scholarly journals Analysis of sidewalks and facades in a stretch of urban beach fringe

2021 ◽  
Vol 9 (72) ◽  
Author(s):  
Ricardo Machado Becker ◽  
André de Souza Silva
Keyword(s):  
Daily Practice ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Urban Mobility ◽  
Complete Streets ◽  
Human Scale ◽  
Walkability Index ◽  
The City ◽  
Final Calculation

Attractiveness to walkability is seen as one of the fundamental factors that contributes to walking on foot in cities. In assessing the quality of the anthropic environment, some methodologies for diagnosing walkability indices take this factor into account. The objective of the research is to analyze the interaction between people, sidewalks and facades in a stretch of urban beachfront, related to factors that attract the daily practice of walking. Taking as a case study the applicability of the walkability index in a beachfront sector in the city of Ilhéus, in the state of Bahia, specifically with regard to its “Attraction” category, and analyze the results obtained compared to other similar studies. In the methodology used in this study, of qualitative and quantitative evaluation, “Attraction” is a category evaluated through four indicators related to facades and uses of urban land. In addition to the walkability analysis, we sought to ascertain the influence that “active facades” and “complete streets” are capable of exercising on the visual interconnection between the activities inside the buildings and the sidewalk segments that confront them, which are fundamental in promoting urban life. Regarding the results obtained, the final calculation showed that the aforementioned category, with regard to pedestrians, proved to be deficient, possibly due to the fact that the interaction between facades and streets is still being planned, prioritizing the circulation of cars, to the detriment of the human scale of pedestrians and active urban mobility.

scholarly journals A topofilia dos cidadãos para com o patrimônio natural urbano: O caso da cidade de Coimbra

GeoTextos ◽  
2012 ◽  
Vol 8 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Gabriel Salles Maria de Macedo Rego ◽  
João Luis Jesus Fernandes
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Field Analysis ◽  
Conceptual Argument ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
Quality Of Urban Life ◽  
The City

O trabalho em questão analisa, segundo o prisma da Geografia, a importância do patrimônio natural em ambiente urbano. Como objetivo principal, pretende compreender a percepção que os residentes na cidade de Coimbra (Portugal) têm da natureza e do papel que o património natural pode desempenhar na qualidade de vida da cidade. Para alcançar esses objetivos, inicia-se o texto com uma reflexão teórica que percorre conceitos como a topofilia e os olhares sociais sobre o ambiente e a natureza em contexto citadino. Depois, seguem-se dois procedimentos diferentes, mas complementares: (1) Como forma de registro da presença e do estado de conservação da natureza em Coimbra e da interação entre os cidadãos e o patrimônio natural naquele espaço geográfico, fez-se uma análise de campo com a montagem de um banco de dados fotográficos que representam excertos deste território; (2) Inquéritos por meio de entrevistas, em dois bairros da cidade – Vale das Flores e Monte Formoso – privilegiando adultos com idades superiores aos 30 anos. Apesar de a pesquisa ter revelado algumas contradições entre a prática e o discurso na percepção e na relação topofílica para com as áreas verdes urbanas, concluiu-se que a presença do patrimônio natural no ambiente urbano ainda se apresenta como uma questão secundária. Contudo, também se verificou que, para reforço desta relação simbólica e/ou funcional, o patrimônio natural deve estar presente em todo o contínuo urbano e não ficar restrito aos bairros mais elitizados ou aos parques. Abstract THE CITIZENS TOPOPHILIA AND THE NATURAL URBAN PATRIMONY: COIMBRA’S CASE STUDY This paper analyzes the importance of natural patrimony in the urban environment, under the prism of geography. The main objective of this study is to understand how nature is perceived in the city of Coimbra (Portugal) and the role that green areas and natural patrimony has in the quality of urban life. To achieve these objectives, this article discusses the conceptual argument about environmental perception, topophilia and the nature in the city. For this, it was used two different procedures: (1) Field analysis on the city of Coimbra with purpose to setting up a photographic database, to verify the presence, conservation and relationship to the natural patrimony inserted in urban environment; (2) Investigation through interviews in two neighborhoods of the city – Vale das Flores and Monte Formoso. The data revealed that the perception and the topophilic relationship to urban green areas are marked by the contradiction between practice and discourse. It was concluded that the presence of natural patrimony in the urban environment still present itself as a secondary issue. Moreover, it was concluded that to strengthen this relationship symbolically and/or functionally the natural patrimony must be present throughout all the continuous urban areas and should not be restricted to elite neighborhoods or parks.

