Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Understanding the Factors Affecting Traffic Danger for Children: Insights From Focus Group Discussions
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8481
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8481
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8481
Author-Name: Shabnam Abdollahi
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Author-Name: Owen Waygood
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Author-Name: Zahra Tavakoli
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Author-Name: Marie-Soleil Cloutier
Author-Workplace-Name: Centre Urbanisation Culture Société, Institut national de la recherche scientifique, Canada
Author-Name: Irène Abi-Zeid
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Operations and Decision Systems, Université Laval, Canada
Abstract: Children’s safety on urban roads is a critical concern with young pedestrians and cyclists being among the most vulnerable groups to traffic-related dangers. The prioritization of motor vehicle traffic in road infrastructure poses significant risks to child pedestrians and cyclists navigating city streets. Furthermore, children’s independent mobility has been restricted due to traffic danger and their parents’ concerns about it. Given the important implications of this issue, a serious gap was identified in that no measure of traffic danger exists, with outcomes (e.g., collisions) being used as a proxy. Identifying factors contributing to traffic danger, how they interact, and how they impact traffic are imperative to identify where mitigation is needed to address these problems. This article delves into the complexities of traffic risks for children, focusing on intersections and streets. Six focus groups, including experts (<em>n</em> = 3), parents (<em>n</em> = 2), and children aged 8 to 12 (<em>n</em> = 1), were conducted to gather insights on factors impacting traffic danger. Thematic analysis revealed eight key themes, highlighting the importance of addressing traffic volume, speed, vehicle size, road design, driver behavior, visibility, and land use. These findings contribute to a comprehensive framework for understanding traffic danger for children. Additionally, the article examines how stakeholders’ perspectives align with standard measures of traffic danger in the literature.
Keywords: children; focus group; qualitative analysis; traffic danger
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8481

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: “Where Do Children Go?”: Exploring Children’s Daily Destinations With Children, Parents, and Experts
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8478
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8478
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8478
Author-Name: Zahra Tavakoli
Author-Workplace-Name: Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Author-Name: Owen Waygood
Author-Workplace-Name: Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Author-Name: Shabnam Abdollahi
Author-Workplace-Name: Civil, Geological and Mining Engineering, Polytechnique Montréal, Canada
Author-Name: Antonio Paez
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Earth, Environment & Society, McMaster University, Canada
Abstract: Research on children’s destinations has primarily focused on school trips, yet their lives are more than that. Different destinations contribute to children’s quality of life in different ways, but this is rarely examined. For our research, focus groups were conducted with different stakeholders to better understand non-school destinations, namely by identifying common, daily, and informal destinations and perceptions of how they relate to children’s well-being. Online focus group discussions were conducted with children (aged 8–12), parents (with children aged 7–13), and experts from different cities across Canada in May and June 2023, to obtain diverse opinions about children’s destinations. The analysis was conducted based on a prior review to categorize children’s destinations, identify informal destinations, green and grey places, and the relation between those destinations to children’s well-being. Discussions with parents, children, and experts highlighted the diversity of destinations relevant to children. Leisure destinations were one of the most mentioned in the discussions. Spaces without specific rules or structures were identified by experts as beneficial for children’s cognitive, social, physical, and psychological health. Parents mentioned primarily formal places, whereas children and experts mentioned primarily informal ones. Green destinations were more associated with physical well-being, though children dominantly associated green destinations with psychological well-being as well. All groups dominantly associated grey-type destinations with social and cognitive well-being. Using these results, urban planners can develop strategies to improve children’s access to their daily destinations that support their well-being.
Keywords: children’s destinations; children’s travel; focus groups; health and well-being; non-school trips
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8478

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: From Decline to Renewal? Understanding Children’s Relationship With Nature in the Wake of Covid-19
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8386
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8386
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8386
Author-Name: Daniel Kaplan
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geography, Masaryk University, Czechia
Abstract: The pandemic has significantly interrupted the already declining relationship between children and nature in recent decades. Despite the widely recognised benefits of contact with nature for general well-being, efforts to improve this relationship and reconnect children with nature have been unsuccessful so far. Although the pandemic may have represented a kind of new opportunity to restart that relationship, several studies indicated a growing gap between those who regularly engage with nature and those who do not, a gap that has been exacerbated by the pandemic. This case study investigates how children perceive their contact with nature before, during, and after the pandemic, and explores its meaning. Participants, aged between 11 and 16 years old, were recruited from schools in both rural and urban areas of Czechia and completed an online questionnaire (<em>n</em> = 123), followed by online group interviews with those who consented. Descriptive analysis was used to analyse quantitative data, and later thematic analysis provided insight into open-ended questions and qualitative data from interviews (<em>n</em> = 20). Results showed that participants spent less time in nature now than they did during the pandemic, although they acknowledged the importance of nature. A commonly cited barrier to spending more time in nature is lack of free time. The overall accessibility and quality of nature in the neighbourhood influenced participants’ time spent in and interactions with nature. Although they perceived some benefits, participants were reluctant to use virtual nature because of concerns about reduced contact with real nature and the accessibility of technical equipment. These findings provide valuable insights for local government to address issues such as accessible nature and the quality of natural areas in relation to the relationship between children and nature in the younger population. By creating such an environment, local authorities could improve the impact of nature as a resource for promoting children’s mental and emotional well-being.
Keywords: children; nature relationship; post-pandemic; virtual nature
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8386

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Digital Arrival Infrastructures: Housing Platforms and Residency Governance in Berlin’s Rental Sector
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8480
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8480
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8480
Author-Name: Leah Aaron
Author-Workplace-Name: Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, UK
Abstract: This article explores how notions of formality and informality in housing are produced in relation to digital infrastructure and localized bordering regimes. Drawing on a research diary project conducted with “International” migrants in Berlin, Germany, I draw on scholarship in Digital Geography and Migration Studies to frame digital platforms as “arrival infrastructures,” which allow “Internationals” to negotiate the legal process of becoming formally resident in the city. Rather than entry into the long-term “formal,” rental sector, the opportunity to codify residency status becomes the decisive factor in determining housing choices. It also determines the type of housing platforms which are used to seek accommodation in the city and influences digital behavior. My contribution in this article is twofold. Firstly, I advance an understanding of housing in/formality as a concept which is formed according to one’s own positionality in relation to State mobility regimes. Secondly, I describe how the interface of platform-mediated rental sites becomes a site of knowledge production about norms and behavior within an unfamiliar housing system. This is accomplished through the proposal of a typology which classifies platform services according to the ways in which they used to negotiate residency governance regimes: large and long-term housing platforms; “medium-term” platform-mediated rentals; platforms rented and shared; and supplementary tools. I conclude by highlighting the need for further research into the role of rental platforms as a bordering technology, especially in the European context.
Keywords: Berlin; housing; informalities; middling migrant; platform real estate; privileged mobilities; registration; sublet; tenant
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8480

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Spatial Politics of Cultural Production: Negotiating Workspaces and Resisting Displacement at Industrial Heritage Sites in Berlin
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8269
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8269
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8269
Author-Name: Janet Merkel
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban and Regional Economics, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
Abstract: Derelict industrial spaces have been crucial spatial resources for artists and cultural production for decades, often forming vibrant cultural clusters. However, these spaces are increasingly threatened by speculative real-estate development and displacement through more “productive” creative industries. The case of Alte Münze in Berlin provides empirical insight into the politics, practices, and strategies essential for preserving these heritage sites in the long term for cultural use. This research underscores the need for supportive planning regulations that combine cultural policy with urban planning, advocate for public-civic partnerships, and promote public or community-based ownership models. The findings extend to small-scale manufacturers and businesses facing similar challenges in maintaining workspaces amid competitive urban land use pressures.
Keywords: cultural clusters; cultural production; displacement; industrial heritage; spatial cultural policy; workspaces
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8269

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Laissez-Faire or Sensitive Policymaking: The Legacy of Creative Clusters on Brownfield Sites in Berlin
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8236
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8236
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8236
Author-Name: Uwe Altrock
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban Regeneration and Planning Theory, University of Kassel, Germany
Abstract: With his saying “Berlin—poor, but sexy!,” former Governing Mayor Klaus Wowereit framed the motto for a decade of transition in which the German capital became a Mecca for artists, media industries, and creative people from all over the world. Building on a longstanding tradition of tolerating diversity and as a centre of high culture and bohemians, the city developed a new cultural-political identity from a deep transformation crisis after German unification and the extensive loss of its industrial base. In conjunction with a blossoming of temporary uses in a wide variety of vacant properties, often abandoned production, infrastructure, or storage areas, an intense creative scene unfolded. Since the 2010s, this scene has been massively threatened by displacement due to the changed real estate market situation. Over the years, the city has tried to counteract this situation through cultural policy initiatives and niche projects for bottom-up initiatives, with limited success. Against the backdrop of accelerated development of former brownfield sites and funding cuts in urban cultural policy, the question currently arises as to what place subculture can occupy in urban policy in the future. Based on official documents, books, scholarly articles, project websites, newspaper articles, and own observations, this article attempts to evaluate the respective policies in the city over time, to place them in the context of approaches to a more land-security-oriented policy, and to make clear what role the re-used spaces and buildings from the industrial age play in this.
Keywords: adaptive re-use; artist-led regeneration; Berlin; creative clusters; Germany; industrial heritage; socio-cultural centres
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8236

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Industrial Heritage and Cultural Clusters: More Than a Temporary Affair?
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/9368
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.9368
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 9368
Author-Name: Janet Merkel
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban and Regional Economics, Technische Universität Berlin, Germany
Author-Name: Uwe Altrock
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban Regeneration and Planning Theory, University of Kassel, Germany
Abstract: The transformation of industrial heritage buildings into cultural clusters has emerged as a prominent topic of academic research in urban planning, urban studies, heritage conservation, and architecture. Cultural clusters, defined as geographically concentrated cultural activities and organisations, have become a key instrument in urban regeneration, fostering economic growth and cultural development. Despite the benefits that cultural clusters offer in terms of fostering cultural activity, they often prove to be short-lived due to various external factors, including urban regeneration pressures, shifts in policy, and changes in zoning regulations. This thematic issue presents seven case studies that offer insights into the current state of cultural clusters, their transient nature, and the conditions necessary to guarantee their long-term sustainability in industrial heritage sites. The research is particularly relevant in light of the mounting pressure on urban land, where industrial heritage sites are frequently repurposed for residential, commercial, or industrial purposes.
Keywords: adaptive reuse; brownfield development; cultural cluster; cultural development; industrial heritage; sustainability, UNESCO World Heritage; urban regeneration
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:9368

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: New House, New Furniture, New Room: Children’s Pandemic Landscapes of Care in Chile
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8593
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8593
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8593
Author-Name: Susana Cortés-Morales
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Medicine and Health Sciences, Universidad Central de Chile, Chile
Author-Name: Inés Figueroa
Author-Workplace-Name: Marketing School, Universidad Diego Portales, Chile
Author-Name: Ana Vergara del Solar
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Psychology, Universidad de Santiago de Chile, Chile
Author-Name: Paola Jirón
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and Urbanism, Universidad de Chile, Chile
Abstract: Standing at the intersection between geographies of care and children’s geographies, we present three ethnographic stories (emerging from three ethnographic studies) through which we argue that, as a result of pandemic confinement in Chile, children’s places within their landscapes of care shifted in a twofold sense: First, given the de-mobilisation and spatial concentration of spaces of care at home, children’s place became closer to adults,’ suspending the usual spatial segregation that separates them. And second, in tandem with this new proximity that we refer to as in-person family relationships, new possibilities for the involvement of children in family care practices emerged. This rearrangement of children’s places within landscapes of care brings to the fore two interrelated aspects of family care from children’s perspective. First, the kind and amount of in-person family time spent in a shared space in “normal” times was not enough from the perspective of children’s needs and interests. And second, even though children are usually seen as subjects of care, they are people who care for others and who are able to take on more caring responsibilities than the ones that they usually are expected to.
Keywords: children’s geographies; COVID-19; geographies of care; Global South; landscapes of care; mobilities
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8593

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Challenging Child-Friendly Urban Design: Towards Inclusive Multigenerational Spaces
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8495
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8495
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8495
Author-Name: Daniel Kaplan
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geography, Masaryk University, Czechia
Abstract: The ongoing Covid-19 pandemic has not only presented novel challenges but has also brought to light previously unaddressed issues, such as children’s rights, their interdependence on adults, and the vulnerability of children concerning their mental well-being. The pandemic has served to accentuate the distinction between those spaces that have traditionally been designated for children or adults, and the manner in which they coexist. Some researchers posit that this phenomenon can be attributed to the emphasis placed on so-called child-friendly spaces. This article presents a critical examination of and challenge to the concept of child-friendly places, advocating for a shift towards multigenerational places. This critique draws on data from an observational study conducted in a community playground in Brno, Czechia. The concept of territorial production was employed as a tool to unveil the intricate assemblage of ever-changing control over territories and power dynamics within the playground among its visitors. The findings offer valuable insights into the practices through which children assert temporary control over spaces that are considered to be communal. Teenagers employ loud music or personal belongings to mark their territory, while younger children utilise movement to establish control. Territorial production coexists with those of the adults who also frequent the site. This highlights the necessity to create environments that are conducive to the needs of both children and adults, discouraging the design of exclusive spaces for children. The promotion of a multigenerational city can foster inclusivity, whereby the diverse needs and behaviours of different age groups within shared spaces are recognised and accommodated.
Keywords: behaviour mapping; community playground; power dynamics; territorial production; territorial stabilization
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8495

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Challenges and Opportunities for a Local Government Implementing a Human Rights Policy in Australia
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8267
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8267
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8267
Author-Name: Karien Dekker
Author-Workplace-Name: Property, Construction and Project Management, RMIT University, Australia
Author-Name: Abigail Lewis
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Global, Urban and Social Studies, RMIT University, Australia
Author-Name: Yingyi Luo
Author-Workplace-Name: Melbourne Law School, University of Melbourne, Australia
Author-Name: Alexandra Ciaffaglione
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Education, RMIT University, Australia
Abstract: This article considers how a human rights culture in urban policymaking fits within wider theories of human rights cities. Specifically, it considers practical ways to bring together what local government officers consider the most important initiatives to enhance human rights in the city, and which initiatives are feasible to implement in the context of complex urban governance structures. It argues that principles of leadership, accountability, and operational capability are all integral to the successful implementation of a human rights approach in the city. This account is informed by empirical data from a research project undertaken in a city council located in Melbourne, Australia. This study used a mixed-methods approach combining conversations, focus groups, and a co-designed workshop with local government officers working in various departments in the city, local politicians, and community representatives. The workshop collected ideas on how to work successfully towards the implementation of a human rights policy in the city council and to understand how obstacles to implementation can be overcome by changing the culture in the organisation. The findings show that a lack of leadership, an overreliance on quantitative monitoring, and diffused operational capability hamper the implementation of a local human rights culture in this local government council. Recommendations are for councillors and CEOs in local governments to take a stronger leadership role and for residents to be more involved in the co-design of human rights initiatives in the community.
Keywords: accessible services; focus groups; human rights culture; social cohesion; social inclusion; urban governance
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8267

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Going Back to School: Reflecting on School Space as “Shared Space” to Shape Cities and Communities
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7711
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7711
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7711
Author-Name: Jua Cilliers
Author-Workplace-Name: Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa / Faculty of Design, Architecture, and Building, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Author-Name: Shanaka Herath
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Design, Architecture, and Building, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Author-Name: Sumita Ghosh
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Design, Architecture, and Building, University of Technology Sydney, Australia
Abstract: There has been a growing interest in Australia for public schools to share their facilities (space) with local communities, driven by the understanding that these substantial public investments have the potential to yield additional social, environmental, and economic benefits to their immediate neighbourhoods. Yet, there is limited critical research on this topic, particularly from an urban planning perspective. This article reflects on schools within the broader spatial environment to understand how outdoor recreational and green spaces of schools can be enhanced to optimize their role within the city and to advance “schools beyond schools.” This study deviates from prior research by examining the conceptual progress in urban planning that envisions educational institutions not merely as pedagogical entities but as pivotal urban nodes capable of enhancing the socio-spatial dynamics of shared spaces. Through a systematic review, this article exposes the concept of “shared space” in reference to educational spaces (school grounds). It draws on the Share Our Space program of the New South Wales Department of Education to provide an in-depth understanding of the “shared space” framework, analysing both the inherent advantages and potential challenges in the future evolution of this model. The findings revealed a prevalence of academic studies on shared use or joint use agreements as the primary approach for granting community access to school facilities. In these agreements, the main challenges to sharing school spaces with communities or partner organizations were managerial and legal considerations. The research emphasized the need for a collective reimagining of school facilities and a comprehensive re-evaluation of shared school space within the broader urban context, which is particularly vital in the pursuit of resilient urban futures. This will require addressing gaps in collaboration between education and planning disciplines, the participation of the communities they serve, and developing a frame of reference to guide the dialogue. Local planning authorities are crucial in facilitating and implementing such a multi-disciplinary approach to reposition school spaces as the focal point of sustainable city and community development.
Keywords: city planning; local community; joint use; school space; shared space
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7711

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Transition Processes in Dutch Spatial Planning and Water Management: A Shift to the Natural
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8056
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8056
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8056
Author-Name: Zoë van Eldik
Author-Workplace-Name: Biodiversity and Policy, Wageningen Environmental Research, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Wim Timmermans
Author-Workplace-Name: Climate Resilience, Wageningen Environmental Research, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Wim de Haas
Author-Workplace-Name: VVM Network for Environmental Professionals, The Netherlands
Abstract: Climate change is causing more extreme weather conditions in the Netherlands. In response, local governments such as Provinces, Municipalities, and regional Water Boards are encouraged to explore more nature-inclusive ways to keep society safe from flooding and drought. This is considered a transition from the earlier belief that environmental and societal challenges can be solved solely through technical engineering. Instead, landscape-based, climate-adaptive visions offer alternatives on how Dutch regions can maintain water security while also incorporating space for biodiversity, climate mitigation, healthy livelihood and expanding populations. So far, not much is known about the challenges project leaders from different organisations and local governments are facing during the development and implementation of such visions. To address this gap, we used the concept of learning history to build an archive capturing the insider perspective of project leaders tasked with co-creating landscape-based, climate-adaptive visions for future spatial planning and water management across four regions of the Netherlands. By observing and interviewing project leaders, we noticed how co-creating long-term visions enabled more climate-conscious dialogues between local government authorities and civil stakeholder groups. Reflecting on this archive, we gained insights into the strategic challenges associated with adopting biophysical processes as a foundational framework for future spatial development and policy-making. Furthermore, we documented examples of tactical approaches employed by project leaders to navigate these challenges effectively.
Keywords: climate adaptation; landscape-based visioning; Netherlands 2120; water management
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8056

