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Text description provided by the architects. MVRDV's design offers a living dictionary of the natural heritage of South Korea to the city centre of Seoul. It connects the city dwellers with the nature, offering the users the opportunity of experiencing the amazing views to the Historical Seoul Station and Namdaemun Gate. It is an educational arboretum and a nursery for future species. How can we transform a 1970's highway into a Skygarden? How can we change the daily life of thousands of people who cross Seoul's city centre every day? How can we create a unique public park in the heart of Seoul with a diverse amount of plant species?

THE SKYGARDEN
The newly pedestrianised viaduct next to Seoul's main station is the next step towards making the city greener, friendlier and more attractive.

Since the project began in May 2015, the main challenge of the Skygarden project has been to transform a 938-meter long existing overpass into a public garden, overlaying a matrix of Korean flora onto the 16m elevated steel structure. From the start, MVRDV engaged with the need to change this infrastructural element into a green symbol, changing the image of the city centre of Seoul. Together with the Seoul 's Municipality, local NGO's, landscape teams and city advisers, MVRDV was deeply committed to accommodating the biggest diversity of flora into a strictly urban condition.

The park is populated by 16 small pavilions such as cafes, shops, exhibitions, gardener's pavilions, trampolines, foot bath, stage and children's theatre and information centre as well. They enhance the experience of the users, boosting the park with extra fun activities that engage the city on a cultural and commercial level. Multiple stairs, lifts, bridges and escalators connect the city to the new park, rebounding it to the adjacent urban fabric.

THE ARBORETUM
The Skygarden located in the heart of Seoul is a plant village, an ever-changing landscape that accommodates the biggest variety of Korean species into a public park, gathering 52 families of plants including trees, shrubs and flowers displayed in 645 tree pots, collecting around 160 species and sub-species. In total, the park will include 24,000 plants (trees, shrubs and flowers).

The linear park was designed as a collection of small gardens, each one with its very own layout, perfume, colour and identity. The landscape will change according to the seasons: the bright colours of leaves in autumn of the Aceraceae family (maples), the blossom of cherry trees and rhododendron in spring, the evergreen conifers trees in winter and shrubs and trees bearing fruit in summer.

Some of the flora highlights are the two large squares: the colourful Rosa Square where one can enjoy concerts and performances, next to the flowery tree pots and the Magnolia Square with an open-air stage and café.

The huge water lilies ponds on the Nymphaeaceae area and the photogenic Ginko trees are also a must-see in the garden. There will be edible berries and fruit spread over the Skygarden and succulent plants in the area from the Crassulacean family. More than 800 mobile tree pots will be added to the garden to enhance the change in seasons.

Just like an open-air encyclopaedia, the plant families are organised in alphabetic order, from East to West, creating easy navigation to finding the species on display.

THE SATELLITES
The urban-nursery will act as a reference and a source of inspiration for future developments in Seoul and Korea in general. The Skygarden aims to expand its roots to the surrounding areas of the bridge, be creating a strategy to transform it into a much greener and pedestrian-friendly condition. The green strategy includes increasing the number of pedestrian streets and green squares, giving more space for pocket gardens, green alleys, green roofs, green parking and terrace projects to grow and expand, as part of this satellite expansion around the bridge.

The plant library should be credited to Ben Kuipers (Dutch Landscape Designer) and KECC, the local landscape partner.

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71 Text description provided by the architects. MVRDV's design offers a living dictionary of the natural heritage of South Korea to the city centre of Seoul. It connects the city dwellers with the nature, offering the users the opportunity of experiencing the amazing views to the Historical Seoul Station and Namdaemun Gate.

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Council working towards making Shah Alam a safe city

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Council working towards making Shah Alam a safe city

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THE Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) will upgrade public facilities, especially for the disabled, to ensure it meets its target of making Shah Alam a safe city.

Shah Alam mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan said the upgrading of existing facilities and the installation of new ones would ensure people staying in Shah Alam feel safe and comfortable. They will also enjoy lush greenery.

"With the theme of Shah Alam 'Bandaraya Dalam Taman', which means City in a Garden, our aim is to make the city safer for pedestrians.

"We also want Shah Alam to be a City of Lights and a Peaceful City. However, we have to start by making the city crime-free," Mohd Jaafar said after launching the Safe City Implementation Workshop in Wisma MBSA, Shah Alam, yesterday.

The two-day workshop was attended by about 100 participants, including MBSA councillors and officers, and representatives from the police, the Public Works Department, Home Ministry and Housing and Local Government Ministry.

During the workshop, participants were taken to areas around Shah Alam where they could study unsafe areas so safety equipment such as mirrors, lights, railings and covered parking could be installed.

Mohd Jaafar said Japan was among the safest countries, especially for women, and he hoped that Shah Alam could emulate it.

"The Shah Alam City Centre, and townships such as Setia Alam and Kota Kemuning have adopted this concept but more needs to be done throughout the other areas.

"We are planning to hold a safety audit meeting soon to see how we could upgrade the infrastruture," he said.

He also said the bus stations in Section 2, 4, 9, 10 and 25 and Laman Budaya were already disabled friendly.

Fifteen issues addressed at the workshop:

·Separation of pedestrian walkways from motorised lanes;

·Implementing crime prevention through environmental design;

·Creating GIS mapping for crime and the safe city programme;

·Setting up police posts or mobile stations;

·Safety mirrors;

·Crime prevention signage;

·Safety alarms (panic buttons);

·Motorcycle parking with locking facilities;

·Installation of CCTV in commercial premises and public places;

·Lighting;

·Unobstructed view for public walkways;

·Generating appropriate activities in vulnerable crime spots;

·Education, public awareness and publicity;

·Improving surveillance in housing areas; and

·Fixed agenda on safe city programme at full board meetings.

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Council working towards making Shah Alam a safe city

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THE Shah Alam City Council (MBSA) will upgrade public facilities, especially for the disabled, to ensure it meets its target of making Shah Alam a safe city. Shah Alam mayor Datuk Mohd Jaafar Mohd Atan said the upgrading of existing facilities and the installation of new ones would ensure people staying in Shah Alam feel safe and comfortable.

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Village/City Coexistence and Regeneration \ Meng Yan

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Village/City Coexistence and Regeneration \ Meng Yan

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Curating in Nantou: A Case of Village/City Coexistence and Regeneration \ Meng Yan
Nantou, A City Or A Village?
For a long time, Shenzhen has been portrayed,sometimes intentionally, sometimes unwittingly,as a young city with a history of only three decades. The myth of how a "small fishing village" has miraculously grown overnight into a modern metropolis is still prevailing in mainstream media and widely persists in the public imagination. The myth is followed by a curse, haunting this Special Economic Zone (SEZ) for many years, that it is a city with no origin, no history or culture.

Aerial View of Nantou Old Town and the City (from northeast to southwest)

Aerial View of Nantou Old Town

In truth however, the Nantou Old Town in the Nanshan District of Shenzhen was founded as a city over 1,700 years ago during the Jin Dynasty, and it served as the political, economic and military center for the Shenzhen-Hong Kong area during the Ming and Qing dynasties, governing a vast area that included modern day Shenzhen, Hong Kong, Zhuhaiand Macao. In the early Qing Dynasty, the Nantou Fortress was destroyed and abandonedin an evacuation known as " Jin Hai Qian Jie " (Sea Ban and Frontier Shift). It was later restored for use up untilthe early years following the founding of the People's Republic of China in 1949, when the government of Bao'an County was relocated to another site. From that time on, Nantou became a quiet village surrounded by an old city wall, its history as a city for over 1,700 years fading from memory.In the following decades, with the growth of its economy and population, the village expanded out from the confinement of its ancient wall. The historical buildings inside and outside the city wall were demolished and new buildings built. The Old Town continued to disappear as thevillage grew.

Map of the San-On-Distinct（Historical Map）

After the establishment of the Shenzhen SEZ in the 1980s, urbanization was first dominated by government and state-owned enterprises, followed by a top-down process of implementation by developers that guided by urban planning. Like other villages surrounded by sprawling urban development, Nantou Village experienced a bottom-up and haphazard self-urbanization process in contrast to the planned urbanization around it. This stark difference was due to the historical legacy of the"rural-urbandual-system"oflandownership,combined with the added pressure of a surging market demand, leading to a process of evolution that has been entirely spontaneous and informal. Implemented by the village collective and individuals, this process has been subjected to the pressures of external urban development and yet has benefited from the market demand and the imperfection of urban policy. The restriction that villagers are only permitted to build two-story houses as residences on their own household plot wasbroken, and the function as residence was then shifted to market-drivenapartmentrentals. In order to meet the demands of the market, villagers subsequentlyrebuiltlarger and higher buildings, eventually filling their household plotsas much as possible. This formed a unique urban landscape ofhigh-density clusters of "hand-shake buildings", what has become a typical spatial fabricof urban villages in the Pearl River Delta (PRD). The urban village is a special alternative urban typology, an economic and social ecosystem formed because of failures in urban governance and the urges of pure economic incentives. It is usually located in the middle of the city, but provides accommodation at comparatively low prices, while also creating diverse local employment opportunities. It therefore acts ashaven for newcomers, a temporary buffer to the city and itsharsh urban environment of fiercecompetition. Today, urban villages in Shenzhen andthe PRDare not rural enclaves surrounded by urban districts, but "urbanized villages" that have been collaged and integrated into current urban reality. To be exact, it emerges asanew"ThirdTypology"-"Village/City" which is different from the prevailingdualsystemof either village or city in China. It is not only the first choice for arrivalbynew immigrants, but also an integrated and indispensable part of the city itself.

Night View of Nantou Old Town and the City

UABB Opening Ceremony in Nantou Old Town
Nantou, Old Town Preservation or Urban Village Regeneration?
As compared to other urban villages, NantouVillage has preserved its main street pattern after decades of development. Although the old town has changed dramatically,thesouthern gate and eastern gate still exist, and several ancestral halls, temples, old houses, a church and other historical buildings remain as well. Sites of archaeological significance have also been preserved underground. Today, NantouVillagerepresents a symbiosis of an old town of nearly two thousand year'shistoryand a modernurbanized village. It existsinbetweenacity andavillage, and yet it is neither a city nor a village when history intertwines with reality. Underneath the current hustleand bustleof urban reality, hidden cluesofspatial and historicalmemorycan still be found.

Nantou Old Town Site Map

Old Buildings in Nantou Old Town

In the past decade,though scattered preservationand renovation efforts inside and outside of the city wall have neverstopped,Nantou has been in a dilemma whether to protect the historical heritage of the old town or to redevelopthe urban village so as to improve the residents' livelihood. Local government alsohas been trying to explore the cultural resources and tourist potentialof the Old Town. Numerous studies and design proposals have been prepared, but few of them have been implemented because of complicated factors.

At the beginning of 2016, when the design and research team of Urbanus started to be involved in the NantouPreservationand RegenerationProject, we found that rather than the contradiction between historical heritage protection and urban villageregeneration,the most critical problem that has been hindering Nantou'sfutureis how to define and positionbothitshistoricaland its contemporary heritage; this is the fundamental question that decides its future destiny.By starting with research into the historical context of the ancient city, our team has also carried out detailed field investigations.Through mapping multiple layers of historical informationcomparedwithon-siteobservation and recording,the future blueprintfor the Old Towngradually took shape.Thehistory of NantouOldTownreflectsacondensedandcompleteurbanhistory of Shenzhen. Rather than a spatial renovation, the more needed effortsareto improve the quality of life of its residents and to rejuvenatethe local culture.

We didnumerouscasestudiesregardinghistoric renovation,both in China and abroad, and studied the evolution of theories on historic preservation.We concluded that only by respecting the authenticity of the history and cherishing the cultural layers and historical traces of each period of time can we shape a timelessly dynamic urbancommunity rooted in local history and culture. We see today's Nantou not as anoldhistoric town in the traditional sense, but as ahistorical heritage town, which carries on the history and culture of nearly two thousand years, and which preserves the spatial, social and cultural heritage of Shenzhen across every historical period. It is the only precious sample of Shenzhen's urban culture thatdisplays both historicalrelicsalongside a full record of China's rapid urbanization over the last three decades.

Building Age and Distribution Diagram of Nantou Old Town

Historical Layers of Architecture of Nantou Old Town
City as Exhibition Venue and Exhibition as Practice
Based on the preliminary study onNantou, Urbanus proposed adevelopmentmodelof introducing cultural events,preservation,interventionandregeneration.Adapted to local conditions, we drafted six tailor-made regeneration plans which can be implemented at alater time: Parks and Gardens Revival Plan, City Boundary RedefinitionPlan, HistoricalBuilding Preservation Plan, Main Street Navigation Plan, Creative Factory Plan and Inner City Dynamic Regeneration Plan. These projects mainly focus on the renovation of key public spaces and the introductionofpublic activities as part of the process of activating and promoting the regeneration of the Old Town. Later on, after sufficient field investigation, urban design and research work, we came up with the idea to propose Nantouas the main venueof2017UABB in the biennale venue selection process.

After consensuswas made on the venue, further field surveys and research into Nantou's history helped usto find a narrative line on which spatial renovation and the exhibition implementation could highly coincide. A series of renovations along with this narrative line will, with most effective interventions, have minimum interference with the daily life of local residents.Theywillimprove the public space quality of the Old Town to a maximum effect, while leaving enough roomfor future development.

Regeneration of Nantou Old Town

The Nantou Old Town is located to thenorthof ShennanAvenueand south of Zhongshan ark. Built along a gentle slope, the Old Town used to be guarded by four gatesin four directions. The northern gate was abandoned in the middle of the Qing Dynasty, and the northern street in the traditional county town's "Cross Roads"pattern lost its vitality ever since. Zhongshan Park tothe north of the Old Townwas the earliest public park inShenzhen. It was built during the Republican era of China and featuresold,towering trees that attract manyvisitors. The wall surrounding the factory area constructed in the 1980s separated the park from the Old Town. We decided to reconfigurethis critical node by extending South ZhongshanStreet northward, restoring the traditional "Cross Roads" pattern and reconnecting Zhongshan Park, the Old Town and the Park outside the south gate. This step of spatial restructuring will be the starting point of future old town regeneration, beginning with a series of exhibition venues for the UABB, which will be rolled out alongthis main spine.

Following the urban design strategy of preservation and regenerationwhilelocating exhibition spaces for UABB, we soughtto reconstruct a public open space systeminNantou. Serving as an exhibition route, this system consists of both architectural spaces and outdoor venues. The exhibition venues are in five zones from north to south and extending out toward east and west: A. Factory Zone, B. Cross Road Zone, C. Southern Gate Zone,D.HistoricBuildingsZone,andChunjing Street Zone. The whole exhibition spatial narrative is formed with the following seven interlocking themes, like the structure of Chinese literature or drama.

2017 UABB Venue Renovation Plan

2017 UABB Exhibition Plan
Spatial Structure and Narrative of the Exhibition Introduction: Southern GatePark
The archway to NantouOld Town can be seen when approaching westward from ShennanAvenueafter passing Nanhai Avenue. Guan Di Temple is tothe east, while the Nantou Museum,on the site of the former Bao'an County governmentbuilt in 1950, is not far to the west. Toitsnorth is the excavation site of the moat from the Eastern Jin Dynasty.

The Southern Gate, the only surviving remains of the southern city wall, is the oldest existing structure in Nantou, with a history of 600 years. It is interesting that through laterdemolitionofsome buildings between the Southern Gate and Shennan Avenue, the original footprintof the Old Townhas become clearer. Within the old town perimeter, the densely erected villagebuildings are partially paintedgrey or decoratedwith grey tiles and slopingeaves. Together with some newly-constructed city wall fragments, the efforts to restore the original style of the ancient city can be easily seen. We believe, however, that visual restoration will not help restore the Old Town. Only when urban regenerationis seen as anefforttotackle complexurban problems can we find abalance between history and reality, and between spatialheritage and humanistic lifestyle.

Axon of Southern Gate Park

We hope to establish a connection between the existing cultural sites outside of the Southern Gate and to introduce a new interactive experience in the Park, recreating the spatial prelude before entering the Old Town: walking through the archway of NantouOld Town, a newly built kiosk designed by FCJZ is on the west. Just like a small pavilion by acountry road in ancient times, its overhanging eaves provide shaded seating for travelers; The Guan Di Temple is across the road, with 3D wall murals on its gable, and the contrastbetweensolidbuildingand painted illusionprovokes expectation before entering theOld Town; Atemporary "Southern Gate Park After Regeneration ( Weng Cheng" (barbican)plaza installation is on the north, reproducing with light materials the semi-circular barbican of the Southern Gate as it has been recorded in historic literature. The barbican is a symbiosis betweenhistoricfactsand literary fiction, and its temporary popping-up will change people's daily experience as they pass the ancient city gate. The small semi-circular plazawill be kept after the exhibition, allowing people to stop and to ponder or lament.Rather than a simple rushin and out from the old city gate, a new route of humanistic and historical context will start.

Weng Cheng)
Elucidation: Ancient Academy Square
Entering the SouthernGate, one is now standing on the SouthZhongshanStreet, which islined up with many small shops.A small piece of elevated land in an eastern corner is where the Ancient Academy Square is located. According to historical records, the former Office of Coastal Defense was to the east of the modern day square, and in the early 1900's the Fenggang Academy was established on its premises. It was also the site of the Nantou Middle School and aftermany further changes, the site is currently surroundedbydensely packed villagetowersbehind the eastern and northern walls. In the process of renovation, the original atmosphere of existingtrees and open space is preserved as much as possible,and only the hedgerow is removed from the south of the square to add steps and ramps in order to make the square more open facing towardsthe city gate. A screen wall of grey bricks separatesthe terrace from the street below. A small open space is created in the middle of the square and a small stage is addedalong the northern wall to accommodatesmall-groupedperformances and community activities. This small quiet courtyard with the shade of trees is a nice pocket gardento enjoy the city view, especially from a small porch pavilion in the southeast corner.

