Mapping neighbourhood outdoor activities: space,time, gender and age

This paper investigates spatial, temporal, age and gender patterns of outdoor social activities in urban neighbourhoods and their correlation with properties of urban form. Informed by theories and mapping techniques in urban sociology, urban design and behavioural research, the paper develops a methodology for mapping outdoor social activities and applies it to four case studies in London and Berlin. Findings demonstrate how different types of activities are spatially distributed, reflecting socio-spatial characteristics of the given neighbourhood. The paper elaborates the contribution of the research to ongoing debates such as gendered space and age-friendly communities and suggests methodological improvements for future research.     

大型工程项目决策复杂性分析与决策过程研究

以大型工程项目复杂决策机制为研究对象,从大型工程项目复杂决策的不确定性、涌现性、多目标非线性作用以及迭代逼近的动态演化等方面分析大型工程项目决策的复杂性,并基于综合集成原理构建大型工程项目复杂决策问题的流程,为大型工程项目的科学与民主决策提供理论参考和实践的借鉴。     

The evolving metropolis after three decades: a study of community,neighbourhood and street form at the urban edge

In a highly cited paper, Southworth and Owens (1993) studied eight suburban areas in the San Francisco Bay area at the scales of community, neighbourhood and of street and house lot, and observed their changing morphological characters over time. Using USGS and Google Earth data and census data, a more robust analysis of the same areas was performed to identify changes during the last three decades and to re-test the validity of the authors’ original findings. Findings support and amplify previously observed morphological characters. Taken together, they reveal only minor changes to the overall pre-existing morphological patterns. Community street and land use patterns show minor changes but reveal additional complexity. Community urban patterns show densification through small-scale developments. Neighbourhood street patterns reveal previously unidentified differences between and within study areas. New residential developments also reveal previously unidentified types. Despite only minor morphological changes, significant socio-economic changes are observed in the study areas showing improvements in living standards during the study period. These changes are characterized by an increase in per capita income, density and diversity. Therefore, it is concluded that positive socio-economic changes can occur in suburban areas at city edges, even when these areas resist any significant physical changes.     

Critical perspectives on network governance in urban regeneration, community involvement and integration

Significant claims have been made about the benefits of network governance and management in securing community involvement and assisting social integration in complex urban regeneration programmes. The move from vertical to horizontal forms of coordination, and the assumption of a more equal power distribution between participants, have combined with an emphasis on mutuality and trust to present networks as a promising mechanism for pluriform involvement and collective decision-making. Often this promise runs ahead of the evidence of how network governance functions in practice, the opportunities for different actors to influence the process and the often disappointing outcomes of joint decision-making. This special issue contributes to the ‘second generation of research on governance networks’ by tackling key questions relating to the sources of governance network failure and success. Building on the articles in this special issue, we explore these questions in relation to urban regeneration, community involvement and the integration of minority groups in The Netherlands, Sweden and England. This article reviews the articles in this special issue from the perspective of Klijn and Skelcher’s (2007) four conjectures on democracy and governance networks and Sørensen and Torfing’s (2007) four conditions for democratic anchorage. It also suggests ways in which the research agenda on networks in urban regeneration, community involvement and integration might be developed.     

Paradox between neoliberal urban redevelopment,heritage conservation,and community needs: Case study of a historic neighbourhood in Tianjin,China

Today, China's inner-city redevelopment has evolved into the neoliberalism phase, which is characterized by market orientation, privatization, commodification, and short-term returns; this phase generally involves massive demolition and eviction, resulting in serious conflicts between land-based economic growth, heritage conservation, and social justice. The local community is susceptible to social, cultural, and economic impacts of redevelopment, as well as heritage conservation activities. Thereby, the perspectives of residents on these two components of the urban development agenda help to re-examine the demolition–conservation controversy from the perspective of social well-being. Based on an in-progress case in Tianjin, this study clarifies the multi-faceted paradox posed by the demolition–conservation dichotomy at the locality level. Further, the study performs an ex-ante investigation on the needs, concerns, and attitudes of the local community and dissects related contradictions with the local government's rationale for redevelopment, which is a prerequisite for facilitating responsive and democratic urban planning.     

