Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.9
3.2
Journals
Land
Special Issues
Advancing Sustainable Urban Development Through Spatial Analysis: Leveraging Digital Technologies...
share announcement

Advancing Sustainable Urban Development Through Spatial Analysis: Leveraging Digital Technologies and Geographic Data for Smart, Inclusive, and Resilient Cities

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Innovations – Data and Machine Learning".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 19 December 2025 | Viewed by 3596

Special Issue Editors

Dr. Valeria Saiu

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil, Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: multi-criteria decision analysis; strategic problem structuring techniques; impact and scenario analysis; urban planning and design; housing; sustainable development; equity
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Francesca Abastante

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Interuniversity Department of Regional and Urban Studies and Planning (DIST), Politecnico di Torino, 10125 Torino, Italy
Interests: multicriteria analysis; strategic evaluation for decision making; sustainable development; urban planning; architecture
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Francesco Piras

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Civil, Environmental Engineering and Architecture, University of Cagliari, 09123 Cagliari, Italy
Interests: accessibility and sustainable urban mobility planning; active mobility; discrete choice modelling; informational measures for travel behaviour change; travel behavior analysis; sharing mobility and mobility as a service
Dr. Giuliano Poli

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture, University of Naples Federico II, 80138 Napoli, NA, Italy
Interests: multi-criteria decision analysis; spatial decision support system; strategic evaluation for decision making; sustainable development; urban planning; ecosystem services mapping and evaluation
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

This Special Issue focuses on urban spatial analysis and assessment based on multi-source geographic data and tools, highlighting both the opportunities and challenges introduced by emerging digital technologies in urban research and professional practice. By leveraging these advancements, this Special Issue aims to contribute to the development of sustainable and equitable urban environments that align with the United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs), particularly those related to sustainable cities and communities (SDG 11), climate action (SDG 13), and reducing inequalities (SDG 10).

Integrated urban spatial analysis has emerged as a crucial research field, combining multidimensional data to provide deeper insights into urban dynamics, resource allocation, real estate valuation, mobility patterns, and environmental sustainability. Using Geographic Information Systems (GISs), digital cartography, remote sensing, and artificial intelligence, researchers and practitioners can develop predictive models and spatially explicit assessments that support evidence-based decision-making in urban planning and policy development.

This Special Issue promotes an interdisciplinary approach, encouraging contributions from technology, geography, urban design, real estate assessment, humanities, and social sciences to address the complex challenges of contemporary cities. As collaborative efforts are essential for translating theoretical knowledge into practical urban solutions, studies that analyze real-world case studies and bridge the gap between research and practical implementation will be particularly valued.

Moreover, this Special Issue will prioritize studies that promote urban practices focused on inclusivity, equity, and environmental justice, ensuring that future cities are balanced, adaptable, and human centred. By exploring the synergies between geographic data, digital innovation, and urban policy, this Special Issue seeks to advance discussions on smart, sustainable, and socially responsible urban development.

The goal of this Special Issue is to collect original research articles and review papers to provide insights into the role of urban spatial analysis in shaping sustainable, resilient, and equitable cities. Contributions should explore how geographic data, digital tools, and emerging technologies—such as GISs, remote sensing, artificial intelligence, and digital cartography—can be leveraged to enhance urban planning, resource allocation, real estate valuation, mobility modeling, and environmental sustainability.

This Special Issue will welcome manuscripts that link to the following themes:

  • Urban Spatial Analysis and Geographic Data—Utilization of GISs, remote sensing, and spatial modeling to analyse urban structures, land use, and socio-environmental dynamics.
  • Digital Tools and Smart Technologies—The role of artificial intelligence, machine learning, big data analytics, and digital cartography in urban planning and decision-making.
  • Real Estate Valuation and Market Dynamics—The application of spatial analysis to assess property values, land use efficiency, and real estate market trends in relation to urban development.
  • Sustainable and Resilient Cities—Strategies for integrating geographic data into climate adaptation, resource management, and sustainable urban design.
  • Urban Mobility and Infrastructure Planning—Data-driven approaches to understanding urban mobility, accessibility, and spatial differences in travel behavior.
  • Interdisciplinary Perspectives on Urban Development—The intersection of geography, urban design, social sciences, and humanities in addressing contemporary urban challenges.
  • Social Responsibility and Equity in Urban Planning—The role of spatial analysis in promoting inclusivity, environmental justice, and equitable access to urban resources.
  • Virtual Environments and the Future of Cities—Exploration of metaverse applications, digital twins, and virtual simulations in urban research and professional practice.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Dr. Valeria Saiu
Dr. Francesca Abastante
Dr. Francesco Piras
Dr. Giuliano Poli
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

Manuscripts should be submitted online at www.mdpi.com by registering and logging in to this website. Once you are registered, click here to go to the submission form. Manuscripts can be submitted until the deadline. All submissions that pass pre-check are peer-reviewed. Accepted papers will be published continuously in the journal (as soon as accepted) and will be listed together on the special issue website. Research articles, review articles as well as short communications are invited. For planned papers, a title and short abstract (about 250 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for assessment.

Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Land is an international peer-reviewed open access monthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2600 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

Keywords

  • urban spatial analysis
  • geographic information systems (GISs)
  • remote sensing
  • real estate valuation
  • smart cities
  • big data and AI in urban planning
  • sustainable urban development
  • mobility and infrastructure planning
  • environmental justice and equity
  • urban sustainability and SDGs

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • Reprint: MDPI Books provides the opportunity to republish successful Special Issues in book format, both online and in print.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue policies can be found here.

Published Papers (4 papers)

Download All Papers
Order results
Result details
Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:

Research

28 pages, 6073 KB  
Article
Assessing Service Accessibility and Optimizing the Spatial Layout of Elderly Canteens: A Case Study of Nanjing, China
by Xiaoli Wei, Xu Yuan and Yong Xie
Land 2025, 14(11), 2272; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14112272 - 17 Nov 2025
Viewed by 484
Abstract
Equitable accessibility to elderly canteens is critical for addressing the challenges of an aging population. Using Nanjing as a case study, this paper constructed an integrated framework that fuses GIS spatial analysis with interpretable machine learning to diagnose, evaluate, and optimize the service [...] Read more.
Equitable accessibility to elderly canteens is critical for addressing the challenges of an aging population. Using Nanjing as a case study, this paper constructed an integrated framework that fuses GIS spatial analysis with interpretable machine learning to diagnose, evaluate, and optimize the service network’s spatial layout. The study found that the existing design is a direct manifestation of the conflict between “market logic” and “social demand.” First, Nanjing’s elderly canteen service suffers from a severe spatial mismatch and inequality of opportunity. Approximately 80% of the elderly population resides in areas that share less than 15% of the canteen resources. Second, a multi-modal accessibility analysis revealed the phenomenon of “false equity.” The high service coverage under the car accessibility model masks the systemic service deprivation faced by the majority of seniors who rely on walking and micromobility. Third, this study proposed and validated a data-driven “stock activation” strategy. An XGBoost model, guided by a “demand-oriented and spatially efficient” decision-making logic, identified 161 high-potential optimization sites. At the same time, the framework also diagnosed its own strategic boundaries by identifying “resource vacuums” where a lack of convertible stock necessitates alternative solutions, such as new builds. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Urban Development Through Spatial Analysis: Leveraging Digital Technologies and Geographic Data for Smart, Inclusive, and Resilient Cities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

