“Dangerous”Buildings and Urban Planning:Locus,Legal Framework and Assessment for the City of Larissa

Dangerous,vacant and abandoned buildings traditionally have been considered as negative elements in the urban environment.Their“harmful”properties include hosting“nests”of criminality(drug trafficking etc.),becoming a threat to public safety(easy to catch fire,collapsing building materials etc.),degrading conditions of public health(rubbish damp,rats infesting etc.),affecting property values in the surrounding areas,loading their owners with taxes(property tax etc.)and no revenues,imposing negative impacts on the aesthetics and the quality of the urban environment.On the other hand,they might trigger opportunities for urban regeneration,provide new available spaces for urban uses if demolished,and provide a stock of urban elements of special characteristics,to be used for the formulation of housing policies.The present article reviews urban policies focusing on these properties and assesses existing implementations.The various factors characterizing the above initiatives constitute challenging planning and legal cases.The complexity of the issue of abandoned buildings in the urban environment,is to be tested in the case of the city of Larissa,Greece.Legal and planning inadequacies in dealing with the above will be investigated,and proposals for the formulation of policies and legal tools will be synthesized.

Augmented planning support system framework for mountainous urban master planning

As a reflection of the relationship between human and mountainous environment, urban planning has an impact on the mountainous environment by changing the topography, landform and spatial layout. A good urban planning can mitigate and adapt to the mountainous environmental impact. Urban master planning involves the interrelationships and interactions of various components of urban complex systems. Planning Support System(PSS), as a technical means to assist planning decision-making, is mostly based on the construction mode of "user(stakeholder)-system". Its strong professional characteristics are not conducive to the consensus of diverse stakeholders on urban planning. The aim of this paper is therefore to build an augmented planning support system framework that is based on complex adaptive system theory, this framework is ontology-driven, and thus will enable the generation of a planning support prototype system for mountainous urban master planning founded on this framework. The framework fuses the urban planning ontology and the planning support system together, which helps different urban agents to reach a consensus based on a common understanding of urban planning. The defect is that the construction of the urban planning ontology is still manually constructed. The approach advocated here will enable a common understanding of mountainous urban master planning, support efficient and flexible decision in this area, and provide reference framework for future mountainous urban master PSS developments and application. The PSS prototype developed based on augmented planning support system framework has been applied to the urban master planning of Changting County in Fujian Province, China. Through the application of multiscenario analysis, urban agents can deepen their understanding of the current situation and future development of the city, and ultimately helps to promote urban planning decisions and implementation.

Architectures in the Shadow of ＂Investors＇ Urban Planning＂--Case Study of Avala Hotel in Budva, Montenegro

Avala Hotel in Budva, Montenegro, has undergone three reconstructions. Each of them led to significant spatial changes. The first hotel established the foundation of urbanization process in Budva, the building was too high compared to the old town walls in the surrounding and thus not well integrated. The second reconstruction was the only successful achievement. At this time, in the first detailed urban plan including hotel and its surrounding area, the conclusion was that it represents ＂high-quality, seaside-favorable ambience＂ that should not be harmed by further building expansion. The last, illegal reconstruction in 2006 resulted in over enlarged new building disrespectful of the surrounding and the previous design. Similarly, the 2008 new detailed urban plan was the creation of ＂investors＇ urban planning＂. Entirely driven by profit, it arranges building reconstructions with multiple enlargements. This study tends to point out contextual impacts of the three hotels on the surrounding area, with special focus on the last reconstruction and ＂investors＇ urban planning＂ phenomena. The applied research method is comparative, chronological analysis of the three hotels. The aim of this research paper is to inspire initiatives that will help overcoming declining and harmful synergy of architecture and new socio-economic phenomena. It is the only way leading to the significant architectural goal： creating refined, harmonized and high quality ambience.

