scholarly journals Emerging Biophilic Urbanism: The Value of the Human–Nature Relationship in the Urban Space

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (13) ◽  
pp. 5487 ◽  
Author(s):  
Simona Totaforti

The research presented in this article adopts an urban sociology perspective to explore the relationship between spaces designed with biophilic principles and people’s pro-environmental values and behaviors. The research hypothesized that biophilic design and planning promote connectedness with nature and are positively related to pro-environmental and more sustainable values and behaviors. The contemporary city asserts the need for new paradigms and conceptual frameworks for reconfiguring the relationship between the urban environment and the natural environment. In order to understand whether biophilic design, planning, and policies can meet the global challenges regarding the future existence on earth of humans, focus groups were conducted to investigate how people’s relationship with the built-up space and the natural landscape is perceived, and to what extent the inclusion of nature and its patterns at various levels of urban planning meets people’s expectations. The results suggest that biophilic design and planning can be considered a useful paradigm to deal with the challenges that are posed by the city of the future, also in terms of sustainability, by reinterpreting and enhancing the human–nature relation in the urban context.

2021 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 103-111
Author(s):  
Fatima Zahra Djouad

Abstract El Kala is a city on the edge of eastern Algeria, located in an exceptional natural landscape, classified as a world biosphere reserve in 1990 by UNESCO. The diversity of nature within the domestic space leads to research and study its place and value for the inhabitants and encourages to think about how to qualify the relationship between inhabitants and nature through the domestic space. This study is based on a biophilic approach, adapted to the architectural scale, based on a landscape and architectural analysis. The results obtained show that the observed biophilic design is only a means to build a relationship with nature by the inhabitants. The objective of this article is to highlight the contribution of the biophilic approach in determining the behaviour of the inhabitants of the city of El Kala.


Author(s):  
Ilaria Geddes ◽  
Nadia Charalambous

This project was developed as an attempt to assess the relationship between different morphogenetic processes, in particular, those of fringe belt formation as described by M.R.G. Conzen (1960) and Whitehand (2001), and of centrality and compactness as described by Hillier (1999; 2002). Different approaches’ focus on different elements of the city has made it difficult to establish exactly how these processes interact or whether they are simply different facets of development reflecting wider socio-economic factors. To address this issue, a visual, chronological timeline of Limassol’s development was constructed along with a narrative of the socio-economic context of its development.  The complexity of cities, however, makes static visualisations across time difficult to read and assess alongside textual narratives. We therefore took the step of developing an animation of land use and configurational analyses of Limassol, in order bring to life the diachronic analysis of the city and shed light on its generative mechanisms. The video presented here shows that the relationship between the processes mentioned above is much stronger and more complex than previously thought. The related paper explores in more detail the links between fringe belt formation as a cyclical process of peripheral development and centrality as a recurring process of minimisation of gains in distance. The project’s outcomes clearly show that composite methods of visualisations are an analytical opportunity still little exploited within urban morphology. References Conzen, M.R.G., 1960. Alnwick, Northumberland: A Study in Town-Plan Analysis, London: Institute of British Geographers. Hillier, B., 2002. A Theory of the City as Object: or how spatial laws mediate the social construction of urban space. Urban Des Int, 7(3–4), pp.153–179. Hillier, B., 1999. Centrality as a process: accounting for attraction inequalities in deformed grids. Urban Des Int, 4(3–4), pp.107–127. Whitehand, J.W.R., 2001. British urban morphology: the Conzenian tradition. Urban Morphology, 5(2), pp.103–109.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Caryl Ramos

<p>The increasing housing demands from population growth creates a persistent housing shortage and unaffordability in our cities. Students are one demographic that is dramatically affected as they move closer to their education provider for study. The student influx at the start of the semester creates a large demand in the already inadequate housing market. Students with a limited budget have reduced accommodation options and this consequently drives many into a state of homelessness. A study from University of Otago measures that over a quarter of New Zealand’s homeless population are students (Amore, 2016). This considerable number of students are living in cars, tents, couch-surfing and sleeping rough for weeks during their studies. The desperate situation impinges on the student’s health and well-being and thus their academic performance.  In this context, the scope of this research focuses on the requirements of homeless tertiary students in the urban setting. Their vulnerability, insecurity and distress are explored to provide direction to solutions that will alleviate the existing problems of their insufficient living environments. As proximity to the education providers and amenities are key factors, this thesis examines underutilised and leftover spaces within the city as opportunities for inhabitation, and to create efficient use of urban space. Currently, there are successful examples of activating overlooked laneways into vibrant spaces. However, these transformations rely on the activities in the lane and the interventions are largely landscaping and installations. By investigating the successful regeneration of previously undesirable and neglected spaces through architectural re-imagination, this thesis identify laneways to be a potential site to the urgent need for shelters.  The architectural experiments and design development are informed by the combination of site challenges and programme to form an overall design-led research. The thesis tests how temporary modular design has a significant role in the design of economic and adaptable solutions for the increasing issue of homelessness. This establishes that through a critical design, we may shelter those in desperate need within the urban context. The architecture provides a safe environment that is empathetic to its users and the larger urban scale while also creating a statement and awareness to homelessness. The thesis concludes with the design framework for a single test site and assesses its suitability for future application to other leftover spaces in the city.</p>


