Morphology of quarters in traditional Arab Islamic city:A case of the traditional city of Damascus

Studies on the quarters of traditional Arab Islamic cities have stressed the idea of an urban structure that corresponds to social groupings and to a collection of local regions or even of"inchoate"neighborhood units.This spatial model has often provided the rationale for the intervention in these cities and in the design of new housing layouts.This study aims to examine this issue through syntactic measures and observations to describe and analyze the structure and morphology of quarters through connectivity and visibility analysis of pedestrian movement through space syntax.Whether the structure of these cities presents a global whole in contrast to the assumptions of physical subareas of social groupings is discussed.The city of Damascus is used as a model of analysis in which the urban morphology of quarters is described and characterized.This study reports several findings that are potentially relevant to the un-derstanding of traditional laws that relate the physical layout of quarters to the social struc-ture and their local subareas to the global whole that dominate and unify the parts.On this basis,the design approach in these cities may be better understood.     

Morphology of quarters in traditional Arab Islamic city: A case of the traditional city of Damascus

Studies on the quarters of traditional Arab Islamic cities have stressed the idea of an urban structure that corresponds to social groupings and to a collection of local regions or even of “inchoate” neighborhood units. This spatial model has often provided the rationale for the intervention in these cities and in the design of new housing layouts. This study aims to examine this issue through syntactic measures and observations to describe and analyze the structure and morphology of quarters through connectivity and visibility analysis of pedestrian movement through space syntax. Whether the structure of these cities presents a global whole in contrast to the assumptions of physical subareas of social groupings is discussed. The city of Damascus is used as a model of analysis in which the urban morphology of quarters is described and characterized. This study reports several findings that are potentially relevant to the understanding of traditional laws that relate the physical layout of quarters to the social structure and their local subareas to the global whole that dominate and unify the parts. On this basis, the design approach in these cities may be better understood.     

The plan as a colonization project: the medina of Tlemcen under French rule, 1842–1920

In the nineteenth century, Algerian cities were the first medinas in the Arab world to be colonized by a European power. Tlemcen, a medieval medina involved in this historical event, was marked by a relentless struggle on the part of the French administration to transform it into a city conforming to modern standards. The antagonism between two urban systems – the ‘Islamic city’ and the modern city – takes a problematic form when confronted with urban interventions that had colonizing aims. This paper will argue that the plan of the colonial city introduced a new order, subjecting the medieval medina within a set/subset relationship. Through urban subordination, the French military–civil administration used the plan layout as an instrument to control and dominate the medina of Tlemcen. In order to verify this hypothesis, a thorough study of documents dating from the early years of the French occupation was undertaken; thus, this paper is constructed as an urban study, based on a historico-morphological approach.     

Polycentric development practice in master planning: the case of China

Towards the end of the twentieth century, polycentricity was introduced into China as a planning concept. Subsequently a number of super/mega city regions began to adopt polycentric development spatial planning strategies, which are designed to facilitate more sustainable and balanced development. This paper seeks to identify the main differences in application of polycentricity between China and the West, and explore the major emerging thematic strands of polycentric development practice, as illustrated through an evaluation of master planning in eight super/mega city regions across China. In particular, the paper highlights the divergent interpretations of polycentricity in master plan-making practice and shows how plans have been adjusted to help deliver the idea of polycentric development. Although the concept of polycentricity is relatively new in China, it has already become a normative approach used to determine future spatial structures. While there is an absence of an articulated rationality to ‘decide’ whether this is (or should be) an ‘ideal’ model, already it has gone beyond Western approaches of initially using polycentricity as an interpretative tool to describe urban realities.     

城市建设强度与热岛的相关性——以重庆市开州区为例

城市建设强度是城市热岛形成与演变的主要驱动因素,为了揭示两者之间的量化关系,以重庆市开州区为例,在用地地块、规则网格和建筑斑块3个空间尺度上,使用ArcGIS提取地表温度(LST)与建设强度指标,利用SPSS分析其相关性并构建多元回归模型。结果表明:用地地块尺度上,LST与绿化率、建筑密度和容积率之间均呈现显著的负相关,与建筑底面积和总建筑面积之间均呈现显著的正相关。规则网格尺度序列上,LST与建设强度各指标之间的相关性系数随网格面积的增大而增大,在840m网格时达到最大值;总体上LST与绿化率之间呈显著的负相关,与建筑密度和容积率之间呈显著的正相关。建筑斑块的尺度上,LST与建筑层数之间有显著的负相关关系,与总建筑面积之间有显著的正相关关系。城市建设强度直接或间接影响了城市热岛的形成与演变,而相关分析发现,建设强度指标并非都与LST之间呈正相关关系,这表明城市热岛除受建设强度的影响外,还受区域气候、城市形态、城市性质、交通方式以及建筑材质与色彩等多种因素的协同影响,是一个非线性的复杂过程。     

The structural variability of quarters and residential areas in the historical texture of the city of Yazd based on Islamic rules and jurisprudence: a case study of Golchinan quarter