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Transformative Local Governments: Addressing Social Urban Challenges by Bringing People and Politics Together
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/9344
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.9344
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 9344
Author-Name: Jua Cilliers
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney, Australia / Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
Author-Name: Ana Maria Vargas Falla
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Sociology of Law, Lund University, Sweden
Author-Name: Gareth Wall
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Government, University of Birmingham, UK
Author-Name: Paula Barros
Author-Workplace-Name: Departamento de Projetos, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Abstract: As the tier of government closest to people, local government plays a key role in answering local needs and aspirations. However, local governments are often under-resourced, leaving them inadequately responsive to many of these critical local demands. Moreover, accountability to their citizens, which is the core of a well-functioning local democracy, is often lacking because the necessary formal laws and informal norms do not enable citizens to influence the decision-making process in a collaborative, creative, and evidence-based process that promotes collective learning. Through innovative case study analyses from around the world, the 12 contributions in this thematic issue delve into the multifaceted ways in which local governments can bridge the gap between people and politics, offering innovative perspectives on participatory governance, co-creation, and collaborative decision-making for inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable cities. The cases showcase innovations and challenges in the urban environment, capturing different ways to bring people and politics together in an attempt to co-create solutions for a sustainable and resilient urban future. The insights provided by this plethora of cases provides lessons that can help revolutionise international, national, and local urban policy to empower local authorities and their local communities to address the increasingly urgent challenges faced by municipalities around the world, ensuring an inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable future for the generations to come.
Keywords: accountability; inclusive cities; local democracy; local government; localisation; participatory democracy; sustainable development; urban transformation; vulnerable groups
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:9344

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Towards a “Freiburg Model” of Housing for the Common Good? Fostering Collaborative Housing in Urban Development
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8191
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8191
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8191
Author-Name: Benedikt Schmid
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, University of Freiburg, Germany
Author-Name: Carola Fricke
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of European Social Research, Saarland University, Germany
Author-Name: Cathrin Zengerling
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Environmental Social Sciences and Geography, University of Freiburg, Germany
Abstract: As the social and ecological costs of capital-driven housing markets become increasingly apparent, local governments are (re)establishing collaborations with housing organizations that prioritize affordability and sustainability over profits. This hesitant re-orientation, however, takes place under conditions of strained local budgets and the inscription of market principles into existing public policies and planning law. In this article, we develop an interdisciplinary perspective on the interplay between municipal housing policies, planning and legal frameworks, and collaborative housing organizations in the district development project “Kleineschholz” in Freiburg, Germany. Promoted by the local government as being 100% oriented towards the common good, multiple elements of the project are geared towards community involvement and a close dialogue between public bodies and housing organizations. At the same time, the local government and administration navigate divergent interests within and outside municipal institutions, multi-level legal frameworks, financial constraints, as well as institutional routines. We trace how the project’s common-good orientation is integrated into the co-productive process between housing policy, planning law, and collaborative housing groups. Our analysis centers on the process of concept-based tendering which is a key municipal lever for the project’s orientation towards the common good. Moving beyond the situated district of Kleineschholz, we outline the potentials and challenges of translating an orientation towards the common good into collaborative district development, against the background of present political and legal frameworks.
Keywords: collaborative housing; common good; community-led housing; concept-based tendering; municipalities; transformation; urban planning law
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8191

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Social-Ecological Urbanism as a Research Perspective to Analyse Transportation Inequalities in the Region of Łódź, Poland
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8022
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8022
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8022
Author-Name: Małgorzata Hanzl
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Poland
Author-Name: Bartłomiej Olczak
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Civil Engineering, Architecture and Environmental Engineering, Lodz University of Technology, Poland
Abstract: The systems perspective enables the understanding of complex transformations which take place in urban regions. Social-ecological urbanism is an analytical methodology that integrates the systems perspective and unpacks relationships between the social-ecological and socio-technical subsystems of urban regions. In this article, we look for the most suitable approach to analysing the transformations of a tramway system and its impacts on public transportation inequalities in the metropolitan region of Łódź, Poland. As a departure point, we use the classic methods of communicative planning theory. The presented method uses a detailed case study analysis that carefully follows all the activities, stakeholders, and processes. We complement this approach by looking at the ongoing transformations of transportation equity through the lens of socio-ecological urbanism and by analysing the stakeholders’ roles and attitudes within the process. Our analysis indicates the role of public participation in the process, which affected and strengthened the transformations. This approach is greatly enhanced by the application of the social-ecological urbanism framework, with its analysis of services performed by various system components. Understanding their specific roles helps in planning future redevelopment. Our key finding is the necessity of combining communicative planning methods with strategic planning of the systems transformation process.
Keywords: communicative planning; mobility; public transport; regional development; social-ecological urbanism; transportation equity
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8022

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Sufficiency Initiatives and Municipalities: Opportunities and Limitations for Bringing People and Politics Together
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7960
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7960
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7960
Author-Name: Michael Buschka
Author-Workplace-Name: Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Germany
Author-Name: Philipp Schepelmann
Author-Workplace-Name: Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Germany
Author-Name: Fiona Breucker
Author-Workplace-Name: Jacques Delors Institute, France
Author-Name: Jenny Kurwan
Author-Workplace-Name: Wuppertal Institute for Climate, Environment and Energy, Germany
Abstract: This article examines the potential and challenges of sufficiency initiatives within the urban environment, focusing on their ability to bring people and politics together. Drawing on research from the EU-funded “FULFILL” project, which includes surveys, interviews and case studies in five EU Member States, this study explores the role of civil society initiatives in fostering sufficiency—a concept that advocates for meeting human needs within planetary boundaries by altering lifestyles, societal norms, and regulatory frameworks. Sufficiency initiatives find themselves in a precarious position against a backdrop of growth-oriented urban development and face barriers such as lack of resources, legal and regulatory challenges, measurement difficulties, and inertia of municipalities. However, the study also identifies examples of fruitful cooperation between municipalities and initiatives and identifies enablers for successful collaboration, including aligned goals, engaged individuals, and effective communication. By providing an outlook for short-, mid-, and long-term governance perspectives, this article argues for strategic niche management in the short term, development of metrics for sufficiency in the medium term, and a systemic shift in urban dynamics in the long term. As urban sufficiency initiatives offer services and infrastructure to promote sustainable living, they are critical players in guiding cities towards ecological and social resilience. This article contributes to the discourse on urban sustainability by highlighting the importance of municipalities in nurturing sufficiency initiatives that can drive social well-being and environmental stewardship.
Keywords: civil society; initiatives; local governance; municipalities; planetary boundaries; social innovations; sufficiency; transformative governance; urban sustainability
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7960

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Pro- and Contra-Coalition: Governing the Rise and Fall of Creative Industrial Parks in China
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8097
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8097
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8097
Author-Name: Xueying Chen
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Design, Zhijiang College of Zhejiang University of Technology, China
Author-Name: Li Fan
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban Regeneration and Planning Theory, University of Kassel, Germany
Author-Name: Zhikui Cao
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Design, Zhijiang College of Zhejiang University of Technology, China
Abstract: A great number of creative industrial parks (CIPs) have emerged in the past two decades in China as a critical and popular approach to the adaptive reuse of abandoned industrial land in cities. However, a few vibrant CIPs have been closed in the past few years, and the sites are set to be demolished and redeveloped in a property-led manner, suggesting the fragility of CIPs as a land reuse approach. This article aims to elaborate on the institutional rationale behind such a phenomenon. Cases in Shanghai and Guangzhou are examined and presented. The key arguments include: (a) in the industrial land redevelopment process, public and private actors flexibly establish pro-coalitions and contra-coalitions to foster and close CIPs, with strategies to overcome institutional obstacles and to implement land redevelopment-pursued regulatory plans, respectively; (b) key actors forming the two coalitions overlap, such as the local government and the state-owned enterprise land occupiers, and their positions shift subject to specific circumstances; and (c) the finding of the two coalitions echoes the existing argument that there are forces beyond the growth machine driving China’s urban development and provides further insight into the explicit framework of the dual forces underneath.
Keywords: creative industrial parks; Guangzhou; industrial land redevelopment; pro- and contra-coalition; Shanghai
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8097

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Resistance to Being Listed Industrial Heritage? The Conflicts and Dilemma of Heritage-Making During Land Banking in Guangzhou
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8189
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8189
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8189
Author-Name: Xiaohong Tan
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Guangdong University of Technology, China / Department of Urban Regeneration and Planning Theory, University of Kassel, Germany
Author-Name: Uwe Altrock
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban Regeneration and Planning Theory, University of Kassel, Germany
Abstract: Amid rapid urban regeneration over the past decade, industrial heritage conservation in China has garnered increasing attention, focusing more on the reuse of listed buildings than on conflicts in the inscription process. This article examines the conflicts and dilemmas between urban redevelopment and industrial heritage conservation during the inscription process in China, through five case studies in Guangzhou. It aims to provide both an understanding of conflicts and institutional challenges posed by land banking, and insights into stakeholder dynamics, the role of media and NGOs, and the implementation of cultural heritage assessments. Grounded in the Institutional Analysis and Development framework, the empirical studies reveal that institutional conflicts, particularly resistance from land development centers and former factory owners, often stem from financial motivations. This resistance can lead to the premature demolition of potential heritage sites but also drive institutional innovations. Guangzhou’s introduction of the Wenping assessment system integrates industrial heritage identification with land banking and urban regeneration planning, aiming to protect heritage from hasty demolitions. Media coverage and NGO advocacy have been instrumental in heritage-making and prompting policy responses. The adaptive reuse of industrial heritage sites into creative industrial parks faces challenges from their temporary nature and land banking pressures, underscoring the need for policies ensuring stable and enduring reuse. Ambiguous responsibilities and fragmented management systems further impede effective heritage conservation.
Keywords: heritage-making; heritage inscription; industrial heritage; land banking; urban regeneration
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8189

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Inclusion and Exclusion in Urban Public Space: Contemporary Challenges in Vienna and Helsinki
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8291
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8291
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8291
Author-Name: Miriam Haselbacher
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Urban and Regional Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria
Author-Name: Kanerva Kuokkanen
Author-Workplace-Name: Swedish School of Social Science, University of Helsinki, Finland
Author-Name: Emilia Palonen
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Social Sciences, University of Helsinki, Finland
Author-Name: Ursula Reeger
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Urban and Regional Research, Austrian Academy of Sciences, Austria
Abstract: Public spaces facilitate interactions among people from diverse backgrounds and serve as arenas that offer valuable insights into societal dynamics. They have the potential to promote inclusion, yet they can also foster exclusionary practices. Focusing on the years 2022 and 2023, and the cases of Vienna and Helsinki, this article examines how different actors, from the city administration to local stakeholders and young people, perceive and negotiate inclusion and exclusion in public space. Through a multi-method analysis, including background research, expert interviews, and focus groups, we identified four key challenges that define the negotiation of inclusion and exclusion in public space and outline the perspectives, tensions, and policy measures connected to them. Our empirical material underscores how public space is a critical resource that is essential for fostering sustainable and resilient urban futures. Local governments need to be aware of the overlapping and contradictory effects of policies on various groups, and balance between universalistic and particularistic policy measures to address vulnerabilities and diverse community needs effectively. Taking a proactive perspective helps to address future crises while identifying ways of involving the perspectives of diverse stakeholders in such processes.
Keywords: exclusion; inclusion; public space; urban policies; youth
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8291

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Walking to School: What Streets Do Children Prefer?
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8460
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8460
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8460
Author-Name: Nafsika Michail
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture & Built Environment, Northumbria University, UK
Author-Name: Ayse Ozbil Torun
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture & Built Environment, Northumbria University, UK
Abstract: Active school travel provides children with a daily opportunity to engage actively with their local urban environments. Despite widespread recognition that understanding the underlying factors of children’s navigation choices is crucial for developing effective environmental interventions to promote active school travel, there is limited evidence on children’s experiences regarding their school journeys. This is due in part to the fact that most studies rely on GIS-calculated routes which may not adequately represent children’s actual home-school journeys, and hence actual experiences. This study aims to identify specific environmental attributes influencing children’s navigation choices based on children’s (9–10 year olds) actual walking routes to school in Newcastle upon Tyne, UK. 45 pairs of selected and avoided streets were compared using a range of urban form (e.g., street connectivity measured through space syntax variables) and street design (e.g., footpath width) characteristics. Statistical analysis highlighted significant design attributes as potential determinants of navigation selections. In-depth street-level observations provided insight into the urban character of these street pairs, identifying the environmental qualities that could offer opportunities for active and safe commuting among children. This study contributes to the literature by broadening our understanding of the environmental attributes that may promote active school travel. Our findings, based on children’s actual experiences, may also inform urban planners and designers on designing inclusive child-friendly cities.
Keywords: active school travel; child-friendly cities; children’s experiences; neighbourhood design; route selection; street connectivity; street design
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8460

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Industrial Heritage and Citizen Participation: The UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ivrea, Italy
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8220
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8220
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8220
Author-Name: Matilde Ferrero
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Law, Economics and Sociology, Magna Græcia University of Catanzaro, Italy
Author-Name: Martha Friel
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Arts, Fashion and Tourism, IULM University Milan, Italy
Author-Name: Erica Meneghin
Author-Workplace-Name: Fondazione Santagata for the Economics of Culture, Italy
Author-Name: Mariangela Lavanga
Author-Workplace-Name: Erasmus School of History, Culture and Communication (ESHCC), Erasmus University Rotterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract: The article explores the dynamics of community involvement in managing the UNESCO World Heritage Site of Ivrea, Italy, designated as the “Industrial City of the 20th Century” in 2018. Ivrea is known for its historical connection to the Olivetti factory, whose existence shaped the town’s material and immaterial identity. The UNESCO-designated area in the north of the city features a mix of diverse buildings from the 1930s to the 1960s, serving various purposes and a variety of cultural activities. The research, commissioned as part of a larger project for updating the Site Management Plan by the Municipality of Ivrea, the managing authority of the UNESCO Site, aims to critically employ participatory approaches in the Management Plans of industrial heritage sites, analyse their role in preserving industrial heritage, and identify a new future for the city where cultural and creative industries play a vital role, or, in other words, to develop the site of Ivrea as a permanent cultural cluster. By employing an action-research methodology rooted in multidisciplinary and participatory approaches, this study focuses on the key role of residents and their connection to the industrial cultural heritage and the city to envision the site’s future. Initial findings from semi-structured interviews reveal a limited awareness of the Site Management Plan in the community and underscore the need for enhanced participatory governance. The article highlights how the collaborative efforts of stakeholders, particularly youth, yield innovative ideas, paving the way for social advancement, economic sustainability, and local promotion. Ultimately, this study envisions the UNESCO World Heritage Site as a central component of the city’s identity and a catalyst for the well-being of the involved communities.
Keywords: conservation; industrial heritage; participatory heritage management; UNESCO World Heritage Site
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8220

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Assessing Industrial Heritage Through Collaborative Counter-Mapping: A Case Study of Salts Mill, UK
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7976
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7976
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7976
Author-Name: Wenyan Jin
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shandong Jianzhu University, China
Author-Name: Jiayi Jin
Author-Workplace-Name: Architecture and Built Environment, Northumbria University, UK
Abstract: The decline of Britain’s traditional manufacturing economy has resulted in an increase in abandoned factories and industrial structures, signifying a crucial turning point for local communities historically anchored in these industries. This research centres on the Salts Mill complex, a former textile factory that has undergone a remarkable transformation into a versatile space in the heart of Saltaire Village in Shipley, West Yorkshire, England. It delves into the revitalisation of Salts Mill, focusing on the intersection of industry and art. This approach uniquely highlights the socio-cultural and intangible elements embedded in the regeneration process, exploring strategies crafted to inject vitality into local communities intricately connected to this industrial site. Counter-mapping served as the primary participatory method, allowing insights from both rational observers (experts) and the involved users (local communities) to be integrated into three main areas of inquiry: the embodied experiences of Salts Mill, the essence of the locale as reflected in the building, and the everyday life interactions facilitated by arts-led regeneration. The authors argue that these components are indispensable for achieving comprehensive understandings and insights crucial to pioneering research on industrial heritage buildings. Moreover, reimagining the transformation of old factory structures through innovative arts-led initiatives can significantly bolster long-term sustainability and nurture resilient community development. This highlights the importance of prioritising community and broader context over merely focusing on the assessment and conservation of collections and buildings within post-industrial cities and towns.
Keywords: arts-led regeneration; collective memories; counter-mapping; industrial heritage; Saltaire industrial village; spirit of place
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7976

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Cultivating Urban Agriculture Policies: Local Government Entrepreneurs’ Strategies in Three Brazilian Cities
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8166
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8166
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8166
Author-Name: Marcela Alonso Ferreira
Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for European Studies and Comparative Politics (CEE), Sciences Po, France / Urban School, Sciences Po, France
Author-Name: Giselle Mendonça Abreu
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of City and Regional Planning, University of California – Berkeley, USA
Author-Name: Camila Nastari Fernandes
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Social Sciences, Federal University of São Paulo (Unifesp), Brazil
Author-Name: Vitória Leão
Author-Workplace-Name: Graduate Program in Social Sciences in Development, Agriculture, and Society (CPDA), Federal Rural University of Rio de Janeiro (UFRRJ), Brazil
Author-Name: Jaqueline Ferreira
Author-Workplace-Name: Instituto Escolhas, Brazil
Author-Name: Juliana Luiz
Author-Workplace-Name: Instituto Escolhas, Brazil
Abstract: Urban agriculture (UA) is increasingly recognized in policy and academic discussions for its potential to promote sustainable food systems and reduce food insecurity. Due to their proximity to citizens, local governments are well-positioned to advance these initiatives. However, the factors that drive governments in densely populated cities to develop UA policies remain relatively understudied, especially in the Global South. To address this gap, we employ a comparative case study approach based on key informant interviews and documents to examine how local government actors pursue UA policies in the Brazilian cities of Recife, Rio de Janeiro, and Curitiba. We find that certain municipal bureaucrats act as “policy entrepreneurs,” emerging as pivotal figures in creating, maintaining, and adapting municipal UA policies in Brazilian cities. These policy entrepreneurs use a number of strategies to advance their policy preferences, secure resources, and legitimize their actions within the public administration. These approaches include collaborating with civil society, forging partnerships within and outside of government, framing their proposals within international policy guidelines, and leveraging media coverage and external recognition. In doing so, policy entrepreneurs shape UA policies by introducing new programs, making them resilient to changes related to electoral turnover, and diversifying initiatives from direct government support for gardeners to, for example, incorporating UA into urban planning regulations. This article thus provides valuable insights for policymakers and underscores the crucial role of local government bureaucrats, particularly those acting as policy entrepreneurs, in shaping policies that contribute to making cities sustainable.
Keywords: food policy; local government; policy entrepreneurship; street-level bureaucracy; urban agriculture
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8166

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Prevailing Issues and Actions in Urban Best Practices Across Latin America and the Caribbean
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8130
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8130
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8130
Author-Name: Fabio Capra-Ribeiro
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture, Louisiana State University, USA
Abstract: This research examines urban best practices (BPs) across Latin America and the Caribbean to illuminate the prevalent issues and actions associated with these locally implemented initiatives. An analysis of 45 BPs from the UN-Habitat repository was conducted using both quantitative and qualitative methods, organized into three phases. The first phase focused on collecting data such as BP sources, countries of origin, and years of implementation. The second phase identified common problems and actions within the BPs. The third phase involved a cross-sectional analysis to identify significant patterns and trends. The study found that many BPs originated from the Dubai International Award for Best Practices and the Guangzhou International Award for Urban Innovation, with a notable dominance of contributions from Brazil, followed by Argentina and Mexico, while other countries in the region had minimal or no representation. The results revealed shared challenges and commonly adopted actions across diverse BPs, transcending characteristics, locations, and implementation years. The most common issues included financial constraints, bureaucratic complexities, and deficient infrastructure, while active community engagement, collaboration with various stakeholders, and garnering political support were the most recurrent actions. This research contributes novel insights to the field by systematically analyzing real-world case studies in the region, enhancing understanding of the transferability of these practices. It also identifies key similarities that will aid policymakers and practitioners in preparing and optimizing future initiatives for greater success.
Keywords: community development; community engagement; infrastructure improvement; public policy; social inclusion; urban development; urban governance; urban regeneration; urban resilience
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8130