Author(s):  
Z. B Abylkhozhin ◽  
◽  
I. Krupko ◽  

This article explores some visual narratives of the architectural landscape of Alma-Ata city (modern Almaty). Historical narratives produced or studied by historians in the text are no less vividly and distinctly manifested in the visual sphere. In many ways, this can be attributed to the design of urban space and its architecture. Architecture not only directly depends on the socio-political, ideological, and symbolic regime, but often creates it. Being a product of the era, a zone of perception and reflection of its impulses, the architectural landscape of the city creates a socio-cultural space, which in turn forms the mental background for the inhabitants of this city. Knowledge about cities is a special subject field for comparative urban studies, including a culturalanthropological and ethnographic basis. The article attempts to describe the two main architectural narratives of the city of Almaty (Stalinist Empire style and Soviet modernism) and their projections in the space of historical memory, as well as the relationship of these narratives with the corresponding ideologies (imperial geopolitical ambitions of the USSR in the post-war period and the ideology of modernism of the 60-80s biennium). The problem of updating the cultural heritage of Soviet architecture in the historical memory of the Kazakh society is also posed.


2010 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 63 ◽  
Author(s):  
Márcio Rogério Silveira ◽  
Rodrigo Giraldi Cocco

Para a construção de uma nova abordagem acerca das interações espaciais, que supere a visão clássica a ela atribuída de simples deslocamento, é necessário relacionar a natureza transformadora e dialética das interações ao espaço geográfico. O contato entre elementos espaciais diferentes, combinados através do transporte, possibilita o surgimento de uma característica nova e superior às formações materiais que interagem, reforçando seu caráter dialético. No capitalismo, estas interações se dão segundo interesses hegemônicos de valorização, conformando desigualdades entre setores econômicos, ramos de atividades e espaços, distorcendo as próprias interações que os alimentam. No espaço da cidade, tais processos se chocam e se combinam, manifestando um conflito de frações de capital incumbidas de estruturar este espaço, valorizando-se retroativamente em alguns momentos e manifestando antagonismos em outros. A relação entre o transporte e a estrutura da cidade é bastante apropriada para dar conteúdo a estas discussões. Palavras-chave: interações espaciais; transporte público; valor-trabalho; estruturação da cidade. Abstract: For the building of a new approach about spatial interactions that overcomes the classical view of simple displacement, it is necessary to relate the transforming and dialectic nature of interactions to geographic space. The contact between different spatial elements through transportation allows the emergence of a new and superior feature of material conformations that reinforce the dialectical character. In capitalism, these interactions occur according to hegemonic interests of recovery, shaping inequalities between economic sectors, branches of activities, and spaces, that distort the interactions that promote them. In urban space, such processes collide and combine, showing a conflict fractions of capital responsible for structuring the space of the city. The relationship between transportation and the structure of the city is quite appropriate to give substance to these discussions. Keywords: spatial interactions; public transportation; labor value; city structure.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Adam Erlichman.

Although some green housing elements have become more commonplace in residential renovations in Canada, the undertaking of complete green retrofits is relatively uncommon. This paper explores the barriers to green retrofits, such as affordability and bureaucracy, in the urban context of the City of Toronto. The research was informed by one main case study, one supplementary case study, and six interviews with sustainable housing experts. The research has yielded nine recommendations that are directed towards three levels of government and related public and private housing organizations. These recommendations have been made in the hopes of making sustainable housing more ubiquitous in Toronto.


2017 ◽  
pp. 94-108
Author(s):  
Erick Alessandro Schunig F ◽  
Paulo Cesar Scarin

As transformações do espaço urbano vêm introduzindo novos padrões que revelam elementos da dinâmica capitalista. Nesse aspecto, o apartamento residencial é apresentado como um produto dotado de novos conceitos em sintonia com as mudanças do capitalismo. Este estudo tem como objetivo desenvolver uma análise sobre as propagandas imobiliárias na cidade de Vitória, entre as décadas de 1950 a 1970, no qual identificamos as estratégias do setor da construção imobiliária em relação a cozinha como item diferencial do imóvel e inserido no sistema de produção da sociedade de consumo.ABSTRACTThis study aims to develop an analysis of the kitchen of the residential apartments in the city of Vitoria, between the 1950s and 1970s, as a space connected to the transformations promoted by capitalism. It was carried out a qualitative survey of advertisements published in a newspaper, as well as the use of authors who approach the relationship between the production of the urban space and the food. From this analysis, it was possible to verify that the transformation in the kitchen is indicative of the way of life established by the Brazilian urbanization during this period.Keywords: Kitchen; Urban space; Advertising.