scholarly journals SUSTAINABLE URBAN MOBILITY DIAGNOSIS: APPLICABILITY OF A COMPOSITE INDEX

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (1) ◽  
pp. 16-29
Author(s):  
Renata Covisi Pereira ◽  
Bruna Angela Branchi ◽  
Denise Helena Lombardo Ferreira
Keyword(s):  
Composite Index ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Urban Mobility ◽  
Slight Improvement ◽  
Quality Of Urban Life ◽  
Sustainable Urban Mobility ◽  
The City ◽  
Individual Motor

Sustainable urban mobility adds a new dimension to the circulation of goods and people in the city: sustainability. The increasing number of individual motor vehicles is an accurate urban mobility diagnostic, by highlighting strengths and weaknesses, to guide public policies aimed at improving the quality of urban life. In this paper, the Sustainable Urban Mobility Index has been discussed and then applied to evaluate the sustainable urban mobility in Campinas (SP, Brazil). For the period 2010-2014, the index shows a persistent insufficiency in the sustainable urban mobility of this city, even if there was a slight improvement in the period. This is due to the environmental dimension, considering the increasing fuel consumption. It is therefore necessary to look for possible solutions involving primarily collective transportation and non-motorized one, especially for short distance.

scholarly journals Architectural and Urban Attractiveness of Small Towns: A Case Study of Polish Coastal Cittaslow Towns on the Pomeranian Way of St. James

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (7) ◽  
pp. 724
Author(s):  
Alicja K. Zawadzka
Keyword(s):  
Small Towns ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Added Value ◽  
Development Policies ◽  
Quality Of Urban Life ◽  
Size Criterion ◽  
The Town ◽  
Modern Technologies

The paper presents the results of a study on the attractiveness to tourists and natives of the cultural qualities of coastal towns on The Pomeranian Way of St. James that are members of the Cittaslow network. Attention to the quality of urban life is inscribed in the development policies of towns applying to join the Cittaslow movement. In order to join the network (apart from the size criterion), towns need to meet a minimum of 50% plus one of the 72 criteria grouped into seven categories. One of the category is Quality of Urban Life Policy, so the towns applying to join Cittaslow commit themselves to actions aimed at improving the quality of urban life. The study on the attractiveness of cultural qualities of towns to tourists and natives was conducted using the author’s BRB method, whose added value is its universality and the possibility to study small towns regardless of their membership in the Cittaslow network. BRB is an acronym that stands for BUILDINGS, RELATIONSHIPS, BALANCE, and comprises three scopes of activities: BUILDINGS (iconic building and important sites where the inhabitants and the tourists are present); RELATIONSHIPS (the visual effects of the relations between the inhabitants and the town) and BALANCE (solutions that implement modern technologies). This method enables identification of places that are important to the inhabitants, where urban life takes place and which are often created with the involvement of the inhabitants. These are often the same spaces as those that attract tourists and perhaps stimulate them the desire to visit the town again (BRB—be right back). The aim of the BRB method is shown the attractiveness of small towns. The study has shown that the characteristic feature of Polish Cittaslow towns is their diversity: the architectural attractiveness of three towns is high both to tourists and natives. On the other hand, the urban attractiveness of the examined towns is an insufficient.

scholarly journals Nodes and Networks: The Generative Role of Cultural Heritage for Urban Revival in Kikinda

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (9) ◽  
pp. 2509 ◽  
Author(s):  
Uroš Radosavljević ◽  
Aleksandra Đorđević ◽  
Kseniјa Lalović ◽  
Jelena Živković ◽  
Zoran Đukanović
Keyword(s):  
Social Sustainability ◽  
City Development ◽  
Case Study Method ◽  
Cultural Artifact ◽  
Urban Heritage ◽  
Heritage Buildings ◽  
The City