21 pages, 11906 KB  
Article
Voxelized Point Cloud and Solid 3D Model Integration to Assess Visual Exposure in Yueya Lake Park, Nanjing
by Guanting Zhang, Dongxu Yang and Shi Cheng
Land 2025, 14(10), 2095; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14102095 - 21 Oct 2025
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 699
Abstract
Natural elements such as vegetation, water bodies, and sky, together with artificial elements including buildings and paved surfaces, constitute the core of urban visual environments. Their perception at the pedestrian level not only influences city image but also contributes to residents’ well-being and [...] Read more.
Natural elements such as vegetation, water bodies, and sky, together with artificial elements including buildings and paved surfaces, constitute the core of urban visual environments. Their perception at the pedestrian level not only influences city image but also contributes to residents’ well-being and spatial experience. This study develops a hybrid 3D visibility assessment framework that integrates a city-scale LOD1 solid model with high-resolution mobile LiDAR point clouds to quantify five visual exposure indicators. The case study area is Yueya Lake Park in Nanjing, where a voxel-based line-of-sight sampling approach simulated eye-level visibility at 1.6 m along the southern lakeside promenade. Sixteen viewpoints were selected at 50 m intervals to capture spatial variations in visual exposure. Comparative analysis between the solid model (excluding vegetation) and the hybrid model (including vegetation) revealed that vegetation significantly reshaped the pedestrian visual field by reducing the dominance of sky and buildings, enhancing near-field greenery, and reframing water views. Artificial elements such as buildings and ground showed decreased exposure in the hybrid model, reflecting vegetation’s masking effect. The calculation efficiency remains a limitation in this study. Overall, the study demonstrates that integrating natural and artificial elements provides a more realistic and nuanced assessment of pedestrian visual perception, offering valuable support for sustainable landscape planning, canopy management, and the equitable design of urban public spaces. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Urban Development Through Spatial Analysis: Leveraging Digital Technologies and Geographic Data for Smart, Inclusive, and Resilient Cities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 16189 KB  
Article
With Cats’ Eyes: Cartographic Methodology for an Analysis of Urban Security in the Central District of Madrid
by Alejandro García García, Elena Agudo Sierra, Juan Diego López Arquillo, Paula Aragón de Francisco, María Clara García Carrillo, Diego Naya Suárez and Telmo Zubiaurre Arrizabalaga
Land 2025, 14(10), 2040; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14102040 - 13 Oct 2025
Viewed by 629
Abstract
In the contemporary urban context, safety in public space presents profound inequalities linked to gender, especially in the night period. This research explores how the subjective perception of security in the central district of Madrid affects women’s mobility patterns and use of public [...] Read more.
In the contemporary urban context, safety in public space presents profound inequalities linked to gender, especially in the night period. This research explores how the subjective perception of security in the central district of Madrid affects women’s mobility patterns and use of public space. Through a mixed methodology, which combines spatial analysis with sensitive cartographies and collective mapping, it seeks to make visible the conditions of (in)security experienced in the city. The approach adopts a feminist and multi-scalar perspective, ranging from the object to the district scale. The analysis is structured around four layers: mobility, urban environment, green areas and night-time uses. Tools such as Geographic Information Systems were used for the treatment of objective data and qualitative techniques such as interviews and tours accompanied by a set of subjective perceptions. The results show the existence of multiple barriers that condition women’s access to and enjoyment of public space, revealing a discrepancy between what is planned and what is lived. The final considerations anticipate the possibility of replicating the methodology applied in urban planning, proposing future strategies to build safer, more inclusive and sensitive environments to the diversity of their inhabitants. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Urban Development Through Spatial Analysis: Leveraging Digital Technologies and Geographic Data for Smart, Inclusive, and Resilient Cities)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

30 pages, 34344 KB  
Article
Associations Between Environmental Factors and Perceived Density of Residents in High-Density Residential Built Environment in Mountainous Cities—A Case Study of Chongqing Central Urban Area, China
by Lingqian Tan, Peiyao Hao and Ningjing Liu
Land 2025, 14(9), 1882; https://doi.org/10.3390/land14091882 - 15 Sep 2025
Viewed by 1211
Abstract
In high-density built environments, perceived density (PD)—shaped by physical, socio-cultural, and perceptual factors—often induces sensations of crowding, stress, and spatial oppression. Although green spaces are recognised for their stress-reducing effects, the influence of built-environment characteristics on public sentiment under stringent mobility restrictions remains [...] Read more.
In high-density built environments, perceived density (PD)—shaped by physical, socio-cultural, and perceptual factors—often induces sensations of crowding, stress, and spatial oppression. Although green spaces are recognised for their stress-reducing effects, the influence of built-environment characteristics on public sentiment under stringent mobility restrictions remains inadequately explored. This study takes Chongqing, a representative mountainous metropolis in China, as a case to examine how natural and built environmental elements modulate emotional valence across varying PD levels. Using housing data (n = 4865) and geotagged Weibo posts (n = 120,319) collected during the 2022 lockdown, we constructed a PD-sensitive sentiment dictionary and applied Python’s Jieba package and natural language processing (NLP) techniques to analyse emotional scores related to PD. Spatial and bivariate autocorrelation analyses revealed clustered patterns of sentiment distribution and their association with physical density. Using entropy weighting, building density and floor area ratio were integrated to classify residential built environments (RBEs) into five tiers based on natural breaks. Key factors influencing positive sentiment across PD groups were identified through Pearson correlation heatmaps and OLS regression. Three main findings emerged: (1) Although higher-PD areas yielded a greater volume of positive sentiment expressions, they exhibited lower diversity and intensity compared to low-PD areas, suggesting inferior emotional quality; (2) Environmental and socio-cultural factors showed limited effects on sentiment in low-PD areas, whereas medium- and high-PD areas benefited from a significantly enhanced cumulative effect through the integration of socio-cultural amenities and transportation facilities—however, this positive correlation reversed at the highest level (RBE 5); (3) The model explained 20.3% of the variance in positive sentiment, with spatial autocorrelation effectively controlled. These findings offer nuanced insights into the nonlinear mechanisms linking urban form and emotional well-being in high-density mountainous settings, providing theoretical and practical guidance for emotion-sensitive urban planning. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Advancing Sustainable Urban Development Through Spatial Analysis: Leveraging Digital Technologies and Geographic Data for Smart, Inclusive, and Resilient Cities)
►▼ Show Figures

Graphical abstract

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-4
Back to TopTop