storey type collapse (weak storey characterised with weak columns collapsed), and in some cases, only the ground floor completely collapsed. Due to the proximity of the epicentre and the geology of the area, it seemed that the ground motions were amplified. This technical note provides a summary of the seismological and recorded ground characteristics of the earthquake together with the lessons learnt.

A special limit state of reinforced concrete frameswith laterally reinforced nodes in the case of emergency impacts

Introduction. The increasing number of domestic and foreign publications on structural safety and survivability of buildings and structures evidences a great interest in the study of the problem of protecting bearing systems from progressive collapse. The relevance of these studies is determined by the ongoing rise in the number of man-induced, natural and terrorist impacts on buildings and structures. In this regard, the decisive factor is the expansion of experimental and theoretical studies, focused on ensuring the required level of survivability of bearing systems under such special impacts and, respectively, developing methods for protection from progressive collapse. Materials and methods. This work presents new results of experimental studies on models of a fragment of a multi-storied building made of monolithic reinforced concrete, whose nodes, connecting the girder and the column, are reinforced with laterally reinforced meshes designed to resist operational static loads and a special emergency impact caused by the failure of one ground-floor column in the framework. Results. The article presents the results of experimental and theoretical studies on the stress-strain state and crack resistance of reinforced concrete frames or fragments of multi-storied frameworks of buildings, made of monolithic reinforced concrete. Nodes of these buildings are laterally reinforced. The data on force-induced resistance of structures were obtained for cases of the static operational loading of a structure and special emergency impacts caused by the instantaneous withdrawal of one column on the ground floor. A comparative analysis of the pace of cracking, crack development and opening is made. The co-authors have made a benchmark assessment of parameters of limit and beyond-the-limit states, as well as elements of structural systems, having nodes with/without laterally reinforced meshes. Conclusions. The co-authors have identified the nature of actual deformation and destruction of elements in the bearing system, whose nodes are laterally reinforced. The co-authors have experimentally identified the principal properties of structural elements to allow for a more rigorous assessment of deformability and the bearing capacity of the effect produced by the lateral reinforcement on the resistance of structural systems in beyond-the-limit states.

Study on the formalized development of the street-stall economy - based on domestic and international experiences and perspectives

The ground-floor economy has a long history as a significant part of the informal economy. Due to the dependence on its own social status and relationship to the government's political and economic objectives, it has developed precariously in recent years. In the face of post-epidemic problems, a shortcut is to learn from international experience. This paper used the structural theory and drew from the secondary data, demonstrating the background of informal economy and exploring the rational ways to maintain and develop street vending. Spatialization, legalization and network digitization are proven international approaches, which display the empirical and theoretical implications to urban practice and studies.

Ground-floor Attics: Canterbury's V-huts

Alfred C. Barker's 1864 photograph of V-huts amidst unkempt grasses bracketted by flax bushes is well-known. Less often reproduced are his drawings of his own V-hut: Studdingsail Hall, though texts, such as Anna Petersen's New Zealanders At Home and the Drummonds' At Home in New Zealand, reproduce two similar Barker sketches drawn on the 27th and the 28th February 1851. The drawings were also reproduced three dimensionally, almost 100 years after they were drawn, as part of Canterbury Museum's "Canterbury Colonists Exhibition" (1950-1951). This paper examines the references to V-huts which permeate 1850s journals, diaries and newspapers, concluding with an examination of the Barker drawings and the Canterbury Museum replication of one of them.

The Travels of the Pentrich Engine

The Newcomen-type pumping engine at Pentrich Colliery, Derbyshire was installed in 1791 and was one of the very last such machines to work in the UK, being replaced by electric pumps in 1915. The engine was moved to Staveley Lower Ground Colliery in 1819, returning to Pentrich twenty years later. The Science Museum were aware of the importance of the engine by the 1870s and had started negotiations with Mr Charles Maxted Haslam, the colliery owner, for its acquisition prior to the outbreak of the First World War. The Museum’s purchase of the engine was finalised late in 1919 and it was dismantled and re-erected on the ground floor of the newly constructed Science Museum building in Kensington in 1920.