The impact of the built environment on creativity in public spaces of Dutch university campuses and science parks

The success of university campuses depends on the interrelations between creative encounters and the built environment, conceptualised here as spatial affordances for creativity. Such an interface plays a fundamental role in interactions for knowledge sharing and the exchange of ideas on campus. Due to campus public spaces generally being considered as the leftovers between buildings and classrooms, undermanaged, and overlooked, little is known about the extent to which this built environment enables or inhibits creative encounters in such spaces. The inner-city campuses and science parks (SPs) of Amsterdam and Utrecht, the case-studies of this research, differ in terms of their location relative to the city, their masterplan typologies and the arrangement of buildings. However, they are similar in terms of the aforementioned issues of public spaces. The novelty of this research is the attempt to overcome such issues using an innovative mixed-methods approach that tests the ‘spatial affordances for creativity’ with empirical data collection and analysis. This raises the importance of mapping, quantifying and analysing the spatial distribution of momentary perceptions, experiences, and feelings of people with methods such as volunteered geographic information (VGI). The results show that proximity between multiple urban functions and physical features, such as parks, cafés and urban seating are important when it comes to explaining the high frequency of creative encounters between people. Urban designers of campuses can use the applied method as a tool to plan and design attractive public spaces that provide creativity through the transfer of tacit knowledge, social well-being, positive momentary perceptions, sense of community, and a sense of place.

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The Relationship between the Spatial Configuration and the Fourth Sustainable Dimension Creativity in University Campuses: The Case Study of Zernike Campus, Groningen, The Netherlands

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su12219263 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 12 (21) ◽

pp. 9263

Author(s):

Isabelle Soares ◽

Claudia Yamu ◽

Gerd Weitkamp

Keyword(s):

Mixed Methods ◽

Built Environment ◽

Spatial Configuration ◽

Public Spaces ◽

Syntax Analysis ◽

Mixed Methods Approach ◽

University Campuses ◽

Human Needs ◽

Creative Solutions ◽

Spatial Configurations

To date, little is known about the spatial aspects of the creativity of university campuses and their public spaces. This study recognises that creativity is the fourth sustainability, because the spatial configuration of campuses and city-university accessibilities are ‘creative solutions’ conceived for human needs. At the same time, creative ideas depend on interactions between individuals and the built environment. Therefore, based on the theoretical framework of the scholars who have explored the spatial aspects of creativity, this study empirically investigates Zernike Campus, Groningen, and its public spaces using a mixed-methods approach that involves (1) a space syntax analysis of the campus’s spatial configuration, (2) volunteered geographic information (VGI) of the users’ perceptions, and (3) non-participatory observations of the interactions between people and the built environment in public spaces with high and low ‘potential for creativity’. The results show that creativity cannot be explained simply by analysing spatial configurations, but that it also depends on the combination of the land-use mix, physical features, positive experiences, and perceptions of a sense of place which enable trust and interactions, and which facilitate creative encounters. Therefore, the mixed-methods approach applied here can help urban planners and designers to address public spaces more effectively, integrating conditions that support creativity.

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The Impact of Zoning and Built Environment Characteristics on Transit, Biking, and Walking

Journal of Sustainable Real Estate ◽

10.22300/1949-8276.11.1.108 ◽

2019 ◽

Vol 11 (1) ◽

pp. 108-129

Author(s):

Andrew G. Mueller ◽

Daniel J. Trujillo

Keyword(s):

Land Use ◽

Built Environment ◽

Discrete Choice ◽

Travel Behavior ◽

Choice Model ◽

Mode Choice ◽

Land Use Regulation ◽

Policy Action ◽

Development Goals ◽

The Impact

This study furthers existing research on the link between the built environment and travel behavior, particularly mode choice (auto, transit, biking, walking). While researchers have studied built environment characteristics and their impact on mode choice, none have attempted to measure the impact of zoning on travel behavior. By testing the impact of land use regulation in the form of zoning restrictions on travel behavior, this study expands the literature by incorporating an additional variable that can be changed through public policy action and may help cities promote sustainable real estate development goals. Using a unique, high-resolution travel survey dataset from Denver, Colorado, we develop a multinomial discrete choice model that addresses unobserved travel preferences by incorporating sociodemographic, built environment, and land use restriction variables. The results suggest that zoning can be tailored by cities to encourage reductions in auto usage, furthering sustainability goals in transportation.

