Computational Analysis of Biophilic Scale Distributions of Façades in Kaunas City Centre

The results of numerous studies which are performed on the concepts of Biophilic architecture demonstrate that it can influence emotional tension and health of the observers. Moreover Biophilic research exhibits that not only natural plants induce biophilic response, but also artificial, human creations with certain fractal dimensions or distributions of scales can have an impact. In that regard, the aim of this research is to describe the relation between measurable Biophilic properties of façades and the emotional tension inducing health problems measured with the count of medical emergency arrivals in the vicinity of the façades. To achieve the aim several tasks were completed, such as the development of a methodology of façade analysis, and application of it in an experiment to test the validity. The engineered features found by this research are based on statistical analysis of distributions of line lengths and distances between lines in a drawing of a façade. To test the methodology, a linear regression model with six features was trained and it achieved a 37 % confidence, measured with R² adjusted, predicting the number of medical emergency arrivals. Simplicity of the model allowed to make additional insights into the specificity of façade properties, and their importance to Biophilia, which establishes the scientific novelty and the significance of this research.

Perception of Cityscape of the Central Part of Kaunas and Sociocultural Aspects Determining it

This article deals with peculiarities of Kaunas centre cityscape perception and the determining socio-cultural factors. Important elements creating unique view of a location and identity are related to the period’s history, culture, political situation, features of the location natural basis, as well as individual’s-observer‘s education, personal qualities, aesthetic and cultural sophistication. The territory of Kaunas city centre was selected for the case study. It is characterized by unique natural, historic, cultural conditions and high information-emotional potential. During the research proprietary ranking concerning significance of cityscape elements groups and experienced psycho-emotional senses was conducted. Furthermore, the correlations between the distance of object observation, heights of observation points as well as movement mode selection and personal factors such as gender, age, occupation, and education based on statistical dependencies were identified. The obtained results explain the principles of Kaunas centre cityscapes perception.

Chinese pavilions in the early landscape gardens of Europe

The image of China perceived by the Europeans in the 17th to 18th century was based on the travelogues of the travellers and missionaries. Despite the fact that the first descriptions did not include any pictures of the world, people and landscapes described, the far exotic country with its history and tangible heritage became very popular. This article deals with Chinese pavilions (pagodas, teahouses) built in the early European landscape gardens before 1750 without any architectural plans, using only sketches based on descriptions and travelogues, since in the first half of the 18th century, no relevant technical guidance was available yet. The structures reviewed started to be used frequently in European gardens and public parks from 1750’s, having an inevitable influence on the garden pavilions built from the second half of the 18th century, and indirectly to the image and character of some influential gardens in European context. Moreover, through their craggy appearance, the Chinese pavilions – as eye catchers – played an accentuated compositional and spatial role too in the European garden history.

A study of developing a spatial entity greenway in the case of Irbid City – Jordan

Greenways are urban elements that are designed to show the linear consistency and connectivity between open green spaces and cause a development in the urban texture. As a city starts to grow, the absolute metropolitan development should be followed by an ongoing protection of the rural and urban territories. The nexus between the city development and the fortification of the open agricultural and rural lands is deemed a good strategy in order to result in a homogenous urban fabric of the city. The study aims to present a greenway model of development to work as a prototype applied on an existing route in Irbid City-Jordan by using the methods of testing and analyzing the route during the site visit and by using GIS base maps in order to come up with an absolute combination between monitoring the city growth, maintaining the quality of the agricultural lands and serving the public and local needs in order to result in a more balanced and controlled growth of the city. Irbid city is located in the northern part of Jordan with a radial urban expansion model of growth extending from the historical center and spreading toward the outskirts of the city. Regarding the significant increase in the number of population in Irbid City-Jordan since the 1970s until nowadays and the continuous need for habitats, there was a huge number of housing projects in the inner part of the city that expanded toward the outer part including the rural areas, resulting in a huge lack of agricultural lands and open recreational spaces where people can benefit from. Those spaces form an outlet of the city connected with the inner part by a route. Establishing a greenway along the route raises the integration between people and their lands and encourages farmers to develop and harvest. According to this study, the greenway development, which forms a breath out to the highly built-up area in the city, has become a great tool to result in tremendous beneficial outcomes to the city development.

Visual-spatial dimensions of modern residential buildings, experience of the Nordic region

The visual-spatial dimensions of architecture are constantly changing, architects and urban planners are aware and understand the need for a healthy, active, vibrant public outdoor space, creating viable, economically and rationally suitable living spaces in the urban environment [12]. A comprehensive approach to sustainable architecture and design with a green structure combines a high-quality urban environment. In modern architecture, one of the perspective directions in the development of visual-spatial environment and structural forms is related to the active and continuous synthesis of the design and construction process in the urban environment [13; 4]. In recent years, the tendencies of rationalism and commercial nature based on technological progress have entered architecture and create a need for the architects to purposefully cooperate with the urban planners in the elaboration of development plans. The format of mutual cooperation brings together and rationally balances various dimensions of the urban environment in a compact visual-spatial structure. Thus, the aim of the research is to determine the visual-spatial dimensions of modern residential buildings in the context of sustainable urban development.

The influence of traditional Chinese landscape architecture on the image of small architectural forms in Europe

The article analyzes the influence of traditional Chinese landscape architecture on the shaping of European small architectural forms and the influence of European architecture on contemporary Chinese architectural practice. The purpose of the article is to identify the features of the architectural mutual influences of Chinese and European cultures. The method of historical analysis, the method of comparative analysis and the graphoanalytical method are used. The lack of identity between the Chinese and European gardens and the park with the pavilions is proved at the different hierarchical levels. Two groups of European Chinoiserie style pavilions have been identified: which give a false idea of Chinese architectural traditions and which represent a simplified version of those traditions. There is noticed the influence of the traditional Chinese approach to the architectural objects placement in the natural environment on the development of the contextualism concept in Western architecture (since the 1960s) which proclaims its purpose to preserve the natural beauty of the site through careful design that relates to its surroundings. The concept of contextualism is now widely used in the design of small architectural forms in the urban environment and in the design of the architectural environment in general, both in Europe and in China. This is a clear example of mutual enrichment with the ideas of two civilizations, each of which preserves its own culture.