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Laying the Foundations for a Child-Focused Cities Analytical Framework: Reflections From an International, Interdisciplinary Collaboration
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8264
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8264
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8264
Author-Name: Lynne O. Cairns
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Sociology, Durham University, UK
Author-Name: Rongedzayi Fambasayi
Author-Workplace-Name: South African Research Chair in Cities, Law and Environmental Sustainability, North-West University, South Africa
Author-Name: Rejoice Shamiso Katsidzira
Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for Human Rights, University of Pretoria, South Africa
Author-Name: Predrag Milić
Author-Workplace-Name: URBAN – Interdisciplinary Centre for Urban Culture and Public Space, Vienna University of Technology, Austria / Social Design – Arts as Urban Innovation, University of Applied Arts Vienna, Austria
Author-Name: Jua Cilliers
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Built Environment, University of Technology Sydney, Australia / Unit for Environmental Sciences and Management, North-West University, South Africa
Author-Name: Paula Barros
Author-Workplace-Name: Departamento de Projetos, Universidade Federal de Minas Gerais, Brazil
Abstract: Children, a unique yet marginalized social group, hold immense potential for driving meaningful social and environmental change, both in their current lives and as future stewards of the planet. However, their significant contributions often depend on the mechanisms and opportunities adults create to facilitate their participation and inclusion. This places local governance at a crucial juncture, mediating children’s involvement in shaping their urban environments. This research was initiated by the Swedish International Centre for Local Democracy in 2022, gathering international scholars and practitioners to critically assess the “child-friendly city” concept. Through an interdisciplinary approach, the study sought to advance the notion from simply being “friendly” to a deeper commitment to amplifying children’s voices within social, physical, and relational spheres. The methodology transitioned from initial academic discussions to the creation of a comprehensive analytical tool, the “Child-Focused Cities Analytical Framework.” This framework aims to tackle the complex challenges of child participation, aligning with the Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs) in both local and global settings. This article unveils new insights at the intersection of children’s rights, the SDGs, and local governance, laying the groundwork for a model that prioritizes and enhances children’s perspectives, thereby catalyzing social and environmental progress.
Keywords: child-focused; child participation; children; cities; local governance; SDGs
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8264

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Beyond Car-Centred Adultism? Exploring Parental Influences on Children’s Mobility
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8643
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8643
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8643
Author-Name: Catarina Cadima
Author-Workplace-Name: Research Centre for Territory, Transports and Environment (CITTA), University of Porto, Portugal
Author-Name: Kim von Schönfeld
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil Engineering, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway
Author-Name: António Ferreira
Author-Workplace-Name: Research Centre for Territory, Transports and Environment (CITTA), University of Porto, Portugal
Abstract: Motorised traffic and car-centric environments restrict children’s commuting patterns and outdoor activities. This has adverse health consequences as it induces physical inactivity and reduces children’s well-being. Understanding parents’ daily routines and reasons to facilitate or restrict their children’s active and independent mobility is essential to improving children’s well-being and encouraging environmentally sustainable mobilities. This article explores parental decision-making processes regarding how children should travel to and from school and how these constitute barriers or enablers for children’s independent and active mobility in a Portuguese context. We used a mixed-methods sequential approach: We first collected data through an online survey and then via focus groups with parents and interviews with school directors. Overall, parental concerns about traffic stem from an automobility-centred culture that has converted urban streets into an optimised system of mobility flows focused on (single and employed) adults. This culture responds to the anxieties it creates by perpetuating a cycle that exacerbates existing concerns and reinforces the need to rely even more heavily on mobility technologies, especially the private car. This adult-centred mobility culture jeopardises children’s ability to navigate the city independently while offering children a highly problematic and self-reproducing social construction. In this construction, the risks and drawbacks of physically confined virtual environments and experiences are considered acceptable, while engaging with the physicality and sociality of the urban environment is considered unacceptably dangerous and promiscuous.
Keywords: active commuting to school; independent travel; parental safety perceptions; travel behaviour; urban mobility; walkability for children
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8643

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Urban Microclimate Impact on Vertical Building-Integrated Photovoltaic Panels
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8350
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8350
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8350
Author-Name: Max Spett
Author-Workplace-Name: Architecture Research Group, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Author-Name: Kevin Lau
Author-Workplace-Name: Architecture Research Group, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Author-Name: Agatino Rizzo
Author-Workplace-Name: Architecture Research Group, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Abstract: The ongoing climate crisis and turbulence on the world stage has highlighted the need for sustainability and resilience in the development and maintenance of urban areas regarding climate comfort and energy access. Local production of green energy increases both the sustainability and resilience of an area. Traditionally, photovoltaic (PV) panels are deployed wherever the amount of sunlight is highest but lowering costs for PV panels makes them cost-effective even in colder climates. Within the broader umbrella of positive energy districts, façade mounted building-integrated PV panels in urban areas additionally present unique opportunities and challenges, as factors such as wind, solar irradiance, or nearby obstructions can have either a positive or negative effect on the performance of the PV panels. In this article, we aimed to answer the question: What factors inform the optimization of vertical PV panels? To answer this, we developed a method for the optimization of placement of PV panels. By building upon readily available weather data, local panel conditions were examined, and field-driven aggregation algorithm used to guide panel placement. Performance of the resulting panel configurations were then compared to a baseline case. Results indicate that our developed method helped mitigate negative impacts of the aforementioned factors, and often improved performance over baseline.
Keywords: building envelope; building-integrated photovoltaic panels; field-driven aggregation; form finding; positive energy districts
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8350

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Infrastructure Transitions in Southern Cities: Organising Urban Service Delivery for Climate and Development
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8302
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8302
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8302
Author-Name: Lucy Oates
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Andrew Sudmant
Author-Workplace-Name: Edinburgh Climate Change Institute, University of Edinburgh, UK
Abstract: Rapidly growing cities in the Global South are characterised by high levels of vulnerability and informality and are expected to bear a disproportionate share of the costs of a changing climate. The confluence of climate change impacts, inequitable urbanisation processes, and under-development emphasise the need for accelerated urban transitions in Southern cities, yet mainstream theories of urban sustainability transitions have been shown to be insufficient for such contexts. This is particularly relevant with regard to urban infrastructure: While mainstream urban theory tends to regard infrastructure as static, centralised, and heavily engineered, infrastructure configurations in cities of the Global South are often heterogeneous, comprising multiple dynamic social and material flows. Drawing on theory from Southern Urbanism and empirical data of unorthodox infrastructures from 14 cities, this article assesses the potential challenges posed by applying a key transitions framework—namely the Multi-Level Perspective—in Southern contexts. The article closes by suggesting a set of theoretical propositions for future conceptual and empirical research that could advance transitions literature more broadly, and highlights the need for all cities to pursue inclusive service delivery models that are responsive to the complex and shifting landscape of climate impacts.
Keywords: climate change; Global South; multi-level perspective; poverty; Southern urbanism; urban infrastructure
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8302

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: “Arctic-tecture”: Teaching Sustainable Urban Planning and Architecture for Ordinary Arctic Cities
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8298
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8298
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8298
Author-Name: Jing Ma
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Author-Name: Agatino Rizzo
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Abstract: Arctic cities are often perceived as exceptional and uniquely challenged by extreme conditions, leading to their treatment as special cases in urban planning and development. However, this perception overlooks the reality that Arctic cities share similar issues common to many small and medium-sized urban centers globally, such as mobility, climate adaptation, and aging populations. By recognizing Arctic cities as ordinary cities, we can better address their needs and foster effective solutions. This article reflects on the results of a fourth-year Master-level course in Sustainable Urban Development, where students researched urban sustainability aspects (e.g., mobility, green infrastructure, energy, public spaces) in northern regions of Finland, Sweden, and Norway. It analyzes pedagogical approaches, highlighting challenges in integrating sustainability perspectives into architecture and planning curricula. Findings hold relevance for educators seeking to address similar challenges in the Arctic or other ordinary cities worldwide, contributing to more resilient and sustainable urban development across diverse environments.
Keywords: architecture education; Arctic cities; pedagogical approaches; sustainable urban development; urban planning
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8298

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Trans-Local Climate Politics in Ordinary Cities: From Local Agenda 21 to Transition Towns to Climate Emergency Declarations
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8282
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8282
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8282
Author-Name: Anton Brokow-Loga
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for European Urban Studies, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany
Author-Name: Grischa Frederik Bertram
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for European Urban Studies, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany
Abstract: This article addresses the question of how ordinary cities, conceptualized here in a simplified way as peripheralized small and medium-sized cities, navigate (the complexities of) climate policy and planning. To do so, we elaborate on three temporal waves of trans-municipal environmental politics that have simultaneously shaped municipal climate politics in many places globally: (a) the Local Agenda 21, between 1992–2002; (b) the Transition Towns movement, between 2006 and 2015; and (c) recent climate emergency declarations, in place since 2016. Interestingly, the thousands of participating municipalities include not only the well-known frontrunners but also many small and medium-sized cities. Some have come into contact with climate and transformation issues for the first time, others have even been pioneers for much larger cities. However, the three waves also each have different characteristics in terms of underlying governance models, theory of change and scope of transition, role of planning and civil society, or output orientation. Through the combination of quantitative and qualitative methods, an overview of interlinkages between the three climate policy waves in German ordinary cities is compiled from publicly accessible databases. In addition, qualitative impressions allow for statements on the actors of this transformation processes, including municipal governments and councils, civil society organizations and social movements, various bridging agents, and trans-national municipal networks. This perspective on (referential and institutional) continuities is deepened in a case study on the medium-sized town of Marburg, Hesse. As participating cities in all three waves are predominantly located in the Global North, the article aims to also contribute to the application of the “ordinary city model” to regionally peripheralized cities in globally non-peripheral regions.
Keywords: climate emergency declarations; Germany; Local Agenda 21; municipal climate politics; ordinary cities; Transition Towns; urban policy mobility
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8282

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Contested Ecological Transition in Small and Medium-Sized Cities: The Case of Rochefort, France
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8253
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8253
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8253
Author-Name: Fabian Lévêque
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Environment and Society, University of Lyon 2, France
Author-Name: Guillaume Faburel
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Environment and Society, University of Lyon 2, France
Abstract: In Europe, small and medium-sized cities (SMSCs) face significant challenges related to climate change and environmental degradation. In France, recent governmental measures have sought to accelerate the ecological transition (ET) across its national territory, aiming to meet carbon reduction targets and preserve biodiversity. Since the pandemic, SMSCs have been at the forefront of this ET policy, benefiting from support programmes designed to revitalise neglected city centres. However, several studies have already highlighted that, despite being “tailored” to the specificities of each beneficiary city, these programmes are largely inspired by metropolitan models focused on economic growth and territorial competitiveness. This article aims to highlight that the ET directives applied to SMSCs also derive from practices in larger cities, embodying an “institutionalised” conception of ecology as part of broader attractiveness strategies. An investigation conducted in 2021 in Rochefort (France) demonstrates that ET policies are often utilised as tools for enhancing territorial attractiveness, akin to promoting city tourism and industrial development. Using a mixed-method approach that includes semi-structured interviews and mapping workshops, we will analyse the representations and aspirations of inhabitants regarding the future of their living environment. This will help them envision an ecologically sustainable and socially viable trajectory for their city and ascertain whether it differs from ET policies. The objective of this research is to identify alternative action levers beyond national directives for SMSCs concerning ET, distinguishing them by their unique trajectories, thus revealing other comparative advantages, notably their size and scale as primary ecological indicators.
Keywords: bioregion; ecological transition; participatory mapping; small and medium-sized cities; urban ecology
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8253

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Towards More Equitable Urban Greening: A Framework for Monitoring and Evaluating Co-Governance
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8184
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8184
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8184
Author-Name: Eleanor Chapman
Author-Workplace-Name: Chair for Strategic Landscape Planning and Management, Technical University of Munich, Germany
Author-Name: Viktor Bukovszki
Author-Workplace-Name: Chair for Strategic Landscape Planning and Management, Technical University of Munich, Germany / ABUD Mérnökiroda, Hungary
Author-Name: Martina van Lierop
Author-Workplace-Name: Chair for Strategic Landscape Planning and Management, Technical University of Munich, Germany
Author-Name: Silvia Tomasi
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Renewable Energy, Eurac Research, Italy
Author-Name: Stephan Pauleit
Author-Workplace-Name: Chair for Strategic Landscape Planning and Management, Technical University of Munich, Germany
Abstract: Urban greening has grown in significance in Europe and worldwide as a presumed “public good” initiative, delivering a range of benefits for human health and wellbeing. To redress inequalities in the distribution of such benefits, attention has turned to the potential of collaborative governance. Indicator-based frameworks have also begun to receive attention for their ability to monitor and evaluate not only the performance of greening interventions, but also the policies, practices, and norms that influence their planning and implementation, with a view to transforming governance arrangements. Extensive sets of indicators have been proposed in the literature; however, few studies have addressed the process of adapting monitoring frameworks to the limited resources and highly specific conditions of local government. We address this gap by providing an account of an early phase in developing and contextualising a framework to assess governance of urban greening in seven European cities. Following review of existing indicator sets and literature related to co-governing urban green space, we compiled a set of 126 indicators and clustered these according to normative principles underpinning successful co-governance. We then worked with city representatives to contextualise a subset of 80 indicators and link them to relevant objectives. We found that organising indicators according to principles and applying the criteria of relevance and feasibility was useful to make an abstract concept operational and to promote strategic thinking. However, we also found evidence of likely barriers to using indicators in practice, chief among them the limited agency of responsible staff, with implications for the potential to politicise indicators and thereby guide transformative change.
Keywords: collaborative governance; evaluation; indicators; justice; monitoring; transformation; urban greening
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8184

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: An Urban Equalisation Strategy for Managing the Transition to Climate Resilience in an Ordinary Italian City
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8297
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8297
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8297
Author-Name: Riccardo Privitera
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, University of Catania, Italy
Abstract: Climate change poses complex challenges that require simple and viable responses, particularly for those small and ordinary cities that are traditionally lacking in financial and human resources. To effectively address climate change responses, adaptation and mitigation strategies imply the understanding of solutions as well as the inclusion of different actors in the decision-making process. Responses to climate change not only depend on the knowledge of the impacts of extreme weather events but also on the inclusion of comprehensive approaches that should consider the availability of areas for spatialising different solutions, the cooperation of stakeholders at different levels, and the disposal of financial resources and institutional capacities. Such approaches face several difficulties and limitations for their real development and management, especially in ordinary cities. This is mainly due to a general lack of areas belonging to municipalities to be used as public spaces for developing new adaptation and mitigation actions and, therefore, to their related economic viability. The implementation would require the public acquisition of private plots, which is often economically unsustainable for local administrations and faces resistance from private landowners. This study proposes an urban equalisation approach that is grounded in the principle of targeting a balanced sharing of benefits and liabilities among those private actors involved in adaptation and mitigation programmes. The case study of Ragalna, a small Italian town, is investigated in the framework of the recent Local Spatial Plan that carried out a tailored transfer of development rights strategy for building a new green infrastructure aimed at pursuing a climate-resilient scenario that can be adopted by other ordinary cities.
Keywords: climate resilience; green infrastructure; ordinary cities; transfer of development rights; urban equalisation
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8297

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Urban Sustainability in Arctic Cities: Challenges and Opportunities of Implementing the Sustainable Development Goals
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8349
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8349
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8349
Author-Name: Ava Soroudi
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Author-Name: Agatino Rizzo
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Author-Name: Jing Ma
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Abstract: Arctic cities are at the forefront of climate change, experiencing distinctive obstacles in their endeavors to pursue green transitions and attain sustainability objectives. These cities are marked by high energy consumption, primarily driven by activities related to resource extraction and the demanding climate. Moreover, they rely heavily on natural resources for growth, have limited infrastructure, and experience significant external and internal remoteness. This article presents a comprehensive analysis of urban sustainability in Arctic cities, focusing on key themes, trends, and challenges. Through a systematic review of extant literature, this study examines current research on urban sustainability in the Arctic and identifies crucial gaps, delineating a path to sustainability. Using VOSviewer software, six thematic clusters were identified: climate change and environmental adaptation, SDGs and smart urban planning, sustainable development and urban governance, sustainable economic development, social sustainability, and green energy transition. These clusters provide valuable insights into the dominant themes and evolving discourse in Arctic sustainability research. The findings show that the literature focuses predominantly on Russian Arctic cities, signaling an imperative for a more inclusive strategy encompassing a broader spectrum of Arctic cities. Additionally, sustainability is inherently site-specific and necessitates a nuanced understanding that incorporates different stakeholders’ perspectives and considers particular regional traits to create a more effective and meaningful approach to measuring and achieving sustainability in Arctic cities. This article contributes to the ongoing discourse on sustainability in Arctic cities by advocating for a comprehensive framework that accommodates unique challenges and opportunities of Arctic urban environments.
Keywords: Arctic cities; green transition; SDGs; sustainable development; urban sustainability
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8349

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Industrial Heritage and Pathways for Cultural-Creative Development in Bamberg, Germany
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8072
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8072
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8072
Author-Name: Heike Oevermann
Author-Workplace-Name: Institut für Kunstgeschichte, Bauforschung und Denkmalpflege, TU Wien, Austria
Author-Name: Even Smith Wergeland
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Architecture, Oslo School of Architecture and Design, Norway
Author-Name: Susanne Hanika
Author-Workplace-Name: Kunsthistorisches Institut, University of Cologne, Germany
Abstract: This article contributes to the ongoing authorized heritage discourse, following recent heritage concepts such as open heritage, and examines the industrial heritage and pathways for cultural-creative development in the city of Bamberg, Germany. Bamberg is a UNESCO World Heritage Site, but not on account of its industrial heritage, although some former industrial sites are located within the borders of the current World Heritage Site. We describe three adaptively reused sites that have slightly differing forms of protected status (listed building and ensemble) and show that authorized listing helps to ensure the survival of buildings and material structures over time as documents of an industrial past. However, other industrial sites need the engagement of locals, and refer to what Laurajane Smith describes as heritage as a cultural process. Diverse concepts and cultural-creative developments are evident in the reuse of industrial sites in Bamberg, but these contribute little to urban development strategies. When industrial heritage assets feature in the city’s development strategy, they are seemingly leveraged to drive real estate projects, such as at the former Erba textile site. Additionally, the Otto-Friedrich University (through its Am Zwinger building), and an engaged bottom-up initiative to reuse a former boiler house, enable slightly different development pathways—knowledge-based versus art-based, respectively. The university has a long-term perspective and promising impulses for heritage uses, whereas the Kunstraum (Art House) initiative still struggles to secure support for its medium-term prospects. We argue that the industrial heritage sites need authorized support <em>and</em> agency through engagement, to ensure long-term perspectives for cultural-creative uses.
Keywords: art; Bamberg; industrial heritage; reuse path dependency; UNESCO World Heritage; university
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8072