Time, scale and change in river landscapes: the jerky conveyor belt

The basis for a scientific understanding of river landscapes is fluvial geomorphology. However, the base of the subject in university research schools has meant that a simple interpretation of river landforms has been missing from UK landscape studies. This paper attempts to redress the balance by setting down the basic time and space scales along which our rivers have sculpted their valley floors, floodplains and channels. The fluvial landscape is interpreted in terms which are relevant to management; centuries of flood protection works have rendered most of our river channels inactive. Future management, with landscapes in mind, will need to incorporate (or restore) dynamic fluvial processes. A programme of education is required to match the public appreciation of 'wild' rivers with the information and understanding needed to manage them sustainably.     

The late modernist community in the late socialistic block of flats: the issue of urban neighbourhood vitality in Poland

The question of the big-city neighbourhood seems important due to the discussion on the condition of modern cities. The issue is centred on the problems of sustainable development and designing social relations. The problem of the neighbourhood in relation to various forms of residence triggers a discussion rooted in the classic issues of sociology as a discipline. In the proposed article, the researchers address the problem of the late socialistic block of flats, attempting to diagnose the condition of the modern urban community in the developmental context of Central Europe, based on the neoclassic concept of ‘spatially determined social circle’. The text introduces the issues of ‘socialist modernism’ using the available Central European literature. In the research part, the data obtained from an online survey on the subject conducted in 2019 in three Polish cities and from a nationwide online survey on the same subject are statistically analysed. The linear regression analysis suggested the relative vitality of the block form of residence, whose sources are both economic and social. The problem of traditional forms of accommodation and urban neighbourhoods has become a hotly debated political issue that triggers a scientific reflection on the phenomena of integration and disintegration in cities. In this context, the issue of the vitality of the forms of housing seems important not only for diagnosis purposes but also for predictions for the forthcoming decades. The case to be analysed herein is that of the late socialistic block of flats (LSBF) in Central and Eastern European countries, which for some is an anachronistic form of residence whereas for others is a partial solution to the insufficient market dynamics intended to meet people’s housing needs. In this context, we ask four questions based on a hypothesis regarding LSBF urban neighbourhood vitality in Poland. The first question is a partly theoretical question based on the conceptualisation of social circles: To what extent does living in an LSBF modify one’s sense of belonging to a social circle? The second question concerns the empirical findings regarding the LSBF neighbourhood: What is the neighbourhood assessment related to declared residence in an LSBF? The third question concerns more specific subjects related to the LSBF neighbourhood: To what extent does living in an LSBF affect the declared depth of neighbourly relations? The fourth and last question relates to the notion of vitality of the LSBF neighbourhood: Does the length of residence in an LSBF impact the interactions between the neighbours therein? The questions concerning the present-day LSBF cannot be answered without historical references to the concept of the city of socialist modernism. It is only from the genetic perspective dating back to several decades that we can understand the dynamics of the process, which has been marked by a few fundamental tribulations.

     

Spatial complexity and interactions in the FDI attractiveness of regions

In this study we argue that the capacity of regions to attract FDI is affected by the own‐country effect, which can take two different forms: the first relates to the relative performance of the country of which the region is part (the between‐country effect); the second concerns the relative performance of regions within their own countries (the within‐country effect). By using spatial econometrics techniques we demonstrate that the own country effect exists. However, while the within effect is always positive, the between one may be either positive or negative. This means that successful regions in unsuccessful countries generally enjoy an extra‐FDI premium, while regions in successful countries do not necessarily do so.     

The place of neighbourhood in social cohesion: insights from massey, West Auckland

Within public health discourse there is growing recognition that the social structures and ecology of neighbourhoods impact on health and wellbeing. A clearer understanding of the pathways through which this influence occurs will inform locality-based interventions to tackle inequalities. In this paper we report on an interview based study with parents of young children living in Massey, a suburban neighbourhood of metropolitan Auckland. Locational access to community resources is comparatively poor in Massey as measured by a community resource accessibility index. The findings provide insights into the impact of such access to services and amenities on neighbourhood social cohesion. We conclude by suggesting planning strategies for strengthening neighbourhood identification and attachment for this population group.     