UABB Activity in Ancient Academy Square (After Regeneration)
Transition: Cross Road Square
With the surging population living in the old town, most of the traditional houses have been demolished and rebuilt into rental apartments. The Dongguan Guild Hall is one of the few historical buildings that were spared from this fate. There are a couple of other buildings in the vicinity, including the Xin'an Opium Den, the Yili Pawnshop, and the Hongchang Casino, which were all renovated in the 1990s in celebration ofthe reunification withHong Kong. They are closely adjacent to residential buildings of various styles built in the past decades. We chose this small vacant open space, enclosed by traditional buildings andotherresidential buildings, as the junction node connecting the main exhibition venue and the Chunjing Street area to the west of the exhibition route. Gradual spatialtransition is arranged here to separate external street space from semi-public space in the internal block，and the elevation of the site is adjusted responding to the existing topography. Concrete parapet walls are used as the boundary for areas of different elevations, the practice of mixed masonry with greyand red brick in traditional Lingnan(southern Chinese) architecture is adopted in outdoor paving. Localfruittrees, typical in theLingnanregion,are used as the major tree species in landscaping in order to carry on the practical and innovative feature oftraditional Lingnanculture.

For a large number of illegal buildings and structures, instead of a total demolition, categorizedand diversified renovation strategies are adopted, and feedback from the residents are followed in order to make continued adjustments. The basic principle ofrenovation is to make the most of the current situation. Small-sized squares,pavilions, and green spaces are designed atthe major nodes of public activity, responding to the specific conditions of each site in order to compensate for the current scarcity ofopen public space in the old town.They also willrespond to issues like changesin lifestyle, the transformation of traditional spaces, and the scale of Lingnanarchitecture.

Zhongshan South Street

Cross Road Square After Regeneration
Conclusion: Baode Square
This areaused to be a small open space in the center of the old town and was later used as a threshing floor in the 1970s. Historic County Government ruins, the BaodeAncestral Hall, and other historic buildings are in the vicinity. The site is surrounded by dense residential buildings built in different periods, with a basketball court of terrazzo floorthat was built in the 1990s. The square is usually empty and unwelcoming in the daytime because of the hot weather, and becomes vibrantafter dark when children are chasing each other and adults are sitting around barbecuing and drinking beer. It is a stage for daily life, shifting betweennoisy and silent, chaotic yet dynamic.

Axon of Baode Square

Baode Square (aerial view) Before and After Regeneration

Located on both sides of the squareweretwo metal sheds. Erected on the site of buildings demolished several years earlier, they had served as temporary markets to sell clothing, fruits, and other groceries. The two sheds have been removed and two new temporary structures are built on the site after coordination with local residents. In addition to compensating the same floor area for the village, the new structures have roofs with slanting steps toward the square, forming a continuous interface which allows people to walk all the way from the square onto the roof.Theroof serves as audience seating for basketball games or performances in the square. We also add trees around the square so that even in the summer, the outdoor space is partially shaded. The roof facing South ZhongshanStreet isalso made of slanting steps, forming a roof-top theater; a nice place to enjoy the view of the street and the park.The form of these buildings responds to the small scale and rich roof profileof the adjacent historic buildingsmaking up the Dongguan Guild Hall to the west. Buildings in urban villages are usually finished with a great variety of colors and patterned tiles, and nearby Foshan in Guangdong is the origin of these pottery tiles.We chose a custom-made potterytile as the finish to cover all of the buildings and the square itself, while the terrazzo basketball court is left completelypreserved in the middle. The two new buildings definethe boundary of the square, and abulletin board along the street is redesigned and integrated into the plaza.These efforts help enlarge and extend three-dimensionally the originally limitedpublic space into a hubfor gatherings and sharing. The two buildings will house an information center andbookstore, as well asexhibition and event venues during the upcoming biennale. We hope they will continue to serve the residents in the urban village as a community buildingand culture center into the future.

Baode Square (from south to north) Before and After Regeneration

Baode Square After Regeneration

B3 Buliding
Agglomeration: Creative Lab and Market Square
In the 1980s, a large number of factories began to be builtinrural areas of Shenzhen and almost every village builtfactorybuildingstorent outasthe quickest wayto shake off poverty and to get rich, while also bringing moreemployment opportunities for the villages'younger generation. As urbanization intensifies and urban districts sprawl to enclose villages, factories inside thesevillages are confined within as well. With the increasing immigrant population and rental demand, urban villagesare becoming the most open, densely populated and highly trafficked sectionof the city,witha mixture of industrial and residential areas. WanliIndustrial Zone of Nantouis located in the northern part of the old town and built in the late 1980s, with a building area of 14,000 square meters. Three plants and two dormitories of the industrial zone are surrounded by enclosing walls, separating the old town and Zhongshan Park to the north. Two factory gates on the eastsitbetweenthe Nantou Town Primary School and the village;there are always residents and school childrenpassing by the square in front of the factory.

Factory Zone (aerial view) After Regeneration

The exteriorwalls of the factoryand dormitories are essentiallymaintained in theiroriginal appearance. The existing horizontal stripe windows, tinted glass, granitic plaster, mixed pebbles, vertical white tiles,and color mosaicsof geometric patternsare preserved as much as possible.They are typical examples of exteriorwall materials widely used in 1980s and 1990s. Only the large muralpainted on the factorybuildingadds a new stroke to the layeredtraces of time. A temporary metal shedon the factory squareisdismantled, and a light canopy of stretching fabric is built along the eastwalltoaccommodatean open-air café. At dusk, when the canopy is lit up from inside, it looks like a huge lantern floating abovethe square between the factory and village buildings. The enclosing wall on the west side of the factory is demolishedto allow the factoryarea to merge into the surrounding neighborhoods. The exteriorwall of the groundfloor of the main plant is removed,and a north-south inner street connecting the other two buildingsis created. Another intersectingpassage connects the square to the east and the alley on the west side,and eventually leads to the public stage and Zhongshan Park. After opening up the first floor of the mainbuilding, a series of enclosed spaces with different sizes and colors are scattered around.Theywill be used as venues for various themed exhibitions. The irregular alleywaysbetween these big boxes are as complexasa maze,with embedded screens, light boxes, images, posters and bulletin boards on the walls.More contents will be added during the exhibition so that the exhibits will grow spontaneously and the atmosphere will keep changing all the time. Connected with the outdoor square it is like an open market as well as a delightful miniature theme park, suggesting that it couldbe an open creative clusterand a new living communityforyoung people in the old town.

Openness: From Public Stage to Open Theater
The public stage appeared in the late 1980s andwitnessed the early migrant worker culture of Shenzhen. With the rapid industrialization of the city and the thriving of village and township enterprises,public stages were built throughout the city.Theymet the leisure and recreational demands of a large populationof young migrant workers and mass performances of various types used to be seen all over the city. With further growth of the city and the relocation of factories to the outskirts, however, this kind of grassroots recreation gradually disappeared and public stages were dismantled. In Nantouvillage,weare surprised to discover a remaining public stage between the old town and the Zhongshan Park on the north. The south edge of the stage is close to the crowded urban village while the north edge is open to the green space of the park. It is still a semi open-air theater for ordinary peopleto hostamateur performances and local community activities, with a covered seating area for up to 500 spectators. In the summer, old men and women are sitting in the shade to play chess, to read or to watch kids playing. We decided to use this public stage as the multi-function hall during the biennaleto host lectures, seminars, stage performances, films and other activities.Wealso hope to preserve its role as an informal performance venue as much as possible, so that it can still host thedaily activities of local residents when it is available.

We have placed three raised audience seating areas under the existing steel roof canopy, providing abetter performance atmosphere and better views. The layout of audience seating resembling several scattered rocks creates an atmosphere of an informal theatrical space. A lifting fabric curtain system is designed around the roof truss, making it no longer a closed, static and conventional theater, but a convertible space that can be both open air or closed. A great variety of performances or activities, formal or informal, indoor or outdoor, are made possible when the curtain is lifted or dropped. As the result of the actual interventionofthe biennale, the multiple functions of the public stage will be extended to host thedaily lives of local residents after the exhibition.
Seclusion: Urban Oasis
In the center of the old town,there is a piece of land deserted for many years. It is located to the west of Chunjing Street and enclosed on four sides by residential buildings. Historical buildings that once occupied the sitehave beengone for a long time. The site is now enclosed by a barbed wire fence and two uncompleted buildings with exposed steel bars and formwork are visually striking. Local residents spontaneously planted vegetables and fruit trees in the open space and gradually turned it into a hidden oasis. We hope to introduce spatial installations with themes of plants andto organizea small-scale garden tour or planting workshops through UABB to reactivate this area. Our future plan is to dismantle the fenceof the garden and invite botanists, artists, local residents, students and the public to plan their own renovation strategytogether and to build a new community space.
Urban Curation: The Beginning of a Long-term Plan
The 2017Shenzhen-HongKongBi-City Biennale (Shenzhen) themed with Cities, Grow in Difference will soon be heldinNantouOld Town. As the main exhibition venue, NantouOld Town is a heterogeneous symbiosis of a historic town and a contemporary urban village. The urban interventionofthis UABBis highly consistent with the old town regenerationplan, making a smoothtransition from one to theother. During the renovation of the main venue, the design team selected a great variety of spaceswithin the urban village, including factory buildings, streets, squares, residential buildings, historical buildings, and parks. We hope throughrenovation for exhibition spaces, architectureand artinterventions,and organized events to bring an alternative experimentalopportunity for the regenerationofNantouOld Town and the renovation of urban villages in general. "Urban curation,"in contrast to the current urban renewal process,is a long-term strategy for the incremental improvement of urban spaces and the qualityof urban life.

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Nantou, A City Or A Village? For a long time, Shenzhen has been portrayed,sometimes intentionally, sometimes unwittingly,as a young city with a history of only three decades. The myth of how a "small fishing village" has miraculously grown overnight into a modern metropolis is still prevailing in mainstream media and widely persists in the public imagination.

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The Housing Silo is situated on the IJ River, at the tip of the pier, next to two former grain warehouses (silos) that have been converted. The IJ River served as Amsterdam's harbor in the golden age.
Then, when the harbor fell into a decline, the buildings, warehouses, and shipyards were left unused.

In the 1980s, when Amsterdam had a housing shortage, the city regained interest in the river's potentials and a variety of restructuring projects, where the designers tried to fuse the remaining structure and character of the harbor with new architecture, followed.

The 157 apartments, business units and public spaces, in the Housing Silo, are compressed within a 10 story high and 20 meters deep urban envelope. The apartments, rental and owner in different sizes, are stacked in internally connected neighborhoods.

Each "house" differs, both in orientation and size; they can be half a block, a whole block, or diagonal over two floors, some with terraces or balconies others with patios.

The apartments are not only different in size and color, but also by the placement of the interior walls that can be moved and replaced by future inhabitants.

These groups of 4 to 8 "houses", of the same type, are recognizable by the treatment of the elevations and the colors used in the corridors.

Because of the various materials and colors the neighborhoods are also recognizable from the exterior of the building.

On the west side of the building the dam has been "pulled" through the under a large balcony, with magnificent views of the IJ, that can be used by all residents. The business spaces underneath the balcony share the same views.

Residents can walk through the building, passing different facades and roof tops, under the building through the hall to the terrace, or along the marina where boats can be docked.

Within the tight urban, structural and building regulation boundaries, the limits put onto it by the desires and imagination of government, clients, city, inhabitants and designers, the building indexes the interaction between restriction and innovation.

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The Housing Silo is situated on the IJ River, at the tip of the pier, next to two former grain warehouses (silos) that have been converted. The IJ River served as Amsterdam's harbor in the golden age. Then, when the harbor fell into a decline, the buildings, warehouses, and shipyards were left unused.

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The fundamental objective of the Maynooth University Campus Master Plan is to sustain and develop that place, to enhance the sense of place,... See More

The fundamental objective of the Maynooth University Campus Master Plan is to sustain and develop that place, to enhance the sense of place,... See More

Connecting content to people.

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The fundamental objective of the Maynooth University Campus Master Plan is to sustain and develop that place, to enhance the sense of place, and to project a clear sense of identity as a university in rapid development built on 200 years of history.

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Issuu is a digital publishing platform that makes it simple to publish magazines, catalogs, newspapers, books, and more online. Easily share your publications and get them in front of Issuu's millions of monthly readers.

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Nassau City Centre

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This is a plan to utilize Central Nassau's natural and cultural assets to rejuvenate this area and create an economically successful, sustai... See More

This is a plan to utilize Central Nassau's natural and cultural assets to rejuvenate this area and create an economically successful, sustai... See More

Connecting content to people.

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Nassau Urban Lab - Central Nassau Urban Regeneration Plan

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This is a plan to utilize Central Nassau's natural and cultural assets to rejuvenate this area and create an economically successful, sustainable and diverse economically interconnected community. Nassau is currently facing a key moment in its growth trajectory as a city, facing challenges in the areas of affordable housing, unemployment and crime.

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The beautification and rehabilitation of the Malacca river, an initiative by the Melaka State Government together with Historical Melaka City Council (MBMB), is to provide for a flood mitigation project while enhancing the potential it has on the city’s economy and tourism. The beautification would also benefit the city environment and revitalise the historical city of Melaka as the oldest and, at one time,the most famous port east of India.

The concept masterplan proposes various activities such as leisure, commercial and riverfront activities with the incorporation of boat terminals with new, immigration and customs facilities. The atmosphere of the “old era” fused with contemporary ambience, together with the blend of various historical cultures had been taken into consideration in the overall urban design to preserve and highlight the historical elements unique to Melaka.

Zones were planned and designed to ensure that the river front retain strong links with the city’s trades and historical heritage as well as creating opportunities to initiate lively riverside activities. The purpose is also to regain the hustle and bustle of the riverlife during the past centuries, reinforcing the riverfront character as an integral soul of Melaka as a riverine city.

For these to be implemented, drastic riverbank treatment, improvement and enhancement are required. This involves all aspects of engineering, infrastructure and architectural work, in order to stabilize the riverbanks with sheet piles, constructing timber boardwalks on concrete piers and constructing new, pedestrian walkways complete with amenities.

Landscaping is introduced in varying degrees along the route, in line with the architectural concept of the various zones. Soft landscaping along the riverbanks would include trees that would strengthen the embankment and provide shade. To create a linear park along the river, there has to be a proper jogging track, benches and pavilions for resting and contemplation. Suitable lighting and fittings would further enhance the ambience and safety for the users.

The Melaka River project had created interest among the city residents with social events like fishing competitions, boat cruises and tourism campaigns being held regularly. It is a catalyst for commercial, retail and other business opportunities which will bring economic revenue for the city and its people. The spill-over establishments of cafes, restaurants, boat cruises and the Casa del Rio luxury hotel are some examples of the benefits of the redevelopment and beautification of the river which has been long forgotten by history and time. The renaissance of the Melaka River has begun.

The overall master plan for the beautification and rehabilitation of the Sungai Melaka covers three (3) phases as follows:

Phase 1 (June 2002-June 2005)
It covers two sections: from Jambatan Hang Jebat to Kampung Morten and from Chan Koon Cheng Bridge to the Tan Kim Seng Bridge at Jalan Laksamana.

Phase 2 (August 2005-December 2007)
It covers the riverside from Chan Koon Cheng Bridge to Hang Tuah Bridge and up to Kampung Morten down river.

Phase 3 (January 2007-January 2009)
It covers the Old Port section from Tan Kim Seng Bridge fronting the Stadthuys Plaza to the Flor De La Mar Square and the Abdul Aziz Bridge at the rivermouth. It involves the creation of an ‘island’ with the diversion of the river and the installation of the barrage system.

The project was recognised by the industry with 3 high-profile awards – the PAM Pertubuhan Akitek Malaysia Award 2009 (Special Category), the MIP Award 2009 and the biggest of all, the FIABCI Award 2011 Special Award for National Contribution.

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Gearing up for a simple daily menial task like grocery shopping proved to be quite a challenge these days.

Let me bring you my step by step guide which eventually prompted the entry for today's blog.

Firstly, before going out, I will made sure my hand wash is visible, waiting for me on my kitchen sink, which is the nearest to my front door. I will turn on the washing machine and opened the door for the washing machine so I can just put my cloth later without touching the handle after I come back. A new towel waiting for me by the laundry so I can get change and shower straight after.

I geared myself with covered shoes, a hat and my glasses and armed with a bottle of hand sanitizers, wet tissue, an overly priced PM2.5 mask and two set of toothpicks so I don't have to touch the elevator button (for going down and back up respectively), I made my exit to the nearest walking distance store I can find.

Keeping my contact as minimal as I can, distancing myself and scratching out items on my list as fast as I can, I head back home and I had to wash my hands, change my cloth, shower and then clean the grocery items for extra precautions.

All and all, the extra steps and measure needed to be taken not to mention the pre planning needed because of how residential houses are plan as well as the floor layout of my home, took an extra 20 to 30 minutes out of my time.

With health pandemic occurring more in a century than ever before, with an average of 5 years for new discovered life threatening diseases, there is a possibility that the entire design community will have to adapt to the changing landscape of the demand in the future.
So, in world where a catastrophic pandemic is a norm, what would be an ideal house that can cater to that situation? Vestibule
Most commonly known as mud rooms in the UK or a larger space known as Lobby in most middle eastern houses. A vestibule is a buffer space prior to entrance or usually describe as antechamber or small foyer leading into a larger space (Dictionary of Architecture and Construction,2005).

In the future full of pandemic this might be just the trend in most residential building or private houses. In that case, I expected that this space will be solely for sanitization purposes.

Viral image of husband showering outside after grocery shopping during Covid 19 outbreak in Kuala Lumpur.
Unconventional floor plan
Safe to say the addition of vestibule will change conventional floor plan of future houses and building. In addition, the entryway will also need to provide an extra space solely for storage of sanitization gear as well as PPE (Personal Protection Equipment) Suit. Additional laundry area with washing machine and dryer with connecting bath should also be near to the entrance for convenience.

Putting the kitchen, pantry and storage spaces to the front of the house nearer to ingress as well as connecting the kitchen to a food or supplies drop might be a good idea as people wouldn't want to bring all the supplies across the house to the back like in conventional house and risk contaminating the whole house. Forget big car garage, spacious pantry for food storage and medicine would be the central design demand in this situation.

I have sketched the basic spatial organization of this pandemic house as below;
Distancing
Houses most likely be far apart from each other to minimize interaction or at least not connected with each other like the conventional terrace house. Residential building with shared common spaces like apartments probably would not be as convenient and eminent as in the present. As such, their demand might be dwindled. Designer will have to come out with high rise residential design that can minimize interaction for fear of mass infection.

