scholarly journals The Night Sky: What have we lost?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
William Chrisp
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Time Experience ◽  
Night Sky ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Physical Elements ◽  
Physical Features

<p><b>Over the last 70 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the population living in urban areas across the globe. As a result, the once natural ability to look up at the night sky and ponder our existence has been lost to bigger, brighter and ever-expanding urban development. In our outdoor public spaces, the design tends to focus only on how the space can be enjoyed during the day time, and lighting is placed as a means to allow people to continue this day time experience at night. Yet, often at night our public spaces are empty, as they don’t provide a special night time experience that is different to during the day. We focus on the action of looking forward and around us but never upwards toward the night sky. </b></p> <p>This research addresses how landscape architecture can help facilitate a night time experience so that the naturally dark environment can be enjoyed. It analyzes how the relationship between lighting and the physical elements in an outdoor space can be improved to provide greater visibility of the stars. Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, will be used as a case study. The stars can be seen within the central urban perimeter, and the Milky-Way is visible only a 20 minute drive away. As this research is based in New Zealand, this thesis recognizes Māoritanga and acknowledges the importance of Tatai Arorangi within New Zealand’s history and culture and addresses this within the development of this night time experience. </p> <p>Wellington was split into five different areas based on their differing intensity of lighting as well as typological characteristics. Within three of these areas, a variety of different outdoor public spaces were identified and analyzed using an experiential approach, with fieldwork as the primary method of analysis. </p> <p>The analysis findings resulted in the generation of a design toolkit to test how specific physical features used in landscape design impacted the night time experience. This toolkit was then applied and tested into 3 different sites in Wellington. It was concluded that the design and implementation of lighting, vegetation and seating has not considered the night time experience. This research aims to contribute to this unaddressed area, by attempting to develop a connection to the night sky through looking at these features in a new perspective.</p>

scholarly journals The Night Sky: What have we lost?

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
William Chrisp
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Time Experience ◽  
Night Sky ◽  
New Perspective ◽  
Physical Elements ◽  
Physical Features

<p><b>Over the last 70 years, there has been a dramatic increase in the population living in urban areas across the globe. As a result, the once natural ability to look up at the night sky and ponder our existence has been lost to bigger, brighter and ever-expanding urban development. In our outdoor public spaces, the design tends to focus only on how the space can be enjoyed during the day time, and lighting is placed as a means to allow people to continue this day time experience at night. Yet, often at night our public spaces are empty, as they don’t provide a special night time experience that is different to during the day. We focus on the action of looking forward and around us but never upwards toward the night sky. </b></p> <p>This research addresses how landscape architecture can help facilitate a night time experience so that the naturally dark environment can be enjoyed. It analyzes how the relationship between lighting and the physical elements in an outdoor space can be improved to provide greater visibility of the stars. Wellington, the capital of New Zealand, will be used as a case study. The stars can be seen within the central urban perimeter, and the Milky-Way is visible only a 20 minute drive away. As this research is based in New Zealand, this thesis recognizes Māoritanga and acknowledges the importance of Tatai Arorangi within New Zealand’s history and culture and addresses this within the development of this night time experience. </p> <p>Wellington was split into five different areas based on their differing intensity of lighting as well as typological characteristics. Within three of these areas, a variety of different outdoor public spaces were identified and analyzed using an experiential approach, with fieldwork as the primary method of analysis. </p> <p>The analysis findings resulted in the generation of a design toolkit to test how specific physical features used in landscape design impacted the night time experience. This toolkit was then applied and tested into 3 different sites in Wellington. It was concluded that the design and implementation of lighting, vegetation and seating has not considered the night time experience. This research aims to contribute to this unaddressed area, by attempting to develop a connection to the night sky through looking at these features in a new perspective.</p>

scholarly journals ACHIEVING SUSTAINABLE URBANIZATION OF THE NATIONAL THEATRE IN LONDON THROUGH CHANGE OF USE AND FUNCTIONS OF ARCHITECTURE

2021 ◽  
Vol 12 (23) ◽  
pp. 11-21
Author(s):  
Danijela Rogina ◽  
◽  
Radivoje Dinulović ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Space ◽  
Green Infrastructure ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Spaces ◽  
Urban Forms ◽  
National Theatre ◽  
Sustainable Urbanization ◽  
Key Aspects

The human population is currently on the rise and most Europeans live in urban areas, leading to increased urbanization. The change comes with its challenges, as cities, architecture, and urban spaces need to become more fluid, multi-functional, and innovative. This paper examines whether a change of use of public spaces, and functions of architectural and urban forms, can be used as an element in the implementation of sustainable urbanization. The theoretical framework of this paper focuses on literature findings relating to identified key aspects such as innovative approaches in changes of use — recycling and upcycling, green infrastructure and financial aspects, concepts of “right of the place”, and public participation. These aspects are addressed on both theoretical and practical levels, with the National Theatre in London as a case study. Findings convey that the change of use of spaces can be utilized to achieve sustainable urbanization, together with the management of functions and uses of architectural and urban forms. However, further research is needed with various stakeholders to identify a solid and inherent database, as a foundation on which the most optimal urban spaces would emerge, by identifying new functions and uses of urban space and architecture.