According to many researchers and scholars, religious beliefs can be considered as the most influential factor in forming Muslim urban spaces and their architectural elements. In fact, historical cities reflect the culture and beliefs of their residences. Among all historical places in Iranian cities, the historical texture of the city of Yazd, especially the quarters since the age of Qajar dynasty, are well preserved. The present study aims at identifying the Islamic principles and values influencing the formation of architectural spaces and the extent of their applications in one of the historical quarters known as Golchinan. The results of the conformation of the theoretical findings with the data acquired from field studies revealed that almost 90% of the urban and architectural spaces (e.g. residential areas, mosques, bazaars, and pathways) in Yazd are directly influenced by Islamic principles. In other words, there is a strong conformity between the accepted Islamic values of the society and what actually was applied to urban constructions during Qajar dynasty.     

The garden city idea in the CIAM discourse on urbanism: a path to comprehensive planning

Over a period of three decades, from 1928 to 1959, the Congrès Internationaux d'Architecture Moderne (CIAM) formed an unconventional working team and a complex laboratory of progressive ideas for designing the city. During the founding years of the organization and the transatlantic emigration of many of its major figures during the second half of the 1930s, a profound engagement with the most important trends in the European and North American debates on planning had become the critical foundation for their common task. The organization's consequent basic convictions and demands summed up the most effective maxims of the discipline since the turn of the century. Officially, CIAM tried to distinguish itself from traditional urban planning and instead advocated modern urban planning as the antithesis to everything that existed previously. Seen from a historical perspective, however, numerous points of connection – in particular to the garden city movement – become very clear. The various members of CIAM were deeply influenced ideologically by Ebenezer Howard's visions for urbanism. Personal contact to representatives of the garden city movement, active involvement in its institutions, and broad implementation of Howard's ideas in the context of European and North American planning led CIAM from the analysis of the functions of the existing city to a comprehensive design of the modern city.     

Perspectives on decentralization past,present, and future: a review of conferences in Grenoble,Milan, and Delft (2017–2019)

ABSTRACT

Decentralization has actively engaged various fields of sociology, economy, and governance in the development of urban regions and territories. As a multifaceted strategy, decentralization contributes to enrich our understanding of national and international forces, power struggles, economic factors, and their impacts on the built environment. To frame the discourse of decentralization on urban development, three institutions of ENSAG Université Grenoble Alpes, Politecnico di Milano, and the Delft University of Technology closely collaborated to organize three conferences in Grenoble, Milan, and Delft, respectively. They called scholarly attention re-thinking of urban and regional planning of the twentieth century through the lens of decentralization’s values and ideologies. These three conferences laid out how decentralization and its evolution engaged with the field of planning, and in turn, affected urban transformation and regional development worldwide. Focusing on the role of decentralization in urban and regional planning, these scholarly events offered an innovative perspective on research on planning history. This report, therefore, reflects upon the discussions took place at these three conferences to outline the diversity of perspectives on decentralization and its role in urban and regional planning in the past, present, and future.     

大数据时代高校城乡规划本科专业课程体系改革——以安徽师范大学为例

信息技术的发展使数据收集、研究方法及规划设计等发生了深刻变革,城乡规划也进入大数据时代。大数据推动了城市问题分析、城市空间管理的科学化与精准化,并在区域规划、城市总体规划、城市详细规划与设计等多个层面进行方法革新,从而决定了规划结果的合理性。文章以安徽师范大学城乡规划专业为例,在分析大数据对城乡规划专业影响的基础上,从专业基础、技术手段、学科融合等方面分析现有专业课程体系中存在的问题,进而从学科交叉、数据挖掘、区域特色、专业评估等方面提出高校城乡规划本科专业课程体系改革思路,通过课程调整,增设大数据相关课程,提出专业课程改革举措,以期为其他高校城乡规划本科专业课程体系改革提供借鉴。     

Garden cities in colonial Africa: a note on historiography

While there is an abundance of published literature on the diffusion of planning modes and garden city notions in the western world, the corresponding literature on colonial (sub-Saharan) Africa is rather sparse. This brief paper, dealing with major historiographic trends in urban space and segregation in light of garden city literature proposes new directions for critical research on garden cities in colonial Africa. Both thematically and methodologically, the paper will highlight the importance of studying the influences of garden city ideas beyond the global North–West, and understanding the channels through which they were passed on to various colonial contexts in Africa, the circumstances of their application and the political interests they were meant to serve.     