Those with private houses will tend to have high outer walls for privacy and security with inner or back facing lawn with landscape to quench the boredom of feeling trapped inside. My guess, the society will be more introverted in nature and that will be reflected thru the building plans.
Airing & A.I
In situation where there is an outbreak of airborne virus, separate air filter system throughout the house must be made available at any moment. Since the advancing of virtual and cloud-based technology is expected to be the trend, these future houses might be controlled by A.I based intelligent that can detect any changes in air quality, or any harmful airborne diseases and threats around thus taking necessary counter actions.

Shutter doors and windows may serve as the first layer of protection for the building residents. Pneumatic trap doors as well as automatic shutter system that can be controlled with this A.I will be perfect for a pandemic ready future.
Extreme
In an extreme case, some home owners might even ought for an underground bunker or as simple as a Panic Room equipped to last for weeks under such threats. Waste by products can be turn into source of energy to generate electricity and produce sustainable crops.

This change of lifestyle is probably too far into the future. But, during 2003 SARS outbreak we told ourselves that we will prepare ourselves better for the next pandemic. It's been almost 2 decades after that with science and technological advances are better than ever. Yet, here we are almost crippled by the latest Covid 19 and our mindset, our society even our response were more or less what it was years ago.

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Gearing up for a simple daily menial task like grocery shopping proved to be quite a challenge these days. Let me bring you my step by step guide which eventually prompted the entry for today's blog.

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It's been a few days since the movement control order to combat the contagious Corona virus was enforced. The road is emptier than usual, the routine sound of kids playing in the evening are now confined to the walls of their houses and I swear to god that the birds are singing much louder than before. There were cases reported from Venice where Dolphins and swan are coming back and roaming the now pollution free canals. Similar report has been sighted around the world.

Fact is, when human stops intervening so much, nature reclaims what has always been theirs.

It is not so hard to identify these sceneries with many post apocalypse centred movies one would at some point of their life had watched. I can't help but wonder that in the event of apocalypse, (if human somehow manage to rebuild), how different life would be and what kind of architecture would it takes to fit in?

For example, World War 2 created an entirely new political climate, one based on apocalyptic fears and atomic or nuclear attack.

While there is no solution to plan for every end-of-the-world-as-we-know-it scenario, study shows that Our lifetime apocalypse is more based on the fear of natural disaster - hurricane, tornado, viral disease, even infected-zombie-people than nuclear attack (Vanessa Quirk, 2012).

Therefore, a comprehensive approach to sustainability can be a key factor in prepping each and every client for the inevitable and believe it or not our best chance of surviving and thriving in a post-apocalyptic world comes in less of the bunker variety, and more of the vertical farm or fortress to which post-apocalyptic designers had called 'ESD'. Extremely Sustainable Design.

Whereas bunkers of the 1950s were meant to protect from nuclear attack from above (in fact using green roofs as camouflage), today's apocalyptic structures are far more likely to have a green roof for food-production purposes. When natural disaster strikes - be it flood, drought, or earthquake - it will be the scarcity of resources (rather than the disaster itself) which will prove most perilous (Vanessa Quirk, 2012).

As Matt Jordan, one of the architects behind 'Look Out House,' the third-prize winner in Architects Southwest Zombie Safe House competition, told The Economist: "it needs to be simple and sustainable, capable of generating its own energy, food and water, and of managing its waste. This takes the ideas of 'off the grid' and 'sustainability' to great lengths, helping to push the boundaries and envision how we might live if our modern conveniences were stripped from us."

That is what defines Extremely Sustainable Design (ESD).

Just take a look at some of the necessary characteristics suggested on Survivalist Architecture, via Coffee with An Architect:

* Energy Efficient Building Envelope - In an environment of scarce resources, the less energy a building requires, the better.

* Passive Solar Orientation - Key to both passive heating and natural daylighting, this is a key element to any survivalist.

* Rain Catchment Systems - Let's face it, there's no scenario on the table where potable water and sanitary sewer services will remain operational, so a basic greywater system is really a non-negotiable item to any project.

* Green Roof - Growing one's own food is always a good idea, growing one's own food in a reasonably defensible and concealable location in this situation would be vital.

* Solar Power / Photovoltaics - While the likelihood of finding repair parts in a post apocalypse wasteland is slim, the availability of electricity could be particularly useful during the transition period.

* Long-Life / Low Maintenance Materials - You're going to be plenty busy dealing with the day to day business of hoarding supplies and scavenging for food, the last thing that's going to be on your mind is, "When was the last time I water the lawn?"

* Low VOC (Volatile Organic Compound) Materials - There's a significant chance you'll be spending a whole lot of time indoors so dealing with Sick Building Syndrome is the last thing you want.

* Common Sense - There's no substitute for it. If a coronavirus can make people lose their basic common sense, imagine what an apocalypse would do.

But let's face it, architecturally speaking if the Apocalypse is now. It isn't so bad after all isn't it?

is the Future this?

or This?

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Survivalist Architecture; Design for Post Apocalypse.

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It's been a few days since the movement control order to combat the contagious Corona virus was enforced. The road is emptier than usual, the routine sound of kids playing in the evening are now confined to the walls of their houses and I swear to god that the birds are singing much louder than before.

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Abstract

This article consists of two parts. The first part suggests a typology for urban design theories in order to provide a new way of understanding the nature and function of the, seemingly opposing, debates existing in the field. This typology is based on distinguishing between subjects, object and knowledge of urban design. In the second part, the typology is applied to the shared body of knowledge. In order to do so, this article attempts to give an overview of the current shared body of knowledge in the field of urban design. The reading lists of urban design theory courses, drawn from different universities in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, are analysed to identify common texts. These texts are then considered to be one reading of what constitutes the shared body of knowledge. A comparison is made between this list of titles and those texts offered in various urban design readers to provide a better overall picture of the shared body of knowledge. Finally, a chronological analysis is made to illustrate the development of the three types of urban design theory.

Introduction

Communicating ideas in any field requires a level of common understanding of the professional language. Usually, a number of influential texts, recognized as describing key concepts, generate the shared professional language. This common understanding of the professional language is both derived from and informs the shared body of knowledge of the field.

Certain scholars have tried to provide a list of key texts of urban design. Moudon (1992), in her epistemological map of urban design debates, shows and categorizes texts she considers important for different topics in urban design, Ellin's (1999) The Postmodern Urbanism provides a chronological map of texts and events that inform urban design debates, More recently, Cuthbert (2007a) proposed 40 influential texts of mainstream urban design. These attempts suggest a need to define and understand what the important texts are. For these scholars, the texts they consider important are those they think make up some of the shared body of knowledge. While useful, there are two pertinent issues with these texts. First, as knowledge develops, the picture will require updating. Second, the methodology behind the choice of texts is not clear. Therefore an updated and systematically selected view of the key texts is required. Providing an overview of the knowledge is challenging. As fundamentally different types of texts are gathered under the title of urban design it is necessary to have a model to interpret the existing literature.

Knowledge being broader than theory, it is the theory that gives meaning to knowledge and makes it applicable. Therefore, in mapping the knowledge of urban design, the first part of the article focuses on theories. It is necessary here to clarify what is meant by urban design theory and how it differs from scientific theory. Scientific theory is mostly based on generalization and refutation ( Curd and Cover, 1998). The concept of refutability has been applied to urban design ( Cuthbert, 2007b), but this is problematic because each case of urban design has its own particular conditions. As urban design strives to make better places, the concept of a good place (normative aspects) recurs throughout the literature. The problem with applying the concept of refutability and the inclusion of normative direction means urban design theory is not a pure scientific theory. Despite this, urban design theory can still achieve some of the expected goals of a successful scientific theory, such as 'a method of organizing and categorizing', 'prediction of future events', 'explanations of past events', 'a sense of understanding' and 'the potential to control events' ( Davidson Reynolds, 2007). This definition puts theory at the heart of knowledge. The typology offered in the first part of this article is one model for mapping knowledge. This typology relies on distinguishing between subjects, object and knowledge of urban design.

The second part of this article explores more general understanding of the knowledge of urban design. It is important to recognize that the shared body of knowledge will, by its very nature, consist of texts selected using a variety of criteria and will sometimes reflect opposing aims or approaches. Nevertheless, the shared body of knowledge plays an important role in both the legitimizing of the profession and the emergence of professionalized institutes. The shared body of knowledge and the institutionalization of knowledge are thus mutually reinforcing. In this article, texts are only considered as belonging to the shared body of knowledge if they are commonly recommended by numerous universities. The universities scrutinized were from the United States, United Kingdom and Australia. These universities use literature in the English language even though they are located in different political economies. A comparison of common texts reveals some differences in what is being regarded as urban design in different countries. After providing its reading of the shared body of knowledge, this article demonstrates an application of the typology presented in the first part to the shared body of knowledge.

Each part of this article is presented discretely so as to allow room for thinking about further applications of both the shared body of knowledge and the typology. As Inam (2014) mentioned, one of the reasons for mapping bodies of knowledge is to enable the asking of critical questions (p. 9). In the conclusion, further possibilities for such critical research are suggested.

Part one - Typology

Introduction: Necessity for structure

In order to have a comprehensive understanding of theoretical debates within the field, a structure connecting discrete theories is needed. Such a structure would be derived from studying the existing knowledge rather than imposing pre-existing categories. Typology is a method of classification which meets most of the requirements for a useful structure. The typology suggested here is derived from the literature but does not purport to be comprehensive. Instead, the aim is to present a model that makes sense of different functions of theory in the domain of urban design.

Typology is a familiar concept in the field of urban design - different typologies of space, behaviours, processes and products are present within the literature ( Lang, 2005; Krieger and Saunders, 2009). Yet the word 'typology' is ambiguous. In its purest sense it refers to 'the study and theory of types and of classification systems' ( Lang, 2005, p. 43). Classification systems and the idea of type have long been used by human beings in order to make sense of the world. 'Theories of typology can be traced back to concepts of Platonic ideal form and to the Enlightenment practice of botanical categorization and encyclopedic method' ( Larice and Macdonald, 2007, p. 251). The idea of typology is most helpful when some similarity exists between phenomena. However, typology does not just act to highlight similarities - it also shows the difference between types.

The development of the typology being presented here was not a linear process. It was derived through testing and retesting how the model fits with the literature. Therefore, the typology could have been presented after the shared body of knowledge in this article. However, the current order was chosen because it makes clear that this typology is only one possible model with which to organize different sets of urban design theories.

A typology is generally considered successful if it is based on a method of classification that results in exhaustive and exclusive categories. It is helpful if the typology can have uses beyond basic classification ( Davidson Reynolds, 2007). Owing to the nature of urban design debates, an absolutely exhaustive and exclusive typology is not possible. Nevertheless, a typology of urban design can still succeed by meeting three basic objectives: correcting misconceptions and confusion by systematically classifying related concepts, effectively organizing knowledge and facilitating theorizing ( Allmendinger, 2009, p. 34).

Three types of urban design theory in the literature

There are numerous possible criteria for developing categories in order to produce a typology of theories. Examples are political direction, philosophical approach, language, product and scale. Each of them might be useful for a specific purpose. The typology proposed here classifies theories based on their aims rather than their approaches, strategies or philosophical perspectives. This results in a more practical overview of the knowledge because the theories that try to achieve similar goals fall into one category. The following categorization has been done by answering the question: 'What is this theory about?'

The analysis examining the subjects of urban design theories led to three distinguishable types of theory as: theories about the subjects within urban design, theories about the object of urban design and theories about the knowledge of urban design. In order to clarify the categories within the typology, the following descriptions use examples of appropriate texts to present one among many possible readings of the literature.

Type one: theories about the subjects within urban design

This type of theory focuses on the subjects within urban design. Such a theory usually says what needs to be done in order to achieve an intended result. For example, The Image of the City ( Lynch, 1960) explains what to do in order to achieve a clearer mind map of cities. Type one theories are akin to 'what-if's - they provide 'the potential to control events'. However, their understanding is only about one specific aspect of real city life. In actual practice, designers tend to adjust such theories in order to adapt them for specific cases. Theories in this category often start by explaining a real problem of the built environment, and end with some general concepts that explain a relation between two or more parameters which could be applied in different cases.

Texts of this type do not tend to use the term theory in their discussions. They also tend to reflect widely accepted values, such as democracy, safety, justice or common sense. This type of theory has one or more cohesive concepts at its core. But each text has a different background, reflected in the human knowledge and research strategy supporting it. Some categories of this type include:

Theories of composition of mass and space (such as City Planning According to Artistic Principles ( Sitte, 2013), Collage City ( Rowe and Koetter, 1978), Space Syntax ( Hillier and Hanson, 1984) and Finding Lost Space ( Trancik, 1986)) - these theories are those that explain how the physical shape of cities should be drawn on the map. This category traditionally involves only two dimensions, but sometimes three dimensions are considered. In other cases, the social impact of the city grids and shape are also considered. There are rich examples in the literature of texts on this topic and various strategies are demonstrated in them. (The strategy of space syntax is based on a scientific study of city spaces, although for Sitte, artistic values are of greater importance.) These theories are close to morphological debates ( Larkham, Conzen, and Lilley, 2014).

Theories about visual aspects of public spaces (such as Townscape ( Cullen, 2012)) - these theories explain how three-dimensional design should happen. There are many theories about a building's facade and the composition of new buildings within their context. Traditionally, architectural design feeds this category, but more recently it has been informed by semiotic studies and visual anthropology.

Theories of the image of the city (such as The Image of the City ( Lynch, 1960)) - Lynch's work was deeply influential in the field. His theories examine mental maps of cities and people's perceptions of the built environment. Following the publication of his book, the study and improvement of the image of cities became an important topic in urban design.

Theories of safety (such as The Death and Life of Great American Cities ( Jacobs, 1984)) - these theories suggest different strategies, such as lighting spaces to supporting mixed land use and eyes on the street to bring about security and safety. These theories have been affected by environmental studies as well as critical appraisals of modern cities.

Theories to evoke social interaction (such as The Social Life Of Small Urban Spaces ( Whyte, 1980) and Life Between Buildings ( Gehl, 2011)) - these theories try to enhance social interaction and make public places more convivial. It seems that, historically, this type of urban design theory has become more and more inclusive; nowadays debates about different groups in public spaces and public interactions as social capital fall into this type.

Theories to enhance identity, studying history and the meaning of cities (such as Urban Space ( Krier, 1993), Collage City ( Rowe and Koetter, 1978) and The City Shaped ( Kostof, 1999)) - these theories are concerned with the history of a city and its meaning for people currently using it. Theories in this category try to grasp a sense of identity and enhance it through design principles. These theories see the built environment as a tool with symbolic potential for communicating the socio historically built meanings. General classic examples of the theory of the meaning of the built environment are usually close to political theories on the built environment, and recent ones typically talk about different actors and power in the post-modern context.

There are other influential subcategories for this type which do not often feature in the shared body of knowledge (discussed in the second part of this article). Some examples are theories about economy of urban design, health as impacted by urban design, urban design management and sustainability. By having different methodology and aims, various categorizations are possible. The logic behind the categorization in this article is highlighted because it facilitates navigation in the literature.

Type two: theories about the object of urban design

Theories of the first type do not allow a comprehensive view of urban design, nor do they provide a theoretical context for the field of urban design. In order to have such a field, another kind of theoretical debate is needed, one which makes sense of all the separate theories. Therefore, the second category is that of theories which portray urban design as a cohesive field. These theories explain how designing as a conscious activity forms urban places. While type one could be seen as theories in urban design and type two as theories of urban design, following Faludi's (1986) classification for planning theories it is possible to consider type two theories as theories about the object of urban design.

Theories about the object of urban design are based on theories from the first layer. Type two theories try to integrate theories that can improve specific aspects of public space, to create a comprehensive field that can improve public spaces in general. Attempts at theorizing the object of urban design can be divided into two categories: those that provide a comprehensive view of what urban design object is about (descriptive emphasis) and those that try to explain how to improve the object of urban design (prescriptive emphasis). This categorization does not mean that the subcategories are fundamentally discrete, but a successful prescription relies on a proper description. Nonetheless, since the aims of the texts falling into subcategories are fundamentally different, it is helpful to distinguish them here.

Comprehensive view of what urban design object is about (descriptive emphasis): Even though scholars have different understandings of the object of urban design, texts falling into this subcategory deeply reflect the existing literature in response to the object of urban design. A Theory of Good City Form ( Lynch, 1981) and Public Places Urban Spaces ( Carmona et al, 2003) are examples of this subcategory. Despite the fact that they do not propose a manual, they are insightful for understanding of the topic.

How to improve the object of urban design (prescriptive emphasis): Texts belong to this subcategory try to operationalize discussions from the previous categories. Responsive Environments ( Bentley, 1987) is one of the earliest texts that can be allocated to this subcategory. Since the practice of urban design has been in a high demand of guidelines, there are many texts written with similar intention. In some cases these texts provide generic solutions for generic problems, for example, the permeability ( Bentley, 1987). When applying these generic solutions, it is important not to let theory dominate the first-hand understanding of the problems. Otherwise, generic solutions imposed on the contexts may well generate more problems. In other words, unquestioning application of a generic solution could restrict new thinking.

Type two theories provide an understanding of urban design as a combination of a wide range of theories, some of which may be contradictory. In order to present an integral understanding of urban design, type two theories need theoretical arguments to connect the sometimes controversial theories they use. For example, Making People-Friendly Towns ( Tibbalds, 2000) applies the concept of place as the key concept that binds the theory.

Comprehensiveness distinguishes the first type of theory from the second. However, being comprehensive is a relative concept. Texts considered comprehensive when published can later be regarded as incomprehensive. One example of a re-evaluated text is Finding Lost Spaces ( Trancik, 1986).1 Once regarded as a comprehensive theory of urban design, the development of urban design arguments means it can no longer be placed in the second category. A dynamic typology of knowledge reflecting time and place is clearly needed.

In allocating a theoretical text to this type, there can be a problem of deciding whether a book provides a new theory or is a new combination of old theories. Urban design handbooks ( Llewellyn, 2000; Cowan, 2002) and readers ( Carmona and Tiesdell, 2007; Larice and Macdonald, 2007) are examples of this point.

Are they merely a new amalgamation of previous theories, or are they suggesting new arguments? There might not be a robust answer to this question. There are texts that might be seen as falling on the borderline between a collection of theories and an integral theory. This article considers them to fall into type two.