Reflections and Enlightenments on the Population Size Determination in Urban Master Planning in China:A Case Study of Xi'an City

There is a long-term problem that the population size determination in urban master planning usually deviates from the implementation result.How to determine the population size scientifically and reasonably during the transformation of spatial planning system in China has become the focus of attention in the new era.Taking Xi’an as an example,based on the analysis of differences between the population size determination and the actual development of population in the four rounds of urban master planning since the founding of the People’s Republic of China in 1949,this paper reflects on the reasons for the inaccuracy of population estimates from three aspects:the connotation of"goal-oriented"planning,the planning objective of"growthism,"and the determination method of"mechanical simplicity."In the context of territorial and spatial planning,this paper puts forward enlightenments for the population size determination in urban master planning in three aspects,i.e.,putting the people first and combining rigid and elastic control,practicing ecological civilization and strengthening bottom line thinking,and establishing a sound methodological system and unified standards and regulations.

Study on Jinan urban construction planning based on the protection of karst landscape

Study on urban construction planning based on karst landscape protection contributes to sustainable development of urban construction in karst area. Jinan is a city famous for karst spring water. Karst landscape plays a decisive role in urban construction. Through hydrogeological analysis, the distribution characteristics of karst mountain, cave, gully and flat dam in Jinan are analyzed. It is revealed that various karst landforms are involved in the spring circulation process to varying degrees. Some karst landforms have been destroyed in the process of urban construction and the karst landscape has been overexploited resulting in the direct or indirect weakening of spring water recharge and infiltration capacity and the decrease of spring water flow. Through the study of the principle of organic combination of karst landscape and urban construction planning, on the basis of protecting the ecological environment of the south, paying attention to the overall protection of the karst geomorphology system and the principle of accessibility of the karst landscape, the development countermeasures guided by urban planning are put forward based on karst landforms protection. On the basis of fully considering the special karst landform conditions in Jinan, the countermeasures are that the ecological control red line of urban construction planning should be set up based on karst mountains and valleys in southern of Jinan City. It is suggested that the bare carbonate rock continuous mountain foot line in the direct recharge area should be taken as the south control red line of urban development and included in the overall planning. The urban landscape is mainly displayed in the main axis based on karst mountains and springs, constructing East-West Axis-characteristic Landscape Belt along the Wufeng Mountain-Langmao Mountain-Hero Mountain-Qianfo Mountain-Long cave-Panlong cave-Jinping Mountain line and North-South Axis Landscape Belt along the Baotu SpringQianfo Mountain line, Baiquan-Panlong cave line, Baimai spring-Dajian Mountain line. Based on the karst river valleys and the river system, the urban spatial pattern is constructed, forming ecological corridor, restoring infiltration function of river. The form of urban construction should be shaped based on karst landform and the river system. The main form is semi-star like radiation type and the combination of central intensive type and zonal type. Based on the whole protection of karst geomorphology system and the scientific molding of karst landscape, the ecological landscape city with the symbiosis of spring and urban can be built.

Design of Aided Decision-Making Program for Prioritizing Construction Projects in Urban Road Network Planning

The importance and complexity of prioritizing construction projects (PCP) in urban road network planning lead to the necessity to develop an aided decision making program (ADMP). Cost benefit ratio model and stage rolled method are chosen as the theoretical foundations of the program, and then benefit model is improved to accord with the actuality of urban traffic in China. Consequently, program flows, module functions and data structures are designed, and particularly an original data structure of road ...

Practical Strategies for Urban Rail Transit Loop Planning, Construction, and Operation

Urban rail transit loops are essential in urban rail transit systems and transportation networks.However,precise requirements and reference standards for rail transit loop design have yet to be established.There are certain areas for improvement in planning,construction,and operation.In the planning and design of urban rail transit loops,the scale of the city and the relationship between line operations should be considered to ensure that the line conforms to the city’s operating traffic conditions and can effectively cater to peak passenger flow requirements.This article presents strategies for planning,constructing,and operating urban rail transit loops,laying the foundation for the healthy operation of urban rail transit.