The place of neighbourhood in social cohesion: insights from massey,West Auckland

Within public health discourse there is growing recognition that the social structures and ecology of neighbourhoods impact on health and wellbeing. A clearer understanding of the pathways through which this influence occurs will inform locality-based interventions to tackle inequalities. In this paper we report on an interview based study with parents of young children living in Massey, a suburban neighbourhood of metropolitan Auckland. Locational access to community resources is comparatively poor in Massey as measured by a community resource accessibility index. The findings provide insights into the impact of such access to services and amenities on neighbourhood social cohesion. We conclude by suggesting planning strategies for strengthening neighbourhood identification and attachment for this population group.     

Institutional projects and contradictory logics: Responding to complexity in institutional field change

We develop a theory of institutional field change with project organizing at its heart by posing the question of how projects contribute to institutional field change. We do this by bringing together recent literature on institutional projects with that on institutional logics and institutional complexity to show how institutional projects can act as vectors of change in institutional fields by offering bounded spaces for working through the implications of institutional complexity. We then explore this contention empirically by examining the implementation of strategic field change in a mature, complex, institutional field. We contribute to theory in project organizing research in four ways. First, we show how projects can be complements to hybrid organizations in fields displaying volatile complexity to achieve institutional field change. Second, we respond to the call to link institutional projects with institutional logics and thereby place project organizing at the heart of change in complex institutional fields; third, we demonstrate how change in the institutional field both shapes and is shaped by interactions across the commercial interface between project owner organizations and project-based firms. Fourth we show how the development of institutional theory in project organizing research depends upon a full theorization of the institutional field in which the project is embedded.     

Measuring urban form at community scale: Case study of Dublin,Ireland

With a tradition of compact cities, generally strict planning controls, and variable growth rates, many cities in Europe have policies which aim to restrict low density growth patterns. However, there is clear evidence that low density growth is happening, and that it is essential to understand the nature, location, and extent of the urban forms emerging on the periphery of cities across Europe. In its extreme manifestation, such low density peripheral growth is labelled as sprawl and considered detrimental. Drawing on the extensive literature on defining and measuring urban form, we focus on the methodologies and measures applied in the European studies at the regional (metropolitan), city, and community level. Affirming that the assessment of urban form at the community level is undertaken only sporadically, we adapt the measures used by Knaap et al. (2007) in studying US urban form to explore their applicability and robustness in analysing the evolution of urban form in a European setting. We examine the change of urban form in the Dublin Region (Ireland) in terms of residential and commercial density, internal and external connectivity, and land use mix. We find that the measures used, when adjusted to meet availability and nature of local data, are strong in revealing the trends in urban development form. We conclude by discussing the significance of the trends revealed in the case of Dublin and point to the issues of data availability in terms of both spatial and temporal resolution. Finally, we speculate on how the measures at different scales are suited to inform different types of urban policies and planning approaches.     

Communicating about sustainable urban water management: community and professional perspectives on water-related terminology

As approaches to water management begin to encompass broader social and environmental goals, new technical terms have entered the field of water management. Effective communication across professional disciplines, and with community stakeholders, is essential for sustainable urban water management. However, use of technical terminology has the potential to undermine effectiveness of communication. We surveyed professionals and community members to examine these issues. Findings indicate that water-related technical terms may not be well understood by the community. Professionals most likely to overestimate community understanding were influenced by their own understanding rather than experience with communities. For communities, individuals with poor topic knowledge or low education were less likely to seek information about terms, highlighting the importance of reducing reliance on technical terms when collaborating with diverse stakeholders.     

The neighbourhood unit adequacy: An analysis of the case of Gaza,Palestine

Urban planning in the Gaza Strip faces several challenges as a result of rapid population growth and limited available resources. Planning for housing development in Gaza is based on the neighbourhood unit concept. However, it is not clear to what extent this trend is responsive to local housing needs, and what should be done to improve it. This paper presents the results of a survey of local housing specialists followed by a real-time case study of neighbourhood planning. The study concludes that the use of neighbourhood unit concept as a planning base is appropriate for the Gaza Strip, considering the social context and the limited size of the local housing projects, which requires an incremental development policy. However, several challenges remain, including the absence of a national housing policy and unified legislation, fund shortages, and land limitations. The study recommends to policy makers that adequacy of this social-oriented planning model should be investigated considering the principle of localisation instead of standardisation. This is essential in avoiding the absolute rejection or adoption of this model on the one hand, and in ensuring a subjective process of reinventing rather than mere borrowing on the other one.     