GEOgraphia ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 23 (51) ◽  
Author(s):  
Rafael Roxo

O objetivo deste artigo é analisar a relação entre a reestruturação urbano-industrial e os conflitos na conservação do patrimônio industrial de Campinas. A análise privilegia o final dos anos 1970 até 2014, anos de intensificação dos processos destacados. Nossa pesquisa teve como procedimentos metodológicos: revisão bibliográfica, trabalhos de campo, entrevistas, pesquisa documental, produção cartográfica. O estudo mostra que, em Campinas, o elevado número de tombamentos associados à dimensão cotidiana do trabalho indica uma tendência política de preservação da memória trabalhadora, ferroviária e industrial. Entretanto, muitos dos tombamentos contribuíram contraditoriamente para a deterioração de exemplares do patrimônio industrial da cidade. Nesse sentido, os projetos e as ações impelidas pelos agentes produtores do espaço urbano de Campinas – o poder público municipal, os empresários, os moradores (antigos e novos), as instituições e os grupos políticos de defesa do patrimônio – evidenciam os conflitos pelos usos, funções e apropriação material e simbólica da cidade.  Palavras-chave: reestruturação urbano-industrial; patrimônio cultural; produção do espaço urbano. PRESERVE FOR WHOM? THE CONTRADICTIONS IN THE PRESERVATION OF THE URBAN-INDUSTRIAL HERITAGE IN CAMPINAS (SP) Abstract: The purpose of this article is to analyze the relationship between urban-industrial restructuring and conflicts in the conservation of the industrial heritage of Campinas. The analysis privileges the late 1970s to 2014, years in which the highlighted processes were intensified. As methodological procedures, our research had: bibliographic review, fieldwork, interviews, documentary research, cartographic production. The study shows that, in Campinas, the high number of legally protected buildings associated with the daily dimension of work indicates a political tendency to preserve working, railway and industrial memory. However, many rules contradictorily contributed to the deterioration of specimens of the city's industrial heritage. In this sense, the projects and actions driven by the producing agents of the urban space of Campinas – the municipal public power, the businessmen, the residents (old and new), the institutions and the political groups for the defense of the heritage – evidence the conflicts over the uses, functions and the material and symbolic appropriation of the city. Keywords: urban-industrial restructuring; cultural heritage; urban space production. ¿CONSERVAR PARA QUIÉN? LAS CONTRADICCIONES EN LA PRESERVACIÓN DEL PATRIMONIO URBANO-INDUSTRIAL EN CAMPINAS (SP) Resumen: El propósito de este artículo es analizar la relación entre la reestructuración urbano-industrial y los conflictos en la conservación del patrimonio industrial de Campinas. El análisis privilegia los últimos años de la década de 1970 hasta 2014, años de intensificación de los procesos destacados. Nuestra investigación tuvo como procedimientos metodológicos: revisión bibliográfica, trabajo de campo, entrevistas, investigación documental, producción cartográfica. El estudio muestra que, en Campinas, el elevado número de edificios legalmente protegidos asociados a la dimensión cotidiana del trabajo indica una tendencia política a preservar la memoria laboral, ferroviaria e industrial. Sin embargo, muchas de las normas han contribuido de forma contradictoria al deterioro de ejemplares del patrimonio industrial de la ciudad. En este sentido, los proyectos y acciones impulsados ​​por los agentes productores del espacio urbano de Campinas – el poder público municipal, los empresarios, los vecinos (viejos y nuevos), las instituciones y los grupos políticos de defensa del patrimonio – evidencian los conflictos por los usos, funciones y apropiación material y simbólica de la ciudad. Palabras clave: reestructuración urbano-industrial; patrimonio cultural; producción de espacio urbano.


2014 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
pp. 3-16
Author(s):  
Jale Erzen

The arguments in this paper try to show that the city is basically a social space and that before its fixed physical matter in the form of architecture and urban structures, it is the people that construct the essential character and presence of a city. The idea of social sculpture is taken as a vivid metaphor that refers back to the work and ideas of Joseph Beuys. Beuys claimed that events and actions of the people in a city were social sculptures and he illustrated this in his famous street-sweeping performance with his students. The city belongs to the people and cities are responsibilities of their inhabitants. In arguing for this, the paper refers also to the GEZİ events in Istanbul. These arguments lead to the conclusion that more vital and meaningful art of the future will have to relate to the urban context more than anything else.


2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Paul Adam Erlichman.

Although some green housing elements have become more commonplace in residential renovations in Canada, the undertaking of complete green retrofits is relatively uncommon. This paper explores the barriers to green retrofits, such as affordability and bureaucracy, in the urban context of the City of Toronto. The research was informed by one main case study, one supplementary case study, and six interviews with sustainable housing experts. The research has yielded nine recommendations that are directed towards three levels of government and related public and private housing organizations. These recommendations have been made in the hopes of making sustainable housing more ubiquitous in Toronto.


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