控规单元尺度城市更新中建筑碳排预计算研究 ——以武汉滨江商务区七期地块为例

我国已处于城镇化的后半程,加上“30 目标+60愿景”国际承诺的做出,标志着存量更 新和低碳规划将成为我国城市开发建设和转型 发展的基本语境。建筑碳排是城市中的重要碳 排放源,亦是影响城市更新的主要碳排因素和 计算因子,针对当前我国城市更新中建筑碳排计 算研究的缺失,以控规单元尺度为研究范围, 以建筑碳排预计算为研究对象,综合运用多种 定量研究方法与工具平台及图式化语言进行研 究分析。在能耗模拟框架下,对三种常用建筑碳排预计算方法进行比选,选取“根据规划用地类型与强度推算建筑能耗”的碳排计算方法。以武 汉滨江商务区七期地块为实证地块,根据城市更新规划设计方案,对城市更新后建筑碳排进行预 计算及结果分析;并对现状地块的建筑碳排进行计算,对比分析地块更新前后建筑能耗的减排 效应并进行原因探析,得出经过低碳城市更新后的建筑碳排降幅可达到约88%,主要原因在于高 能耗建筑类型的减少及用地功能与性质的改变。在实证研究的基础上,从三个方面提出控规单 元尺度城市更新的低碳规划策略与技术路径,最后对研究的科学价值和现实意义进行讨论,并 提出未来研究应继续努力与完善的方向。     

基于生境保护的山地城市小规模农地规划管控技术--以重庆市永川区中心城区为例

山地城市中零散分布的小规模农地存量可观、潜在生境价值明显,实际中却少受重视。基于山地城市小规模农地的多样性生境价值,在分析重庆市永川区研究区域内小规模农地生境价值的基础上,探析小规模农地景观格局因子及近邻土地利用方式对其生境价值的影响及其量化关系。研究表明:1)经InVEST模型模拟,山地城市小规模农地生境质量指数较高,是部分城市动植物的适宜生境,且作为生态“踏脚石”可提高周边绿色斑块的连通性;2)小规模农地生境价值与斑块面积、斑块周长、形状指数具有相关性,且与“毗邻林地”“毗邻城市建设用地”2个因子的相关性高,小规模农地与林地结合更有利于生境保护。基于以上分析结果,提出山地城市高价值小规模农地的甄别、空间形态引导、“可相容性”用地融入等一系列规划管控技术建议。     

The effect of a redesigned floor plan, occupant density and the quality of indoor climate on the cost of space, productivity and sick leave in an office building–A case study

The aim of this study was to examine changes in the overall costs of an office when the efficiency of space use is increased. The variable in the examination was a space index, calculated as the floor area per employee. The quality of indoor climate was also a variable in the analysis. The overall cost analysis of a given case building showed that when space use is boosted significantly, measures must be taken to guarantee a sufficient quality of indoor climate. The study indicates that investment in the quality of indoor climate is cost-effective when the economic effect of indoor climate to health and productivity are taken into account in addition to the costs of investment, operation and maintenance. Insufficient ventilation without mechanical cooling may cause a substantial loss of productivity. The importance of good ventilation and air-conditioning increases with a more efficient use of space especially in conjunction with high value of work.     

Assessing the mitigation effect of deep tunnels on urban flooding: a case study in Guangzhou,China

ABSTRACT

There are growing demands of deep tunnels to mitigate the severe urban flooding by providing a large storage capacity for excess storm runoff. This study aims to assess the flooding mitigation effect of a deep tunnel system proposed in the old downtown of Guangzhou, China, and to quantify the flooding volume difference by two storm hyetographs, the Chicago curve and the Improved Huff curve. Results show that the flooding volume is significantly reduced by a minimum of 19% and a maximum of 42% under design storms of 10- and 0.5-year return periods, respectively, when the deep tunnel system is constructed. There is a distinct spatial pattern for the mitigation effect. The best mitigation is in the west and the immediate north of the main tunnel, whereas the east does not show significant mitigation. Moreover, the actual flooding risk is likely underestimated when the Chicago curve is employed to design the storms.     

Comprehensive concept planning of urban greening based on ecological principles: a case study in Beijing, China

Greenspace is an important part of complex urban ecosystems and provides significant ecosystem services. It benefits urban communities environmentally, esthetically, recreationally and economically. Beijing Province is in north of China, and has a total area of 16,807.8 km² and a population of about 13.8 million. This paper aims to develop a comprehensive conceptual framework for urban greening of Beijing Province based on landscape ecological principles. It attempts to answer how to establish an urban greening plan at the regional, city and neighborhood levels to achieve long-term sustainability. At the regional level, a big natural and semi-natural forest area in the northwest and an ecological buffer belt in the southeast are planned to protect the environmental quality of Beijing and provide habitats for wildlife. At the city level, a green network system of green wedges, parks and green corridors has been proposed. This green network helps to limit future urban expansion, improve urban environmental quality and serve as habitats and migration routes for wildlife. At the neighborhood level, green extensions and connections of riverside greenway, road greenway, parks and vertical greening permeate into the built-up areas. They provide open space close to residential areas and offer places for recreation. This three-level green system constitutes an integrated ecological network for urban sustainable development of Beijing. For future development of Beijing, urban parks, forestry, agriculture, water and infrastructure should be planned and designed in an integrated way. After this greenspace plan is legislated and completely realized, Beijing will develop an interconnected and integrated network of urban greenspaces. It has the prospect of achieving the aim of “Green Olympic City 2008” and the long-term goal of developing Beijing towards an “Eco-City”.