Type three: Theories about the knowledge of urban design

The third type of urban design theory includes theories that consider the actual knowledge of urban design as the subject of their study. They are relatively less concerned with specific case studies and may not have a direct impact on designing cities.

Generally, type three theories emerged after the second type. An example of type three is Design of Urban Space ( Madanipour, 1996) where it is argued that urban design derives from both spatial and social processes. As another example, in Urban Design ( Lang, 2005) the author proposes a theoretical framework in order to make sense of projects, procedures and paradigms that are currently existing in urban design.

Theories belonging to type three can be criticized as unhelpful to actual urban design practice. Considering the practical nature of urban design, there might be some reluctance to consider these theories as urban design theories. Nevertheless, because they provide 'a sense of understanding' of the field of urban design, they are considered in this article as valid theories.

Type three texts are intellectual studies of theories falling into the categories of type one or two. As a result, applications of this type are typically found in theoretical endeavour, such as in post-graduate courses and research.

There are two subcategories distinguishable within this type. Both attempt to construct theories about urban design, but their aims are slightly different. The first subcategory of this type consists of texts that are trying to study urban design knowledge in connection with other disciplines. The second focuses on urban design from within its own theoretical domain.

Theorising urban design knowledge from the perspective of other disciplines: Texts in this type are trying to define the discipline by applying more fundamental concepts from other disciplines, usually social sciences. For example, in Design of Urban Space ( Madanipour, 1996) the concept of space, which is seen from a social science perspective, is the key element. In this example, space is seen as a social production, and its inevitable relation to power and economy is of extreme importance. Texts belonging to this subcategory generally explain the forms of cities and the knowledge related to them as the extension of socio-economic forces. They are often less interested in studying the physical forms of urban spaces than texts falling into the second subcategory.

Theorising urban design knowledge from within: Texts that fall into this subcategory are grounded within the existing problems of the urban design discourse. However, these arguments may be informed by discussions from various fields. Owing to the theoretical stance of texts belonging to this category, they are concerned with the actual space and the ways in which it changes (such as Carmona, 2014). These texts are less critical of the existing body of knowledge compared to the previous subcategory of this type. However, there is a limited number of texts that can fall into this subcategory.

How do the three types interact? A three-tiered model of urban design theories

The type of urban design theory suggested here rests on the idea of layers: to have a second layer, the first layer is necessary, and for the third, the first two are needed. This means that these types are working as layers upon which the next layer forms. Urban design as a field became established only when a comprehensive knowledge claiming to improve public places for people - the second type theories - emerged. Institutes and universities then legitimized this new field.

Understanding the interaction between the three types of theory can provide a framework for following their application in practice and academia. The typology proposed here could also improve general understanding of theories of urban design. Theories that have been used in urban design date back to different periods, but a theoretical framework of urban design that sees these theories in a cohesive manner (the second layer) emerged in the second half of the twentieth century. The proposed typology can help to explain the development of urban design theory more comprehensively. This is explored in the second part of this article.

There is potential in this typology to highlight the connection of urban design theories to other disciplines. Theories of type one can be borrowed from other fields, but the borrowing of entire theories from other fields is less likely with the second type. In many cases, theories of the third type assist urban design to define its relationship with other fields.

Part Two - The Shared Body of Knowledge

Knowledge is a general term. Individuals, whether professional or not, have their own knowledge. But study for a profession requires awareness of a specific and commonly recognized body of knowledge. The second part of this article draws on urban design courses at universities in the United States, United Kingdom and Australia, and on the contents of urban design readers to present a shared body of knowledge.

Universities

Universities have two complementary but distinctive roles in relation to the shared body of knowledge: teaching and research ( Ringer, 1990). Both roles are discrete despite encouraging interaction ( Robertson and Bond, 2001, p. 6). Teaching involves educating (transferring knowledge) and training. In addition to transferring knowledge, good education should foster critical thinking, possibly leading to innovation in both practice and theory. Training is more concerned with developing established skills and methods, which may have no implications in terms of the development of theory. These categorizations are subjective, nevertheless they can be helpful in highlighting the different aspects of teaching and their relation to the development of theory.

Research is of two kinds: exploring areas that have not previously been investigated, and documenting existing processes using current theories and discourses. The shared body of knowledge presented here is concerned with teaching in the sense of transferring knowledge (educating), and research in the sense of documenting existing processes.

Teaching and research are generally defined in relation to theories of the discipline. Research contributes to the shared body of knowledge by expanding the available theories or generating new theories, whereas teaching involves disseminating the shared knowledge. Predominantly, it could be concluded that research aims to develop theory and teaching aims to develop practice. Thus, looking at the shared body of knowledge can be a departure point for studying the interaction between the theory and practice of urban design.

Despite universities with urban design courses having similar functions, they have developed different approaches. The political economy of countries, as well as the individual views of academics, have contributed to this. Consequently, urban design in different contexts and countries developed different focuses. Postmodern Urbanism has examples of how the European and American axes of urban design developed in response to their contexts ( Ellin, 1999). What universities teach and research differs according to the individual context.

The co-evolution of universities and the shared body of knowledge is traceable by studying when and why certain texts became important. Many influential books about urban design were either intended for or actually produced by universities themselves. Madanipour's book (1996) is mostly the result of research into developing an urban design course for the university of Newcastle. The ideas of students have contributed greatly to several books, such as those by Alexander (1987), Bentley (1987) and Rowe and Koetter (1978).

Given the function of universities in relation to knowledge, it is useful to start the study of the shared body of knowledge by examining that being disseminated by universities. Similarities and differences between what is taught at the various universities must be noted to map the knowledge of urban design. It should also be recognized that influential works can appear outside of the university, but this falls outside of the scope of this article.

In order to map the knowledge of urban design, this article investigates the approach to urban design theory at different universities and examines what common ground there is between universities' reading lists. The result reveals the mainstream urban design texts. This study needs to be understood in its historical and geographical context. The conclusions of this part of this research show differences in the preferences of reading lists, depending on whether the course is one offered in Australia, the United States or the United Kingdom.

The shared body of knowledge at universities

The reading lists used for this research came from courses at both BA and MA level. The list of universities was derived from two sources: the article on pedagogical traditions of urban design ( Banerjee and Loukaitou-Sideris, 2011, pp. 41-52), and the list provided by RUDI (2014). The majority of universities have modules on urban design theory, while some have modules on theory and history or theory and methods. Where the university did not have a module explicitly on urban design theory, the reading list for its most relevant module was requested. This was to expand on the methodology of a previous study ( Klosterman, 2011), which restricted the courses studied to only those explicitly titled urban design theory.

Thirty-three universities with urban design courses were asked for their reading lists, and 25 reading lists were obtained. The reading lists of some universities were already available online, but others needed to be asked via email. All the lists acquired are for the academic year 2013-2014.

A first analysis showed that different universities have different approaches towards providing a reading list. Some universities (for example, Ball State University in the United States) do not provide a set reading list of book for students; Ball State said that it 'focus[es] on practice, with theory being taught as an integral part of studio and methods courses'. At this university, the course tutors hold that since the majority of their students go into practice, they do not need theoretical debates over and above urban design projects at studios.

A challenge that arises in the analysis of the lists is that of comparing them. The number of books in different reading lists varies dramatically from as few as five to more than 120. However, it is the books common to the reading lists which are being identified here. Therefore, even if there are disparities in the number of titles recommended on any particular list, they do not prevent identification of those shared texts which can be considered as the shared body of knowledge.

A count of all titles suggested by the reading lists revealed 817. Of these, 650 appeared only once. Since the majority of texts were not repeated across the reading lists, it suggests that an immense variety of texts are not part of the shared body of knowledge.

Table 1 shows the books that appear most frequently in reading lists. It is not possible to judge whether this shows strong agreement between professionals on the shared body of knowledge or not. In fact, the most frequently suggested text ( The Image of the Cities) was absent from 32 per cent of the reading lists. This does not necessarily mean that there is not a common understanding of urban design. If the same study were to be carried out in the future, a comparison would reveal whether or not the basic vocabulary between academics is getting stronger - books present on reading lists in the future that are already popular now must be seen as the absolute core of urban design. A comparison with a similar study on planning theory at various universities ( Klosterman, 2011, p. 323) shows that the list above is more up-to-date and specific.

Table 1 shows that there is some consensus among universities on certain key texts of urban design - texts mostly written between 1960 and 1980. Indeed, many texts recommended by more than 25 per cent of universities worldwide are either from more than 40 years ago or are comprehensive texts that provide an overall view of urban design (type two). Finally, the table shows which texts can be associated with which type of the typology presented earlier in this article.

Despite the fact that some of the texts in this list have had influential impact on other fields,2 they were all originally written for urban design. This suggests that urban design is producing its main references, and is not merely a subsection of another area of study.

Comparing the shared body of knowledge in the US, UK and Australia

Considering the list of texts common in US universities, it seems that it is not a priority for US universities to define urban design as a comprehensive body of theories. They pay far less attention to texts that try to show what urban design is compared with texts which consider practical and historical debates about urban design. Courses at US universities seem to place emphasis on historical texts, whereas in the United Kingdom the emphasis is more on normative aspects. It seems that in the United States and the United Kingdom two different questions are being addressed. The shared body of knowledge in the United States focuses on how urban design knowledge and theories have emerged; in the United Kingdom there is more emphasis on how theory informs design.

The predominant theoretical debates in the United States are close to what are called theories in urban design or theories that are focused on one aspect of urban design (type one). They do not necessarily provide an overview of the theoretical debates. It could be concluded that in the United States the literature is more problem-based, providing the historical context of the problem and the theories related to it. In the United Kingdom the literature is more knowledge-based, in that it tries to provide the students with an overview of the body of knowledge which supposedly will enable them to apply proper methods when addressing a problem. ( Table 2)

Compared with universities in the United Kingdom and Australia, universities in the United States use more varied texts for their courses, and the agreement and repetition of texts between their universities is far less. Lists from US universities refer more to US writers than those from universities outside America. This confirms that universities in different contexts are crystallizing different trends. Some classical texts, mostly from architecture, are advocated frequently in US universities. There, Le Corbusier's work is regularly commented on in the literature of urban design; in other countries, universities rarely put his books on the reading list. ( Table 3)

UK universities have much more agreement between their reading lists. Just as US universities pay more attention to American authors, universities in the United Kingdom refer more to British writers. Whereas Moughtin (2003) is not suggested by urban design courses in the United States, in the United Kingdom his books are considered to be important to theoretical debates. ( Table 4)

The core body of urban design in Australian universities draws from both UK and US literature and trends, and could be seen as a synthesis of both. Though only four Australian universities were surveyed for this article, the agreement between their lists as to what constitutes key texts is high.

The shared body of knowledge in urban design readers

Readers on urban design are books that try to select the most important texts of the field from the editors' point of view. For example, Carmona and Tiesdell's reader 'presents a selection of key texts'. The authors declare their intention is 'to produce a '"useful" reader that includes a good range of "classic" or "staple" texts - that is, those that are referred to again and again'( Carmona and Tiesdell, 2007, p. 3). This article shares with the editors of urban design readers the goal of finding key texts. Thus, the content of readers has been studied to see if the same picture of the texts making up the shared body of knowledge emerges from the readers as is found by the earlier analysis of the reading lists of universities.

There are many urban design readers attempting to incorporate important texts ( Cuthbert, 2003; Watson, 2003; Carmona and Tiesdell, 2007; Larice and Macdonald, 2007; Banerjee, 2013), almost all published in the last 12 years. Indeed, Cuthbert (2010) believes 'that the market is nearing saturation point'.

The various readers on urban design provide different collections of texts and serve different purposes, even if a number of well-known writers can appear often. Time-Saver Standards of Urban Design ( Watson, et al, 2003), an extensive book with a broad scope, is the only reader which includes a focus on practical debates. Designing Cities ( Cuthbert, 2003) looks at urban design from the angle of political economy. Urban Design Reader ( Carmona and Tiesdell, 2007), not to be confused with The Urban Design Reader ( Larice and Macdonald, 2007), focuses on dimensions of urban design as defined in the authors' previous book. The Urban Design Reader is published in two editions, both of which try to represent the key debates. The first is more concerned with debates within urban design ( Larice and Macdonald, 2007), and the second considers classic texts as well as more recent debates in order to provide a holistic view of urban design ( Larice and Macdonald, 2013). Urban Design Reader attempts to identify texts which are considered as the main core of urban design. Urban Design is the latest and the most comprehensive collection of the literature, with 99 texts located in various chapters according to their topics ( Banerjee, 2013). This massive collection might not be generally accessible to many urban designers, student or professional, because of its high price, but it still contributes to the structuring of knowledge by its choice and categorization of content. Because it is generally held that the editors of the readers are aware of other readers, all of them together can be assumed to cover the key debates of urban design.

Almost every text that is common between university reading lists is also represented in urban design readers. Table 1 shows which texts are found in readers as well as the reading lists. This repetition supports the idea that a common understanding of a shared body of knowledge exists. However, some titles that appear frequently in the readers do not feature regularly in universities' reading lists. Examples of such texts are those by Relph (1976), Zukin (1995, 2010), Oldenburg (1999), and Hayden (1997). This means that there is a shared body of knowledge in the readers that is not considered important in the reading lists. This could have two explanations. The urban design theory course tutors may exclude these texts from their reading lists because the texts were already reflected in the readers, or this may represent the slightly different perspectives of editors and the tutors. It is interesting that the editors' views have some similarities that seem not to be shared by the majority of professors teaching urban design theory courses. This shows again the possibility that different groups have slightly different understandings of what constitutes urban design.

Analysis of the shared body of knowledge

Consideration of the date when common texts were published helps with mapping the development of the shared body of knowledge. The key debates of urban design are generally held to have emerged during the 1960s. This is usually explained as a response to the post-war built environment ( Moudon 1992; Krieger and Saunders, 2009; Mumford, 2009).

More recent texts appear more often in university reading lists, but at the same time, are repeated less across the reading lists - few lists have them in common. In contrast, fewer older texts appear on the reading lists, but when they do, they are seen on the reading lists of several universities. This shows that the core body of knowledge was established over time, with key texts proving relevant decades after publication. This process can be seen as the institutionalization of the knowledge.

As indicated, the total number of texts in the reading lists was 817. Figure 1 is the histogram of the dates of publication of all 817 texts. It is clear that in reading lists, recent texts are generally suggested more frequently than older ones.

Shows the percentage of texts appearing in different universities' reading lists, by decade of publication date.

Figure 2 shows from which decades the texts common to university reading lists come. The general trend confirms that more recent texts are more popular. Texts from the last decade, despite being highly reflected in the reading lists, were of greater variety, meaning that lists had fewer texts in common. This would be expected because it reflects the idea that a text must stand the test of time before being accepted into the shared body.

Looks at those books common to more than one university reading list. It shows the percentage of the list each decade of publication date makes up.

Worth noting is that texts from the 1960s are not greater in number on the lists than texts from the later decades. It could therefore be argued that while key debates emerged in the 1960s, texts from later decades discuss them more usefully. The publication dates of the texts included in the readers follow the same trend.

Historical analysis of the texts shows a pre-ponderance of more recent texts. The very emergence of readers in the last decade could be seen as reflecting a growth in urban design writing. Readers become necessary when there are many texts on the topic, as some sort of structure or selection helps to make sense of the volume of ideas ( Foroughmand Araabi, 2014).

Figure 3 shows when texts belonging to different types were first published. The types have been mentioned in Table 1. In general, the texts belonging to each type appear to have emerged consecutively; type one texts emerged before type two texts, which in turn emerged before type three texts. This is not merely a coincidence and is because of the fact that the earlier types are necessary for the formation of the later types.

Shows texts belonging to different types and decades. Blue is type one, red is type two and green is type three.

The number of texts that could be allocated to type three is considerably less than type two, which in turn is considerably less than type one. However, texts from all three types appear in various reading lists. This suggests that there is a common understanding among numerous professors who teach urban design theory of the need to introduce all types of theory to students.

Conclusion

This article tackles important issues concerning the role of theory in urban design by offering a model for understanding various functions of theory within the literature. The article opens up two main areas for discussion. The first is that of possible applications, criticism and development of the typology. The second encourages further debate about what forms the shared body of knowledge in urban design should take, and ways in which to structure and understand the knowledge.

If different types of theory are considered to have their own specific functions, it would follow that they should also have different applications within the various sectors involved in producing and applying the knowledge of urban design. However, this could only be tested through further research. Thus, this article should be considered as an introduction to the topic which also raises further questions to be answered.

This article analytically maps a set of key texts on urban design. Readings of the shared body of knowledge can vary through different methodologies, contexts and times. In this article, a study of university reading lists for urban design theory courses provides a view of the shared body of knowledge. This view is supported by what is selected by editors for inclusion in urban design readers. This indicates some agreement about which texts are the key texts of urban design. But is this agreement inspiring for the practice of urban design or does it reflect an orthodoxy within the profession? What is the function of the texts which could be considered as the non-shared body of knowledge? These are important questions that remain to be answered.

In order to enhance an understanding of the shared body of knowledge, the suggested typology is applied. A chronological analysis confirms that debates from the second and third types are more recent than debates from the first, almost certainly because the previous type was necessary for the second and third types to develop.

The suggested typology paves the way for more critical analysis. Established 'accepted' knowledge is required before testing of such knowledge can take place. This reading of the shared body of knowledge and the typology is not intended to stifle creative urban design thought and activities, but rather to provide a basic vocabulary for communication between professionals and a departure point for future research.

Notes

1.

Following the logic of this typology, The Death and Life of Great American Cities ( Jacobs, 1984) could be considered to belong to the first type since, despite addressing various aspects of urbanity, it does not have a theoretical argument that comprehensively theorises the object of urban design.

2.

For example Jacobs (1961) is frequently referred to in the field of sociology, Lynch (1960) is used in architectural studies, and Alexander (1987) has been referenced in many different fields - from architecture to gaming.

References

Cuthbert, A. (2007a) The Form of Cities: Political Economy and Urban Design. Vol. 47. Oxford: Blackwell.

RUDI. (2014) University Courses in Urban Design and Related Subjects Overseas | RUDI - Resource for Urban Development International, http://www.rudi.net/pages/9074, accessed 14 May.