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Participatory Climate Action: Reflections on Community Diversity and the Role of External Experts
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8182
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8182
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8182
Author-Name: Connor Smith
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, UK
Author-Name: Finlay Bain-Kerr
Author-Workplace-Name: Hunter Centre for Entrepreneurship, University of Strathclyde, UK
Author-Name: Dan van der Horst
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Geosciences, The University of Edinburgh, UK
Abstract: Academics have often contributed to designing, running, and evaluating participatory events with publics on climate action. Whilst climate assemblies are perhaps the most well-known of such events, there is also a proliferation of smaller and more local projects suggesting scope for reflection on the role of academic researchers in this evolving space. We deploy an experimental methodology that blends personal reflections with group discussion amongst the authors to help unpack the lessons learned from a project led by the local council, where we facilitated the involvement of local people in decision-making around climate action. Reflecting on our individual and academic positionalities, we question the extent to which we are well placed to build, maintain, and sustain trust, which requires spending time in place, continuity, and ceding power. As “outsiders” with “elite connotations,” our role as actors in this space is open for discussion. Indeed, our involvement could be perceived as a missed opportunity to retain more money and knowledge locally by ceding more responsibility to grassroots organisations. Our experience also suggests that framing public participation in terms of design and facilitation deficit is somewhat misleading. It is not just a process that needs to be attuned to diverse communities, but an ongoing relationship that needs certain enabling conditions to flourish, including conducive funding frameworks and a willingness to address incumbent power differentials between state and non-state actors.
Keywords: action research; climate governance; deliberation; local authority; local government; place-based; public participation; reflexivity; sustainability; transformation
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8182

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Post-Growth Ambitions and Growth-Based Realities in Sustainable Land-Use Planning
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7881
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7881
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7881
Author-Name: Christian Lamker
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Spatial Sciences, University of Groningen, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Thomas Terfrüchte
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Spatial Planning, TU Dortmund University, Germany
Abstract: Governments have developed, agreed, and often embraced ambitious targets to meet sustainability and climate change demands. The use of land is foundational for long-term success and one of the most crucial resources where absolute limits of development become tangible. In Europe, success in stopping the expansion of settlement uses through building on natural or agricultural land remains limited in scope and speed. While planning instruments could be open for versatile uses, a pro-growth pathway continues at all planning scales. The premise of this article is that growth fixation is inscribed in planning instruments. We build on post-growth planning literature to conceptualize the relevance of (post-)growth for land-use planning. Two examples of planning instruments (modelling regional land use needs, density concepts) and their application in German case studies illustrate wherein growth has been locked and within which potentials for change lie. We investigate inscribed premises of the causal relation between population and household growth to land consumption that are leading to a divergence between the need for land and the provision of land. By doing so, we position post-growth planning to understand contemporary challenges in reducing the net consumption of land, and as a crucial body of thought that better accounts for the tangible limits of available land.
Keywords: land-need-modelling; land consumption; land-use planning; planning instruments; post-growth planning; sustainable land-use
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7881

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Urban Shrinkage, Degrowth, and Sustainability: An Updated Research Agenda
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8815
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8815
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8815
Author-Name: Joop de Kraker
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Sustainability Institute, Maastricht University, The Netherlands / Department of Environmental Sciences, Open Universiteit, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Christian Scholl
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Sustainability Institute, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Marco Bontje
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract: Shrinking cities and degrowth thinking share their parting from the dominant growth paradigm and seem to have much to offer to each other. Could degrowth be an inspiring and guiding paradigm for the sustainable development of shrinking cities? Could shrinking cities be suitable testing grounds to apply degrowth’s radical sustainability principles in practice? These and other questions regarding the connections between urban shrinkage, degrowth, and sustainability have hardly been addressed in the scientific literature thus far. This thematic issue brings together novel empirical contributions, taking stock of first attempts to connect degrowth to urban shrinkage, exploring in how far this potential unfolds in practice and what obstacles these attempts face, with a focus on the field of urban planning. In this editorial, we discuss the connections between shrinking cities, degrowth, and sustainability identified in the empirical studies and the dialogues that span across these contributions. We conclude with an updated research agenda for this field of study.
Keywords: shrinking cities; sustainable urban development; urban degrowth; urban planning
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8815

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Ordinary vs. Extraordinary: An Urban Comparison in the Delta Po Area
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8271
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8271
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8271
Author-Name: Stefano Tornieri
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Civil, Environmental and Natural Resources, Luleå University of Technology, Sweden
Abstract: In a time of pandemics and climate pressures, social sustainability has become a crucial issue within diverse sectors and disciplines. This article endeavors to enrich the discourse on social sustainability, particularly concerning community efforts, in contrast to large-scale private investments employed as catalysts for enhancing attraction and territorial development. This article critically examines the case of the Delta Po area along the Eastern Adriatic coast in Italy, where several “ordinary cities” are situated, featured in a similar urbanization pattern to the nearby Venetian Metropolitan areas, identified by B. Secchi as “<em>città diffusa</em>.” To comprehend the significance of ordinary cities, this article delves into a comparative analysis between an ordinary setting, specifically the village of Massenzatica, and an extraordinary one, exemplified by the Porto Tolle power plant. These two contrasting approaches to utilizing the territory are assessed through a qualitative methodology in order to understand the factors that contribute to enhancing social and territorial sustainability.
Keywords: Delta Po; Italian countryside; ordinary cities; territorial sustainability; urban sprawl; wetlands
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8271

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Post-Socialist Neoliberalism: Towards a New Theoretical Framework of Spatial Production
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8779
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8779
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8779
Author-Name: Gabriel Schwake
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Humanities, Vrije Universiteit Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Aleksandar Staničić
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, The Netherlands
Abstract: During the past five decades, the neoliberal market economy has become one of the most influential forces in the process of spatial production, transforming cities worldwide by subjecting them to the rationale of global finance. In a world where religions and ideologies continue to lose their influence, financial supremacy has turned into an adequate substitute. The global nature and overarching impact of neoliberalism has made it the research focus of a vast cohort of urban and architectural scholars, historians, theoreticians, geographers, and economists, leading to a significant body of literature that discusses the relationship between the market economy and the built environment on all scales. This “globality” of neoliberalism is recently being disputed by its widely-accepted depiction as a western phenomenon with varied local implementations. Post-socialist neoliberalism, we argue, is not an isolated occurrence but rather an extreme case that accentuates the distinct features of neoliberal spatial transformations, making its characteristics more evident and traceable. This thematic issue challenges the notion of neoliberalism as solely a post-Fordist Keynesian phenomenon, proposing a new theoretical framework that redefines the neoliberalization of the built environment as a global spectacle with diverse, yet analogous, localized expressions across various spatial scales.
Keywords: architecture; neoliberalism; post-socialism; spatial processes; urban planning
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8779

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Captured by Political Power: More-Than-Neoliberal Urban Development and Planning in Post-Socialist Hungary
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7708
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7708
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7708
Author-Name: Gergely Olt
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Sociology, HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences, Hungary
Author-Name: Adrienne Csizmady
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Sociology, HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences, Hungary
Author-Name: Márton Bagyura
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Sociology, HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences, Hungary
Author-Name: Lea Kőszeghy
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Sociology, HUN-REN Centre for Social Sciences, Hungary
Abstract: By critically reflecting on the concept of “post-socialist neoliberalism” proposed by this thematic issue, we argue against the widely assumed hegemony of neoliberalism, not just in the post-socialist context, but anywhere. We suggest taking features that do not fit in the narratives of neoliberalism seriously and highlighting more-than-neoliberal rationales, too. We present cases from the literature focusing on post-socialist and illiberal contexts, especially in Hungary. As the critical reading of the literature and the secondary and primary data about Hungary shows, narratives of capitalist class domination and accumulation can be less than adequate. The maintenance of clientelist or neopatrimonial relations dominated by political power with politically created rents is a separate issue. Therefore, instead of assuming “in the last instance” determination by neoliberalism, which is only camouflaged with theoretically irrelevant contextual issues, we argue for the examination of neopatrimonial relations besides neoliberalism to better understand the mechanisms behind urban development. In doing so, we can explain how power is maintained without actual development, how corruption as a mode of rule is politically accepted, and why political struggles need to consider other aspects besides fighting capitalist class domination.
Keywords: elite capture; illiberalism; market capture; neoliberalism; neopatrimonial; post-socialist; state capture; urban development; urban planning
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7708

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: From Social Barriers to Transformative Planning in Energy Transitions: Learning from Norwegian Planners' Perspectives
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8158
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8158
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8158
Author-Name: Bradley Loewen
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Abstract: This study investigates social barriers in Norwegian urban energy projects from the planner’s perspective, bridging institutional and reflexive approaches in the field of planning. Compared to technological barriers encountered in the energy transition, social barriers have received relatively little attention. While the former implies a need for hard technological fixes, social barriers cross sectoral dimensions and can potentially be transformed through strategic action during the life of a project. When planning energy transitions under the popular guise of smart and sustainable cities, social barriers arise in the context of urban experimentation, which challenges institutional constructs, participatory planning principles, and knowledge. These aspects are addressed from the planner’s perspective through analysis of planners’ experiences in seven energy pilot and demonstration sites in Norway. The results identify categories of social barriers related to the understanding of a shared vision amongst stakeholders, lowered ambitions over the course of a project, lack of user involvement, and structural constraints to planning. A framework for a deeper understanding of social barriers is proposed, extending to the notion of planners’ transformative agency to support sustainability transitions, which has the potential for future enrichment through the addition of cases and application in other fields of sustainability transitions.
Keywords: demonstration sites; energy transition; Norway; social barriers; sustainability transitions; transformative agency
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8158

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Multiscalar Governance of Shrinkage in the Netherlands: Past, Present… Future?
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7972
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7972
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7972
Author-Name: Marco Bontje
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geography, Planning and International Development Studies, University of Amsterdam, The Netherlands
Abstract: The extent of shrinkage in the Netherlands is rather limited so far. Still, the Netherlands was one of the first European countries that introduced a national-level policy for regions facing structural population decline and shrinkage in 2009: the Population Decline Action Plan. This happened in response to local and regional policy initiatives and a lobby of local and regional governments, but also because the Minister of the Interior perceived shrinkage as a national policy challenge. This action plan was an attempt to arrange a multiscalar governance of shrinkage at national, regional, and local scales. However, this policy ended in 2019, and its last remaining element, a targeted subsidy for regions facing structural population decline, ended in 2022. This article will discuss (a) how and why the policy was introduced and how its governance was arranged, (b) how the policy changed between 2009 and 2022, (c) why it ended, (d) which new regional policies have been developed recently instead, and (e) what this could mean for the governance of shrinkage in the Netherlands.
Keywords: multiscalar governance; population decline; population policy; regional shrinkage; the Netherlands
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7972

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: The Shrinking City as a Testing Ground for Urban Degrowth Practices
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8008
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8008
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8008
Author-Name: Maurice Hermans
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Sustainability Institute, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Joop de Kraker
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Sustainability Institute, Maastricht University, The Netherlands / Department of Environmental Sciences, Open Universiteit, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Christian Scholl
Author-Workplace-Name: Maastricht Sustainability Institute, Maastricht University, The Netherlands
Abstract: To inform and operationalize an urban degrowth agenda, more systematic and larger-scale experimentation with degrowth practices is needed. The aim of this study was to explore the suitability of shrinking cities as testing grounds for urban degrowth practices. To answer this question, we analyzed two cases, both urban greening initiatives, located in the shrinking urban region of Parkstad Limburg, in the Netherlands. The cases show that in a shrinking city, with a large surplus of urban land and long-term vacancy and demolishing of buildings, there is literally abundant “room” to experiment with alternative ways and types of urban land use. There is also interest on the side of the local government in alternatives to the conventional approaches to urban planning and development. As both cases can be interpreted as “experiments with urban degrowth practices,” it can be concluded that shrinking cities offer ample opportunities for urban degrowth experiments. The lessons learned from the two studied cases are not very positive concerning the wider feasibility of the tested degrowth practices, but as experiments, the cases can be considered successful. This is because they provided a better understanding of the conditions required for the implementation and upscaling of these practices, also in growing cities. To inform and operationalize an urban degrowth agenda, we, therefore, recommend more research on cases in shrinking cities that can be interpreted and analyzed as experiments with urban degrowth practices.
Keywords: degrowth; shrinking cities; urban experiments; urban greening; urban shrinkage
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8008

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Upwind Despite Headwind? Degrowth Transformations Amidst Shrinkage and Eroding Democracy in an East German Small Town
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7788
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7788
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7788
Author-Name: Anton Brokow-Loga
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany
Author-Name: Frank Eckardt
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Bauhaus University Weimar, Germany
Abstract: Spatial transformation follows the logic of a growth-oriented economy that values cities according to their place in the chain of capitalist wealth production. Many cities in East Germany have lost their significance as sites of production and are consequently facing population decline and the weakening of social bonds in the community. For this reason, citizens of the East German small town of Zella-Mehlis (state of Thuringia) have begun to reflect on alternative models for urban development. In this article, the process of arriving at a degrowth strategy, as provided by the academic discourse, will be documented. It will be demonstrated that the process of shrinkage has not only left little space for a degrowth planning approach put into practice. Moreover, the article reveals that the costs of the growth economy on society are not limited to population shrinkage, but also have a severe impact on the sociability of the local community. The rise of right-wing populists and climate change-denying actors mirrors the decreasing social ability for collective learning processes needed for a shift to a solidary degrowth strategy. However, the case study shows how ambivalent these developments are: Long-term participatory processes within the public–civic partnership framework of the Aufwind (German for upwind) initiative in Zella-Mehlis can challenge path dependencies and open new degrowth-inspired perspectives. The article is informed by many years of intensive field research in a qualitative mixed-method design and focuses on the close links between shrinkage processes, the local degrowth agenda, and the consequences of an eroding democracy.
Keywords: civil society; degrowth; East Germany; municipality; public–civic partnership; urban shrinkage
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7788

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Does Reduced Space Result in Fewer Rights? Controlled Shrinking in the Urban Renewal of Genoa
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7803
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7803
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7803
Author-Name: Agim Kërçuku
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture and Urban Studies, Politecnico di Milano, Italy
Abstract: This article explores three examples of urban design initiatives in Genoa in an attempt to highlight the potential and possible contradictions that controlled shrinking projects pose for the future of contemporary cities. Genoa, a symbol of Italian shrinking cities, has been strongly defined over the years by post-industrialisation transformations and by long-standing conditions of urban shrinkage. Despite facing continuous shrinkage, local urban development policies have historically focused exclusively on urban growth and expansion. Only recently have some areas in Genoa started to adopt spatial planning experiences that actively pursue degrowth policies, aiming to reduce existing urban fabric and decrease urban density. These initiatives are adopted in specific areas affected by demographic decline, hydrogeological risks, pollution, or catastrophic events. These spatial strategies justify their existence by invoking concepts like smart shrinkage and degrowth, promising improvements in both environmental and social conditions. However, this article notes how these concepts in Genoa are not aligned with the actual social and environmental challenges that these considerations and positions pose. In fact, the urban renewal initiatives introduced by institutions, in reality, lean towards a strategy of shrinkage and demolition of residential complexes, transportation infrastructure, and productive spaces, with diverse and conflicting results. The observed controlled shrinking projects neglect the synthesis of the territory as a palimpsest, ignore new ecological sensitivities, and lack awareness of the social implications associated with the concepts of smart shrinkage and degrowth. Instead, the three instances introduce a spatial project that still adheres to the underlying principles of growth and exploitation, presenting a shrinkage of the existing urban fabric that is mere illusion. It involves clearing out the deteriorated spaces only to fill them with capitalist rhetoric and models that, instead of creating space, undermine fundamental rights. Nonetheless, a closer examination of these three missed opportunities sheds light on the necessary knowledge, actions, and design approaches for a city to navigate urban shrinkage adeptly. This exploration also reveals the potential for the city to transform into a framework and platform, inspiring and guiding new urban planning paradigms for sustainable development.
Keywords: controlled shrinking; degrowth; demolition; Genoa; port city; smart shrinking; urban renewal
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7803

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Orchestration of Markets and Bureaucratic Knowledge Production in the Moscow Transportation Reform
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7635
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7635
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7635
Author-Name: Egor Muleev
Author-Workplace-Name: Leibniz Institute for Regional Geography, Germany
Abstract: This article examines the role of bureaucracy in the process of reforming Moscow’s transportation system. With reliance on the intellectual history of neoliberalism, the concept of “orchestration,” an institutionalist economics, and an empirical case study, I argue that a market embodies itself in the form of bureaucracy. The agency in the provision of norms and regulations, calculations and forecasts, orders of economic exchange, and knowledge production concentrates in the hands of bureaucrats regardless of their formal attachment to state or private entities. Bureaucrats define fundamental issues of how markets should function; they design and control the system of money redistribution. The case of dismantling Moscow’s trolleybus system provides fruitful data on the agency of bureaucracy in transportation reform under the label of implementing “best practice” scenarios favourable to a neoliberal toolkit.
Keywords: bureaucracy; Moscow; neoliberalism; transportation reform; trolleybus
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7635

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Enabling Multiple Outcomes: Strategic Spatial Planning in a Shrinking City-Region
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7694
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7694
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7694
Author-Name: Janne Oittinen
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, Finland
Author-Name: Raine Mäntysalo
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, Finland
Abstract: The population of Finland will start to decline in the near future, and most Finnish municipalities are already losing population. Can the tools used for land-use planning, which are historically designed to guide and control growth, be used to guide shrinking? The shrinking city-region of Kotka-Hamina has drafted a city-regional strategic master plan to manage the shrinking. The master plan and its documents are analyzed, and interviews are used to better understand how the plan is trying to achieve its objectives. The master plan is currently growth-oriented and used as a tool for place marketing. According to the interviews, growth is not essential to implement the plan. As a tool, it strives to show the potential of the city-region. The master plan guides future land use to denser areas and enables industry. Learning from this case study, strategic land-use planning can be seen as a feasible tool to manage shrinking, and the master plan hints at how that might be done, although it does need improvement. Since land-use planning has country-specific characteristics, the research findings may not be directly transferable to other planning systems. However, the findings may offer ideas on how planning tools can be adapted to similarly challenging conditions. The possibility of what strategic spatial planning has to offer in a shrinking context should be researched more to enable the development of planning tools that would be more usable in shrinking conditions.
Keywords: depopulation; Finland; municipal cooperation; Nordic states; scenario planning; shrinking cities
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7694

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Shrinking Cities for Economic Growth? Insights From the Housing Sector
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7721
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7721
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7721
Author-Name: António Ferreira
Author-Workplace-Name: CITTA—Centre for Research on Territory, Transports and Environment, University of Porto, Portugal
Author-Name: Kim C. von Schönfeld
Author-Workplace-Name: CITTA—Centre for Research on Territory, Transports and Environment, University of Porto, Portugal / Department of Civil Engineering, Western Norway University of Applied Sciences, Norway
Author-Name: Fanny Augis
Author-Workplace-Name: CITTA—Centre for Research on Territory, Transports and Environment, University of Porto, Portugal
Author-Name: Paulo Conceição
Author-Workplace-Name: CITTA—Centre for Research on Territory, Transports and Environment, University of Porto, Portugal
Abstract: This research focuses on examining how the pursuit of economic growth can contribute to urban shrinkage. In contrast to the prevalent definition of urban shrinkage that links population loss to insufficient levels of economic growth, this study examines the case of Coimbra, Portugal, where something different is happening. We hypothesise that Coimbra experiences population loss due to urban policies that promote economic growth through housing speculation. We conclude that the hypothesis is valid using semi-structured interviews and document analysis as data collection methods. The identified phenomenon disproportionately affects younger and vulnerable residents, forcing them to relocate due to unaffordable housing options. However, it benefits the local authority and national government, which collaborate with global economic powers that invest in real estate to accumulate capital. The conformist and legalistic-bureaucratic nature of the Portuguese planning system, evident in Coimbra’s local authority, exacerbates the problem. We emphasise the potentially transformative impact of economic degrowth thinking on housing policy. The implications of this research question the validity of mainstream economic theory as commonly applied to urban planning.
Keywords: Coimbra; economic degrowth; housing; population loss; Portugal; urban shrinkage
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7721