Spatial scale, return and onward migration, and the Long-Boertlein index of repeat migration

Abstract.  Long and Boertlein's (1990 ) measure of repeat migration can be used to infer the effects of repeat migration with data sets that did not specifically ask questions about such migration. While recent work by Rogers et al. (2003 ) evaluated how well this synthetic measure matched empirical fixed-interval measures, the role of spatial scale remains unclear, particularly since scale influences migration levels, spatial structure, and the representation of the primary, return, and onward migration components within the overall flow. Motivated by the implementation of the American Community Survey and the concurrent need to adjust data from one to five-year formats, and using the 1996 Canadian Public Use Microdata File and a custom tabulation from the 1996 Canadian census, the accuracy of the index is evaluated. In particular, the effects of spatial scale upon measures of primary, return and onward migration are described and evaluated, with the Long-Boertlein measure contrasted with fixed-interval measures of return and onward migration. Results show that the measure is sensitive to spatial scale.     

Does living in a poor neighbourhood result in network poverty? A study on local networks,locality-based relationships and neighbourhood settings

This paper examines whether and how living in a poor neighbourhood results in “network poverty”. Through a detailed analysis of the formation of personal networks of people living in a poor neighbourhood and those living in an affluent neighbourhood in Rotterdam, I examine the role of the neighbourhood in the formation of personal networks. I address three issues. First, whether resource-poor people who live in a poor neighbourhood form relationships with fellow-residents to compensate for their otherwise small network. I find that they do not and that their small network is primarily caused by non-participation in settings such as study, work, leisure and associations. Second, I distinguish locally maintained relationships that have originated in other settings from locality-based relationships that originated in the neighbourhood. The study shows that high network localness is more a matter of maintaining relationships in the neighbourhood than forming many new locality-based relationships with fellow-residents. Third, I examine how the neighbourhood facilitates relationship formation and conclude that this happens not in “the neighbourhood” but in neighbourhood settings, which attract a particular segment of a neighbourhood population. I conclude that the problem of network poverty is not in the first place spatial but rather lies in lack of participation in certain settings. Furthermore, social mixing policies can only be successful if they are accompanied by initiatives to draw a mixed population to neighbourhood settings and facilitate routine encounters between resource-rich and resource-poor people.     

“On time and on budget”: Harnessing creativity in large scale projects

Keeping large scale projects “on time and on budget” is no trivial accomplishment, especially when they rely on creative contributions from multiple individuals and groups that cannot be precisely timed. Simultaneously delivering on all of these aspects requires a flexible and nuanced approach to controls that builds on the discipline instilled in professional practice. We substantiate this insight with 82-day ethnography of a dramatic television series production as it unfolded in real-time. Our analyses reveal three distinct practices enacted by project members to (re)balance creativity within the parameters of the project: 1) analogically linking controls with creative tasks; 2) (in)formally attuning creative tasks to controls as the project unfolds; and 3) (re)allocating scarce resources to realize creative aspirations of the project. Taken together, these practices organically but predictably (re)balance creativity and control in large scale projects.     

The effect of neighbourhood on rodent communities: an example from Pampean agroecosystems

Pampean region agroecosystems are devoted to agricultural and farming activities, but in the crop field matrix there are relicts of remnant natural habitats. Poultry farms mainly harbour commensal species as house mice and rats, which are rarely present in surrounding habitats. We assessed if neighbourhood to poultry farms affect the presence of Mus musculus in crop fields and their borders, and if rodent community in poultry farms is influenced by the species present in surrounding crop fields and borders. We found that habitat had a significant effect on the abundance of M. musculus. This species showed higher abundance in poultry farms than in crop field borders. Calomys laucha was the unique native species that was captured in farm sheds. We found higher abundance of native species in crop field borders than in crop fields independent of the proximity to the poultry farms. We conclude that rodent communities in poultry farms are little influenced by the surroundings, and show a dominance of M. musculus independently of the presence of native rodent species in neighbour habitats. On the other hand, farms do not export M. musculus to surrounding habitats, and borders only function as corridors for dispersal among farms, while crop fields are rarely used.