Urban planning historical review of master plans and the way towards a sustainable city:Dar es Salaam,Tanzania

Urban planning in Tanzania has focused mainly on economic development.The Tanzanian government prioritizes large-scale modern projects to increase national income and propel world-class urban settlements.Dar es Salaam,Tanzania's largest city and main commercial center has experienced remarkable urban development.Unfortunately,its growth has not been consistent with the master plans,which also overlook sustainable urban development aspects.The high urbanization rate has exacerbated the degradation of the city's environment,including roadside air quality,solid waste,and water quality.The city's ongoing environmental dilapidation has led to a call for a sustainable urbanization to curb past urbanization problems and implement a sustainable future.This work reviews Dar es Salaam's available planning documents and examines how master plans can stimulate sustainable urban development.Findings suggest that master plans should not be used as a mere urban growth control tool.Master plans that are designed and conceptualized as a comprehensive strategy and integrated with different aspects of urban development can play a key role in enforcing sustainable urban development for the city.

Thematic Planning of Urban Sculpture Systems:A Case Study of Red Sculpture System Planning in Yan’an

The practice of sculpture system planning has been gradually carried out,but the cultural lag has caused many historical and cultural cities to fail to show their red style.This paper explores the key points of urban sculpture system planning.Taking the sculpture system planning of Yan’an as an example,the urban master plan is understood,and the layout and zoning of the sculpture system is planned combined with the current situation.Finally,enlightenments for urban sculpture planning are drawn:basing on the current situation,focusing on the characteristics of the city,distinct systematic hierarchy,drawing on the experience of famous sculpture cities and catering to public preferences,with a view to continuing the spirit of the red era and providing a useful reference for future urban planning and scientifi c development.

Urban planning construction land standard and its revision based on climate and topography in China

Urban planning construction land standard is the technical specification for scientifically allocating various types of urban construction land,and it is the basis for drawing up and revising the overall urban planning scheme.Considering China’s current urban planning construction land standard,many problems exist,such as the gap in the land use control threshold,the lack of regional differences in the climate revision,and failing to consider the topographic factors.To resolve these problems,this study proposed a step-by-step process framework and quantitative calculation method for the establishment and revision of standards in accordance with the principle of Total-Structure control.By setting the conditions,a universal basic standard for construction land was established.Quantitative analysis was then conducted on the relationship between the basic standard and the selected key indicators,such as urban population size,sunshine spacing coefficient,the width of river valleys or inter-montane basins,and terrain slope,among others.Finally,revised standards were formed for climate conditions,topography,and geomorphologic conditions,which were matched with the basic standards.The key results are three-fold:(1)The per capita construction land standard of 95 m~2/person can be used as the total indicator of China’s urban planning basic standard,and the corresponding per capita single construction land comprises 32.50%of residential land,7.42%of public management and public service land,22.50%of industrial land,17.50%of transportation facilities,12.50%of green space,and 7.58%of other land-use types.The results of the revision of the urban population size indicate that the difference in population size has little effect on the total amount of per capita construction land.(2)The climate revision results of per capita residential land and per capita construction land in major cities reveal that the revised climate value varies greatly between north and south China.The revised climate values of the per capita area of construction land vary by latitude as follows:the value at 20°N is 93 m^(2)/person,the value at 30°N is 97 m^(2)/person,the value at 40°N is 103 m^(2)/person,and the value at 50°N is 115 m^(2)/person.The basic standard land value of 95 m^(2)/person is generally distributed across the Xiamen-Guilin-Kunming line.(3)The cities located in mountainous areas,hilly valleys,or inter-montane basins can reduce the allocation of community parks and comprehensive parks when the average width of an existing river valley or inter-montane basin is less than 2 km.When the average width of the valley or inter-montane basin is between 2 km to 4 km,the allocation of the comprehensive parks can be reduced.The revised results of per capita sloping construction land reveal that the terrain slope greatly affects the revised value of per capita construction land.Specifically,the revised value at 3°is 3.68%higher than the basic standard value,and the increase rates at 8°,15°,and 25°are 11.25%,26.49%,and 68.47%,respectively.

Construction of Urban Space in Shengming Kangyuan Area of Liyang Based on Fengshui Theory

Under the background of stereotyped urban planning and construction and the pursuit of high land value,it is particularly important to explore the application of urban environmental characteristics in urban design and highlight the integration of local characteristics and people’s life.In this paper,based on the origin of Fengshui theory and the planning points of an ideal Fengshui pattern,the planning and design of Shengming Kangyuan Area in Liyang were studied to explore the positive influence of Fengshui theory in the construction of urban space,and some planning suggestions were put forward to improve the urban environment and achieve harmony and unity between man and the natural environment.