scholarly journals Looking Up to the Stars. A Call for Action to Save New Zealand’s Dark Skies for Future Generations to Come

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (23) ◽  
pp. 13472
Author(s):  
Karolina M. Zielinska-Dabkowska ◽  
Kyra Xavia
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
New Technologies ◽  
Action Plan ◽  
Outer Space ◽  
Rapid Development ◽  
National Level ◽  
Light Pollution ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Night Sky ◽  
The Impact

The rapid development of technology coupled with humanity’s desire to reach beyond terra firma, has resulted in more than 60 years of Outer Space activities. Although the exploration of space has provided many advantages and benefits to society so far, including vast, new information that has greatly added to our understanding of our planet and beyond, unfortunately, mankind’s footprint has negative aspects that need to be minimised as much as possible. In recent decades, a major worldwide problem has emerged in regard to the significant increase in light pollution from ground-based illuminations, as well as a lack of proper regulatory frameworks to mitigate the issue in order to protect the night sky and astronomical research. More recently, due to the escalating demand of air space for microsatellites and the rapid development of these new space technologies, as well as unmanned aerial vehicles (UAV), a new problem has arisen connected to visual light pollution (VLP). New Zealand has been especially affected, as, because of its dark skies, it has the third highest number of astronomical observatories in the world. The aim of this research is to identify critical areas for broader investigation; an action plan to improve the impact of new technologies is urgently required, not only at a national level but also worldwide. This is crucial in order to preserve humanity’s right to access the night sky and to also enable continual professional and amateur night-time observations for the present and the future, as well as for New Zealand to become a Dark Sky Nation.

Using Placemaking Methodologies to Transform Degraded Public Spaces into Places

2020 ◽  
pp. 120633122091136
Author(s):  
Fernanda da Cruz MOSCARELLI
Keyword(s):  
Quality Of Life ◽  
Social Interactions ◽  
Latin American ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Applied Research ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Porto Alegre ◽  
The Public

Communities living in Latin American slums present more vulnerability of diseases, high rates of infant mortality, and low life expectancy, generally as a result of the high levels of soil contamination. Furthermore, in our case study of the 4th District of Porto Alegre, the community depends on recycling materials from waste for their livelihood. In consequence, the public spaces are used as a garbage dump, accentuating health problems and making social interactions difficult. In this context, our applied research group aims to construct social spaces, improving the inhabitants’ quality of life through participative methodologies that encourage the use of the public spaces of these districts without prejudice of the economic system based on garbage. Our strategy relies on the actions and interactions of humans and the place in sub developed urban areas.

LIGHTING OF CULTURAL HERITAGE AS A TOOL TO EXHIBIT HISTORICAL ARCHITECTURAL VALUES IN THE CONTEXT OF CREATIVE INDUSTRIES (THE CASE OF UKMERGĖ) / KULTŪRINIO PAVELDO APŠVIETIMAS KAIP PRIEMONĖ ATSKLEISTI ISTORINES ARCHITEKTŪROS VERTYBES KŪRYBINIŲ INDUSTRIJŲ KONTEKSTE (UKMERGĖS ATVEJIS)

2012 ◽  
Vol 4 (2) ◽  
pp. 162-176 ◽  
Author(s):  
Martynas Valevičius ◽  
Rasa Levickaitė
Keyword(s):  
Cultural Heritage ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Creative Industries ◽  
Creative Economy ◽  
Night Time ◽  
Artificial Lighting ◽  
Urban Project ◽  
Additional Value ◽  
The Impact