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: The Continuous Reproduction of Contradictions in the Urban Development of New Belgrade’s Central Area
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7629
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7629
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7629
Author-Name: Ivan Kucina
Author-Workplace-Name: Dessau International Architecture School, Anhalt University of Applied Sciences, Germany
Abstract: The initial source for the continuous reproduction of contradictions in the central area of New Belgrade’s urban development was the mismatch between the dynamics of political and economic reforms and the static urban planning system that has been banded to the most progressive but rigid functionalist ideals that could not adapt to the emergent pace of these reforms. Consequently, during the socialist and post-socialist periods, the central area of New Belgrade grew irregularly by developing contradictory fragments rather than totality. The inconsistency of the socialist authorities in completing the capital city according to the urban plan despite political imperatives has continued with the post-socialist governing tendencies towards irregularity, privatization, and commercialization of urban development. A series of individual, short-term, and profitable urban projects that have opposed the socialist urban structure, have reused inherited socialist urban infrastructure as a fertile ground for their growth. More than presenting a new insight into the history of urban development of the central area of New Belgrade, this study uses it as the prime case to disclose the unsustainability of the urban planning system during the socialist past and post-socialist present. An alternative urban planning system would embrace the challenges of the continuous reproduction of contradiction by affirming an institutional network of platforms for collaboration among citizens, urban planners, authorities, and developers.
Keywords: New Belgrade; platforms for collaboration; post-socialism; socialism; urban development; urban planning systems
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7629

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Manifesting the Imagined Homeless Body: A Case Study of the Men’s Social Services Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7842
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7842
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7842
Author-Name: Oliver Moss
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Social Sciences, Humanities & Law, Teesside University, UK
Author-Name: Adele Irving
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Health & Society, University of Salford, UK
Abstract: In this article, we explore the changing ways in which the homeless body has been conceptualised by architects and providers of accommodation for single homeless individuals. Tracing developments from the post-war period to the present, we focus on the needs and characteristics of single homeless individuals as they are variously imagined and constructed through the architectural design process. Through detailed examination of the life course of the Ryder &amp; Yates-designed Salvation Army Men’s Social Services Centre, Newcastle-upon-Tyne, UK, we explore how conceptions of the homeless body—shaped by, inter alia, architectural references, professional orthodoxies, and prevailing ideologies of homelessness—influenced the lived experience of the building. In so doing, we bring renewed attention to the capacity of architectural design to generate and shape the affective responses of the single homeless body, and thus the architectural profession’s vital role in tackling the homelessness problem.
Keywords: architectural design; homeless body; hostels; single homelessness; social control
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7842

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Housing Norms and Standards: The Design of Everyday Life
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8339
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8339
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8339
Author-Name: Sam Jacoby
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture, Royal College of Art, UK
Author-Name: Seyithan Özer
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture, Royal College of Art, UK
Abstract: This editorial introduces the articles in this thematic issue, which bridge the gap between technical housing standards, design practices, and socio-cultural norms.
Keywords: everyday practices; home; housing design; technical standards
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8339

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: (Post-)Socialist Housing and Aging in Neoliberal Riga
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7705
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7705
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7705
Author-Name: Aija Lulle
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geographical and Historical Studies, University of Eastern Finland, Finland
Abstract: This article contends that envisioning the future of housing planning in post-socialist cities necessitates the acknowledgment of a pressing reality: Many societies are undergoing rapid aging and depopulation. Latvia’s capital city of Riga, the focal point of this study, stands at the forefront of these global trends. However, due to entrenched neoliberal practices that idealize youthful, robust, and entrepreneurial residents, considerations of aging are conspicuously absent from urban planning visions. Drawing on ethnographic research conducted in the capital city between 2021 and 2023, this article establishes a link between urban lived experiences while aging and the intersecting dynamics of housing. The critical analysis is informed by data derived from observations, conversations, media sources, official discourses, and perspectives gathered through expert interviews. Ultimately, this article advances an agenda aimed at urging people to think about more hopeful futures for aging in cities, an issue of paramount significance in the post-socialist societies of the 21st century.
Keywords: age-friendly cities; aging cities; Latvia; post-socialist societies; Riga; urban ethnography
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7705

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Transforming Public Spaces in Post-Socialist China’s Danwei Neighbourhoods: The Third Dormitory of the Party Committee of Shandong Province
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7632
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7632
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7632
Author-Name: Tao Shi
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Shandong Jianzhu University, China
Author-Name: Fangjie Guo
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
Author-Name: Yali Zhang
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
Abstract: The urban residential pattern in China experienced two significant transitions during the second half of the 20th century. The first happened in the 1960s, based on the Soviet model, when a large-scale community model was built led by government enterprises and institutions under a planned economy; the second was in 1998 when the real estate market-led socialised community model emerged after the reform of commercial housing. The former is characterised by the integration of supervisory units, service units, and property owners: Residents enjoy the right to use the residences and supporting services provided by their affiliated institutions, while for the latter case, supervisory units, service units, and property owners are separate. New conflicts have been found in Danwei neighbourhoods with the housing commercialisation reform. This research focuses on the Third Dormitory of the Party Committee of Shandong Province as a case study to analyse the transformation of public space in the Danwei neighbourhood during the post-socialist era. Through archival research, interviews, and observation, this research has found that two forces that celebrate marketisation by the new residents and resist marketisation by the original residents coexist in the Third Dormitory. Unregulated spatial practices have resulted from the incomplete control of the owners of public space by the provincial government office. This research offers an example of public space transformations in Danwei neighbourhoods, which have undergone incomplete marketisation. The reflections on the Third Dormitory provide references for future neighbourhood management and policy-making.
Keywords: China; economic transition; neighbourhood public space; post-socialism; property marketisation; spatial transformation
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7632

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Energy Renovation and Inhabitants’ Health Literacy: Three Housing Buildings in Paris
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7663
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7663
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7663
Author-Name: Yaneira Wilson
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban Planning, Ecole Supérieure des Professions Immobilières, France / Centre for Housing Research (CRH-LAVUE–CNRS), School of Architecture Paris-Val de Seine, France
Author-Name: Yankel Fijalkow
Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for Housing Research (CRH-LAVUE–CNRS), School of Architecture Paris-Val de Seine, France
Abstract: Today, whether condominiums or social housing, Parisian buildings are undergoing a series of renovation processes aimed at enhancing their construction quality. This renewal, however, impacts the social life of the buildings, which has consolidated over the years. As a socio-technical process, renovation transforms existing architectural forms based on current housing standards. However, while a building may be composed of materials and populations, it is also the result of history, from its construction to its daily maintenance or degradation. Interpreted as such, this article posits that people with no control over their living environments are more likely to suffer from health problems, due to a lack of knowledge about underlying causes or low health literacy regarding living spaces. Consequently, their inability to adapt raises the question: How does an individual’s ability to control their living space influence their health? As part of the SAPHIR program, this article explores this by seeking to understand residents’ abilities, actions, and feelings concerning the tension between individual satisfaction levels and their impact on physical and mental health. It does so through three case studies of buildings constructed prior to 1973, focusing on their design, morphology, location, legal status, norms, and population types. Conducting individual interviews and collective focus groups allowed us to highlight the links between these elements by creating inhabitant and building typologies from different historical periods and standards.
Keywords: health; housing quality; Paris; renovation; social housing
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7663

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Heating Standards and Obsolescence in Post-War Britain’s Homes for Today and Tomorrow
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7754
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7754
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7754
Author-Name: Savia Palate
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture, University of Cyprus, Cyprus
Abstract: In 1962, a short film by Shell-Mex and BP Limited (Companies of the Royal Dutch/Shell Group and the British Petroleum Group) was prepared for the 29th Annual Conference and Exhibition of the National Society of Clean Air in Britain to encourage British households to shift from coal domestic fires to smokeless heating appliances. One year earlier, in 1961, the most influential report on space standards in Britain was published, titled <em>Homes for Today and Tomorrow </em>(also known as the <em>Parker Morris Report</em>), which advocated for flexibility in the home through larger size homes and better heating. This article focuses on the report’s emphasis on better heating as one way to fulfil the concept of the “adaptable home,” and it introduces the discussions about heating standards during the report’s making, underlining the open domestic fire as an obsolete technology. These discussions, however, were entangled with socio-cultural endeavours and consumerist aspirations for modernisation, placing the removal of an otherwise pervasive domestic element within a broader net of forces, actors, and dilemmas involved in decision-making and planning. This article, composed as a historical acquisition, oscillates from the scale of the domestic fireplace to the housing scale, raising the issue of obsolescence in housing provision, which is still salient today.
Keywords: adaptable home; air pollution; council housing; domestic waste; heating standards; Homes for Today and Tomorrow; Parker Morris Report
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7754

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: The Cultural Construction of the Domestic Space in France: Women’s Lived Experience and the Materialization of Customs
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7753
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7753
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7753
Author-Name: Francesca Romana Forlini
Author-Workplace-Name: Architecture and Design, New York Institute of Technology, USA
Abstract: This article explores the intersecting processes of construction of the home, social, and individual identities through domestic practices inside French housing. It examines the design and occupation of French homes as crucial moments for the consolidation of subjectivities, beliefs, and ideologies manifested through daily actions that are influenced by normative cultural systems. In specific, it looks at codified domestic behaviours and their aesthetic dimension, focusing on how the French “art of living” has influenced taste, design, appropriation, and decoration of domestic interiors. Architectural treatises along with etiquette manuals are analysed as they both represent—through the written word and architectural drawings—cultural and gender stereotypes as well as societal norms and expectations that inform housing design and domestic practices. These documents directly assist in the cultural construction of the domestic space, uncovering mechanisms of reproduction and representation that inform the use and design of residential architecture. By focusing on women’s lived experiences, this research looks at the consolidation of feminine domestic cultures and how they fostered small-scale physical transformations of dwellings’ interiors through daily negotiations that define self-identity and interpersonal power relations. These dynamics are referred to as “cultural domesticity.” The latter frames this study along with feminist literature, situating women’s contribution to the aesthetic and spatial development of French apartments. What emerges from this study is that the French state historically exercised a regulatory power that impacted daily life and housing design.
Keywords: culture; decoration; domesticity; dwelling; feminism; France; gender; home; interior; women
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7753

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Handbook, Standard, Room: The Prescription of Residential Room Types in Sweden Between 1942 and 2023
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7846
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7846
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7846
Author-Name: Daniel Movilla Vega
Author-Workplace-Name: Umeå School of Architecture, Umeå University, Sweden
Author-Name: Lluis Juan Liñán
Author-Workplace-Name: Madrid ETSAM, Universidad Politécnica de Madrid, Spain
Abstract: Norms and handbooks have played a key role in the design of residential rooms in Sweden since the 1940s. Ever since, changes in housing policies have led to varying definitions and regulations of residential rooms, allowing their existence, defining their configuration, and framing their performance. And yet, none of these rooms has been built; they are prescribed room types that belong in the pages of handbooks that validate the framework in which housing design can operate. What are these prescribed room types? What do they look like? Who and what do they include? Have they changed over time? In response to these questions, this article follows the evolution of a set of residential room types in the design handbooks that have accompanied housing policy bills in Sweden from 1942 to 2023. These manuals are not the law itself but operate as an interface for professionals and designers by reflecting the practical consequences of the norm. Diagrams, dimensions, texts, and references to housing literature vary from handbook to handbook to define the specific traits of each type of room. By studying these traits in relation to key moments of Swedish housing politics, the article reveals the role that norms and standards have played in the establishment of the regulatory regime in which housing design in Sweden operates today.
Keywords: housing design; housing regulations; housing standards; residential rooms; room typology; Sweden
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7846

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Compact Housing for Incremental Growth: The K206 RDP Project in Alexandra, Johannesburg
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7736
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7736
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7736
Author-Name: Afua Wilcox
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Nelson Mota
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Marietta Haffner
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Marja Elsinga
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and the Built Environment, TU Delft, The Netherlands
Abstract: The South African Reconstruction and Development Programme (RDP) was initiated to provide subsidised housing for low-income families. However, the programme faced challenges in establishing adequate technical guidelines and standards, resulting in subpar housing quality. This article discusses the multifaceted nature of subsidised housing design, emphasising the importance of incorporating technical housing standards as well as the spatial needs of residents based on their context (at both domestic and neighbourhood scales). The article focuses on the K206 housing RDP project in Alexandra, Johannesburg, as a case study that transitioned from generic technical standards to a resident-responsive design scheme that was inspired by the backyard room incremental expansions that were already prevalent in the Alexandra context. A critical review of South Africa’s RDP housing design technical standards and policy is explored. The article also examines the density standards and allowances for incremental expansions introduced by the K206 project, analysing data derived from fieldwork observations, interviews, and the spatial analysis of 26 dwelling units. The study’s findings underscore the significance of maintaining an equilibrium between technical standards and resident-responsive design decisions. The results demonstrate that tailoring the RDP housing design solutions to unique contextual needs can significantly elevate the quality of life of residents concerning income generation and flexibility for incremental expansion. However, this balance is delicate and disparities between the RDP technical standards and user-initiated development over time also have the potential to ultimately impair residents’ living spaces.
Keywords: incremental housing; Reconstruction and Development Programme; South Africa; subsidised housing; technical norms; technical standards
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7736

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Adaptive Reuse of High-Rise Buildings for Housing: A Study of Istanbul Central Business District
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7698
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7698
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7698
Author-Name: Ayşe Zeynep Aydemir
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture, MEF University, Turkey
Author-Name: Tomris Akın
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture, MEF University, Turkey
Abstract: The abrupt shift to remote work due to the Covid-19 pandemic increased vacant office spaces globally, especially in high-rent central business districts (CBDs). These vacant office spaces offer the potential for conversion into housing, addressing the shortage of affordable housing in central areas. Additionally, this topic presents a unique experimental ground for architecture students. This study focuses on the Istanbul CBD as a case study, examining the historical developments that led to a rise in office vacancy rates and housing inequality, and exploring the potential for adaptive reuse of these vacant office buildings. A key focus of this study is to underline the pedagogical value of adaptive reuse, highlighting how such projects can inspire more diverse and equitable housing models, fostering experimental and sustainable design approaches. It systematically evaluates the outcomes of a 4th-year architectural design studio that focuses on the adaptive reuse of the Tat Towers in the Istanbul CBD, a structurally vacant high-rise office building, and asks: How does the context of adaptive reuse enable a different design approach, and, potentially, new spatial norms and standards to emerge, and how might this hold a pedagogical value for architecture education? Following these questions, the article discusses how norms and standards are not only culturally but also typologically contextual, and how the students have explored how norms and standards might change, outlining new design approaches to adaptive reuse.
Keywords: adaptive reuse; building conversion; design studio; high-rise buildings; housing; office vacancy; spatial norms
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7698

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Focusing on Actors, Scaling-Up, and Networks to Understand Co-Production Practices: Reporting From Berlin and Santiago
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7297
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7297
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7297
Author-Name: Paola Alfaro d’Alençon
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture, Civil Engineering, Geomatics, Frankfurt University of Applied Sciences, Germany / School of Architecture, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
Author-Name: Diego Moya Ortiz
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture and Built Environment, University of Santiago de Chile, Chile
Abstract: In different policy agendas, such as the New Urban Agenda and the Sustainable Development Goals, co-production is introduced as a desirable urban planning practice to validate the engagement and inclusion of diverse actors/networks. Nevertheless, some scholars argue (e.g., Watson, Robinson) that the Western planning approach faces difficulties incorporating rationalities beyond the Global North–South division. In this context based on the research project DFG-KOPRO Int for the German Research Foundation on Chilean and German cases and the local context, this article seeks to explore how local groups are undertaking co-production, which means of legitimacy are used, and which socio-spatial results develop. In doing so, the research focuses firstly on the negotiation processes (governance) between stakeholders by undertaking network analysis and, secondly, on understanding the impulse for urban development by analysing the project’s socio-spatial material patterns. Chile’s neoliberal context and the case studies showcase diverse cooperative forms that try to close governance gaps within strong political struggles. In the German context, actors from different areas, such as cultural institutions, universities, and private actors undertake diverse mandates for testing regulatory, persuasive, or financial instruments. As different as local realities are, the overall results show that co-production occurs mostly in highly contested fields such as housing projects and highlights a three-part constellation of actors—state, private, and civil society—in urban development. However, negotiation processes take place, ranging from conflictive to cooperative. Hence, co-production challenges prevailing social and political structures by providing an arena for new forms of collective and pluralistic governance.
Keywords: Delphi study; governance framework; international urbanism; neoliberal urban development; planning instruments; urban co-production
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7297

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: “The Citizen” as a Ghost Subject in Co-Producing Smart Sustainable Cities: An Intersectional Approach
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7259
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7259
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7259
Author-Name: Leika Aruga
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Interdisciplinary Studies of Culture, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Author-Name: Hilde Refstie
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geography, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Author-Name: Hilde Nymoen Rørtveit
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Geography, Norwegian University of Science and Technology, Norway
Abstract: The importance and benefits of engaging citizens as co-producers of urban transformation have been increasingly recognised. However, the mere implementation of citizen co-production does not guarantee more legitimate or inclusive policy decisions and outcomes, especially when power inequalities that shape local decision-making remain unaddressed. This article examines the transformative potential of citizen co-production in smart sustainable city initiatives using two successive citizen panels in Trondheim, Norway, as cases. The study aimed to understand the role of citizen co-production in these panels, and the notion of “the citizen” within their frameworks. Three challenges with co-production were identified. Firstly, the ad-hoc nature of citizen engagement emphasised individual participation rather than facilitating collective spaces from which political agency could emerge. Secondly, citizens’ viewpoints were perceived as uninformed preferences that could be transformed through professional guidance. This, coupled with the closed nature of the initiatives, raises questions about the transformative potential of the processes, particularly in challenging the underlying premises of citizen co-production shaped by a neoliberal discourse of smart sustainable cities. The article concludes with a call to analyse citizen co-production spaces through an intersectional lens that attends to relational understandings of power dynamics and identities. This analysis should not only consider who participates, but also how “the citizen” as a subject is conceptualised and mobilised, how citizens’ interests and knowledge are taken into account, and the political significance of their involvement.
Keywords: citizen panel; co-production; democratic innovations; intersectionality; smart sustainable cities
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7259