Phenomenon of Urban Agriculture and Its Role in Shaping Sustainable Cities

The rapid growth and development of the world have lead to significant changes in the expansion of urban sprawl, land distribution, and the general functioning model of modern cities. The problems connected to ecology, economy, human physical and mental well-being become more urgent with every day under the influence of arising deficiency of open green spaces, nutritional security, and sustainable financial models for small-scale businesses within the cities; and not only affect regular citizens but also general tendencies of urban and landscape planning that are supposed to deal with those issues. One of the tools aimed at combating them for the past decades has been an increasingly popular urban agriculture, particularly chosen as a studying object of interest for this publication. The following paper represents complex research conducted in an integrated manner by reviewing the overall phenomenon of urban agriculture and its pioneering practices; determining the key components of their successful functioning and positive ways of affecting surroundings; and consequently forming the list of concluding recommendations for planning and management of such structures. As the main methods of research, the selective case study, describing principal features of such initiatives, and relevant literature analysis for the fundamental information gathering were applied by the author. The results of the research were composed into the summarizing table highlighting core data and supporting developed conclusion based on examination and designing suggestion for interested parties.

Landscape intervention in the Hospital for Covid-19 pandemic in Madrid

From Design with Nature of Ian L. McHarg to The Origin of Eukaryotic Cells of Lynn Margulis, the role of the microorganisms in the cycle of life, health, and disease, and in climate change constitutes the life support system of the biosphere. The micro-parklands of the Emergency Hospital in Madrid create a natural system of prefabricated elements following the aim of rapid implementation, isolation, and protection taking as reference the simple integrated system of living microorganisms. These micro-enclosures provide circular areas where patients, visitors, or healthcare professionals can meet in secret places surrounded by trees and shrubs or long green islands where they can walk around. The landscape architecture project has a surface of 7,434 sqm and occupies a plot of 69,791 sqm located in the Hortaleza district of Madrid. Belonging to the previous City of Justice project on the north side of the Institute of Legal Medicine, the plot, which is trapezoidal with a drop of 4,5 meters, is destined for a public hospital constructed in four months during the Covid-19 pandemic. Due to dry climatic conditions, adapted species with low water demand have been selected reducing the risk of allergies or respiratory problems. The topography has been modified to conserve rainwater and direct it to green areas that act as sponges that reduce runoff, store water, remove sediment and pollutants and release it into other ecosystems. There is no separation between soft scape (planting) and hard scape (soil) in the intervention, both are soft and porous and have macro and micro living beings. Following the references of these books, creativity and destruction as real phenomena both have attributes such as fitness and unfitness in the evolutionary way or health and disease. The vital system of living organisms (creativity) and viruses (destruction) has guided the design and distribution of these external areas that intend to prevent infections in the open air, as part of the mutation and adaptation process.

Continuity of traditions and innovation in modern landscape design in China

The article analyzes the features of traditional Chinese landscape design and its impact on the landscape design of modern Chinese parks. The purpose of the article is to compare the historical gardens and modern parks of China in order to determine the continuity and at the same time the features of innovation. The main difference between historical gardens and modern parks is emphasized: historical gardens were aimed at creating a calm, serene atmosphere of contemplation of nature; modern parks often combine traditional landscape techniques and the function of entertainment. The main historical landscape techniques provided for the presence of a lake and artificial mountains as symbols of immortality, a constant change of views, contemplation of the landscape through the opening as a picture in a frame, the inclusion of a small garden in the large, partitioning the space with "green screens". Modern parks in China still inherit these techniques in general: they have reservoirs, a lot of greenery, park pavilions, but there are already views from distant points, the parks are surrounded by a wall of skyscrapers, entertaining attractions have appeared in them, and in the evenings they are illuminated with bright illumination. Despite their attractiveness and modernity, the atmosphere of the Chinese garden has changed from a secluded personal to a public character, as can be seen in the examples of modern parks in Xi'an and Hong Kong.

Geomorphing effect of sand fences in primary dunes of Gulf of Riga

Finding a the most appropriate solution for the problems caused by coastal eros ion is very important, as erosion prevention and habitat management measures must promote the restoration of the natural balance (order of things before anthropogenic disturbances) and restore the coastal status quo as much as possible [6; 2]. Dune fences are a very widespread erosion management tool on developed sandy coastal areas due to ease of installation, inexpensiveness, and generally positive public attitude [1]. Effectiveness and impact of fences have also been studied in many places around the world, however previous studies in Latvia have been very limited and episodic [16]. This article shows the observed dune and high beach area evolution of the coast in Riga, a somewhat developed coastal section on the top of the Gulf of Riga, Latvia, over a 4-year period from 2017 to 2020. Dune fences were installed along several short, but significantly disturbed sections of coast in 2018 and 2019. Implementation area is one of the busiest parts of the coast of Latvia dealing with the highest level of anthropogenic disturbance. Data has been derived from cross-shore transects (n=12) along the 17 km long coastal section between Daugava and Gauja river mouths. The findings generally indicate a very intense initial wind driven sand accumulation in the target areas compared to the background situation. It also seems that such a method may in the longer term be responsible for reduction of the primary dune height and beach width.