Using heritage as a cultural artifact in city development is not new, but little has been explored about how urban heritage can be utilized as new generative value and a new planning instrument for the revival of cities. The purpose of this paper is to show the creative and the generative use of urban heritage, both for the extension of cultural and tourist offer of the city and for the improvement of the quality of life in physical, social and economic terms for the community. The case study method was used for the adaptive reuse of projects for heritage buildings and urban revival in Kikinda. We argue that urban heritage has to be used, bearing in mind its spatial, economic and social sustainability aspects, and become a generator of urban revival. We go beyond recognition of the value of heritage as a cultural artifact that should solely be preserved and used as a static element in urban development, and view it more as a dynamic asset for city revival processes. We found that for the heritage nodes to be utilized as the new generative value for the revival of cities, they have to be perceived from the network perspective, thus influencing the urban environment in a sustainable way.

scholarly journals IMPROVING THE QUALITY OF INFORMATION SUPPORT FOR MONITORING AIR POLLUTION FROM VEHICLES (CASE STUDY OF ST. PETERSBURG)

2021 ◽  
Vol 26 (2) ◽  
pp. 65-74
Author(s):  
V. N. Lozhkin ◽  
◽  
O. V. Lozhkina ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Air Pollution ◽  
Air Quality ◽  
Information Support ◽  
Information Process ◽  
Limit Values ◽  
Standard Limit ◽  
The City ◽  
Original Information

Introduction. St. Petersburg is the cultural and sea capital of Russia. The city is characterized by environmental problems typical for the largest cities in the world. It has a technical system for instrumental online monitoring and computational forecasting of air quality. Methods. The system maintains the information process by means of computational monitoring of its current and future state. Results. The paper describes methodological approaches to the generation of instrumental information about the structure and intensity of traffic flows in the urban road network and its digital transformation into GIS maps of air pollution in terms of pollutants standard limit values excess. Conclusion. The original information technology for air quality control was introduced at the regional level in the form of an official methodology and is used in environmental management activities.

scholarly journals Smart cities and robotic technologies for a model of integrated growth

2021 ◽  
pp. 237-252
Author(s):  
Elena Laudante
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Smart Cities ◽  
Urban Systems ◽  
Use Of Resources ◽  
Human Scale ◽  
The Future ◽  
New Challenges ◽  
The City

The paper focuses on the importance of robotics and artificial intelligence inside of the new urban contexts in which it is possible to consider and enhance the different dimensions of quality of life such as safety and health, environmental quality, social connection and civic participation. Smart technologies help cities to meet the new challenges of society, thus making them more livable, attractive and responsive in order to plan and to improve the city of the future. In accordance with the Agenda 2030 Program for sustainable development that intends the inclusive, safe, resilient and sustainable city, the direction of growth and prosperity of urban environments is pursued by optimizing the use of resources and respecting the environment. In the current society, robotic technology is proposed as a tool for innovation and evolution in urban as well as industrial and domestic contexts. On the one hand the users-citizens who participate dynamically in the activities and on the other the new technological systems integrated in the urban fabric. Existing urban systems that are “amplified” of artificial and digital intelligence and give life to smart cities, physical places that allow new forms of coexistence between humans and robots in order to implement the level of quality of life and define “human centered” innovative solutions and services thus responding to the particular needs of people in an effective and dynamic way. The current city goes beyond the definition of smart city. In fact, as said by Carlo Ratti, it becomes a "senseable city", a city capable of feeling but also sensitive and capable of responding to citizens who define the overall performance of the city. The multidisciplinary approach through the dialogue between designers, architects, engineers and urban planners will allow to face the new challenges through the dynamics of robot integration in the urban landscape. The cities of the future, in fact, will be pervaded by autonomous driving vehicles, robotized delivery systems and light transport solutions, in response to the new concept of smart mobility, on a human scale, shared and connected mobility in order to improve management and control of the digitized and smart city. Automation at constant rates as the keystone for urban futures and new models of innovative society. Through the identification of representative case studies in the field of innovative systems it will be possible to highlight the connections between design, smart city and "urban" robotics that will synergically highlight the main "desirable" qualities of life in the city as a place of experimentation and radical transformations. In particular, parallel to the new robotic solutions and human-robot interactions, the design discipline will be responsible for designing the total experience of the user who lives in synergy with the robots, thus changing the socio-economic dynamics of the city.