Watson, D. et al (Eds.) (2003) Time-Saver Standards for Urban Design. New York: McGraw-Hill.

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Acknowledgements

The author would like to thank Prof. Matthew Carmona and Alex McDonald for their invaluable suggestions and encouragements

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Bartlett School of Planning, University College London, Central, House 14 Upper Woburn Place, London, WC1H 0NN, UK

Hooman Foroughmand Araabi

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# data[].attributes.attachment_link.title
A typology of Urban Design theories and its application to the shared body of knowledge

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This article consists of two parts. The first part suggests a typology for urban design theories in order to provide a new way of understanding the nature and function of the, seemingly opposing, debates existing in the field. This typology is based on distinguishing between subjects, object and knowledge of urban design.

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BANGKOK: Covid-19 lockdowns are pushing more city dwellers to grow fruit and vegetables in their homes, providing a potentially lasting boost to urban farming, architects and food experts said on Tuesday.

Confirmed cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, total more than 1.3 million, with about 74,000 deaths worldwide, according to a Reuters tally.

Panic buying in some countries during the crisis has led to empty supermarket shelves and an uptick in the purchase of seeds, according to media reports.

"More people are thinking about where their food comes from, how easily it can be disrupted, and how to reduce disruptions," said landscape architect Kotchakorn Voraakhom, who designed Asia's largest urban rooftop farm in Bangkok.

"People, planners and governments should all be rethinking how land is used in cities. Urban farming can improve food security and nutrition, reduce climate change impacts, and lower stress," she told the Thomson Reuters Foundation.

More than two-thirds of the world's population is forecast to live in cities by 2050, according to the United Nations.

Urban agriculture can be crucial to feeding them, potentially producing as much as 180 million tonnes of food a year - or about 10% of the global output of pulses and vegetables, according to a 2018 study published in the journal Earth's Future.

The Covid-19 outbreak is not be the first time that concerns about food security have led to more kitchen gardens.

During World War One, US President Woodrow Wilson asked Americans to plant "Victory Gardens" to prevent food shortages.

The effort continued during World War Two, with vegetable gardens in backyards and schoolyards, on unused land, and even the front lawn of the White House.

In recent decades, the fast pace of urbanisation in developing countries is causing urban malnutrition, the Food and Agriculture Organisation said, calling on planners to become "nutrition partners" and pay attention to food security.

Despite pressure on land to build homes and roads, there is more than enough urban land available within UK cities to meet the fruit and vegetable requirements of its population, researchers at the Institute for Sustainable Food at Britain's University of Sheffield said in a study last month.

In tiny Singapore, one of the wealthiest nations in Asia that imports more than 90% of its food, urban farming including vertical and rooftop farms, is fast becoming popular.

The city-state, which ranks on top of the Economist Intelligence Unit's global food security index for 2019, aims to produce 30% of its nutritional needs by 2030, by increasing the local supply of fruits, vegetables and protein from meat and fish.

On Monday, Singapore lawmaker Ang Wei Neng said that during the coronavirus outbreak, "it would be wise for us to think of how to invest in homegrown food".

For Allan Lim, chief executive of ComCrop, a commercial urban farm in Singapore, the pandemic is a reminder that disruptions to food supplies can take place at any time.

"It has definitely sparked more interest in local produce. Urban farms can be a shock absorber during disruptions such as this," he said.
CLICK HERE FOR THE LATEST DATA ON THE COVID-19 SITUATION IN MALAYSIA

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Urban farming flourishes in cities with Covid-19 lockdowns

# data[].attributes.attachment_link.description
BANGKOK: Covid-19 lockdowns are pushing more city dwellers to grow fruit and vegetables in their homes, providing a potentially lasting boost to urban farming, architects and food experts said on Tuesday. Confirmed cases of Covid-19, the disease caused by the coronavirus, total more than 1.3 million, with about 74,000 deaths worldwide, according to a Reuters tally.

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"But what about Singapore?" Lessons from the best public housing program in the world

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Also available in: Mongolian | Chinese As we approach the 9th World Urban Forum in Kuala Lumpur next week, one of the essential challenges in implementing the New Urban Agenda that governments are struggling with is the provision at scale of high quality affordable housing, a key part of ...

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En las últimas semanas, los casos confirmados y las muertes por COVID-19 se han disparado a nivel mundial y se espera que estas cifras continúen aumentando en el futuro. La pandemia ha abrumado los sistemas de atención médica y ha llevado a tomar medidas preventivas dramáticas en muchos países. La respuesta y las acciones tomadas han sido especialmente exitosas en China, Singapur y Japón.

La prevención mediante programas de confinamiento en el hogar, medidas de higiene y distanciamiento social es, ahora mismo, la clave que ha llevado a una reducción considerable en el número de casos potenciales que de otro modo habrían abrumado los sistemas de atención médica.

Reducción de la contaminación del aire

Además de los beneficios para la salud, estas drásticas medidas de prevención han causado una enorme disminución del tráfico por carretera y de la actividad industrial -70-80% o más-, que a su vez puede haber resultado en reducciones significativas en las emisiones de CO 2 y en la contaminación del aire, hasta 20-30% en el caso de China. Una reducción similar se ha observado en Italia, algo mayor en Barcelona y en otros lugares.

Es importante destacar que cada año aproximadamente 8,8 millones de personas en todo el mundo mueren prematuramente debido a la contaminación del aire (lo que da lugar a una reducción promedio de 2,9 años en la esperanza de vida global), 3,2 millones mueren prematuramente debido a la actividad física insuficiente y 1,35 millones mueren en accidentes de tráfico. La crisis climática ha aumentado aún más el número de muertes prematuras.
Algunas investigaciones en SARS sugieren que los niveles más bajos de contaminación del aire también pueden reducir la transmisión y la tasa de mortalidad de COVID-19.
En China, donde la epidemia de COVID-19 ya ha superado su pico y los datos están disponibles, un cálculo rápido muestra que una reducción del 25% en los niveles de contaminación del aire durante un mes puede haber evitado más de 9.000 muertes prematuras, una cifra superior a la cantidad de muertes causadas por el virus (casi 4,000). Y algunas fuentes han sugerido que esta cifra alcanzar los 77.000 fallecimientos. Sin embargo, el incremento de la contaminación en el aire de espacios interiores por fumar puede haber aumentado el número de muertes prematuras.

Aun así, teniendo en cuenta que los niveles de contaminación del aire son mucho más bajos en países como Italia y España que en China, probablemente se evitarán menos muertes prematuras al reducir estos niveles. Es posible que el número de muertes causadas por la COVID-19 sea mayor que el número evitado por la mejora en la calidad del aire. Sin embargo, algunas investigaciones en SARS sugieren que los niveles más bajos de contaminación del aire también pueden reducir la transmisión y la tasa de mortalidad de COVID-19.

Actividad física

Por otro lado, las medidas de distanciamiento social pueden causar una reducción significativa en la actividad física durante el período de confinamiento y conducir a un aumento de la mortalidad prematura. De hecho, algunos estudios ya apuntan a un descenso de entre un 20 y un 30% en el ejercicio entre la población. La actividad física es muy importante para la salud física y mental, incluyendo el sistema inmunitario. El desarrollo de ejercicio en el hogar puede mitigar algunos de estos efectos.

Con el objetivo de promover la actividad física, se han producido llamamientos para permitir caminar y andar en bicicleta como parte de los programas de confinamiento en el hogar. Aunque es razonable, la pregunta es cómo incorporar esta medida sin aumentar el riesgo de contagio. Ciertamente, en las primeras semanas, es aconsejable no salir al aire libre, pero a mediano y largo plazo se deben permitir actividades físicas al aire libre como parte de cualquier restricción.

Accidentes de coche

Otra consecuencia del confinamiento es la reducción del tráfico. En China, esto ha llevado a una disminución dramática en los accidentes . En 2016, 256,180 personas murieron por accidentes automovilísticos en China . Esto da como resultado más de 20,000 accidentes fatales al mes que podrían haberse evitado. La reducción de los accidentes de coche es muy probable también en otros países en los que se han implementado los programas de confinamiento en el hogar.

Resultados de la recesión económica

El impacto más fuerte que sufra la salud pública puede provenir de la recesión económica, incluyendo la pérdida de empleo, aunque los resultados de la crisis de 2007 fueron bastante variados y actualmente pueden depender de las medidas adoptadas para mitigar la recesión actual. Sin embargo, la crisis actual parece ser mucho más grave y puede llevar al colapso total de ciertos sectores, como la aviación, el entretenimiento y el turismo, y por lo tanto tiene consecuencias mucho más profundas para la economía y la salud. Un sistema de salud robusto necesita una economía robusta, y lo que se ha demostrado ahora es que una economía robusta también necesita un sistema de salud robusto.

¿Cómo deberían responder las ciudades?

La alta densidad de población, el contacto cercano entre las personas, el elevado nivel de movilidad y los medios de transporte compartidos, entre otras características, tienden a convertir a las ciudades en los focos de brotes y puertas de entrada para la enfermedad. En esta ocasión, sin embargo, las zonas rurales también se han visto muy afectadas. En cualquier caso, la ventaja de los brotes en áreas urbanas es que las ciudades suelen tener sistemas de salud mejores y más accesibles.

Además, las ciudades también son parte de la solución porque son centros de innovación y pueden impulsar mejoras en la salud pública, por ejemplo, a través de una mejor planificación urbana y de transporte, al alejarse de un modelo centrado en los coches y promover formas de transporte activo, como caminar e ir en bicicleta. Estas últimas tienen la ventaja de que implican un menor riesgo de contagio y al mismo tiempo fortalecen los pulmones y el sistema inmunológico.
Es probable que los programas de distanciamiento social se mantengan en el futuro próximo y necesitamos preparar nuestras ciudades para ello.
Es probable que los programas de distanciamiento social se mantengan en el futuro próximo y necesitamos preparar nuestras ciudades para ello, por ejemplo, habilitando rápidamente una infraestructura adecuada y segura para caminar y andar en bicicleta para trabajar, así como ofrecer oportunidades para realizar actividad física diariamente sin causar altos niveles de contaminación atmosférica y proporcionar suficientes espacios públicos seguros (parques, playas y otros espacios al aire libre) donde las personas puedan reunirse y hacer ejercicio sin correr un alto riesgo de contagio.

La soledad y el deterioro de la salud mental, problemas ya existentes en las ciudades, también pueden aumentar debido al distanciamiento social y al confinamiento en el hogar. ¿Cómo pueden las ciudades usar el espacio público y sus servicios para reducir estos impactos? Por ejemplo, en una ciudad como Barcelona, ​​el 60% del espacio público lo utilizan los coches. Es evidente que, cuando las personas necesitan un espacio mayor debido al distanciamiento social, los coches no son la forma más eficiente de usarlo. Se necesitan con urgencia enfoques innovadores sobre el uso del espacio público. Además, para muchos de los problemas mentales existe una distribución desigual en la sociedad y es importante tomar medidas para mitigar los impactos para los grupos más vulnerables.

La pandemia de la COVID-19 ha puesto a la salud pública como centro de la creación de políticas y ha demostrado que es posible tomar medidas radicales para reducir las posibles muertes. ¿Podríamos aplicar esta lógica a los otros problemas importantes que enfrentamos hoy, como son la contaminación del aire, los accidentes de tránsito y la crisis climática, que en conjunto causan millones de muertes prematuras cada año? ¿Podemos situar la prevención en el centro de nuestros enfoques en lugar de situar el tratamiento?
¿Podemos situar a la prevención como centro de nuestros enfoques en lugar de situar el tratamiento?
Una llamada de atención

La pandemia de COVID-19 supone un toque de atención, pero, tal vez, también una oportunidad para c onstruir sociedades y ciudades mejores y más sostenibles. Actualmente esta crisis puede darnos tiempo para reflexionar y pensar en soluciones a largo plazo mientras abordamos el problema a corto plazo. ¿Podemos hacer un cambio de paradigma permanente? ¿ Es posible evitar el regreso a los viejos malos hábitos?

A corto plazo, debemos centrarnos en la salud de nuestros compañeros, amigos y familiares y en la eficacia de nuestros sistemas de atención médica. Para el medio a largo plazo, debemos analizar los datos de los que disponemos, adoptar una visión integral de la pandemia y evaluar, desarrollar e implementar políticas para abordar los requisitos del sistema sanitario , incluida la vigilancia, los impactos ambientales y climáticos, y la gobernanza: políticas diseñadas para prevenir las muertes prematuras tanto a corto como a largo plazo.

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COVID-19 en las ciudades: ¿Cómo está afectando la pandemia a la salud urbana? - Blog

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En las últimas semanas, los casos confirmados y las muertes por COVID-19 se han disparado a nivel mundial y se espera que estas cifras continúen.... Blog sobre salud global. Abierto a todas aquellas ideas que persigan un acceso equitativo a la salud. En todo el mundo.

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The term ' genius loci' originates from Roman mythology and refers to the protective spirit of a place. In antiquity, the genius loci was often depicted in religious iconography as a figure holding bowls or a snake. This is similar to Asian architecture, where spirits of places are often honoured in outdoor spirit houses, as well as indoor and outdoor shrines.

In contemporary usage, it can refer to a place's distinctive atmosphere.

Often quoted in discussions about 'spirit of places', the 18th century English poet Alexander Pope advised landscape designers to 'consult the genius of place in all'. This has been interpreted as emphasising the importance of attending to the distinctiveness of landscapes as well as local natural systems and environmental processes.

The concept of the genius loci was expanded upon and secularised as part of the philosophical branch of ' architectural phenomenology'. This was an intellectual movement which began in the 1950s, and focused on the study of architecture as it appears in the human experience.

This was in sharp contrast to the anti-historicism of postwar modernism and would go on to influence post-modernism, especially with regard to contemporary design learning experiential lessons from historical buildings.

In his 2001 essay 'Can spirit of place be a guide to ethical building?', Isis Brooks identified a range of ideas that have been associated with spirit of place, including:

Energy fields (a point of intense energy).

Authenticity.

Local distinctiveness.

Narrative, with layers of history.

Empowerment of ordinary people.

Essence or interiority.

Character and individuality.

Pantheism.

Panpsychism (the idea that all things, including inanimate ones, have consciousness).

Health of a place or emergent property.

Brooks suggested that a solution to this ambiguity with regard to the genius loci is to accept that spirit of place has its own legitimacy as a means of preventing homogenised design, rather than simply reflecting human feelings about places.

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Genius loci - Designing Buildings Wiki - Share your construction industry knowledge. The term 'genius loci' originates from Roman mythology and refers to the protective spirit of a place. In antiquity, the genius loci was often depicted in religious iconography as a figure holding bowls or a snake.

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This commentary develops in particular from the recent paper on sense of place and authenticity by Ouf (Journal of Urban Design (2001), 6(1), pp. 73-86) and other related contributions. To those points are added an historical dimension and an exploration of the theoretical positions of Christian Norberg-Schulz and M.R.G. Conzen in particular. A wider discussion of 'character' is developed, in relation to sense of place and genius loci , the preferred term here. It is suggested that these complex theoretical concepts have become confused, and that genius loci arises most particularly from the experiences of those using places rather than from deliberate 'place making'. Conservationists and urban designers in particular need to revisit the theoretical underpinnings of the terms and concepts that they employ, in order fully to understand the potential contributions of sense of place, authenticity and character.

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Sense of Place, Authenticity and Character: A Commentary

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This commentary develops in particular from the recent paper on sense of place and authenticity by Ouf (Journal of Urban Design (2001), 6(1), pp. 73-86) and other related contributions. To those points are added an historical dimension and an exploration of the theoretical positions of Christian Norberg-Schulz and M.R.G.

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Conserva- tionists and urban designers in particular need to revisit the theoretical underpinnings of the terms and concepts that they employ, in order fully to understand the potential contributions of sense of place, authenticity and character.

Although it is now evident that artefacts are as easily altered as chronicles, public faith in their veracity endures: what can be seen and touched cannot lie. Material objects attest to the pasts from which they came because they are tangible and presumably durable. (Lowenthal, 1990, p. 21)

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Data was extracted from 30 eligible articles into 16 key topic areas or themes. The most frequent topic areas were Aesthetics and Upkeep, Access to Resources/Facilities, Security and Safety, and Walkability. This review advances our understanding of how streets can be designed to enhance community engagement. Hassen, N., & Kaufman, P. (2016).

Healthy, or traditional, streets are networks of roadways and connector trails in communities, designed primarily for use by people, not just motorised vehicles. Such streets are designed for motorists to operate at low speeds (15–20 km/h). Low traffic volume and low noise, easy access, and multiple routes to destinations are also featured. Pedestrian and bicycle movements are favoured. Burden, D. (2002)

Cities focused on sustainability and green areas are benefiting locally by creating more liveable communities, and positively affecting the planet. Given the extent of urban street right- of-way, their ownership and use by the public, an opportunity is presented to greatly enhance sustainability of urban areas through application of sustainable street options for urban street projects. Bevan, T. A., Sklenar, O., McKenzie, J. A., & Derry, W. E. (2007)

Natural features and open spaces play a particularly important role in sense of community and Kentlands provides a rich variety of these, fostering pedestrianism and increasing the likelihood of social interactions. Kim, J., & Kaplan, R. (2004)

The idea behind shared space is to create an environment that forces all users; pedestrians, bicyclists, and motorists, to negotiate passage through the space via eye contact and person to person contact. Toth, (2009).

First/last mile trip distance, number of parked bicycles at transit stations, percentage of land for commercial use, and distance between origin/destination and nearest bus stop with services serving the transit station were found to be influential variables on the propensity of walking. Koh, P. P., & Wong, Y. D. (2013)

Lim (2005) suggested that the evolution of places should respond to the cultural environments, where the social well-being of communities and their ‘valuable and memorable elements' can grow accordingly. Community attachment may prevail as the influencing factors in defining a sense of place. The meanings are layered in the social and cultural construction of place.

The colour red is a warm and positive colour. It exudes a strong and powerful masculine energy. Red is energising. It excites the emotions and motivates us to take action. It signifies a pioneering spirit and leadership qualities, promoting ambition and determination. Schifferstein, H. N., & Tanudjaja, I. (2004)

The colour green relates to balance and harmony.It is the sanctuary away from the stresses of modern living, restoring us back to a sense of well being. Schifferstein, H. N., & Tanudjaja, I. (2004)

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The color green relates to balance and harmony. From a color psychology perspective, it is the great balancer of the heart and the emotions, creating equilibrium between the head and the heart.