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Influence of Masks Protecting against SARS-CoV-2 on Thermal Comfort

Energies ◽

10.3390/en14113315 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 14 (11) ◽

pp. 3315

Author(s):

Ewa Zender-Świercz ◽

Marek Telejko ◽

Beata Galiszewska

Keyword(s):

Thermal Comfort ◽

Public Spaces ◽

Point Of View ◽

The Other ◽

Health Policies ◽

Thermal Manikin ◽

Public Health Policies ◽

Protective Shield ◽

Full Face ◽

The Impact

Due to the spread of the SARS-CoV-2 virus, most countries have tightened their public health policies. One way to limit the spread of the virus is to make mouth and nose cover compulsory in public spaces. The article presents the impact of wearing masks on the perception of thermal comfort. The following masks were analysed: FFP2, cotton, medical, PM2.5, half-face protective shield plastic and full-face protective shield plastic. The research was carried out for two scenarios of an ambient temperature: −20 and 30 °C. A thermal manikin was used for the tests. In the case of when a temperature equals 20 °C, the dry masks increase comfort, both general and local, while wet masks reduce comfort. On the other hand, at 30 °C, only wet masks do not increase discomfort. In addition, moist masks require less heat flux to achieve a certain skin temperature. However, it should be remembered that it is not advisable to wet the masks from the health point of view.

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Comprehension in English Medium Instruction (EMI) lectures: On the impact of lecturer L2 English use

Language Learning in Higher Education ◽

10.1515/cercles-2020-2005 ◽

2020 ◽

Vol 10 (1) ◽

pp. 73-91

Author(s):

Joseph Siegel

Keyword(s):

Teaching And Learning ◽

First Language ◽

Student Body ◽

University Campuses ◽

Student Comprehension ◽

Teachers And Students ◽

English Medium Instruction ◽

Low Levels ◽

Effectiveness And Efficiency ◽

The Impact

AbstractThe importance and amount of English as a Lingua Franca (ELF) usage and English Medium Instruction (EMI) lectures continue to increase on university campuses as universities worldwide seek to promote internationalization among both the student body and the faculty. While EMI has become a priority, the teaching and learning that occurs within this framework needs to be monitored for effectiveness and efficiency. Many of the teachers and students in these EMI courses do not share a common first language and likely have a first language other than English. Therefore, they are operating in EMI with varying levels of second language (L2) English ability, which can lead to low levels of student comprehension, learning and satisfaction unless the lecturer takes special care in their delivery of content. This paper explores the linguistic composition of EMI lectures in the Swedish context and reports survey findings of students’ self-reported levels of comprehension related to lecture content and their lecturer’s L2 English use. Three case studies are described and illustrate various linguistic factors that can contribute to or inhibit student comprehension in EMI lectures. Pedagogic implications are presented with the intention of supporting EMI lecturers and their students.

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How does the individual perception of local conditions affect cycling? An analysis of the impact of built and non-built environment factors on cycling behaviour and attitudes in an urban setting

Travel Behaviour and Society ◽

10.1016/j.tbs.2021.05.006 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 25 ◽

pp. 27-40

Author(s):

Andreas Blitz

Keyword(s):

Built Environment ◽

Urban Setting ◽

Local Conditions ◽

Environment Factors ◽

Individual Perception ◽

The Individual ◽

The Impact

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Using Deep Learning to Understand Travel Demands in Different Urban Districts

Transportation Research Record Journal of the Transportation Research Board ◽

10.1177/0361198121994582 ◽

2021 ◽

pp. 036119812199458

Author(s):

Shunhua Bai ◽

Junfeng Jiao

Keyword(s):