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Digital Platforms as (Dis)Enablers of Urban Co-Production: Evidence From Bengaluru, India
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7262
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7262
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7262
Author-Name: Deepa Kylasam Iyer
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Industrial and Labor Relations, Cornell University, USA
Author-Name: Francis Kuriakose
Author-Workplace-Name: Cambridge Development Initiative, UK
Abstract: This article examines how digital platforms focused on citizen engagement affect urban transformation based on multiple case studies from Bengaluru, India. The research question is: What type of initiatives and designs of digital citizen platforms enable co-production? Co-production is defined as the use of assets and resources between the public sector and citizens to produce better outcomes and improve the efficiency of urban services. The study uses qualitative and quantitative approaches. Evaluative metrics of citizen engagement in digital platforms are done at two levels: platform metrics and initiative metrics. Each platform is evaluated under several variables that indicate the type of ownership, period of operation, aims and types of initiatives, and impact and levels of engagement. Then, the digital platforms are mapped for the extent of digital co-production that matches the type of digital interaction with a form of citizen–government relationship. The findings indicate that the orientation of digital co-production, where it exists, seems to be around the dimensions of co-testing and co-evaluation rather than co-design and co-financing. Furthermore, the digital platforms under study primarily view citizens as users rather than collaborators, limiting the scope of digital co-production. The involvement of urban local governments and private partners in a single platform strengthens the degree of citizen engagement, including the scope for co-production. Finally, there is a strong offline counterpart to citizen engagement through digital platforms where true co-production exists.
Keywords: Bengaluru; citizenship; co-production; digital platforms; India; urban transformation
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7262

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Co-Production for Equitable Governance in Community Climate Adaptation: Neighborhood Resilience in Houston, Texas
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7338
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7338
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7338
Author-Name: Dalia Munenzon
Author-Workplace-Name: Gerald D. Hines College of Architecture and Design, University of Houston, USA
Abstract: <p>As urban areas grapple with the pressing impacts of climate change, fostering community-level resilience becomes imperative. Co-production, emphasizing active stakeholder engagement, offers a pathway to robust, equitable, and inclusive adaptation strategies. This article delves into the co-production processes within neighborhood resilience planning in Houston, Texas, revealing how collaboration between communities, planners, and municipal leaders can address climate vulnerabilities and support disadvantaged groups. Through an empirical analysis of three Houston neighborhoods, the study evaluates co-production’s role in promoting neighborhood-scale adaptive capacity and reshaping power dynamics to advance equity and environmental justice. The results highlight the significance of local institutions and the necessity of municipal commitment to co-production efforts. The study contributes actionable insights on the application of co-production in neighborhood climate adaptation, emphasizing the need for direct municipal engagement to implement transformative spatial projects and rebalance governance frameworks for effective climate action.</p>
Keywords: capacity building; climate adaptation; co-production; environmental justice; Houston; neighborhood resilience; urban governance
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7338

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Sharing for Health, Inclusion, and Sustainability: The Co-Production of Outdoor Equipment Lending in Norway
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7253
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7253
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7253
Author-Name: Espen Eigil Barratt-Due Solum
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Social Sciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
Author-Name: Anniken Førde
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Social Sciences, UiT—The Arctic University of Norway, Norway
Author-Name: Monica Guillen-Royo
Author-Workplace-Name: CICERO Center for International Climate Research, Norway
Abstract: This study analyses the promotion of public health, social inclusion, and environmental sustainability in two Norwegian cities through the co-production of outdoor equipment-lending outlets. Building on seminal insights from Elinor Ostrom, we investigate how the co-production of equipment-lending initiatives can bridge the divide between government, civil society, and the market. Engaging citizens in outdoor activities to promote public health, social inclusion and sustainability is a political focus area in Norway, but the activities often demand access to expensive equipment. Since the 1990s, many Norwegian municipalities have organised lending outlets for outdoor equipment, often relying on volunteer work. The emergence of BUA, a nationwide NGO aimed at engaging children and youth in outdoor activities, added the goal of environmental sustainability as a foundation for equipment-lending outlets. Additionally, it became a catalyst for the articulation of a diverse array of partnerships for the co-production of equipment lending as a public service. This study draws on fieldwork and in-depth interviews with users, staff, volunteers, and institutional partners at two lending outlets, in Kolbotn and Tromsø, in south-eastern and northern Norway. We focus on the co-production of BUA as a public service and discuss how the interplay of various actors leads to the achievement of societal and environmental goals, and subsequently how equipment-lending initiatives can facilitate collaborative consumption practices with the potential to reduce consumption.
Keywords: collaborative consumption; co-production; environmental sustainability; outdoor equipment; public health; social inclusion
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7253

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Co-Production Boundaries of Nature-Based Solutions for Urban Regeneration: The Case of a Healthy Corridor
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7306
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7306
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7306
Author-Name: Beatriz Caitana
Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for Social Studies (CES), University of Coimbra, Portugal / Faculty of Economics, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Author-Name: Gonçalo Canto Moniz
Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for Social Studies (CES), University of Coimbra, Portugal / Department of Architecture, University of Coimbra, Portugal
Abstract: Co-production, rooted in public collaborative management (Ostrom, 1996) or science and technology (Jasanoff, 2013) evolution, has demonstrated its innovative and transformative character within participatory processes. However, there is little empirical evidence that scrutinises these contexts of interaction. Equality of partnership in many cases is used as a discursive rhetoric that seeks to prescribe co-production above any difficulty, uncertainty, conflict, or unwanted situation. As a starting point, our proposal considers co-production as a social practice, composed of multiple layers and different participatory processes, activities, and strategies. Grounded in co-production approaches, the study draws upon the ongoing evaluation findings of the European project URBiNAT, which focuses on inclusive urban regeneration through nature-based solutions. The qualitative methods of evaluation (interviews and participant observation), applied during the co-production activities in the city of Porto (Portugal), provide evidence of how the various stakeholders—elected politicians, citizens, technicians, and researchers—participate in the co-production dynamic. The boundaries of a multi-stakeholder process are revealed with the goal of implementing healthy corridors in peripheral neighbourhoods. The intended evaluation analysis lies in the techniques, the agents, the dynamics, the knowledge, and the degrees of co-production. This analysis will contribute to the lack of explicit consideration of the impacts of nature-based solutions in urban regeneration pathways, especially those related to the social fabric underlined in Dumitru et al. (2020).
Keywords: co-production; healthy corridors; nature-based solutions; peripheral neighbourhoods; Portugal; urban regeneration
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7306

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Co-Production Between Insurgency and Exploitation: Promises and Precarities of a Traveling Concept
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8235
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8235
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8235
Author-Name: Sophie Schramm
Author-Workplace-Name: International Planning Studies, TU Dortmund, Germany
Abstract: Co-production has inspired planning practice and research in the past decades. Along with its appropriation in the planning literature it has undergone manifold translations and its boundaries have become blurry. In this commentary I propose a conceptualisation of co-production not only as efficient service provision by citizens and state actors together but furthermore as a kind of city-making that has transformative potential beyond concrete interventions in the present moment. This matters because it enables a conceptual discrimination between co-production and the exploitation of marginalised people’s resources, time, and labour. I argue that the necessity of this discrimination becomes apparent when analysing co-productive efforts in their embeddedness in space and time.
Keywords: co-production; heterogeneous infrastructures; insurgent planning; Southern urbanisms
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8235

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Co-Production in the Urban Setting: Fostering Definitional and Conceptual Clarity Through Comparative Research
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8262
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8262
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8262
Author-Name: Dahae Lee
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Spatial Planning, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
Author-Name: Patricia Feiertag
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Spatial Planning, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
Author-Name: Lena Unger
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Spatial Planning, Technical University of Dortmund, Germany
Abstract: Co-production is a concept which is increasingly popular in the planning field to refer to multi-stakeholder collaboration and partnership with citizens. However, the existing literature suggests that the rapid growth of the concept has resulted in ambiguity about its meaning. Given that the concept has a potential in planning research and practice, the thematic issue aims to present studies that use comparative approaches as a way to sharpen the understanding of co-production. The issue includes one commentary and six articles with empirical evidence from various countries across the world. The editorial provides overarching context and introduces each contribution of the issue.
Keywords: co-7-framework; co-production; comparative research; urban development
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8262

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: The Influence of Space Standards on Housing Typologies: The Evolution of the Nuclear Family Dwelling in England
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7758
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7758
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7758
Author-Name: Lucia Alonso Aranda
Author-Workplace-Name: Royal College of Art, UK
Abstract: This article explores the evolution of dwelling typologies in London, examining how regulations and standards have transformed housing layouts and indirectly informed personal and social interactions at home. Housing policy of the past century, as reflected through space standards, type plans, housing manuals, and reports, reveal a socio-political agenda of promoting nuclear family dwellings, traditionally a household of parents and their children. This article contributes to this discussion by exploring the contextual drivers, spatial reasoning, and evidence underpinning the decisions of housing reports such as the <em>Tudor Walters Report</em> (1918), the <em>Dudley Report</em> (1944), and the <em>Parker Morris Report</em> (1961). Changes in household structures can be seen through regulations: from multiple families sharing a house, to the separation of individual families into single homes, to prioritising the individual over the family unit. This article analyses how five historical moments in which typological shifts promoted nuclear family dwellings that have determined spatial hierarchies and family dynamics around cooking, eating, and socialising. Similarly, societal shifts in housing expectations, such as the changing perceptions of social status symbols, privacy, gender roles, and household dynamics have contributed to the spatial arrangement and layout of homes. By shedding light on the socio-technical transformations, this research highlights the need for innovative design solutions and evidence-based space standards to meet contemporary needs.
Keywords: design standards; housing typologies; nuclear family; post-war housing; space standards; terraced housing
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7758

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Domestic Cartographies: A Post-Occupancy Ethnographic Assessment of Barcelona’s Social Housing Strategies, 2015–2023
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7860
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7860
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7860
Author-Name: Raül Avilla-Royo
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture, Royal College of Art, UK
Author-Name: Ibon Bilbao
Author-Workplace-Name: Barcelona School of Architecture, Polytechnic University of Catalonia, Spain
Abstract: The lack of affordable housing remains a major problem in Spain. Following the decline in public and affordable housing production caused by the economic, political, and social crisis of 2008, efforts to produce public housing were reactivated in the mid-2010s, gaining increasing importance. In Barcelona, housing policies have played a central role in recent political discourse, particularly with the tenure of housing rights activist Ada Colau (2015–2023). With traditional approaches failing to address the housing emergency, the local government introduced five new procurement strategies to increase the affordable housing stock. These involve new forms of council housing, delegated developments, limited-profit investments, zero-equity housing cooperatives, and urban refurbishment. This article uses a mixed methods approach to analyse these strategies. The analysis spans all design phases, from inception to construction, and includes post-occupancy evaluations. Methods include typological analysis, expert interviews, and spatial performance analysis using ethnographic methods and inhabitant interviews. The results evidence the importance of diversifying procurement models, tailoring approaches to different user profiles, and enhancing emerging opportunities by including new stakeholders in the development process.
Keywords: affordable housing; Barcelona Housing Plan; cooperative housing; emergency shelters; housing policies; post-occupancy evaluation; social housing
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7860

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: The Lifestyles of Space Standards: Concepts and Design Problems
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7800
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7800
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7800
Author-Name: Alvaro Arancibia
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Architecture, Pontificia Universidad Católica de Chile, Chile
Abstract: Space standards are envisioned as a powerful means to regulate dwelling design, ensuring the quality, functionality, and safety of homes. Their ultimate objective is to guarantee a minimum level of design quality that can accommodate a wide range of domestic activities. While space standards primarily focus on isolated quantitative aspects such as overall size, room dimensions, and occupancy limits, they also make assumptions about activities to be performed by ideal “users” and specific lifestyles to be accommodated within a home. However, these assumptions are being challenged by the increasing demands and diverse activities taking place in the dwelling realm, which call into question the validity of existing space standards. In response to these challenges, this article conducts a critical review of the theoretical basis and various interpretations of space standards, particularly in the context of England. It explores their fundamental concepts and historical approaches, as well as examines specific examples of their application and their correlation with design strategies. By delving into the concepts of “the normal” and “the minimum dwelling,” the article discusses the three main dimensions of space standards: program, user, and size. Consequently, it argues for a more comprehensive understanding of the general application of space standards, which requires incorporating architectural design problems, particularly from the perspective of flexibility. This approach takes into account the evolving needs and diversity of households, as well as the creation of inclusive and adaptable living spaces.
Keywords: dwelling design; flexible housing; housing design quality; minimum dwelling; space standards
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7800

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Calibrating the Parallax View: Understanding the Critical Moments of the Yugoslav Post-Socialist Turn
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7641
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7641
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7641
Author-Name: Dalia Dukanac
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Author-Name: Marija Milinković
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Author-Name: Anđelka Bnin-Bninski
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Architecture, University of Belgrade, Serbia
Abstract: In this article, we seek to provide a new line of sight referring to specificities of the neoliberal turn in post-socialist societies and corresponding transformations of space. By employing the methodological approach that side-by-side explores two mutually exclusive strategies of analytical and empirical survey, we intend to tackle the question of irreducible antinomies pertinent to architectural research methodologies. Block 23 of the Central Zone of New Belgrade, designed by Branislav Karadžić, Božidar Janković, and Aleksandar Stjepanović (1968), has been widely recognised and aptly studied as one of the highlights of modern urban planning and design, conceived and realised in the period of late socialism in Belgrade (Serbia, former Yugoslavia). Featuring a notion of a “parallax gap,” we presume that the reading of Block 23 through two close yet clearly distinctive perspectives can bring a new scope of knowledge and point to the gap inscribed in the buildings themselves. The first point of view is empirical, centred on the notion of everyday life, and concerns the interpretation and use of space by its inhabitants. The second one is analytical, determined by the work of the architect and architectural theoretician, Branislav Milenković. We start from their point of contact and seek to find a shift in the diverging discursive positions producing a parallax gap. By way of architectural drawing, we explore and theorise new possibilities opened up by the actual buildings: interstitial, intermediary, transitional spaces, and spatial in-betweens. We hope to demonstrate the pursuit of both meticulously planned and dynamically conceived spaces open for the unpredictable was not only a way to respond to specific Yugoslav socio-political realities, but that it fostered the capacity of architecture to accommodate the future population and socio-economic transformations.
Keywords: Block 23; Branislav Milenković; dynamic scheme; Jugoslovenska narodna armija; New Belgrade; parallax gap; parallax view; post-socialist turn; Serbia
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7641

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: An Empirical Test of Pedestrian Activity Theories Within Informal Settlements
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6932
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6932
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6932
Author-Name: Yael Borofsky
Author-Workplace-Name: Development Economics Group, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Author-Name: Stephanie Briers
Author-Workplace-Name: Transdisciplinarity Lab (TdLab), ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Author-Name: Isabel Günther
Author-Workplace-Name: Development Economics Group, ETH Zürich, Switzerland
Abstract: Pedestrian activity is often measured in the formal parts of cities, yet it has rarely been studied in informal settlements, although they are typically adjacent to formal areas and residents participate in formal urban life. Route optimization and space syntax are two pedestrian activity theories that can be applied to predict path usage in urban areas. These theories have been tested in formal cities, but are they applicable in understudied informal settings? Using motion sensors, we measure pedestrian activity in a Cape Town informal settlement in the early morning and evening hours and test which theory best explains the sensor measurements. Route optimization is weakly correlated with average pedestrian activity, while space syntax performs even more poorly in predicting pedestrian activity. The predictive power of both theoretical calculations further varies by time of day. We find that both theories perform worst at the entrances/exits of the informal settlement—that is, the border between informal and formal. These results indicate that daily movement patterns in informal settlements may differ from formal areas and that the connection between the formal and informal city requires further study to better understand how pedestrian activity links these two types of areas. A new theory of route selection based on such an understanding, which also better incorporates the specific characteristics of informal urban settlements—such as high density, narrow, and constantly changing streets primarily used by residents—may be necessary to understand the needs of pedestrians within informal settlements as compared to formal areas.
Keywords: informal settlement; nighttime activity; pedestrian; route optimization; sensor; space syntax
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6932

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Planned Socio-Spatial Fragmentation: The Normalisation of Gated Communities in Two Mexican Metropolises
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6879
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6879
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6879
Author-Name: Emma R. Morales
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Habitat and Urban Development, Instituto Tecnológico y de Estudios Superiores de Occidente (ITESO), Mexico
Abstract: Mexican metropolises, like many others in Latin America, are facing complex challenges connected to rapid urbanisation and population growth. Local governments struggle to provide the necessary infrastructure, housing, security, and basic services in a highly divided—socially and spatially—urban realm. Socio-spatial fragmentation in cities like Guadalajara and Puebla has existed since their foundations in the 16th century, as planning guidelines in the <em>Laws of the Indies</em> established differentiated rules for Spaniards and indigenous people. However, in recent decades, neoliberal planning and housing policy reforms, the consolidation of the real estate market, growing crime and violence, and socioeconomic disparities have contributed to more tangible forms of planned socio-spatial fragmentation, such as gated communities. This work discusses how policies and social practices have led to the normalisation of these fortified enclaves in the metropolises of Guadalajara and Puebla, whose capital cities are preparing to celebrate their 500th anniversaries in a context of conflict, loss of shared space, insecurity, and social inequalities. The work is based on a comprehensive review of national and local planning and housing policies, a historical and cartographic analysis of neighbourhood development, and qualitative research in Puebla over a decade, along with similar work in Guadalajara in the last couple of years. The relevance of this work lies in identifying the role of planning in the production of fragmented urban structures and visualising the possibilities for more inclusive solutions.
Keywords: gated communities; Guadalajara; Mexico; planning; Puebla; socio-spatial fragmentation
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6879

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Economic–Sanitation–Environmental (Dis)Connections in Brazil: A Trans-Scale Perspective From Minas Gerais State and BH Microregion
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7048
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7048
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7048
Author-Name: Norma Valencio
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Environmental Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
Author-Name: Arthur Valencio
Author-Workplace-Name: Brazilian Center for Early Childhood Development, Insper Institute for Education and Research, Brazil
Author-Name: Gabriel G. Carvalho
Author-Workplace-Name: Postgraduate Programme in Environmental Sciences, Federal University of São Carlos, Brazil
Author-Name: Murilo S. Baptista
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Complex Systems and Mathematical Biology, University of Aberdeen, UK / Department of Physics, University of Aberdeen, UK / SUPA, University of Aberdeen, UK
Abstract: Brazil’s economic, environmental, and infrastructural landscape is characterised by local and regional inequalities, particularly evident in Minas Gerais state and the municipalities surrounding its capital, Belo Horizonte (BH) microregion. This research examines three primary domains: (a) economic metrics such as GDP per capita, wages, and formal employment; (b) the availability of clean water and sewage systems; and (c) the frequency of emergency decrees. It aims to ascertain whether these factors can delineate economic, health, and socio-environmental divides within the BH microregion and between its urban and rural areas. Economically, a pronounced gap exists between GDP growth and wage stability, underscoring disparities between the BH microregion and the broader state. While the BH microregion boasts higher salaries and GDP, it also grapples with a heightened cost of living. Disparities in water and sewage infrastructure are stark between urban and non-urban locales, with the latter often lacking access. Emergency decrees are correlated with municipal GDP, with lower-GDP areas experiencing more crises, albeit to a lesser extent in the BH microregion. Cluster analysis reveals a nexus between frequent emergencies, lower GDP, and improved access to water and sewage services. Addressing these challenges requires comprehensive public policies to foster local well-being and alleviate economic, infrastructural, and environmental disparities within both the state and the BH microregion.
Keywords: Brazil; development studies; drinking water; emergency declaration; Minas Gerais; regional planning; sanitation infrastructure; sewage coverage; social inequalities; socio-environmental justice
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7048