REGENERATION OF A DECAYING URBAN INDUSTRIAL AREA DRIVEN BY ENDOGENOUS HOME INDUSTRIES: A CASE STUDY OF MARÉ FAVELA, RIO DE JANEIRO

2021 ◽  
Vol 16 (2) ◽  
pp. 237-248
Author(s):  
Shanshan Wu ◽  
Hao Li
Keyword(s):  
Urban Communities ◽  
Low Income ◽  
Rio De Janeiro ◽  
Industrial Area ◽  
Production Model ◽  
Home Production ◽  
Home Industries ◽  
The City

ABSTRACT Favelas are low-income urban communities in Brazil, and Maré in Rio de Janeiro has the largest cluster of favelas in the country. The prevailing view of a unique, regulated, and normative city conflicts with the reality of the continued expansion of the favelas, posing challenges for architects and urban planners in developing new strategies for integrating informal areas with the main city. This study focused on a decaying industrial area adjacent to the Maré favelas and explored a sustainable path for improving both the quality of the built environment and the quality of life of the residents. Effective infrastructure and socioeconomic links between the favelas and the city were proposed. The home production model that emerged from the favelas inspired the use of the abandoned industrial area as a home-industry incubator. The study proposed an urban regeneration strategy involving a bottom-up industry-space process evolving from home industries to group industries, and finally to larger community industries. This strategy can accelerate Maré’s development and integration with the city of Rio de Janeiro.

Measuring Ambient Urbanities

2019 ◽  
pp. 252-280
Keyword(s):  
21St Century ◽  
Smart City ◽  
Research Literature ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Urban Theory ◽  
Study Approach ◽  
Exploratory Case Study ◽  
Quality Of Urban Life

The purpose of this chapter is to explore mechanisms and potentials for measuring ambient urbanities. This work advances the ambient metrics concept as a way of shedding light on the evolving nature of measures, standards, and indices required by more dynamic, adaptive, and aware environments, characteristic of smart and responsive cities. In the form of ambient metrics, measures are sought that support more informed city experiences, increased engagement and participation, and improved quality of urban life. The research literature for smart city metrics, standards, and indices is explored in this chapter enabling identification of issues, controversies, and problems. Using an exploratory case study approach, solutions and recommendations are advanced. This chapter makes a contribution to the research literature for smart city metrics, standards, and indices; the evolving of urban theory for 21st century cities; and urban theory in formulating a conceptual framework for rethinking measures for smarter urbanities.

scholarly journals Perceived Quality in Sports Centers in Southern Spain: A Case Study

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (14) ◽  
pp. 3983 ◽  
Author(s):  
Alfonso Castillo-Rodriguez ◽  
Wanesa Onetti-Onetti ◽  
José Luis Chinchilla-Minguet
Keyword(s):  
Customer Loyalty ◽  
User Satisfaction ◽  
Perceived Quality ◽  
Measuring Instruments ◽  
Level Of Satisfaction ◽  
Center Activity ◽  
Different Dimensions ◽  
The City

The aim of this study was to analyze the level of satisfaction in three municipal sports centers in the city of Malaga and to learn and analyze the characteristics of users older than 40 years of age in these centers. A total of 303 persons (123 men and 180 women) from three sports centers in the city of Malaga participated in this study (M = 58.14, SD = 7.16 years). The Evaluation of Perceived Quality in Sports Services test (CECASDEP) was used, and the results demonstrated that the different dimensions studied—sports center, activity space, locker rooms, program of activities, and trainer—were very positively correlated. The level of customer loyalty increased with user satisfaction and perceived quality of services as well as the age of the person. Users were also found to be more motivated to take part in physical activities due to greater satisfaction. The highest scores were given to the trainers, who played a key role in all three sports centers. In conclusion, we gathered important insights into perceived quality in different sports centers. This information can be used by sports managers to strengthen dimensions with lower scores and improve those with higher scores. In addition, the study confirms that the level of customer loyalty is related to the perceived quality scores. Therefore, the use of measuring instruments is recommended to optimize the quality of sports services.

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