From a meaning of colors perspective, green is also the color of growth, the color of spring, of renewal and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy. It is the sanctuary away from the stresses of modern living, restoring us back to a sense of well being. This is why there is so much of this relaxing color on the earth, and why we need to keep it that way.

Green is an emotionally positive color, giving us the ability to love and nurture ourselves and others unconditionally. A natural peacemaker, it must avoid the tendency to become a martyr.

It loves to observe, and therefore relates to the counselor, the good listener, the social worker. It loves to contribute to society. It is the charity worker, the good parent and the helpful neighbor.

Being a combination of yellow and blue, green encompasses the mental clarity and optimism of yellow with the emotional calm and insight of blue, inspiring hope and a generosity of spirit not available from other colors.

This is a color that has a strong sense of right or wrong, inviting good judgment. It sees both sides of the equation, weighs them up, and then usually takes the moral stand in making appropriate decisions. On the negative side, it can be judgmental and over-cautious.

Green promotes a love of nature, and a love of family, friends, pets and the home. It is the color of the garden lover, the home lover and the good host.

It is generous and loves to share, but it also looks for recognition. It is friendly and can keep confidences.

This color relates to stability and endurance, giving us persistence and the strength to cope with adversity.

Green is the color of prosperity and abundance, of finance and material wealth. It relates to the business world, to real estate and property. Prosperity gives a feeling of safety to green.

On the negative, the color green can be possessive and materialistic, with a need to own people and things.

If your favorite color is green, it will reflect in your personality! Personality color green will give you more information on this.

If you are thinking of using green in a business application, read about the meanings of colors in business .

Positive and Negative Traits

Positive keywords include: growth and vitality, renewal and restoration, self-reliance, reliability and dependability, being tactful, emotionally balanced and calm, nature lover and family oriented, practical and down to earth, sympathetic, compassionate and nurturing, generous, kind and loyal with a high moral sense, adaptable, encourages 'social joining' of clubs and other groups, a need to belong.

Negative keywords include: being possessive and materialistic, indifferent and over-cautious, envious, selfish, greedy and miserly, devious with money, inconsiderate, inexperienced, a hypochondriac and a do-gooder.

Harmony and balance: Green is the great balancer of our mental, emotional and physical energies which is why there is so much green on our planet. Green is the heart centre of the body.

Growth: As in nature, green leaves are an indication the plant is still growing.

Hope: Green is the anticipation of things to come.

Rejuvenating: The color green revitalizes us when we are physically, mentally or emotionally exhausted.

Nurturing: Because of its link with the heart, green urges us to nurture others. Green is also nurturing to us - another reason why it is the most predominant colour on earth.

Dependable, agreeable and diplomatic: The color green helps us to see situations clearly from all sides.

Possessiveness: Green is a color that encourages us to want to own things and people, to collect and possess. Green encourages materialism.

Envy: Green with envy' is a common phrase and a negative reaction to the color green.

Variations of the Color Green

Pale green: As the color of new growth on plants, it indicates immaturity, youthfulness and inexperience. It allows us to see things from a new perspective, to make a fresh start.

Emerald green: This is an inspiring and uplifting color suggesting abundance and wealth in all its forms, from material wellbeing, to emotional wellbeing to creative ideas.

Jade green: The color of trust and confidentiality, tact and diplomacy, jade green indicates a generosity of spirit, giving without expecting anything in return. It increases worldly wisdom and understanding, assisting in the search for enlightenment.

Lime green: Lime green inspires youthfulness, naivety and playfulness; it is liked the most by younger people. It creates a feeling of anticipation, and helps to clear the mind of negativity.

Dark green: There is a degree of resentment in dark green. Often used by wealthy businessmen, ambitious and always striving for more wealth, dark green signifies greed and selfish desire.

Aqua: Aqua calms the spirit, offering protection and healing for the emotions.

Olive green: Although the traditional color for peace, 'offering an olive branch', the color olive suggests deceit and treachery, blaming others for its problems. However there is also a strength of character with it that can overcome adversity to develop an understanding and caring of the feelings of others.

Yellow green: This color green suggests cowardice, conflict and fear.

Grass green: Grass green is the color of money. It is self-confident and secure, natural and healthy, occurring in abundance in nature.

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The color green relates to balance and harmony. From a color psychology perspective, it is the great balancer of the heart and the emotions, creating equilibrium between the head and the heart. From a meaning of colors perspective, green is also the color of growth, the color of spring, of renewal and rebirth.

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The meaning of colors can vary depending on culture and circumstances. Each color has many aspects to it but you can easily learn the language of color by understanding a few simple concepts which I will teach you here.

Color is a form of non verbal communication. It is not a static energy and its meaning can change from one day to the next with any individual. For example, a person may choose to wear the color redone day and this may indicate they are ready to take action, or they may be passionate about what they are going to be doing that day, or again it may mean that they are feeling angry that day, on either a conscious or subconscious level.
The color red is the color of energy, passion and action
The color red is a warm and positive color associated with our most physical needs and our will to survive. It exudes a strong and powerful masculine energy. Red is energizing. It excites the emotions and motivates us to take action.

It signifies a pioneering spirit and leadership qualities, promoting ambition and determination. It is also strong-willed and can give confidence to those who are shy or lacking in will power.

Being the color of physical movement, the color red awakens our physical life force. It is the color of sexuality and can stimulate deeper and more intimate passions in us, such as love and sex on the positive side or revenge and anger on the negative. It is often used to express love, as in Valentine's Day, however it relates more to sexuality and lust, rather than love - love is expressed with pink.

At its most positive it can create life with its sexual energy, or use its negative expression of anger and aggression to fuel war and destruction.

The color red can stimulate the appetite, often being used in restaurants for this purpose. It also increases craving for food and other stimuli.
The orange color of adventure and social communication
The color orange radiates warmth and happiness, combining the physical energy and stimulation of red with the cheerfulness of yellow. The color orange is the color of social communication and optimism. From a negative color meaning it is also a sign of pessimism and superficiality. Orange relates to 'gut reaction' or our gut instincts, as opposed to the physical reaction of red or the mental reaction of yellow.

Orange offers emotional strength in difficult times. It helps us to bounce back from disappointments and despair, assisting in recovery from grief. The color psychology of orange is optimistic and uplifting, rejuvenating our spirit. In fact orange is so optimistic and uplifting that we should all find ways to use it in our everyday life, even if it is just an orange colored pen that we use.

Orange brings spontaneity and a positive outlook on life and is a great color to use during tough economic times, keeping us motivated and helping us to look on the bright side of life.

With its enthusiasm for life, the color orange relates to adventure and risk-taking, inspiring physical confidence, competition and independence. Those inspired by orange are always on the go!

In relation to the meaning of colors, orange is extroverted and uninhibited, often encouraging exhibitionism or, at the very least, showing-off! The color orange relates to social communication, stimulating two way conversations. A warm and inviting color, it is both physically and mentally stimulating, so it gets people thinking and talking!

The color yellow relates to acquired knowledge. It is the color which resonates with the left or logic side of the brain stimulating our mental faculties and creating mental agility and perception.

Being the lightest hue of the spectrum, the color psychology of yellow is uplifting and illuminating, offering hope, happiness, cheerfulness and fun.

In the meaning of colors, yellow inspires original thought and inquisitiveness. Yellow is creative from a mental aspect, the color of new ideas, helping us to find new ways of doing things. It is the practical thinker, not the dreamer. Yellow is the best color to create enthusiasm for life and can awaken greater confidence and optimism. The color yellow loves a challenge, particularly a mental challenge.

Within the meaning of colors, yellow is the great communicator and loves to talk. Yellow is the color of the networker and the journalist, all working and communicating on a mental level. Yellow is the scientist, constantly analyzing, looking at both sides before making a decision; methodical and decisive. Yellow is the entertainer, the comic, the clown.

Yellow helps with decision making as it relates to clarity of thought and ideas, although it can often be impulsive. Yellow helps us focus, study and recall information, useful during exam time.

The color green is the color of balance and harmony. From a color psychology perspective, it is the great balancer of the heart and the emotions, creating equilibrium between the head and the heart.

From a meaning of colors perspective, green is also the color of growth, the color of spring, of renewal and rebirth. It renews and restores depleted energy. It is the sanctuary away from the stresses of modern living, restoring us back to a sense of well being. This is why there is so much of this relaxing color on the earth, and why we need to keep it that way.

Green is an emotionally positive color, giving us the ability to love and nurture ourselves and others unconditionally. A natural peacemaker, it must avoid the tendency to become a martyr.

Green loves to observe. It relates to the counselor, the good listener, the social worker. It loves to contribute to society. It is the charity worker, the good parent and the helpful neighbor.

Being a combination of yellow and blue, the color green encompasses the mental clarity and optimism of yellow with the emotional calm and insight of blue, inspiring hope and a generosity of spirit not available from other colors.
The color blue is the color of trust and responsibility
The color blue is one of trust, honesty and loyalty. It is sincere, reserved and quiet, and doesn't like to make a fuss or draw attention. Blue hates confrontation, and likes to do things in its own way.

From a color psychology perspective, blue is reliable and responsible. This color exhibits an inner security and confidence. You can rely on it to take control and do the right thing in difficult times. It has a need for order and direction in its life, including its living and work spaces. Blue seeks peace and tranquility above everything else, promoting both physical and mental relaxation.

It reduces stress, creating a sense of calmness, relaxation and order - we certainly feel a sense of calm if we lie on our backs and look into a bright blue cloudless sky. It slows the metabolism. The paler the blue the more freedom we feel.

In the meaning of colors, blue relates to one-to-one communication, especially communication using the voice - speaking the truth through verbal self-expression - it is the teacher, the public speaker.

The color blue is idealistic, enhancing self-expression and our ability to communicate our needs and wants. It inspires higher ideals. Blue's wisdom comes from its higher level of intelligence, a spiritual perspective. Blue is the color of the spirit, devotion and religious study. It enhances contemplation and prayer. On the other hand, blue's devotion can be to any cause or concept it believes in, including devotion to family or work.
The indigo color of intuition, perception and the higher mind
The color indigo is the color of intuition and perception and is helpful in opening the third eye. It promotes deep concentration during times of introspection and meditation, helping you achieve deeper levels of consciousness.

It is a color which relates to the "New Age" - the ability to use the Higher Mind to see beyond the normal senses with great powers of perception. It relies on intuition rather than gut feeling. Indigo is a deep midnight blue. It is a combination of deep blue and violet and holds the attributes of both these colors.

Service to humanity is one of the strengths of the color indigo. Powerful and dignified, indigo conveys integrity and deep sincerity.

The color meaning of indigo reflects great devotion, wisdom and justice along with fairness and impartiality. It is a defender of people's rights to the end.

Structure creates identity and meaning for indigo. In fact an indigo person cannot function without structure - it throws them right off balance. Organization is very important to them and they can be quite inflexible when it comes to order in their lives.

The color purple relates to the imagination and spirituality. It stimulates the imagination and inspires high ideals. It is an introspective color, allowing us to get in touch with our deeper thoughts.

The difference between violet and purple is that violet appears in the visible light spectrum, or rainbow, whereas purple is simply a mix of red and blue. Violet has the highest vibration in the visible spectrum.

While the violet is not quite as intense as purple, its essence is similar. Generally the names are interchangeable and the meaning of the colors is similar. Both contain the energy and strength of red with the spirituality and integrity of blue. This is the union of body and soul creating a balance between our physical and our spiritual energies. Purple or violet assists those who seek the meaning of life and spiritual fulfillment - it expands our awareness, connecting us to a higher consciousness.

For this reason it is associated with transformation of the soul and the philosophers of the world are often attracted to it. In the meaning of colors, purple and violet represent the future, the imagination and dreams, while spiritually calming the emotions. They inspire and enhance psychic ability and spiritual enlightenment, while, at the same time, keeping us grounded.

Turquoise helps to open the lines of communication between the heart and the spoken word. It presents as a friendly and happy color enjoying life. In color psychology, turquoise controls and heals the emotions creating emotional balance and stability. In the process it can appear to be on an emotional roller coaster, up and down, until it balances itself.

A combination of blue and a small amount of yellow, it fits in on the color scale between green and blue. It radiates the peace, calm and tranquility of blue and the balance and growth of green with the uplifting energy of yellow.

This is a color that recharges our spirits during times of mental stress and tiredness, alleviating feelings of loneliness. You only have to focus on the color turquoise, whether on a wall or clothing and you feel instant calm and gentle invigoration, ready to face the world again!

It is a great color to have around you, particularly in an emergency, as it helps with clear thinking and decision-making. It assists in the development of organizational and management skills. It influences rather than preaching and demanding.

The color pink represents compassion, nurturing and love. It relates to unconditional love and understanding, and the giving and receiving of nurturing. A combination of red and white, pink contains the need for action of red, helping it to achieve the potential for success and insight offered by white. It is the passion and power of red softened with the purity, openness and completeness of white. The deeper the pink, the more passion and energy it exhibits. Pink is feminine and romantic, affectionate and intimate, thoughtful and caring. It tones down the physical passion of red replacing it with a gentle loving energy.

Pink is intuitive and insightful, showing tenderness and kindness with its empathy and sensitivity. In color psychology, pink is a sign of hope. It is a positive color inspiring warm and comforting feelings, a sense that everything will be okay. Pink calms and reassures our emotional energies, alleviating feelings of anger, aggression, resentment, abandonment and neglect. Studies have confirmed that exposure to large amounts of pink can have a calming effect on the nerves and create physical weakness in people. Violent and aggressive prisoners have been successfully calmed by placing them in a pink room for a specified amount of time. Exposure for too long can have the opposite effect.
The magenta color of Universal Harmony & Emotional Balance
The color magenta is one of universal harmony and emotional balance. It is spiritual yet practical, encouraging common sense and a balanced outlook on life.

The color magenta helps to create harmony and balance in every aspect of life; physically, mentally, emotionally and spiritually.

A combination of red and violet, magenta contains the passion, power and energy of red, restrained by the introspection and quiet energy of violet. Magenta influences our whole personal and spiritual development. It strengthens our intuition and psychic ability while assisting us to rise above the everyday dramas of our daily life to experience a greater level of awareness and knowledge.

This color is an instrument of change and transformation; it helps to release old emotional patterns that prevent personal and spiritual development and aids us in moving forward. Magenta is uplifting to our spirits during times of unhappiness, anger or frustration.

In the meaning of colors, magenta represents universal love at its highest level. It promotes compassion, kindness and cooperation and encourages a sense of self respect and contentment in those who use it. Gentle and caring in its approach, it generates acceptance, tolerance, support and patience.

The color brown is a serious, down-to-earth color signifying stability, structure and support. Relating to the protection and support of the family unit, with a keen sense of duty and responsibility, brown takes its obligations seriously. It encourages a strong need for security and a sense of belonging, with family and friends being of utmost importance.

In the meaning of colors, brown is the color of material security and the accumulation of material possessions.

The color brown relates to quality in everything - a comfortable home, the best food and drink and loyal companionship. It is a color of physical comfort, simplicity and quality. From a negative perspective it can also give the impression of cheapness and stinginess in certain circumstances.

Brown is friendly and approachable. It is loyal, trustworthy and dependable in a practical and realistic way.

In color psychology, brown is honest, genuine and sincere. It relates to the hardworking, the industrious and reliable, with both feet planted firmly on the ground.

It is sensual, sensitive and warm, engulfing one in a feeling of calmness and comfort.
The gray color of detachment, indecision and compromise
The color gray is an unemotional color. It is detached, neutral, impartial and indecisive - the fence-sitter. From a color psychology perspective, gray is the color of compromise - being neither black nor white, it is the transition between two non-colors. The closer gray gets to black, the more dramatic and mysterious it becomes. The closer it gets to silver or white, the more illuminating and lively it becomes.

Being both motionless and emotionless, gray is solid and stable, creating a sense of calm and composure, relief from a chaotic world. The color gray is subdued, quiet and reserved. It does not stimulate, energize, rejuvenate or excite. In the meaning of colors, gray is conservative, boring, drab and depressing on the one hand and elegant and formal on the other, yet never glamorous.

Gray conforms - it is conventional, dependable and practical. It is a color of maturity and responsibility, associated with the gray hair of old age. It will never be the centre of attention, the dynamic leader or the director - it is too safe and toned down.

Gray can stifle and depress energy but it is also the stable base from which the new and positive can come.
The silver color of illumination and reflection
The color silver has a feminine energy; it is related to the moon and the ebb and flow of the tides - it is fluid, emotional, sensitive and mysterious. It is soothing, calming and purifying.

From a color psychology viewpoint, it signals a time of reflection and a change of direction as it illuminates the way forward. It helps with the cleansing and releasing of mental, physical and emotional issues and blockages as it opens new doors and lights the way to the future.

With its reflective and sensitive qualities silver inspires intuition, clairvoyance and mental telepathy. It reflects back any energy given out, whether it is positive or negative. In the meaning of colors, it is associated with prestige and wealth. It is seen as a glamorous, sophisticated color related to female energy, prosperity and modernity. Silver restores equilibrium and stability to both feminine power and spiritual energy. It protects itself from outside negativity, reflecting the energy back to where it began.

This color is very versatile, being shiny, modern and hi-tech on one hand and alluring, sparkling and elegant on the other.

From a color psychology perspective, silver is respectable and courteous, dignified, self-controlled, responsible, patient, determined and organized - it relates well to the corporate world and those in positions of responsibility, whether they are male or female.
The gold color of wealth, success and status
The color gold is the color of success, achievement and triumph. Associated with abundance and prosperity, luxury and quality, prestige and sophistication, value and elegance, the psychology of the color gold implies affluence, material wealth and extravagance.

Gold in its physical state, by its very nature, denotes wealth and prestige in every country, culture and market in the world today - it is probably the most valuable and easily traded commodity available in the global market place.

This color is linked to masculine energy and the power of the sun, compared to silver which is associated with feminine energy and the sensitivity of the moon. Optimistic and positive, gold adds richness and warmth to everything with which it is associated - it illuminates and enhances other things around it.