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Spatial Appropriations Over Europe’s Borderland: El Principe’s Growth as a Vestige of Colonial Urbanism
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6942
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6942
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6942
Author-Name: Mari Paz Agundez
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Architecture, Technical University of Berlin, Germany
Abstract: My work investigates the spatial transformations generated by conflicting competencies in the border city of Ceuta, a Spanish exclave on the northernmost tip of Morocco. Due to its strategic location, Ceuta became the gateway to the Spanish Protectorate over Morocco. Its implemented masterplan was rooted in the colonial urbanizing strategy of social segregation; yet failed to encompass the entirety of the territory, rendering the border area a site for informal urban settlements. Spain’s 1986 accession to the EU granted the exclave a new role as an icon of Fortress Europe, hindering migration movements toward mainland Europe and, due to the municipality’s neglect of the multifarious stranded migrant groups, settlements ballooned into districts along the border checkpoints. This article investigates the spatial conflicts generated by the border and how these, in turn, shape the borderland. It examines how supra-national actors manipulate urban planning to establish dominance, ostracizing the border region, and studies whether migrants’ spatial practices can effectively disrupt their socio-spatial segregation. Focusing on the border district of El Principe, a twofold methodology is followed: A top-down perspective is built through mapping, examining historical masterplans, policy analysis, and interviews, and a bottom-up stance is included, grounded on participant observation and semi-structured interviews, revealing migrants’ spatial appropriation tactics.
Keywords: borderlands; Ceuta; colonialism; gray spacing; urban planning
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6942

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Migrants in the Old Train Wagons Borderland in Thessaloniki: From Abandonment to Infrastructures of Commοning
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6967
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6967
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6967
Author-Name: Charalampos Tsavdaroglou
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Thessaly, Greece
Author-Name: Paschalis Arvanitidis
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Economics, University of Thessaly, Greece
Author-Name: Zacharias Valiantzas
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Spatial Planning and Development, Aristotle University of Thessaloniki, Greece
Abstract: The article examines the living and infrastructuring practices of homeless newcomer migrants who find shelter in abandoned train wagons in the west end of Thessaloniki, an area described as “one of the biggest train cemeteries in Europe.” Hundreds of train wagons have been abandoned there over the years, especially after the 2010 financial crisis, when the state-owned railway company was faced with significant financial difficulties. These abandoned wagons form an urban borderland and have provided temporary shelter to numerous homeless and unregistered migrants who stop in Thessaloniki on their route to Central and Northern Europe. Although there is a significant number of studies which discuss the formal infrastructures provided by the state and the NGOs, little attention has been given to the various ways by which homeless and unregistered migrants create and self-manage their own infrastructures to meet their needs. The article aims to shed light on this shortage while examining the (re)production of arrival infrastructures by the migrants themselves. In doing so, the article builds upon the concept of abandonment and attempts to enrich it by drawing on the theories of arrival infrastructures and urban commons. It combines spatial analysis and urban ethnography in order to explore how an urban borderland with abandoned infrastructures, like the train wagons, are re-used and transformed into commoning infrastructures, where newcomers and settled migrants join their forces in their attempt to support each other, meet their needs and of “becoming otherwise.”
Keywords: abandonment; arrival infrastructures; borderland; commoning; homeless people; infrastructures; migrants; shelter; Thessaloniki
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6967

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: The Liminality of Subcultural Spaces: Tokyo’s Gaming Arcades as Boundary Between Social Isolation and Integration
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6969
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6969
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6969
Author-Name: Heide Imai
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Intercultural Communication, Senshu University, Japan
Author-Name: Lisa Woite
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Imaging Arts and Sciences, Musashino Art University, Japan
Abstract: This article explores the concept of liminal spaces in Tokyo, specifically focusing on gaming arcades as transitional spaces between social isolation and integration. The decline of the once-popular arcades since the 1990s raises questions about their usage, accessibility, and affordability in contemporary Tokyo. After clarifying the concept of liminality and urban borderlands, the article examines various case studies in central Tokyo, argues that arcades serve diverse purposes and highlights the importance of reintegration of such liminal spaces to bring people from different backgrounds together, providing entertainment, competition, and ritualized encounters. Employing ethnographic fieldwork, including participant observation, interviews, and secondary data analysis, this study recognizes the gaming arcade not only as a physical but also as a mental and social space. The arcades embody the hopes, fears, and aspirations of their users, blur boundaries, offer immersive experiences, and foster a sense of community, comfort, and nostalgia. Such insights allow us to understand how identities are constructed and negotiated in these spaces. In conclusion, the article advocates for a nuanced approach to urban planning that recognizes the value of subcultural spaces like gaming arcades and emphasizes the need to preserve and integrate these spaces into the broader urban fabric. By doing so it can be understood how these liminal spaces can contribute to a diversity of social interactions, community-building, and a better understanding and revitalization of urban borderlands if integrated and managed in the right way.
Keywords: collective memory; community; gaming arcades; liminality; social integration; social isolation; third spaces; Tokyo; urban borderlands
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6969

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Transformations of the Beirut River: Between Temporary and Permanent Liminality
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6963
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6963
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6963
Author-Name: Christine Mady
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture, Aalto University, Finland
Abstract: This article presents the case of the Beirut River corridor in Lebanon, which defines the administrative border between the capital Beirut, its eastern and south-eastern suburbs. The Beirut River has undergone several transformations from being a lotic environment to becoming complex urban infrastructure. This is often unnoticeable due to the scarcity of its running water and its walled existence at the edge of administrative boundaries. The separation from its riverbanks, disconnection from the urban fabric, and continuous pollution have contributed to its liminality, being simultaneously neither present nor absent. To understand this in-betweenness, the river’s spatial, temporal, and social liminality are analysed by identifying major events, actors, and key urban planning interventions that impacted the river at the national, city region, and local scales. The article explores the development of the river corridor both in terms of urbanisation and population dynamics; its distinct positionality in different periods that corresponded to major events and decisions made; and the contrasting river experiences and perceptions across generations, which vary between reminiscence and aversion. By examining the various transformative processes, collective practices, perceptions, and diverse actors, the article highlights the contextual implications of this obdurate liminality, but also Beirut River’s potential alternative future positionality amidst present and imminent urban challenges.
Keywords: actors; Beirut River; border; canalisation; liminal; scale; social practices
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6963

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Bordering Practices in a Sustainability-Profiled Neighbourhood: Studying Inclusion and Exclusion Through Fluid and Fire Space
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6972
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6972
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6972
Author-Name: Maria Eidenskog
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, Sweden
Author-Name: Wiktoria Glad
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Thematic Studies, Linköping University, Sweden
Abstract: Borders are essential in the current planning of cities since new forms of social relations are needed to support more sustainable ways of life. In this article, we present a case study of a sustainability-profiled new neighbourhood, Vallastaden in Sweden. We focus on how sustainability is enacted in different socio-material versions, which often include defusing borders between private and shared spaces. Shared space in Vallastaden includes spaces to facilitate meetings, such as <em>felleshus</em> (built as semi-communal, ground-level buildings, semi-indoor spaces, and greenhouses), winter gardens (built as rooftop, semi-private, semi-indoor, and social spaces), and the shared brook-park Broparken and farm-park Paradiset with rental allotments and communal gardens. Analysing how bordering practices create inclusion and exclusion, we study their consequences for the everyday lives of humans and non-humans in Vallastaden. We conceptualise these dynamics as fluid and fire space in order to make the ontological politics of bordering visible. Our study shows that the borders in the planned shared spaces are dynamic and create both fluid and fire space, depending on their socio-material relations. The research shows that planners need to take these heterogeneous socio-material relations into account when creating borders because, otherwise, they risk creating unfair exclusions.
Keywords: bordering; fire space; fluid space; neighbourhoods; social sustainability; Sweden; urban planning
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6972

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Conceptualizing Place Borders as Narrative: Observations From Berlin-Wedding, a Neighbourhood in Transformation
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7027
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7027
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7027
Author-Name: Martin Barthel
Author-Workplace-Name: Comparative Research Network, Germany
Author-Name: James W. Scott
Author-Workplace-Name: Karelian Institute, University of Eastern Finland, Finland
Abstract: Place is of central significance to urban planning processes that specifically target community involvement and co-ownership of development decisions. Consequently, the intriguing but often daunting task of understanding how a sense of place emerges, develops, and evolves has been a subject of interdisciplinary study that links the social sciences, humanities, and more recently, cognitive sciences. Since Kevin Lynch’s classic study of urban images and mental maps, borders within cities have either directly or indirectly featured as vital meaning-making elements of place identities. However, despite some remarkable precedents, analysis of political and socio-cultural borders has only begun to link place-making and bordering processes in ways that resonate with urban planning studies. In this article, we will suggest that borders emerge in the embodied creation of social space as a means to interpret the environment and stabilise ways of knowing the wider world. Building on our own previous research on participatory place-making initiatives in Berlin, we will indicate how border stories (i.e., the social communication of neighbourhood distinction, relationality, and transformation) represent vital knowledges of place. These knowledges reflect embodied experiences of place as well as contestations and tensions that characterise place development processes. Perhaps most importantly in terms of planning, the salience of urban borders lies in broadening understanding of how and why places function—or fail to function—as communities.
Keywords: Berlin; borders; participatory place-making; place narratives; urban borders
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7027

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Inhabiting Flyover Geographies: Flows, Interstices, and Walking Bodies in Karachi
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7168
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7168
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7168
Author-Name: Aseela Haque
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Human Geography, Free University Berlin, Germany
Abstract: Flyovers have featured in critical urban planning scholarship in the Global South as fetishized symbols of modernity, often fragmenting urban environments, fracturing space, exacerbating inequalities, and embodying “worlding”’ aspirations of city planners. Acknowledging the role of such infrastructure as technologies of (dis)connection in increasingly enclaved cities, I seek to situate the flyover, its material form, and attendant gaps, characterized by raised ribbons of “smooth” flows, leftover spaces, and proliferation of informal practices, as important sites of encounters. As such, I take “borderland urbanism” as an impetus to think flyover geographies anew by locating the flyover as a particular place in the city that is transient, contested, and constantly re-made. Through ethnographic vignettes and interviews, I sketch out everyday urban experiences over and under a flyover in Karachi, Pakistan. I illustrate how the flyover as a spatial and temporal leap is perceived and experienced by a range of differently mobile urban dwellers, paying particular attention to how walking bodies inhabit an infrastructural landscape that heavily privileges cars and motorcycles. Furthermore, I trace how life in the interstices under the flyover is assembled through social collaboration, resisting eviction, and a politics of visibility.
Keywords: flyovers; infrastructure; inhabitation; Karachi; mobilities; urban space
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7168

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Subaltern Politics at Urban Borderlands
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6974
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6974
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6974
Author-Name: Harshavardhan Jatkar
Author-Workplace-Name: The Bartlett School of Environment, Energy, and Resources, University College London, UK
Abstract: Cities around the world are developed through modern/colonial boundaries between the formal/informal, private/public, vehicular/pedestrian, secular/religious, human/nonhuman, or new/old. Postcolonial and decolonial theorists have demonstrated how borders have served the colonial control of the city through the state apparatus, where differences have reinforced inequalities rather than engendering an open city. While politics between the two sides of the border is often explored, this article draws attention to the rather underacknowledged role of material assemblages at urban borderlands in making room for subaltern agencies to come into being. To do so, I first demonstrate the bordering effects of modern planning practices through an example of real-estate advertisements. Later, I focus on four urban borderlands, namely walls, <em>mandals </em>(socio-religious organisations), hillslopes and rivulet banks, and alleyways. Through ethnographic research on two slum rehabilitation projects in Pune, India, I show that the spatiality and temporality produced by these borderlands transcend modern boundaries while making room for subaltern agencies. Walls are used for bending the fixed spatiality of modern apartment buildings; <em>mandals </em>engender a spatiotemporal structure that straddles the religious/secular boundary; hillslopes and rivulet banks support the permanent temporariness of the self-built neighbourhoods; and alleyways allow the public and the private to flow into one another. Here, subaltern agencies effectively transgress modern borders, not by rejecting them but by inhabiting them to make an alternative and open city possible. In effect, this article argues that urban borderlands make visible subaltern agencies that have the potential to dislodge urban theory and practice from their colonial modernist legacy.
Keywords: India; modern boundaries; modern planning; postcolonial urbanism; Pune; subaltern agencies; urban borderlands
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6974

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Urban Borderlands: Difference, Inequality, and Spatio-Temporal In-Betweenness in Cities
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/8288
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.8288
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 8288
Author-Name: Deljana Iossifova
Author-Workplace-Name: Architecture, University of Manchester, UK
Author-Name: David Kostenwein
Author-Workplace-Name: Spatial Development and Urban Policy Group, ETH Zurich, Switzerland
Abstract: The concept of urban borderlands helps us to understand how divisions take <em>place</em> in the city. Urban borderlands expand territorially beyond the mere linear border, drawing together what exists in or across both sides of the divide. In that they are not merely physical, but of course always socially, culturally, and experientially densely charged, the notion of the urban borderland offers itself as a useful analytic in the study of urban conditions that are marked by contiguity and coexistence. Contributions in this issue explore the potential of urban borderline studies across global cities, spanning various scales and employing theoretical frameworks such as borderlands, liminality, and multiple identities. This issue emphasizes the importance of considering bordering processes in urban planning and design and shows that urban borderlands are sites of contestation, negotiation, and coexistence, offering valuable lessons for the future of urban research and practice.
Keywords: assemblages; borders; boundaries; categorization; coexistence; identity; liminality; practices; separation; urban borderlands
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:8288

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Domesticity as Nation Building in the United Arab Emirates
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7775
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7775
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7775
Author-Name: Sophie A. Johnson
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Interior Design, Canadian University Dubai, UAE
Abstract: The legacy passed on from one generation to another has deep connections to a shared identity, a sense of belonging, and cultural heritage. Different types of architecture reflect cultural and societal changes, especially housing. In the UAE, housing has played an important role in nation-building efforts, with the Emirati villa, a space filled with intangible practices through which domestic cultural production and national identity can be read. Therefore, the transformation of domesticity has been instrumental in the process of rapid Emiratisation and nation-building. This article discusses the tangible and intangible aspects of domesticity and hospitality found in the Emirati villa using conventional architectural analysis and live experience studies. By presenting what guides and informs domestic practices, one can read the interior space as a series of spatial qualities. It asks: How have Emirati homes become a means to create and preserve shared social practices? This aims to reveal how social practices, such as hospitality, are spatialised in Emirati homes, capturing everyday life and social norms. The article argues for the recognition of domestic cultural transformations as a valuable contribution to Emirati national identity over the last 50 years of nation-building.
Keywords: cultural heritage; domesticity; housing; nation-building; space production; United Arab Emirates
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7775

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Decentralization in Ukraine: Reorganizing Core–Periphery Relations?
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7642
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7642
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7642
Author-Name: Sophia Ilyniak
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Environmental and Urban Change, York University, Canada
Abstract: This article seeks to determine whether (and how) Ukraine’s Decentralization Reform is reorganizing core-periphery relations. Involving a profound rescaling and reterritorialization of the nation-state, the reform is widely considered one of the most transformational policies of the three decades of the country’s independence and is credited with fostering local self-governance and motivating resistance in the war with Russia. However, such emancipatory ideals promoted by Western institutions and reflected in urbanist literature are contradicted by ongoing economic restructuring—austerity, privatization, and deregulation—where the devolvement of responsibility has placed Ukrainian localities into the competitive environment of place entrepreneurialism. The article outlines how the Decentralization Reform’s attempts to address uneven geographical development are instead reproducing unevenness across local, national, and global scales and advancing the (re)production of neoliberal capitalist space. The global philanthropic project of rebuilding Ukrainian cities in the face of imperial war is intensifying this dynamic, making Ukrainian (sub)urban space an important site for exploring alternatives within and beyond the post-Soviet condition.
Keywords: core–periphery relations; decentralization; place entrepreneurialism; Ukraine; uneven geographical development
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7642

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Can Acceptance of Urban Shrinkage Shift Planning Strategies of Shrinking Cities From Growth to De-Growth?
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6904
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6904
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6904
Author-Name: Marjan Marjanović
Author-Workplace-Name: Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, UK
Author-Name: Marcelo Sagot Better
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Poznań University of Technology, Poland
Author-Name: Nikola Lero
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Landscape Architecture, University of Sheffield, UK
Author-Name: Zorica Nedović-Budić
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Urban and Regional Planning, University of Illinois Urbana-Champaign, USA / School of Architecture, Planning, and Environmental Policy, University College Dublin, Ireland
Abstract: Shrinking cities scholars claim that planning actors in the cities where shrinking is accepted are more likely to change the focus of planning strategy from pursuing growth to actively planning for de-growth. Considering this argument, this article investigates to what extent planning actors in shrinking cities seek solutions outside the dominant growth paradigm if they accept the reality of shrinkage. This is accomplished by examining the comprehensive plans of 18 shrinking cities in the Rust Belt area of the US and establishing relations between the interpretations of urban decline expressed in these planning documents and the resulting planning visions and strategies. The findings demonstrate that although planning actors in most analysed cases accepted urban shrinkage as a reality and adopted a vision of a smaller future city, they mainly devised strategies that facilitate growth. This suggests that urban planning may be far less impacted by specific interpretations of shrinkage, including acceptance, than what is popularly believed to be the case. Instead, growth remains a focal point of most planning efforts in shrinking cities, even when planning actors acknowledge it may not be realistically attainable.
Keywords: de-growth; planning for decline; planning strategies; Rust Belt; shrinking cities; urban planning; urban shrinkage
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6904

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Effects and Consequences of Authoritarian Urbanism: Large-Scale Waterfront Redevelopments in Belgrade, Zagreb, and Novi Sad
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7589
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7589
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7589
Author-Name: Nebojša Čamprag
Author-Workplace-Name: Directorate International Affairs, Technical University of Darmstadt, Germany
Abstract: This article highlights the (post) transitioning urban context as an emerging market for powerful international real-estate development companies, supported by an authoritarian planning trend aiming to secure foreign investments. Such a pattern is particularly noticeable in the implementation of the large-scale redevelopment project Belgrade Waterfront in the Serbian capital city, causing many controversies due to state-led regulatory interventions, investor-friendly decision-making, and a general lack of transparency. Although proactive but fragile civil society organizations in Serbia failed to influence the implementation dynamics of this megaproject, it inspired contestation by professional and civic organizations elsewhere, which finally led to significant disputes over similar developments. This study highlights similarities of this project to the initiatives emerging in other cities of the ex-Yugoslav countries: Zagreb Manhattan, announced to settle on the waterfronts of the Croatian capital, and more recently the Novi Sad Waterfront in the second largest Serbian city. The article concludes with a general overview of the effects and consequences characterizing the emerging trend in the production of space and highlights the rising role of the civil sector in more inclusive and democratic urban planning in ex-Yugoslav cities.
Keywords: authoritarian urbanism; post-socialism; regulatory capitalism; urban megaprojects; urban politics; waterfront developments
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7589

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Totalitarian Flower Pavilion: The Dubious Post-Socialist Legacy of Contemporary Eastern European Cities
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7577
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7577
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7577
Author-Name: Łukasz Drozda
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Applied Social Sciences and Resocialisation, University of Warsaw, Poland
Abstract: More than three decades after the collapse of state socialism in Central and Eastern Europe, local urban processes are still very often associated with that historic period or post-socialist transformation. This article aims to undermine the concept of the post-socialist city itself as reductionist, given the crucial importance of factors that differ from the influence of the pre-1989/91 times. The article confronts the discussion on the applicability of the post-socialist framework with field research conducted in selected Polish and Ukrainian cities, in particular the examples of the Kvity Ukrainy (Flowers of Ukraine) protest movement in Kyiv, Ukraine, and the 2003 spatial planning reform’s results in Krakow, Poland. The analysis is based on interviews with representatives of different actors involved in the policymaking process, such as local government representatives, policy advisors, urban planners, journalists, business circles, and members of grassroots initiatives.
Keywords: CEE; Krakow; Kvity Ukrainy; Kyiv; policymaking; spatial planning; state socialism; urban policy
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7577

