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Monday, August 14, 2017

A comparative study of the morphological characteristics of residential areas in San Francisco

By Mehmet TOPCU and Michael SOUTHWORTH

This study compares residential neighborhoods with different gridiron patterns in terms of some morphological properties. Nine different gridiron street patterns of San Francisco neighborhoods were chosen to assess the livability of residential areas in terms of several morphological evaluation criteria including accessibility (local and global spatial integration), intelligibility, density, livability index and time period. When measuring these criteria, the focus was on the street-block and building-lot relationships using several different methods. Accessibility and intelligibility values were measured by the ‘space syntax’ method which evaluates the street system of urban form. Density measures were calculated by the ratio of total built area within sample areas to the total sample area and by the ratio of private open spaces of sample areas to the total built area. In addition, a livability index was calculated by the ratio of pedestrian area to total built area. The contribution of time in the process of city building is also an important part of the morphology of cities. Therefore, in this study time period was used to analyze the historical background of the city. All the findings were evaluated according to these criteria by using GIS. In conclusion, based on the findings, this study stresses that the criteria of accessibility, intelligibility levels and density are inversely proportional with the degree of livability in the study areas. Therefore, we hypothesize that accessibility, density and livability index are the important inputs for making better designs for urban residential space and city design as a whole.


Russian Hill

More about urban form:

Longitudinal correlations of car ownership with socio-economics, urban form, and transport infrastructure in Latin America: Example from Ensenada, Mexico

Children’s Travel to School and their Body Weight; Results of a Survey in Seven European Countries: Technical Report

The Role of the Built Environment in Human Life. Selected Issues

REDUCING CRIME BY SHAPING THE BUILT ENVIRONMENT WITH ZONING: AN EMPIRICAL STUDY OF LOS ANGELES

Evaluation of Urban Sprawl Speed and Intensity Based on International Urbanization. Example from a Mexican City

A THEORETICAL APPROACH TO CAPABILITIES OF THE TRADITIONAL URBAN FORM IN PROMOTING SUSTAINABLE TRANSPORTATION

Sustainable Urban Growth Management Using What-If?

Tuesday, August 8, 2017

Urban Design and the Changing Context of Urban Regeneration in the Netherlands

By Paul STOUTEN,

Urban design schemes accompanied by avant-garde design of space have been an outcome of economic growth of cities and countries in many periods of time. At the beginning of the 21st century, Nieuw Crooswijk in Rotterdam was the largest area involved in nationally launched policies. Many times the conflicts surrounding the plan were in the news, particularly concerning the aim to attract higher incomes. Gentrification, with displacement of present and original residents forms a central issue and the discussions in Nieuw Crooswijk fit within the more general urban landscape and language of urban regeneration in Europe.


'Nieuw Crooswijk 2018' Rotterdam

More about the Netherlands:

Photos of bike lanes in Amsterdam, Netherlands (1)

Residential self-selection and travel: The relationship between travel-related attitudes, built environment characteristics and travel behaviour

The World's 7 Most Bike-friendly Cities

Graffiti photos of Rotterdam, Netherlands

BEST PRACTICE IN FACILITATING AND PROMOTING ACTIVE TRAVEL

Sunday, August 6, 2017

Longitudinal correlations of car ownership with socio-economics, urban form, and transport infrastructure in Latin America: Example from Ensenada, Mexico

By Daniela Roque & Houshmand E. Masoumi

Car-orientated modal splits represent problems for the city in economic, environmental and social terms. The implementation of policies and other measures can fail if the causes are not well recognized. Mid-sized cities in Mexico are not well-represented in studies where only the capital and other bigger cities are studied. This research aims to recognize those causes focusing on northern mid-sized cities in Mexico. The approach involves numerical work (linear regression) complemented with a descriptive analysis of the city. The analysis takes on such areas of consideration as socio-economic factors, land-use variables and the street network of the city. Of the 16 variables, almost all presented a relationship with car ownership levels, but not all behaved as expected. The final part of the research is a reaction to the previous studies and recommendations to change the city from car-orientated to one with a sustainable modal split.