Planning and Ecological Landscape Design of Urban Constructed Wetland

In addition to purifying water, constructed wetland has become an important ecological landscape in city. The characteristics and key design points of constructed wetland under the ecological principles were explored, taking the Jingyue Lake in Zhongxiang City, Hubei Province for example, treatment processes were designed for different infl ow waters on the basis of site analysis to facilitate the water environment control and ecological landscape construction, ecological theories were applied to explore functional layouts and landscape designs of wetland, to build a favorable ecological environment of urban wetland and design outstanding wetland ecological landscapes.

Study on the planning principles of urban forest

The urban forest is the main body for the urban forestry management. There are not unified rules and standards for the planning of the urban forest yet in China. This paper discusses the planning principles of the urban forest： the priority of the ecological function, the adaptation to local condilions, the optimization in the whole system, the mutual dependence of forest and city, the culturecontinuance and recreation satisfaction, sustainable development and operability, etc. This paper takes Changsha as an example to elaborate the planning principles of the urban forest. Firstly, Changsba urban forest ecosphere is composed of the eco-garden, the round-the-city forest belt, the ecological isolation belt, the green channel, the landscape of the rivers and streams, the forest park, the biodiversity reserve and the eco-forest in suburb area. It aims to make every kind of ecological essential factors organically merge into the complex city ecosystem to build an eco-city, to strengthen the connection of wide-open space with various habitats spots, to promote resident＇s accessibility, to perfect landscape ecology, and to make full use of the ecological function of urban forest. When we construct the urban forest, we must optimize the comprehensive benefit and make the urban forest structure and the layout in the best condition in order to buiM the harmonious green city for both man and nature to realize the whole optimization of the city system by the complex functions of the urban forest in ecology, environmental protection, landscape, recreation, etc.

Exploring the Gaps between Master's Degree Holders' Competence and Industrial Demands in Urban and Rural Planning: Senior Field Engineers' Observations and Reflexive Narrative

This paper examines the academic-work gap in terms of performance reality and performance expectations by expanding on the cultivation model of Master's students in the university context and the most recent industry requirements for talents'competence.The subjects of this paper are Master's degree holders,both academic and professional.The paper examines common issues encountered by enterprise professionals when employing Master's degree holders and proposes a university-enterprise joint cultivation model to achieve win-win outcomes for both higher education institutions and businesses.

The Study on Protection and Construction Mode of Urban Ecologically Sensitive Areas

The paper had analyzed the necessity and feasibility for the protection and utilization of urban ecologically sensitive areas, proposed planning urban ecologically sensitive areas reasonably and combining ecological protection with development construction. Guiding the healthy and ordered development of urban spaces was the key part and important approach to realize ecological cities. The guiding thought for development construction of ecological cities had been discussed, which was conducting laddered development according to the location and coverage of urban ecologically sensitive areas and protection grades of these sensitive areas. Then, it had proposed four kinds of protection and construction modes, which were tourism leisure green lands, relevant expositions, industrial areas and new city groups, and which had been analyzed by combining with successful cases, so as to provide feasible win-win development strategies of ecology and economy for the planning of urban ecologically sensitive areas in the future.

Spatial Planning in Ghana: Antecedents and the Role of Local Artisans

This paper explored the antecedents and the role of local artisans in Spatial Planning (SP) activities in Ghana. The paper was based on the results of an inspection of 5896 already built houses at Mepe in the Volta Region of Ghana. A mixed method research approach was used to gather the data through snowball non-probability sampling technique. It enabled the researchers to identify 100 local artisans. Survey questionnaires were used, which was followed by structured interviews with five (5) elders who lived in the town for over 65 years. The results showed that the early houses were built on community lands with mud and thatch clustered with narrow and unnamed alleys. Property owners heavily depended on local artisans for professional guidance, although some artisans were ill-trained and unaware of existing government SP regulations. The study was limited to artisans who practiced at the local community level. The findings showed that many local artisans were poorly trained, resulting in poor workmanship and non-compliance with local planning regulations. The paper recommends the integration of SP into the artisanal curricula at both local and national levels to improve their skills.