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Participatory Budgeting and Placemaking: Concepts, Methods, and Practices
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7162
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7162
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7162
Author-Name: Carlos Smaniotto Costa
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture and Urban Planning, Lusófona University, Portugal
Author-Name: Juan A. García-Esparza
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Technology and Experimental Sciences, Jaume I University, Spain
Author-Name: Kinga Kimic
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences, Poland
Abstract: Participatory budgeting has arisen as an interesting form of citizen participation in urban development and, thus, as a new way of exercising placemaking and grassroots democracy. In this article, we provide an analysis of projects in Lisbon (Portugal), Valencia (Spain), and Warsaw (Poland) with a focus on three key projects concerned with improving the public realm and their contribution to enhancing the network of public open spaces. Our guiding question is: What are the potential benefits of participatory budgeting to increase green spaces and urban governance? A comparison of the three cities’ participatory budgeting programmes provides an overview of their social and political goals and the contents that provide opportunities for citizens’ participation in decision-making. The cases of Jardim do Caracol da Penha (Lisbon), the Green Street Świętokrzyska (Warsaw), and the Green Plan for the Poblats Marítims District (Valencia) pave the way for a discussion on engagement, empowerment, and connectivity with the local communities through public spaces. Using participatory budgeting as a planning and political instrument at the municipal level, as the three cases show, can be a useful way to enhance and enrich the communities’ engagement with their environments. One aspect that emerged is the communication strategies implemented in the three cases. The analysis shows that the use of media and social networks to disseminate information and gather supporters for their ideas and this growth in political influence seems to be essential for participatory budgeting. The study is backed by desk work (comprehensive understanding of the local programmes) and field work to better identify the changes in loco.
Keywords: citizen participation; community engagement; participatory budgeting; placemaking; Poland; Portugal; public realm; Spain
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7162

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: National Map of Security Threats as a Citizen Involvement Tool for Planning Safer Urban Public Spaces
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7156
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7156
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7156
Author-Name: Paulina Polko
Author-Workplace-Name: Security Studies Department, WSB University, Poland
Author-Name: Kinga Kimic
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute of Environmental Engineering, Warsaw University of Life Sciences (SGGW), Poland
Abstract: The National Map of Security Threats (NMST) implemented in Poland in 2016 is a GIS-based tool for digital crime and threat mapping involving citizens in the processes of shaping local security by reporting hazards in their neighbourhood (volunteered geographic information). The map—open for external users—is a source of information about common threats to the safety of human life and health, property, and public order, taking into account their spatial distribution, in the opinion of its users. Among 26 reportable hazards, there are categories related to (1) Traffic, (2) Greenery, (3) Water, (4) Demoralisation and Vandalism, (5) Poverty, (6) Alcohol and Drugs, and (7) Animals. The study aims to investigate which threats reported by citizens are the most represented on the NMST. The study covered data collected based on public access to the map in the period from January–December 2022. The analysis of the results allowed us to conclude that the most common threats belong to the following categories: (1) Traffic, (2) Alcohol and Drugs, and (3) Greenery. While the first two categories are not a surprise for researchers, and their importance is confirmed by other studies, the category of Greenery—its condition, damage, etc.—becomes more and more important, which was not confirmed in previous studies. Recognizing this is crucial to support processes of planning and designing more secure public spaces.
Keywords: citizen participation; GIS; placemaking; Poland; security; urban public spaces; volunteered geographic information
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7156

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Social Media Groups in Interaction With Contested Urban Narratives: The Case of Koper/Capodistria, Slovenia
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7083
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7083
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7083
Author-Name: Tim Mavrič
Author-Workplace-Name: Creativity and Society Research Group, InnoRenew CoE, Slovenia
Author-Name: Neža Čebron Lipovec
Author-Workplace-Name: Faculty of Humanities, University of Primorska, Slovenia
Abstract: Social media is arguably the most widespread tool for digital communication in Europe and worldwide, which makes it particularly important to investigate how this type of communication tool affects and reflects the processes that shape the urban physical and socio-cultural environment. Its influence on urban realities may be twofold: On one side we can use it as a reflection (or extension) of the processes that occur on the ground; on the other side, the specific ways in which social media operate might influence processes that shape the urban environment. This interaction between the urban and digital spaces is increasingly influencing how collective memory and related heritage discourses are shaped, transformed, and contested. In this article, we present the case of Koper (Italian: Capodistria), the main seaside harbour town of Slovenia, which faced a deep demographic and socio-cultural transformation in the aftermath of the Second World War. Its historic urban core became a deeply contested urban environment, where a hegemonic historical narrative clashed with several subaltern ones. The dissonance between contested narratives has re-emerged in the digital space through a handful of history-oriented Facebook groups in recent years. We analyse how digital tools have influenced the dynamics between the contested narratives and how these refer to specific locations within the town or to its historic urban core as a whole.
Keywords: Capodistria; contested spaces; dissonant heritage; Facebook groups; Koper; memory narrative; Slovenia
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7083

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Digital Feminist Placemaking: The Case of the “Woman, Life, Freedom” Movement
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7093
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7093
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7093
Author-Name: Asma Mehan
Author-Workplace-Name: Huckabee College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, USA
Abstract: Throughout Iran and various countries, the recent calls of the “Zan, Zendegi, Azadi” (in Persian), “Jin, Jiyan, Azadi” (in Kurdish), or “Woman, Life, Freedom” (in English) movement call for change to acknowledge the importance of women. While these feminist protests and demonstrations have been met with brutality, systematic oppression, and internet blackouts within Iran, they have captured significant social media attention and coverage outside the country, especially among the Iranian diaspora and various international organizations. This article, grounded in feminist urban theories of the Global South, analyzes the digital feminist placemaking movement in Iran. As the first counter-revolution led by women, the movement utilizes digital art, graffiti, and protest movements to embody women’s solidarity groups and sympathy rallies. Our analysis employs various digital research methods, including social media scrutiny and the study of protest illustrations. Analyzing the digital feminist placemaking in Iran will enable us to compare the commonalities, differences, challenges, and opportunities between the minorities and majorities in the world’s countries. The outcomes of this research can help international organizations such as Amnesty International and the United Nations Agency for Gender Equality and Women’s Empowerment (UN Women), as well as policymakers, institutions, academics, and NGOs, to highlight the various ways in which broader public participation could be encouraged in the process of digital feminist insurgent placemaking.
Keywords: digital art; digital graffiti; digital placemaking; feminist placemaking; Iranian feminist movements
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7093

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Beyond the Blind Spot: Enhancing Polyphony Through City Planning Activism Using Public Participation GIS
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7096
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7096
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7096
Author-Name: Eveliina Harsia
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, Finland
Author-Name: Pilvi Nummi
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Built Environment, Aalto University, Finland / Department of Civil Engineering and Architecture, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia / FinEst Centre for Smart Cities, Tallinn University of Technology, Estonia
Abstract: A key advantage of public participation GIS (PPGIS) tools has been seen as increasing the polyphony of urban planning by reaching the wisdom of crowds. However, the challenge is to enable participation for those who do not have the skills or resources. This article describes participatory action research where the authors of the article collaborated with a local city planning activist at the Kontula Mall, Helsinki (Finland) to improve the participation of a group marginalized from the renewal process (i.e., immigrant entrepreneurs) using a PPGIS tool (Maptionnaire). The case study provided insights into the potential for city planning activism to bring out marginalized groups’ perspectives and use PPGIS. Moreover, the research also revealed barriers to polyphony in current planning practices. Nevertheless, planning activism can enable the participation of the marginalized by coming into contact with them, providing them with information, and bringing their perspectives to the collaboration. The PPGIS tool can serve as a platform to collect participatory data through different response modes. Local activism can also facilitate the questionnaire’s co-design, testing, and marketing. Therefore, a bottom-up approach can be a way to improve the impact of PPGIS and enhance polyphony in urban planning.
Keywords: bottom-up participation; city planning activism; expanded urban planning; Finland; immigrant entrepreneurs; polyphonic urban planning; PPGIS; public participation
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7096

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Digital Rights to the City: Local Practices and Negotiations of Urban Space on Decidim
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7065
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7065
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7065
Author-Name: Aline Suter
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Switzerland
Author-Name: Lars Kaiser
Author-Workplace-Name: Urban Equipe, Switzerland
Author-Name: Martin Dušek
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Art & Design, Lucerne University of Applied Sciences and Arts, Switzerland / Accenture, Switzerland
Author-Name: Florin Hasler
Author-Workplace-Name: Opendata.ch, Switzerland
Author-Name: Simone Tappert
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Social Work, University of Applied Sciences and Arts Northwestern Switzerland, Switzerland
Abstract: The organization, management, and production of urban space through digital information and communication technologies have become a central means for governing urban life. To overcome a lack of citizen-centered practices in today’s smart cities, governments and municipalities institutionalize citizen-centered digital infrastructures such as Decidim, a digital infrastructure proposing non-corporate, decentralized, and collaborative forms of digital production to evoke participatory governance practices and ultimately social transformation (Barandiaran et al., 2018). Swiss city administrations have adapted the Decidim platform for participatory budgeting processes and city-wide participation platforms since 2019. This article explores the process of institutional adoption, focusing on how the use of Decidim impacts local practices and negotiations for governing urban space. The examination of the Decidim platform in the Swiss cities of Zurich and Lucerne will be framed by re-conceptualizing Lefebvre’s right to the city in the age of digital transformation. The findings show that for a successful introduction of the Decidim platform based on principles of the right to the city (a) local needs for a new digital democratic instrument need to be pre-existent, (b) government employees must implement a scope of action which allows organized civil society and grassroots initiatives to appropriate the infrastructure for their own purposes, and (c) local practices of hybrid communication and organizing must be aligned with the structure of the platform. Nevertheless, digital participation tools such as Decidim cannot solve entrenched inequalities such as the financialization of land, the issue of disadvantaged neighborhoods, or the absence of voting rights for certain communities. Therefore, city administrations need to integrate hybrid participation strategies which prioritise collective power over distributive power as well as tackle urban inequalities through political means.
Keywords: civic technology; Decidim; neighborhood governance; smart city; Switzerland; urban development
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7065

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: The Soundscape and Listening as an Approach to Sensuous Urbanism: The Case of Puerta del Sol (Madrid)
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7206
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7206
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7206
Author-Name: Cristina Palmese
Author-Workplace-Name: Social and Communication Sciences, Universidad Europea de Madrid, Spain
Author-Name: José Luis Carles Arribas
Author-Workplace-Name: Interfaculty Music Department, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain
Author-Name: Alejandro Rodríguez Antolín
Author-Workplace-Name: Interfaculty Music Department, Autonomous University of Madrid, Spain
Abstract: This article focuses on the placemaking process and experimental research on the citizens’ assessment of the soundscape in Puerta del Sol in Madrid. Numerous studies conducted in recent decades have shown that sound is a crucial element capable of providing new insights into the relationship between human beings and the environment. Sound possesses physical-sensory-perceptual qualities which connect the emotional and the rational aspects of the experience of the place, overcoming the aesthetic/scientific duality. By default, the soundscape is the result of a collective production. It is the resonant expression of the multiple activities and uses that inhabit a space. The soundscape of everyday life provides a vision of life in a particular place, giving meaning and a singular character to the fact of living there. The concept and methods of the soundscape arise from sensitive experiences of the place in direct relation to a community. This exploratory research focused on in situ methods (soundwalks, improvised interview mappings, sound archives, performances, and collective sound actions) as expressions of collective listening to place. This article also focuses on how to map and share the result of this research, the technology to build a collective digital place as a place of confluence of experiences, citizen knowledge, and reflection on the situated soundscape.
Keywords: city life; Madrid; public space; Puerta del Sol; situated soundscape; soundwalk
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7206

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Digital Participatory Model as Part of a Data-Driven Decision Support System for Urban Vibrancy
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7165
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7165
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7165
Author-Name: Gülce Kırdar
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Informatics, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey
Author-Name: Gülen Çağdaş
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architecture, Istanbul Technical University, Turkey
Abstract: Digital participation relies on computational systems as the instruments for expert engagement, data-driven insight, and informed decision-making. This study aims to increase expert engagement with the Bayesian-based decision support model in evaluating urban vibrancy decisions. In this study, urban vibrancy parameters are defined using “economic, use, and image value” measures. This article focuses on the visual aspect of vibrancy, defined as the image value of place. The image value is evaluated through likability and likability features. The case study area is the Eminönü Central Business District in the Istanbul Historic Peninsula due to its distinctive urban dynamics derived from the duality of being a cultural and cosmopolitan city center. This research presents a method as a decision support system (DSS) model based on the Bayesian belief network (BBN) and spatial BBN for supporting urban vibrancy decisions. The spatial BBNs monitor spatial outcomes of variables’ dependencies that form through the BBN relationship network. Spatial BBN tools monitors the spatial impact of decisions for informed urban interventions. The results demonstrate that urban greening, pedestrianization, and human-scaled streetscapes should be prioritized to make streets more likable. The most significant intervention areas are Tahtakale for signboard regulation, Sultanahmet and Vefa for cultural landscape improvement, and Vefa and Mahmutpaşa for planning building enclosures. The participation is achieved by evaluating urban vibrancy with what-if scenarios using BBN. The developed DSS model addresses which parameters should be prioritized, and what are their spatial consequences. The use of spatial BBN tools presents certain limitations in terms of interoperability and user interaction. Overall, this research contributes to participatory urban planning by incorporating both conditional and spatial dependencies. This unique approach not only promotes a more holistic understanding of urban vibrancy but also contributes to the advancement of digital participation in urban planning decisions.
Keywords: decision support; digital participation; expert participation; place value; spatial Bayesian belief network; spatial dynamics; urban vibrancy
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7165

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Revealing the Community’s Interpretation of Place: Integrated Digital Support to Embed Photovoice Into Placemaking Processes
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7074
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7074
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7074
Author-Name: Juan A. García-Esparza
Author-Workplace-Name: School of Technology and Experimental Sciences, Universitat Jaume I, Spain
Author-Name: Matej Nikšič
Author-Workplace-Name: Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia (UIRS), Slovenia / Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana, Slovenia
Abstract: Rising the quality of life through improving existing living environments remains one of the critical tasks of contemporary urban design. The quality of life is, in part, a subjective matter and shall thus be approached not only through professional measures but must also include participatory inputs. The techniques for including the residents’ points of view are various and greatly depend on the broader context of each case. However, using new ICT and other digitally supported tools is an ongoing trend and can be traced in various places and stages of the process. This article addresses the issue of the participatory reading of characteristics in existing living environments as they are assessed through residents’ eyes. It reviews and analyses two case studies, a Slovenian and a Spanish one, that used the photovoice approach with photography and related supplementary materials to get to know residents’ perceptions towards cultural and natural values that enhance their quality of life. The cases illustrate two different contexts, the urban and the rural one. In both cases, the processes were supported by a digital approach to achieve broader participation in the process, to offer residents an additional channel of expression, to analyse the input data, to disseminate the results, and to encourage a wider community and stakeholder dialogue. The case studies reflect the added value of using digital support in terms of the level of the integration of residents’ voices into the placemaking process. It concludes that the photovoice supported by digital tools can importantly enhance community-oriented urban planning processes.
Keywords: collaborative planning; historic city; interpretation of place; photovoice; placemaking; suburban environments
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7074

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Discovering the Significance of Housing Neighbourhoods by Assessing Their Attributes With a Digital Tool
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/6998
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.6998
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 6998
Author-Name: Lidwine Spoormans
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architectural Engineering + Technology, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Wessel de Jonge
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architectural Engineering + Technology, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Darinka Czischke
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Management in the Built Environment, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Author-Name: Ana Pereira Roders
Author-Workplace-Name: Department of Architectural Engineering + Technology, Delft University of Technology, The Netherlands
Abstract: Much of the building stock subjected to the upcoming European Renovation Wave is neither listed as heritage nor considered valuable architecture. This also applies to Dutch housing built between 1965 and 1985, more than 30% of the Dutch housing stock, for which there is no consensus on their cultural significance. Their successful renovation process requires broad support. What attributes do citizens consider significant in their neighbourhood? How do we include a multitude of stakeholders? And can digital methods help collect and process responses? This article reveals significant attributes of residential neighbourhoods from 1965 to 1985, assessed by various stakeholders with a digital tool based on case studies in Amsterdam and Almere. A mobile application allowed individuals to identify significant attributes at various scales while visiting the neighbourhood. By qualitative data analysis of survey and interview results, groups of tangible and intangible attributes were deduced. Results show that identifying attributes by current stakeholders broadens existing expert-led assessments on 1965–1985 neighbourhoods by including, for example, generic attributes not originally intended by the designers. Asking open-ended questions is considered essential to identify undiscovered attributes by alternative stakeholders, although dealing with large numbers of responses is recognised as a challenge to cluster and classify. Lastly, the mobile application appears to be a useful digital tool, but integrating scientific consistency and usability is recommended for further development. Engaging multiple stakeholders with such mobile applications allows for collecting opinions, anticipating conflicts, or shared interests between stakeholders and integration into renovation designs. It can empower citizens to preserve the neighbourhood attributes that are most significant to them.
Keywords: cultural significance; heritage attributes; housing neighbourhoods; post-Second World War architecture; participation
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:6998

Template-Type: ReDIF-Article 1.0
Title: Citizen Participation, Digital Agency, and Urban Development
File-URL: https://www.cogitatiopress.com/urbanplanning/article/view/7810
File-Format: text/html
DOI: 10.17645/up.7810
Journal: Urban Planning
Volume: 9
Year: 2024
Number: 7810
Author-Name: Simone Tappert
Author-Workplace-Name: Institute for Social Planning, Organisational Change and Urban Development, University of Applied Sciences Northwestern Switzerland, Switzerland
Author-Name: Asma Mehan
Author-Workplace-Name: Huckabee College of Architecture, Texas Tech University, USA
Author-Name: Pekka Tuominen
Author-Workplace-Name: Centre for Consumer Society Research, University of Helsinki, Finland
Author-Name: Zsuzsanna Varga
Author-Workplace-Name: College of Social Sciences, University of Glasgow, UK
Abstract: Today’s exponential advancement of information and communication technologies is reconfiguring participatory urban development practices. The use of digital technology implies new forms of decentralised governance, collaborative knowledge production, and social activism. The digital transformation has the potential to overcome shortcomings in citizen participation, make participatory processes more deliberative, and enable collaborative approaches for making cities. While digital tools such as digital mapping, e-participation platforms, location-based games, and social media offer new opportunities for the various actors and may act as a catalyst for renegotiating urban space and collective goods, digitalisation can also perpetuate or even attenuate existing inequalities and exclusion. This editorial introduces the thematic issue “Citizen Participation, Digital Agency, and Urban Development” which focuses on the trajectories and (dis)continuities of citizen participation through digitalisation and elaborates this with examples from Europe and Asia on how the digital transformation impacts, challenges, or reproduces hegemonic power relations in urban development.
Keywords: activism; citizen participation; digitalisation; multi-stakeholder; urban development
Handle: RePEc:cog:urbpla:v9:y:2024:a:7810