The aim of the article is twofold: 1) to overview some ideas on creative industries and its major group – cultural heritage which is the soul of cultural and creative industries; in the context of creative economy an idea is proposed that a result of creative industries might enrich creative cultural project with additional value and generate valuable output; 2) to present a case study of Ukmergė city. The object of this article is to propose some ideas how an additional value is created which might enrich the urban project both in intangible and physical outcomes, e. g. the impact of urban lighting of public spaces. Many authors coming from a wide variety of perspectives have written about the very complex notion of public spaces, but authors of this article are focused on a role of artificial lighting which plays as a catalyst for increasing the awareness of the beauty and diversity of public spaces seen from the city: this stimulus encourages to rediscover and newly perceive the public spaces and the urban environment at night-time. Case study is based on Architectural-Urban Solution Creation and Development of Territory of Ukmergė Mound Project initiated by Ukmergė Municipality in 2010. Santrauka Straipsnio tikslas dvilypis: pirma, apžvelgiamos kūrybinės industrijos; dėmesys kreipiamas į kultūros paveldo kūrybinių industrijų grupę, kuri yra miestų ir vietovių patrauklumo pagrindas. Antra, pristatomas Ukmergės miesto atvejis. Teigiama, kad kūrybinės industrijos turi potencialą kurti pridėtinę vertę aptariamuoju atveju panaudojant kultūrinio paveldo apšvietimą kaip priemonę atskleisti miesto istorines architektūros vertybes. Šio straipsnio autoriai pagrindinį dėmesį kreipia į viešųjų erdvių apšvietimą, kurio, kaip savotiško katalizatoriaus vaidmuo viešųjų erdvių kūrime, dėka išryškėja viešųjų erdvių grožis, jų savitumas, įvairovė ir kitos kultūros vertybės, vieta tampa patrauklia miesto gyventojams ir svečiams. Ukmergės atvejo analizė yra grindžiama Ukmergės piliakalnio teritorijos architektūrinio-urbanistinio sprendimo sukūrimo ir įgyvendinimo paslaugų projektu, kurį 2010 metais iniciavo Ukmergės miesto savivaldybė.

scholarly journals PRACTICES OF CIVIC PARTICIPATION IN THE IMPROVEMENT AND DEVELOPMENT OF THE URBAN ENVIRONMENT

2020 ◽  
Vol 3 (1) ◽  
pp. 76-89
Author(s):  
Elena O. Smoleva
Keyword(s):  
Urban Environment ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Activity ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Municipal Management ◽  
Multiple Case ◽  
Communication Conflict ◽  
The Government ◽  
Civil Participation

The article presents a study of the issues of citizens ' participation in the development of urban areas, creating a comfortable environment for life on the example of Vologda. The research is based on the following methods: multiple case study, included observation, unstructured interviews, and content analysis. When studying a separate case, we identified the participants in the interaction, the nature of the interaction (open dialogue, pseudo-communication, conflict), the tools of civil participation, and the results obtained. The main problem of realizing the potential of civil participation in municipal management is the unformed motivation of people to social activity. It is concluded that in the context of a conflict of interests, the participating project looks like a marginal protest movement in the eyes of the local authorities. The fact that the urban environment will be in demand and works better if residents are actively involved in its creation and management, justifies the need for a dialogue between the government and the population. It is possible to avoid a city-protection conflict by involving citizens in participation at the first stages of designing changes to public spaces.

William Smyth (1838–1913), a commercial taxidermist of Dunedin, New Zealand

2018 ◽  
Vol 45 (2) ◽  
pp. 292-308 ◽  
Author(s):  
Rosi Crane ◽  
B. J. GILL
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Museum Collections ◽  
Professional Interaction ◽  
New Zealand Birds ◽  
Public Museum

William Smyth, unable to get work in a New Zealand museum, ran a commercial taxidermy business at Caversham, Dunedin, from about 1873 to 1911 or 1912. His two decades of correspondence with Thomas Frederic Cheeseman at the Auckland Museum provide a case study of Smyth's professional interaction with one of New Zealand's main museums. We have used this and other sources to paint a picture of Smyth's activities and achievements during a time when there was great interest in New Zealand birds but few local taxidermists to preserve their bodies. Besides the Auckland Museum, Smyth supplied specimens to various people with museum connections, including Georg Thilenius (Germany) and Walter Lawry Buller (New Zealand). Smyth was probably self-taught, and his standards of preparation and labelling were variable, but he left a legacy for the historical documentation of New Zealand ornithology by the large number of his bird specimens that now reside in public museum collections in New Zealand and elsewhere.

Factors Affecting Financial Literacy of Vietnamese Adults: A Case Study for Hanoi and Nghe An

2017 ◽  
Vol 33 (2) ◽  
Author(s):  
Tue Nguyen Dang
Keyword(s):  
Higher Education ◽  
Multiple Regression ◽  
Financial Literacy ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Logistic Models ◽  
Factors Affecting ◽  
Financial Behaviors ◽  
Financial Decisions ◽  
Literacy Level

This research examines the factors affecting the financial literacy of Vietnamese adults. Using a sample of 266 observations of adults in 2 big cities in Vietnam (Hanoi and Vinh in Nghe An Province), the author evaluates the literacy level of adults in these urban areas. The financial literacy of the interviewed people is low. The multiple regression results show that lower financial literacy levels associate with higher age and married status and higher financial literacy levels associate with higher education, more family members, the person making financial decisions and the person attending a useful financial course. This research also explores the association between financial literacy and financial behaviors of individuals employing logistic models. It is found that higher financial literacy associates with less probability of overspending and higher probability of saving money and careful spending. Higher financial literacy is also found to associate with higher probability of opening a savings account and making various investments. 

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