Underground space planning in Helsinki

This paper gives insight into the use of underground space in Helsinki,Finland.The city has an underground master plan(UMP) for its whole municipal area,not only for certain parts of the city.Further,the decision-making history of the UMP is described step-by-step.Some examples of underground space use in other cities are also given.The focus of this paper is on the sustainability issues related to urban underground space use,including its contribution to an environmentally sustainable and aesthetically acceptable landscape,anticipated structural longevity and maintaining the opportunity for urban development by future generations.Underground planning enhances overall safety and economy efficiency.The need for underground space use in city areas has grown rapidly since the 21 st century;at the same time,the necessity to control construction work has also increased.The UMP of Helsinki reserves designated space for public and private utilities in various underground areas of bedrock over the long term.The plan also provides the framework for managing and controlling the city’s underground construction work and allows suitable locations to be allocated for underground facilities.Tampere,the third most populated city in Finland and the biggest inland city in the Nordic countries,is also a good example of a city that is taking steps to utilise underground resources.Oulu,the capital city of northern Finland,has also started to ‘go underground’.An example of the possibility to combine two cities by an 80-km subsea tunnel is also discussed.A new fixed link would generate huge potential for the capital areas of Finland and Estonia to become a real Helsinki-Tallinn twin city.

新农科视域下的乡村规划知识体系:历程回顾·问题分析·对策探讨

知识体系建设是专业建设的先决条件与必要基础,如何结合过去的经验积累和面向现实的问题思考搭建起科学合理的知识结构,成为开设乡村规划设计专业面临的首要任务与核心问题。文章梳理了近年来乡村规划教育领域的代表性研究成果,回顾了新中国成立以来乡村规划教育发展概况,以此为基础,从教材建设与知识积累特点、新农科指向与知识集成需求两个方面切入,对现实问题与发展挑战进行分析论述,并进一步从知识内涵、知识特色、知识图谱3个层次出发,对乡村规划知识体系的3个关键议题做了对策探讨,以供专业建设及后续研究参考。

历史传统与现代化愿景:我国当代城市大道的空间原型与规划特征探讨

城市大道是现代城市的功能空间骨架和重要的纪念和展示空间。改革开放以来,在波澜壮阔的城镇化进程中,大道的规划建设成为我国各级城市追求跨越式发展和迈向现代化的重要标志。其建设动力不仅有城市交通发展和空间拓展的客观需求,而且伴随着城市管理者和城市规划工作者对空间秩序的执着追求,还隐含着某些城市文化心理方面的要素。从梳理中外规划历史的视角出发,试图探寻我国现代城市大道规划建设思想源头的空间原型。同时,以深圳深南大道为典型案例,探究其规划建设历程和代表性的空间特征。在此基础上,从空间尺度、功能价值、规划导向、文化意象,以及存量时代大道空间的精细化营造等方面,对我国大道规划建设的成就和经验、不足和问题、挑战和策略等进行讨论。

Reflections and Explorations on the Decremented Regulation of Construction Land in the New Beijing City Master Planning

Construction land use has always been a key point for the planning department to practice national transformation strategy. In the new round of compilation of Beijing City Master Plan, the management of construction land use is under the rigid restriction of the bearing capacity of resources and the environment. Setting the upper-limit of the population size, a general strategy of decremented development of urban-rural construction land has been put forward, in order to realize a transition from quantitative expansion planning to qualitative upgrading planning. By "decremented development," "decremented" means a more rigid bottom-line restriction, and "development" means a more scientific allocation of resources. From the master planning level, the new Beijing City Master Plan establishes a comprehensive control framework and restrictive index system from perspectives including land use scale, construction scale, space boundary, urban and rural structure, land use structure, and cross-boundary collaboration; and in practice, it promotes strict management methods by setting up a dismantle-construction land ratio, dismantle-construction building area ratio, employment and residence land ratio, and "two lines and three districts," which is an exploration on the planning management method of construction land use that is stock-based and decremented master planning. Considering that decremented development is a major reform and a special challenge to planning implementation, the Beijing City Master Plan carries out explorations in terms of the planning management method, land policy, jurisdiction division, assessment and supervision, etc.