Built Environment ◽

Travel Behavior ◽

Prediction Accuracy ◽

Travel Demand ◽

Short Term Memory ◽

Future Research ◽

Demand Forecast ◽

Time And Space ◽

The University ◽

The Impact

Travel demand forecast plays an important role in transportation planning. Classic models often predict people’s travel behavior based on the physical built environment in a linear fashion. Many scholars have tried to understand built environments’ predictive power on people’s travel behavior using big-data methods. However, few empirical studies have discussed how the impact might vary across time and space. To fill this research gap, this study used 2019 anonymous smartphone GPS data and built a long short-term memory (LSTM) recurrent neural network (RNN) to predict the daily travel demand to six destinations in Austin, Texas: downtown, the university, the airport, an inner-ring point-of-interest (POI) cluster, a suburban POI cluster, and an urban-fringe POI cluster. By comparing the prediction results, we found that: the model underestimated the traffic surge for the university in the fall semester and overestimated the demand for downtown on non-working days; the prediction accuracy for POI clusters was negatively related to their adjacency to downtown; and different POI clusters had cases of under- or overestimation on different occasions. This study reveals that the impact of destination attributes on people’s travel demand can vary across time and space because of their heterogeneous nature. Future research on travel behavior and built environment modeling should incorporate the temporal inconsistency to achieve better prediction accuracy.

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A Methodology for Assessing the Impact of Living Labs on Urban Design: The Case of the Furnish Project

Sustainability ◽

10.3390/su13084562 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (8) ◽

pp. 4562

Author(s):

Inés Aquilué ◽

Angélica Caicedo ◽

Joan Moreno ◽

Miquel Estrada ◽

Laia Pagès

Keyword(s):

Urban Design ◽

Social Impact ◽

Impact Analysis ◽

Public Spaces ◽

Phase Model ◽

Qualitative Assessment ◽

Tactical Urbanism ◽

Living Labs ◽

The Impact ◽

Loop Scheme

This paper presents a framework to support the assessment of urban design projects through Urban Living Labs (ULLs). The framework is based on the Tactical Urbanism (TU) practices and involves the use of Mobile Urban Elements (MUE) in uncertain and potentially confusing conditions (e.g., the COVID-19 context). The methodology includes the application of the Four-Phase Model (problem and ideation; development; implementation, testing and assessment; final proposal) and a quantitative and qualitative assessment. The proposed assessment criteria were developed through an evaluation according to three aspects: (1) feasibility impact; (2) social impact; and (3) spatial impact. The methodology was applied to Furnish, an urban design project based on a ULL and prototyping, which was recently developed in five European cities. The empirical results, obtained using the impact analysis, indicate that the prototypes developed in the project are transferable to other cities and generate social interaction in public spaces. The applied research showed that the Four-Phase Model may be used as a new and improved iterative design process: the LOOP Scheme. The application of this assessment methodology to ULLs may provide valuable information for the future planning of urban interventions in public spaces.

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Planning the Urban Waterfront Transformation, from Infrastructures to Public Space Design in a Sea-Level Rise Scenario: The European Union Prize for Contemporary Architecture Case

Water ◽

10.3390/w13020218 ◽

2021 ◽

Vol 13 (2) ◽

pp. 218

Author(s):

Francesca Dal Cin ◽

Fransje Hooimeijer ◽

Maria Matos Silva

Keyword(s):

Public Space ◽

Sea Level ◽

Urban Areas ◽

Morphological Characteristics ◽

Public Spaces ◽

The European Union ◽

Space Design ◽

Urban Waterfront ◽

Mies Van Der Rohe ◽

The Impact

Future sea-level rises on the urban waterfront of coastal and riverbanks cities will not be uniform. The impact of floods is exacerbated by population density in nearshore urban areas, and combined with land conversion and urbanization, the vulnerability of coastal towns and public spaces in particular is significantly increased. The empirical analysis of a selected number of waterfront projects, namely the winners of the Mies Van Der Rohe Prize, highlighted the different morphological characteristics of public spaces, in relation to the approximation to the water body: near the shoreline, in and on water. The critical reading of selected architectures related to water is open to multiple insights, allowing to shift the design attention from the building to the public space on the waterfronts. The survey makes it possible to delineate contemporary features and lay the framework for urban development in coastal or riverside areas.

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