At the uppermost level, the color gold is associated with higher ideals, wisdom, understanding and enlightenment. It inspires knowledge, spirituality and a deep understanding of the self and the soul.

In the meaning of colors, gold is generous and giving, compassionate and loving, the benefactor or patron, sharing its wisdom, knowledge and wealth with others. Gold is the color of the winner - first place medals are always in gold, silver is second place.

White is color at its most complete and pure, the color of perfection. The color meaning of white is purity, innocence, wholeness and completion.

In color psychology white is the color of new beginnings, wiping the slate clean, so to speak. It is the blank canvas waiting to be written upon. While white isn't stimulating to the senses, it opens the way for the creation of anything the mind can conceive.

White contains an equal balance of all the colors of the spectrum, representing both the positive and negative aspects of all colors. Its basic feature is equality, implying fairness and impartiality, neutrality and independence. It is interesting to note that babies come into the world with a perfect balance of white, ready to imprint their lives with all the colors of the spectrum (hopefully!) from all their life experiences. White is totally reflective, awakening openness, growth and creativity. You can't hide behind it as it amplifies everything in its way.

The color white is cleanliness personified, the ultimate in purity!! This is why it is traditionally worn by western brides, and the reason why doctors wear white jackets. White is a color of protection and encouragement, offering a sense of peace and calm, comfort and hope, helping alleviate emotional upsets. It creates a sense of order and efficiency, a great help if you need to declutter your life.

White offers an inner cleansing and purifying of your thoughts, emotions and, ultimately, your spirit, refreshing and strengthening your entire energy system.
The meaning of the color black is mystery and protection
Black is the color of the hidden, the secretive and the unknown, creating an air of mystery. It keeps things bottled up inside, hidden from the world.

In color psychology the meaning of the color black is protection from external emotional stress. It creates a barrier between itself and the outside world, providing comfort while protecting its emotions and feelings, and hiding its vulnerabilities, insecurities and lack of self confidence.

Black is the absorption of all color and the absence of light. Black hides, while white brings to light. What black covers, white uncovers. We all use black at various times to hide from the world around us in one way or another. Some of us use it to hide our weight; others among us use it to hide our feelings, our fears or our insecurities.

In color psychology, black means power and control, hanging on to information and things rather than giving out to others. In color psychology, black means power and control, hanging on to information and things rather than giving out to others.

Black is intimidating, unfriendly and unapproachable because of the power it exudes. It can prevent two-way communication because of its intimidation. The salesman wearing all black will make a lot of sales, but no friends! It radiates authority, but creates fear in the process.
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Understanding the Meaning of Colors in Color Psychology

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The meaning of colors can vary depending on culture and circumstances. Each color has many aspects to it but you can easily learn the language of color by understanding a few simple concepts which I will teach you here. Color is a form of non verbal communication.

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Abstract

This paper focuses on how land use environment influences pedestrians' needs and behaviour. Respondents were surveyed on their first/last mile trips, using face to face interviews conducted at nine transit stations' exits/entrances. It was found that more infrastructural compatibility factors were rated as important in Industrial setting compared to Residential setting. The reasons for walking or not walking were also apparently different between the land use types. Lastly, a multinomial logit choice model was used to predict the propensity of walking and using other modes of transport. First/last mile trip distance, number of parked bicycles at transit stations, percentage of land for commercial use, and distance between origin/destination and nearest bus stop with services serving the transit station were found to be influential variables on the propensity of walking.

Highlights

► More infrastructural compatibility factors rated as important in Industrial vs. Residential environments. ► Reasons for walking and not walking are mainly distance-related. ► Multinomial logit mode choice model was used to predict propensity of walking.

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Comparing pedestrians' needs and behaviours in different land use environments

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This paper focuses on how land use environment influences pedestrians' needs and behaviour. Respondents were surveyed on their first/last mile trips, using face to face interviews conducted at nine transit stations' exits/entrances. It was found that more infrastructural compatibility factors were rated as important in Industrial setting compared to Residential setting.

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Imagine a community -neighborhood, village, town or city- that provides residents with plenty of opportunities to enjoy a high quality of life. A world-class community that strives to preserve or improve its economy, the quality of its environment, and the health and well being of its residents. A First-class community that enables residents to live in a variety of housing options, and that it makes it possible -and attractive- for them to walk, bike or take public transportation to go to the places they most frequently need to go every day, such as work, schools, grocery stores, shopping malls, parks and other public spaces, entertainment and recreational areas, and fitness and health facilities.

Although building this type of community may be seen by many as a grand challenge, it is actually a real possibility, and it can be highly rewarding for all involved -governments, the community, and the residents.

There are many factors that can influence our health, our life expectancy, our wellbeing and our quality of life. These include our genes and roots, our gender, education and wealth, our diet and lifestyle, our state of mind and attitude towards life, our safety and security, the geography and environment in which we live, and the prospect for us to succeed in life.

This article looks into a number of these factors, explores their impacts on people's health, life expectancy, wellbeing and quality of life, and identifies a range of considerations for community planning, with emphasis on healthy living, liveability and sustainability.
Currently, people around the world are living longer than ever before
Statistics clearly show that people around the world are currently living longer than ever before. For instance, nearly 115 years ago, in year 1900, the global life expectancy at birth was just 31 years -at that time, even in the richest countries, the global life expectancy at birth was below 50. But thereafter, the global life expectancy at birth rose progressively to nearly 48 years by year 1950,[1] to 64 years by 1990, to 66 years by 2000, and to 70 years by 2012.[2] That means, that the global life expectancy at birth increased, on average, nearly 4.4 months, each year, between 1900 and 1990; nearly 2.4 months per year between 1990 and 2000; and exactly 4 months per year between 2000 and 2012. In other words, over the 112 years, between 1900 and 2012, the global life expectancy at birth increased, on average, by nearly 4.2 months yearly. It also means that the global life expectancy at birth increased by a total of 39 years between 1900 and 2012 -33 years increase, from 31 in 1900 to 64 in 1990, plus another 6 years, from 64 in 1990 to 70 in 2012- (Exhibit 1).
Exhibit 1: Source: adapted from WHO, the World Health Organization 1 & 2
Life expectancy at birth for men and women combined now exceeds 80 years in many countries
Three years ago, in year 2012, the life expectancy (LE) at birth, for both men and women combined, was 80 years or more in 33 countries around the world. Japan led the world with 84 years, followed respectively by Andorra, Australia, Italy, San Marino, Singapore and Switzerland (with 83 years), Canada, Cyprus, France, Iceland, Israel, Luxemburg, Monaco, New Zealand, Norway, Spain and Sweden (with 82 years), Austria, Finland, Germany, Greece, Ireland, Malta, Netherlands, Portugal, Republic of Korea and United Kingdom (with 81 years), and Belgium, Chile, Denmark, Lebanon and Slovenia (with 80 years).[3] To see more, click here onInteractive graph and then click again on "View interactive graph."
And in the future, people around the world will most likely live "even longer"
Looking ahead, and assuming that trends over the past 112 years will continue into the future, it may not be unreasonable to think that by year 2030, in some countries like Japan, Australia and Switzerland, the life expectancy at birth, both for men and women combined, might go up near the 90s. And new generations will probably live even longer. In fact, a recent study published in the medical journal The Lancet forecasts that "If the pace of increase in life expectancy in developed countries over the past two centuries continues through the 21st century, most babies born since 2000 in France, Germany, Italy, the UK, the USA, Canada, Japan, and other countries with long life expectancies will celebrate their 100th birthdays." [4]
In addition to living longer, people around the world are also living healthier
In addition to living longer lives, people around the world are also living healthier lives. For example, in just the 12 years, between 2000 and 2012, the global healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth increased 4 full years -from 58 years in year 2000, to 62 years in year 2012 (Exhibit 1). 2 HALE at birth is the average number of years that a person can expect to live in "full health" by taking into account years lived in less than full health due to disease and/or injury, according to WHO -the World Health Organization
However, people around the world are still losing too many years of healthy life
In spite of all the significant improvements in life expectancy and HALE at birth, people around the world are still losing too many years of healthy life resulting from poor health. In 2012, for example, the global healthy life expectancy at birth was only 62 years, as compared to the total global life expectancy at birth of 70 years in the same year. That means that, on average, and at that time, people around the world were facing 8 years of poor health as they approached the end of their lives (Exhibit 1).
Several factors are causing people to lose too many years of healthy life
It is well documented in the literature that poor health can result from a number of factors -including income and poverty, unhealthy diets, physical inactivity, smoking, excessive alcohol consumption, and poor living environments- which, in turn, can lead to stress, overweight and obesity, disabilities, increased risks of chronic diseases, and increased risks of leading causes of premature death, such as cerebrovascular strokes, lung cancers and coronary heart disease.
Income has a big impact on people's life expectancy
In 2012, the total life expectancy (LE) at birth in High income countries (78.9 years) was higher than the total life expectancy (LE) at birth in each and every one of the low-and-middle-income country regions (Exhibit 2) -specifically, higher than the Americas' (76.4 years) by 2.5 years, higher than the European's (76.1) by 2.8 years, higher than the Western Pacific's (75.9 years) by 3 years, higher than the Eastern Mediterranean's (67.8) and the South East Asian's (67.5 years) by nearly 11 years, and higher than the African's (57.7 years) by 21 years.
Exhibit 2:Source: adapted from WHO, the World Health Organization.[5] Income also affects the number of years that people can expect to live in "full health."
For example, in 2012 people's healthy life expectancy (HALE) at birth in the High income countries (69.8 years) was higher than people's healthy life expectancy at birth in each and every one of the six low-and-middle income country regions (Exhibit 2) -specifically, higher than the Americas' by 2.7 years, higher than the European's by 2.9 years, higher than the Western Pacific's by 1.7 years, higher than the Eastern Mediterranean's by 11.5 years, higher than the South East Asia's by 11.3 years, and remarkably higher than the African's by 20 years.
Income also influences the percentage of people's lives that they can live in "full health."
In 2012, people in High income countries lived, on average, 88.5% of their lives in "full health," a higher share of healthy life compared to the share of healthy life that people in five of the six low-and-middle-income country regions lived -specifically, higher than the share of healthy life that people in the European and Americas country regions lived (88%) by 0.5%, higher than the share of healthy life that people in the South East Asia country region lived ( 87%) by 1.5%, and higher than the share of healthy life that people in the Eastern Mediterranean and African country regions lived (86%) by 2.5%- Exhibit 2.

Meantime, people in the Western Pacific low-and-middle-income country region, lived, on average, the highest share of healthy life (89.7%) of all, the High income countries and each and every one of the other five low-and-middle-income country regions. Specifically, higher than the share of healthy life that people in the High income countries lived (88.5) by 1.25%, higher than the share of healthy life that people in the European and Americas country regions lived (88%) by 1.7%, higher than the share of healthy life that people in the South East Asia country region lived ( 87%) by 2.7%, and higher than the share of healthy life that people in the Eastern Mediterranean and African country regions lived (86%) by 3.7%- Exhibit 2.

In other words, people in High income countries lived a higher proportion of their lives in full health (between 0.5% and 2.5%) than people in each and every one of five of the six low-and-middle income country regions; but they also lived a smaller proportion (1.25%) of their lives in full health than people in the Western Pacific low-and-middle income country region.

The unique fact that in 2012 people in High income countries lived a smaller proportion (1.25%) of their lives in full health than people in the low-and-middle income countries of the Western Pacific region -a big surprise to me and with raison d'êtres beyond my current knowledge- suggests that there may have been other important factors -other than income - in the low-and-middle-income countries of the Western Pacific region that so positively influenced people's share of healthy life.
Richer, better-educated people live longer than poorer, less-educated people
According to The Spring 2003 Research Summary for the U.S. National Bureau of Economic Research - Health, Income and Inequality- "Richer, better-educated people live longer than poorer, less-educated people. According to calculations from the National Longitudinal Mortality Survey which tracks the mortality of people originally interviewed in the CPS and other surveys, people whose family income in 1980 was greater than $50,000, putting them in the top 5 percent of incomes, had a life-expectancy at all ages that was about 25 percent longer than those in the bottom 5 percent, whose family income was less than $5,000. Many economists have attributed these correlations to the effects of education, arguing that more educated people are better able to understand and use health information, and are better placed to benefit from the healthcare system. Lower mortality and morbidity is associated with almost any positive indicator of socioeconomic status."[6]
Conclusive planning consideration #1 At this point in time in this article, it is very apparent that income can have a big impact on people's life expectancy, on the number of years that people can expect to live in full health, and on the proportion of people's lives that they can expect to live in full health. Therefore, it may not be unreasonable to conclude that communities with strong and sustainable economies may offer the best opportunities for residents to go to school, work, and enjoy healthier, longer and better lives, and that this in turn, may result in reduced health care costs for everyone, and continued community prosperity and sustainability.
Life expectancies at birth around the world also differ between men and women.

As Exhibit 3 shows, in 2012:

Women consistently outlived men both in the High income countries and in each and every one of the six low-and-middle income country regions

In the High income countries, where the life expectancy at birth for women was the highest of all (82 years), the gap between the life expectancy at birth for women and the life expectancy at birth for men was the second largest of all (6.2 years)

In the European low-and-middle-income country region, where the life expectancy at birth for women was the second highest of all (79.6 years), the gap between women's life expectancy at birth and men's life expectancy at birth was the largest of all (7.2 years)

The smallest gap between women's life expectancy at birth and men's life expectancy at birth was in the African low-and-middle-income country region (2.7 years), suggesting that inequalities in life expectancy at birth between men and women tend to be smaller in regions with shorter overall life expectancy

Genes may not be so important in determining the length of our lives.

The general view that our parents' genes can greatly influence how long we can expect to live has been around for much time. However, a series of recent studies have found that genes may not be so important in determining the length of our lives. In fact, "Twin studies show that genetic differences account for about a quarter of the variance in adult human lifespan.[7] Recent combined analyses of ~20,000 twins born in Nordic countries between 1870 and 1910 confirm this, but they also show that the genetic influences on life span are minimal before the age of 60 and only increase after that age." [8] That is, having parents who die in middle age is not particularly informative about life span expectations, but having parents with very long life spans is predictive. This is consistent with the evolutionary theory of senescence [the process of getting old], which postulates that the accumulation of mutations alters mortality specifically in old age, says Dr. James W. Curtsinger in his article published by the Minnesota Medical Association.[10]

Lifestyles affects life expectancy more than genetics -says article[11] on a Swedish study

"How long your parents lived does not affect how long you will live. Instead it is how you live your life that determines how old you will get, [says an article, which] reveals research from Gothenburg's Sahlgrenska Academy recently published in the Journal of Internal Medicine."[12] In fact, professor emeritus Lars Wilhelmsen -responsible for the design, and one of the authors, of the study - is quoted in the article as saying: "It is often assumed that people with parents who lived to be very old are more likely to live to a grand old age themselves. But that's just not true -our study shows that hereditary factors don't play a role and that lifestyle has the biggest impact. Those who did not smoke, consumed moderate amounts of coffee and had a good socio-economic status at the age of 50 (measured in terms of housing costs), as well as good physical working capacity at the age of 54 and low cholesterol at 50 had the greatest chance of celebrating their 90th birthday. "We're breaking new ground here," says Wilhelmsen in the article. "Many of these factors have previously been identified as playing a role in cardiovascular disease, but here we are showing for the first time that they are important for survival in general." He believes that it is significant that the research illustrates so clearly that we do not "inherit" mortality to any great extent, but instead that it is the sum of our own habits that has the biggest impact. "The study clearly shows that we can influence several of the factors that decide how old we get," says Wilhelmsen. "

Exercise improves mental and physical health -say several studies

A review of current evidence for the relationship between physical activity and exercise and the brain and cognition throughout the life span in non-pathological populations -focusing on the effects of both aerobic and resistance training- concluded that while all exercise might not be painless or provide the "easy fix" to enhance brain and cognition across the life span, there is ample evidence to support it as one of the most effective means available to improve mental and physical health, without the side effects of many pharmacological treatments.[13]

"Exercise is [also] linked to substantial reductions in the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's.[14] One study found that subjects who were physical active at least twice a week in middle life had more than a 50 percent reduction in the risk of dementia and Alzheimer's diseases in later life.
Regular exercise can extend both our total life expectancy and our healthy life expectancy
A study designed to find out whether or not regular exercise could extend the life expectancy, and increase the proportion of healthy life expectancy, among people 65 years of age or more, found that regular exercisers had consistently a longer life expectancy and a higher proportion of healthy life expectancy at all ages (65, 70, 75, 80, 85 and 90) than their counterparts non-exercisers, and that the extensions of life expectancies of the exercisers was mainly in the years of healthy life. Exercisers were those respondents to the study who said they did regular exercise 3-5 times a week, or over 6 times a week. Non-exercisers were those who said they did not exercise at all or those who exercised less than 2 times a week.[16]
The more we exercise, the longer and better we will live
"A study by a team of researchers led by the National Cancer Institute -part of the National Institutes of Health (NIH)- found that people who engaged in leisure-time physical activity had life expectancy gains of as much as 4.5 years. After accounting for other factors that could affect life expectancy, such as socioeconomic status, the researchers found that life expectancy was 3.4 years longer for people who reported they got the recommend level of physical activity. People who reported leisure-time physical activity at twice the recommended level gained 4.2 years of life. In general, more physical activity corresponded to longer life expectancy. The U.S. Department of Health and Human Services, the parent agency of NIH, recommends that adults ages 18 to 64 engage in regular aerobic physical activity for 2.5 hours at moderate intensity -or 1.25 hours at vigorous intensity- each week."[17]

Walking briskly 450 minutes a week can make us live up 4.5 years longer -says study 18

In a new study from Harvard-affiliated Brigham and Women's Hospital (BWH), in collaboration with the National Cancer Institute, researchers found that adding low amounts of physical activity to one's daily routine, such as 75 minutes of brisk walking per week, was associated with increased longevity: a gain of 1.8 years of life expectancy after age 40, compared with doing no such activity. Physical activity above this minimal level was associated with additional gains in longevity. For example, walking briskly for at least 450 minutes a week was associated with a gain of 4.5 years.[18]
Habits, lifestyles, economic resources, education, jobs and housing can all determine our health, wellbeing and healthy life expectancy
According to the City of Copenhagen Public health policy 2011-2014 "Long Live Copenhagen:"[19]

The greatest challenges for the health of Copenhageners are smoking, alcohol and physical inactivity. Other lifestyle factors, such as diet, also affect the health of Copenhageners

Smoking, alcohol, lack of exercise and an unhealthy diet cause 40% of all diseases and deaths

Unhealthy lifestyles are most common among low-resource groups.