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Ensenada, Mexico

More about urban planning in Mexico:

An Analysis of Car Ownership in Latin American Cities: a Perspective for Future Research

Thursday, August 3, 2017

Children’s Travel to School and their Body Weight; Results of a Survey in Seven European Countries: Technical Report

By Masoumi, Houshmand, E.; Zanoli, Gabriele; Papageorgiou, Athanasios; Smaga, Soultana; Miloš, Ana; Van Rooijen, Martin; Łuczak, Monika; Komorek, Joanna; Çağan, Birol; Calabrese, Carla; E. Jamerson, Gordon; Patsakas, Georgios; Parisopoulos, Georgios; Meimaridis, Ioannis; Anagnostaras, Konstantinos; Perrostis, Andreas; Dessi, Eleni; Družeta, Toni; Udović, Tatjana; Daams, Ingmar; Drużek, Paweł, and Dalcı, Ahmet 


Problem: A number or researchers have recently focused on the interdisciplinary topic of active transportation of children and adolescents, their physical activity, and their body weight as an important aspect of their health. Such studies have been dominantly undertaken in a specific geographical context. Lack of contextual studies necessitates data collection with samples covering different countries and/or regions applying a uniform methodology. Such a lack of data is observed in both Europe and overseas.
Objective: This survey attempts to collect dissaggregate data about the travel behaveior of children of 9-12 years of age and their parents, children’s body specifications, and their households characteristics as well as aggregate data about the built environment of their school.
Method: direct questioning based on a standard questionnaire consisted of 26 questions was conducted in spring and summer of 2016 in nine cities in seven European countries (Foggia, Italy; Berlin, Germany; Thessaloniki, Greece; Rijeka, Croatia; Utrecht, The Netherlands; Łódź, Poland, Konstantynow, Poland; Malatya, Turkey, and Doğanşehir, Turkey).
Results: Out of 2735 children handed out the questionnaires, the parents of 1424 schoolchildren filled out the questionnaires, 1304 of which were validated and kept for analysis. This makes an overall response rate of 52.07 percent. In this report, the researchers of M.A.P.S. project have provided detailed descriptive findings separately for each case-study citiy as well as for the whole cities together as one sample.

Warning Sign "Children" in Prague, Czech Republic

More about urban planning and children's health:

Active Transport to School and Children's Body Weight: A Systematic Reivew

Active transport to school and the risk of obesity


Systematic Review of Active Commuting to School and Children’s Physical Activity and Weight

Walking, Cycling, and Obesity Rates in Europe, North America, and Australia

Societal trends, mobility behaviour and sustainable transport in Europe and North America

Wednesday, August 2, 2017

The Role of the Built Environment in Human Life. Selected Issues

By Mariusz Lamprecht,

Creation of the built environment and research in this field pose a particularly difficult challenge nowadays. The pace of social and technological change does not allow for evolutionary development of cities and the formation of their land use according to current conditions. Creating spatial solutions that are unmatched in their contexts is becoming not only possible, but very probable (see Alexander, 1964). The development of the built environment involves not only art, technology, history, economics and law, but also philosophy, culture, medicine, psychology, sociology and many other spheres in which human life is manifested. However, only a relatively small number of disciplines such as spatial planning, urban design, urban planning, etc. (ignoring at this point the differences in the meaning of the concepts) in their application layer are meant to create space and bear responsibility for it. Also society has certain requirements of practical nature towards them.
This article attempts to outline the nature of research on space urbanised by people and to determine the four main fields of research aimed at the problems of man and the built environment. In the next part, particular attention is paid to issues related to the impact of the built environment on the life of its residents in order to highlight the particular role and complexity of this area of research. This study, acting as a kind of test of the research, cannot be considered representative. Nevertheless, the analysis prompts several reflections on the current and future role of the built environment in the development of our civilisation, as well as further challenges related to it.

Baroque Porto Portugal

more about urban sustainability:

Indicators of Sustainable Development: Guidelines and Methodologies

A Review of Urban Sustainability Assessment Methodologies

Sustainable Urban Development and the Chinese Eco-City: Concepts, Strategies, Policies and Assessments

Transportation and Sustainability Best Practices Background

TOWARDS A SUSTAINABLE URBAN TRANSPORT SYSTEM: PLANNING FOR NON-MOTORIZED VEHICLES IN CITIES