30% of Copenhageners with a shorter education smoke on a daily basis, as compared to 9% of Copenhageners with a higher education

A 30-year old man with a shorter education lives 7.4 fewer years than a 30-year old man with a higher education

Copenhageners have Denmark's shorter life expectancy, just short of 77 years. The residents of Nørrebro [a multicultural district of Copenhagen] live on average to age 73. By comparison, the residents of Copenhagen's inner city live to age 80

Physical activity is vital for our health and can prevent many diseases, including obesity, type-2 diabetes, heart disease and several types of cancer

Physical activity has mental and social benefits as well, in the form of increased energy, well-being, self-esteem and social contact with others

We want to improve the quality of life of Copenhageners by making it easier to maintain a healthy and active lifestyle every day - with regard to both physical and mental well-being

If Copenhageners walked or biked more every day, it would not only benefit their health, but also have a positive effect on noise, air pollution and CO 2 emissions

Our health is, to a great extent, determined by our education, jobs and housing. That is why both our local and national policies and plans for education, the job market and housing are important for our health.

Jogging can deliver dramatic benefits for longevity, both for men and women
According to a press release by the European Society of Cardiology -regarding a presentation on the latest data from the Copenhagen City Heart study, by Peter Schnohr, at The EuroPRevent 2012 meeting, held in Dublin, Ireland, on May 3-5, 2012- undertaking regular jogging increases the life expectancy of men by 6.2 years and women by 5.6 years. Peter Schnohr also told delegates that the study's most recent analysis (unpublished) shows that between one and two-and-a-half hours of jogging per week at a "slow or average" pace delivers optimum benefits for longevity.[20]
The health benefits of cycling can be much larger than the risks relative to car driving
The study Do the Health Benefits of Cycling Outweigh the Risks? concluded that "On average, the estimated health benefits of cycling were substantially larger than the risks relative to car driving for individuals shifting their mode of transport." The study also pointed out that " Although from a societal point of view a modal shift from car to bicycle may have beneficial health effects due to decreased air pollution emissions, decreased greenhouse gas emissions, and increased levels of physical activity, shifts in individual adverse health effects such as higher exposure to air pollution and risk of a traffic accident may prevail."[21]

However, the better news is that -when considering the latest innovations being implemented around the world to making biking safer, faster, more fun, and more attractive than ever before -it may be not be unreasonable to think that " the health benefits of cycling can be even greater" than what the study mentioned in the previous paragraph found. One particular innovation is a new cycling infrastructure in Copenhagen called Cykelslangen -or Cycle Snake- see photo above. Click here to take a Journey Around Copenhagen's Latest Bicycle Innovations!, including the Cycle Snake.
Our home, housing and local environment can improve our wellbeing
"Home, housing and local environment have a direct impact on an individual's well-being. Living in a high-quality home, experiencing few housing problems, and being surrounded by a pleasant local environment, contribute positively to life satisfaction. The local environment also has an indirect impact on well-being by affecting social exclusion and health."[22]
Conclusive planning consideration # 2 At this point in this article, it may be reasonable to conclude that active lifestyles -including walking, jogging, cycling and other regular exercise- are key factors to people's physical and mental health, and that together with other factors -such as education, jobs and housing- they can contribute significantly to people's wellbeing and quality of life. And that on this basis, it may also be reasonable to think that communities that support active lifestyles -by providing the necessary policies, programs, facilities and infrastructures- and the necessary housing, education and work opportunities for their residents, may have the best chances to succeed and flourish.
Diet and nutrition are emerging as critical factors in our health -says report 14

"Diet and nutrition are emerging as critical factors in brain health and health in general. A variety of nutrients increase the risks of disease. For example, several studies have shown that higher saturated fat intake increases the risks of dementia by two to three times. Diet and nutrition can also decrease risks of disease. For example, numerous studies show that high intake of omega-3 fatty acids is associated with markedly lower risks for Alzheimer's." 14

"The Mediterranean diet, which includes fresh fruit and vegetables, legumes, whole grains, fish, nuts, and olive oil is linked to substantially reduced risks of both Alzheimer's disease and Parkinson's disease, as well as dramatically lower rates of diabetes, vascular disease, recurrent heart attacks, and metabolic syndrome." 14
The magic of good nutrients and exercise combined is a promising start for our good health Conclusive planning consideration # 3 From the preceding discussions, it seems reasonable to conclude that the combination of good nutrients and exercise can magically preserve or improve our health. In fact, this is not new news. Hippocrates, the world famous figure in medicine, is often quoted as having said the following nearly 2,500 years ago: "If we could give every individual the right amount of nourishment and exercise, not too little and not too much, we would have found the safest way to health" Clean air is fundamental to our health
"Recent studies show that air pollution is harmful to the brain, in addition to the lungs, heart, nose and blood vessels. This evidence is drawn from studies of brains of people living in highly polluted cities compared with those living in clear air cities," according to the Environmental Threats to Healthy Agingreport. 14

"Air pollutants from cars, trucks and other motor vehicles are found in higher concentrations near major roads. People who live, work or attend school near major roads appear to have an increased incidence and severity of health problems associated with air pollution exposures related to roadway traffic including higher rates of asthma onset and aggravation, cardiovascular disease, impaired lung development in children, pre-term and low-birthweight infants, childhood leukemia, and premature death," according to EPA -the United States Environmental Protection Agency.[23]
Green spaces have big impacts on people's happiness and wellbeing
There is evidence that green spaces have a positive impact on mental health. For instance, Examining a link between urban green spaces and mental health, published by the Medical School of the University of Exeter, Dr Mathew White says: "Our analyses suggest that people are happier when living in urban areas with greater amounts of green space. Compared to instances when they live in areas with less green space they show significantly lower mental distress (GHQ scores) and significantly higher wellbeing (life satisfaction). The analysis also made it possible to compare the beneficial effects of green space with other factors which influence wellbeing. In comparative terms, living in an area with higher levels of green space was associated with improvements in our wellbeing indicators roughly equal to a third of that gained from being married, or a tenth as large as being employed vs. unemployed."[24]
Healthy diets, active lifestyles, clean air and community engagement: key to healthy living
"The key elements of healthy living include: eating healthy and nutritious food; staying active physically and mentally; avoiding harmful toxicants and pollutants; [and] being socially engaged with family, friends, and community," according to the Environmental Threats to Healthy Aging report. 14
Conclusive planning consideration # 4 At this time in this article, it may be reasonable to conclude that clean air communities, with innovative programs and policies and attractive public spaces that support and promote civic, social and intellectual engagement, offer the best chances for residents to become and remain healthier and happier. Green, multimodal mobility systems and networks: key to healthy & liveable communities
In the summer of 2012, I conducted a study tour in Germany and Scandinavia on innovations in community planning and development. I wanted to find out about the underlying principles for the success of these innovations, and see how communities such as Hamburg, Munich, Malmö, Stockholm and Copenhagen, were planned, designed, developed and managed so that they can be made increasingly more liveable.

Germany, Denmark and Sweden have developed a reputation for being world leaders in several aspects related to community planning and development, for example, by building innovative green buildings; amazing cycling paths, routes and highways; world-famous pedestrian-only shopping streets; and excellent parks, recreation areas, and other public spaces. Copenhagen, Oslo and Stockholm -in that order- topped 27 other cities in the 2009 European Green City Index. In 2011, the Innovation Union Scoreboard ranked Denmark, Finland, Germany and Sweden -in that sequence- as the leading countries for innovation among the European Union 27 member states, noting that the overall good performance in innovation of these countries reflected a balanced national research and innovation system. And, in 2012, the Legatum Institute ranked Norway, Denmark and Sweden -in that order- as the highest countries in the world for overall prosperity.

Furthermore, Stockholm, Hamburg and Copenhagen, have respectively won the 2010, 2011 and 2014 European Green Capital Award, according to the European Commission. When giving the awards, the Commission noted the following: "the City of Stockholm launched a new program that allowed visitors the opportunity to explore the solutions created by Stockholm in relation to a variety of themes, including combating climate change and ensuring an effective and sustainable transportation system. Hamburg has achieved high environmental standards and good performance levels in terms of cycling and public transport indicators." And Copenhagen is "a good model in terms of urban planning and design. It is also something of a transport pioneer, aiming to become the world's most practicable city for cyclists. Its goal is to have 50 % of people cycling to their place of work or education by 2015 (35 % cycled to their workplace or school in 2010), helping the city reach an ambitious goal of being CO2 neutral by 2025."

Green, multimodal mobility systems and networks are perhaps the most visible and common innovations in community planning and development in Germany and Scandinavia. They include integrated networks of public transit by road, rail and water; dedicated pedestrian lanes, paths and networks; and plenty of bicycle infrastructure -featuring dedicated bicycle lanes, paths and networks, and highways, with strategically located bicycle parking areas and pump stations- all of which makes it possible for residents to go to the places they need or want to go, quickly, conveniently, safely, comfortably and economically, and without having to drive their private cars at all times. They also make it possible for residents to have increased opportunities for exercising -and therefore, staying physically and mentally active and fit- socializing, and more particularly, breathing fresher air than residents living in communities where the use of the private automobile prevails.[26]
Conclusive planning consideration # 5 Green, multimodal mobility systems and networks -such as networks of pedestrian paths, bicycle lanes and public transport- in combination with other community components -such as pedestrian-only shopping streets, dedicated cycling routes and highways, green spaces and other public spaces designed to promote civic engagement and social activities, high density housing and mixed-use buildings and neighbourhoods, and the use of renewable energy generated from natural sources -such the sun, water and wind, can all make major contributions towards making our communities healthier and much more liveable. Conclusive planning considerations for healthy, liveable and sustainable communities
People around the world are living longer and healthier lives than ever before, but they could live a much higher proportion of their lives in "full health," than they do now, if the chances for disease and injury among them were further minimized.

It may not be unreasonable to think that most people around the world wish being able to live higher proportions of their lives in "full health," and that this wish can be accomplished if we strive to make it a reality. One way to start would be by making our communities healthier, and more liveable and sustainable. This article provided plenty of evidence that suggest what kinds of community planning considerations should be emphasized to help realize this wish. For example:

Emphasis on improving the economic growth, prosperity and sustainability of our communities could lead to increased employment opportunities and reduced poverty; additional economic resources for housing, education, social, recreational and health services; increased wellbeing among residents; and more economic resources that could be used to build the types of community infrastructures that are required to make our communities healthier.

Emphasis on improving healthy living in our communities could lead to improvements in the quality of the environment, increased awareness about the benefits of healthy habits and diets, the creation of attractive opportunities for residents to carry out more leisure activities and active lifestyles, improved health among residents, more residents that are able to live higher proportions of their lives in "full health," and reduced long-term health care costs.

Emphasis on making our communities healthier and more liveable could result in increasing opportunities for residents to enjoy a high quality of life by enabling them to live in a variety of housing options, and by making it possible -and attractive- for them to walk, bike or take public transportation to go to the places they most frequently need to go every day, such as work, schools, grocery stores, shopping malls, parks, recreational and fitness areas, and health facilities.

It is pretty apparent that healthy, liveable and sustainable communities can make a big difference in our lives as residents. Therefore, I hope that the information and evidence provided in this article can alert and help community planners, officials and politicians in identifying the key links and relationships between the policies, the planning, and the actions that are necessary to make our communities healthier, more liveable and more sustainable.

Refences

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How sustainable cities can improve lives

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The World Economic Forum is an independent international organization committed to improving the state of the world by engaging business, political, academic and other leaders of society to shape global, regional and industry agendas. Incorporated as a not-for-profit foundation in 1971, and headquartered in Geneva, Switzerland, the Forum is tied to no political, partisan or national interests.

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Design speed is the target speed at which drivers are intended to travel on a street, and not, as often misused, the maximum operating speed. Actively designing for target vehicle speeds is critical to safety. Changing a street's design results in behavior changes. Practitioners must manage speeds by setting clear expectations for drivers. The level of walking, cycling, and activity, as well as the degree to which modes are mixed or separated, is the critical determinant of a safe vehicle speed. Reducing vehicle speeds opens up a range of design options that allow a street to function and feel like part of a city, rather than a highway. Designers must not use highwaybased design speed practices in urban areas. Instead, they must be proactive in limiting vehicle speeds, providing frequent pedestrian crossings, limiting the number and width of lanes, using low speeds for turn radii, and introducing trees and furnishings.
Conventional practice designates a design speed higher than the posted speed limit to accommodate driver errors. But, in fact, this practice only encourages speeding and increases the likelihood of traffic crashes, fatalities, and injuries.

A proactive approach selects a target speed and uses design to achieve that speed, guiding driver behavior through physical and perceptual cues. These cues include narrower lane widths and tighter curb radii, signal progressions, and other speed management techniques. Using lower design speeds in street design reduces vehicle speed and speed variation, providing safer places to walk, cycle, drive, and park.

The design speed for urban areas should not exceed 40km/h, with exceptions for specific corridors. To determine appropriate design speeds other than 40km/h, consider the multiple safety, health, mobility, economic, and environmental goals.

Speed, Severity, and Frequency

The most effective way to reduce fatalities and severe injuries on streets is to reduce vehicle speeds. 1 The vast majority of people killed in traffic are struck on streets with high speeds, even though those streets represent only a small portion of a city's total activity and movement.

Speed is the primary factor in crash severity and the likelihood of a crash occurring. Increased speeds result in longer reaction times, a narrower cone of vision, 2 and increased stopping distances while providing less time for others to react. An increase in average speed of 1 km/h results in a 3% higher risk of a crash and a 4-5% increase in fatalities. 3

Speed differential is also a critical component of safety. People walking or cycling are placed at great risk when faced with motor vehicles turning across their paths, at a speed much faster than their own. Keeping design speeds low on streets where cycles, cars, trucks, or buses share a lane or street reduces crash risk, and the likelihood of serious injury or death. A design assumption that modes are separate can become dangerous when user expectations vary. The safest streets match the degree of mixing with an expectation of mixing, using design to communicate the specific conditions.

Target Speeds and Context

Critical Guidance

Do not design streets for speeds higher than the posted limit.

Establish the target speed based on all users and not just drivers. Develop a realistic assessment of the way the street is used, and account for the immediate context and municipal safety goals. Design streets to constructively guide driver behavior, discouraging speeds above the target speed and promoting the safe mixing of multiple modes.

Set speed limits at the target speed if possible. If statutory speed limits are higher than safe urban speeds, set the design speed below the speed limit. Make speeding uncomfortable through design and operational techniques.

Target speeds must, in all circumstances and on all streets, allow people to walk along and to cross streets without substantial risk of being injured by vehicles. They must provide drivers with adequate time and distance to avoid striking pedestrians crossing the street.

Do not use target speeds of 60 km/h or higher. These speeds endanger safety on urban streets and are reserved for limited-access highways.

Recommended Guidance

Desired vehicle speed should be achieved by choosing street sections that encourage safe speeds. Keep the total number of through-traffic lanes to a minimum. Choose a small radius for turns, use signal timing to promote low speeds, and apply speed management techniques where the street section does not prove to be sufficient.

Where speeds greater than 40 km/h are allowed create a physical separation between vehicles and vulnerable users such as pedestrians and cyclists. Parked vehicles, built medians, buffers, or other vertical elements may be used as a barrier, though frequent opportunities for safe crossing must be provided. These should be ideally located at intervals of 80-100 m, and not more than 200 m. See: Speed Management .

Limit the speed differential within and between modes. If people walk in the same space as motorists, use a speed of 10-15 km/h. If pedestrians routinely cross the street mid-block, away from formal crossings, select a target speed of 20 km/h or less. If cyclists are mixed with motorists, but pedestrians do not share the same space, use a speed of 30 km/h or less, even at low traffic volumes. These speeds are also consistent with bus traffic.

Default design speeds based on street types or zones can be established as a starting point. Above 40 km/h, the use of specific engineering action, such as signalization and other conflict management techniques, is recommended to create basic conditions for safe use across all modes.

Urban streets can rarely accommodate pedestrians and cyclists safely when prevailing speeds are 60 km/h or higher. If speeds cannot be reduced, high-quality walking and cycle facilities should be provided at grade, with robust protection such as parallel parking, trees, and medians. Do not use techniques that discourage pedestrian activity and destroy or limit the street's economic functions and social activity.

Foster a safety culture. Publicize and regulate the speed limit with signage, markings, and public information campaigns, and routinely enforce the speed limit. Full-time electronic enforcement by radar-enabled license plate readers or speed cameras and moderate fines are more effective and equitable than manual enforcement with high fines.

Footnotes
1. "Pedestrian Safety Review: Risk Factors and Countermeasures," (Salt Lake City: Department of City and Metropolitan Planning, University of Utah, School of Public Health and Community Development, Maseno University, 2012)2. A. Bartmann, W. Spijkers and M. Hess, "Street Environment, Driving Speed and Field of Vision," Vision in Vehicles III (1991). W. A. Leaf and David F. Preusser, Literature review on vehicle travel speeds and pedestrian injuries (Washington, D.C: US Department of Transportation, National Highway Traffic Safety Administration, 1999).3. World Health Organization. World Report on road traffic injury prevention. (Geneva: WHO, 2004).

Adapted by Global Street Design Guide published by Island Press.

References

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Design Speed | Global Designing Cities Initiative

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Design speed is the target speed at which drivers are intended to travel on a street, and not, as often misused, the maximum operating speed. Actively designing for target vehicle speeds is critical to safety. Changing a street's design results in behavior changes. Practitioners must manage speeds by setting clear expectations for drivers.

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Abstract

Streets are an integral part of the built environment with the capacity to promote community engagement, as one aspect of health and well-being. However, there have been few attempts to synthesize published studies and interventions to gain a broader understanding of what street design features hinder or facilitate community engagement. Data was extracted from 30 eligible articles into 16 key topic areas or themes. The most frequent topic areas were 'Aesthetics and Upkeep' (18), 'Access to Resources/Facilities' (15), 'Security and Safety' (15), and 'Walkability' (14). This review advances our understanding of how streets can be designed to enhance community engagement.

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