Search for Articles:
Title / Keyword
Author / Affiliation / Email
Journal
Article Type
 
 
Advanced Search
 
Section
Special Issue
Volume
Issue
Number
Page
 
5.8
3.9
Journals
Sustainability
Special Issues
New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments
sustainability-logo
Submit to Sustainability Review for Sustainability Propose a Special Issue

Journal Menu

► Journal Menu

Journal Browser

► Journal Browser
share announcement

New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments

A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Environmental Sustainability and Applications".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (30 December 2021) | Viewed by 20632

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Alenka Fikfak

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Faculty of Architecture, University of Ljubljana, 1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: spatial and urban planning; urban design; planning of small settlements; ruralism and rural architecture; urban regulations; morphological models; settlement culture
Dr. Saja Kosanović

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department for Architecture, Faculty of Technical Sciences, University of Priština in Kosovska Mitrovica, Kneza Miloša Street 7, 38220 Kosovska Mitrovica, Serbia
Interests: sustainability and resilience of the built environment; built heritage; architectural and urban design
Dr. Matej Nikšič

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Urban Planning Institute of the Republic of Slovenia, SI-1000 Ljubljana, Slovenia
Interests: urban design; public space; urban regeneration; participatory practices; identity by design; research methods in urban planning and design
Dr. Christine Mady

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
Department of Architecture, Notre Dame University-Louaize, 72 Zouk Mikael, Zouk Mosbeh, Lebanon
Interests: public space and property rights; public spaces in post-conflict contexts; planning and public health; mobility and infrastructure planning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Public health issues are closely related to the design and planning of the built environment. Over the last year, the contagious disease COVID-19 has affected the entire world and challenged some established practices in architectural and urban planning and design. New health-related determinants of space have been imposed, and the perception and significance of healthy places in the built environment has changed. COVID-19 has opened numerous new questions for the built environment, from the definition of human scale to the application of technologies to achieve socio-spatial justice and reconceptualize and reorganize the built space at micro and macro scales, among others. Altered circumstances not only affect people’s lives, their habits, and environments but also require a reconsideration of various aspects, including tools and intended outcomes of the processes of (re)forming these environments.

Operationalization of the healthy built environment is a complex process underpinned by a need to master past lessons, critically consider responses to current crisis, and envision coming trends and risks, all for the purpose of coping with future challenges successfully. Thus, the aim of this Special Issue is to formulate relevant research questions and provide adequate responses that reveal the characteristics of the built environment in circumstances characterized by the presence of massively infectious human diseases. Authors are encouraged to propose and apply novel multi-, inter-, and transdisciplinary approaches in exploring various scales and elements of the built environment, from different types of buildings and closed spaces to segments of urban form and functions, i.e., (green) open spaces, urban density, transport, mobility, etc., to social environments and practices (e.g., social distancing) embedded into these layers of the built environment. The editors welcome manuscripts prepared either as comprehensive reviews or original research articles.

Prof. Dr. Alenka Fikfak
Dr. Saja Kosanović
Dr. Matej Nikšič
Dr. Christine Mady
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 100 words) can be sent to the Editorial Office for announcement on this website.

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. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly 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 2400 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

  • architectural and urban design and planning
  • vulnerability to health crises
  • transformability, adaptation and resilience
  • determinants of health
  • physical, social, and mental health
  • new spatial concepts for healthy built environment

Published Papers (7 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:

Editorial

Jump to: Research, Review

3 pages, 170 KiB  
Editorial
Overview of the Special Issue “New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments”
by Alenka Fikfak, Saja Kosanović, Matej Nikšič and Christine Mady
Sustainability 2022, 14(14), 8259; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14148259 - 6 Jul 2022
Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1002
Abstract
Public health issues are closely related to the design and planning of the built environment [...] Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments)

Research

Jump to: Editorial, Review

27 pages, 4044 KiB  
Article
Spatial Regulation Instruments of Work at Home: The Case of Slovenia as a Post-Transition Country
by Gregor Čok, Gašper Mrak, Jana Breznik, Mojca Foški and Alma Zavodnik Lamovšek
Sustainability 2022, 14(7), 4254; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14074254 - 2 Apr 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1746
Abstract
Work at home and work from home are becoming the subject of interdisciplinary research in the current social conditions. Slovenia, as a post-transition country, has specific experience in terms of its regulation, as the former socialist and later transition period were relatively tolerant [...] Read more.
Work at home and work from home are becoming the subject of interdisciplinary research in the current social conditions. Slovenia, as a post-transition country, has specific experience in terms of its regulation, as the former socialist and later transition period were relatively tolerant of various forms of work at home. The article presents the results of research aimed at studying current normative provisions for the organization of work at home, its actual spatial and program scope, and its correlation with building typology and morphology. Using a descriptive research method and by analyzing existing databases in the GIS environment, we found that work at home is a very extensive phenomenon in Slovenia. Despite the effective instruments in the fields of spatial planning, public administration, tax system, and employment legal relationships, its scope is mainly a consequence of historical tolerance, as this form of work has been legally organized and desirable for decades. We found that various urban characteristics did not significantly affect its occurrence in the past. The differences are reflected only in the extent of business activities that can be carried out in residential areas and differ according to the distance from urban centers. In order for the regulation of work at home to become even more efficient in the future, it is necessary to define more detailed criteria, especially in terms of its program regulation and monitoring of the spatial situation. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

19 pages, 2400 KiB  
Article
From Intention to Implementation of Vertical Green: The Case of Ljubljana
by Damjana Gantar, Jana Kozamernik, Ina Šuklje Erjavec and Simon Koblar
Sustainability 2022, 14(6), 3198; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14063198 - 9 Mar 2022
Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1983
Abstract
This article examines the need and opportunities to implement vertical green in Ljubljana as a case of a medium-sized European city with a relatively green feel. Sustainability-oriented urban development supports the introduction of nature-based solutions in principle; however, there is a lack of [...] Read more.
This article examines the need and opportunities to implement vertical green in Ljubljana as a case of a medium-sized European city with a relatively green feel. Sustainability-oriented urban development supports the introduction of nature-based solutions in principle; however, there is a lack of vertical green as well as actual legislative and administrative support. Therefore, several methods were applied in the present study to link this idea to execution, starting with semi-structured interviews and a workshop for selected city officials. Legislative and formal backgrounds for implementation were then assessed. An inventory of green façades and other structures (e.g., noise barriers and retaining walls) in Ljubljana was prepared, and a geographic information system-based decision support system was developed to identify the potential areas in the city where additional green space elements would be most favourable for humans, the environment, and climate indicators. The results reveal a gap between opportunities and the actual situation. The general opinion that there is never too much green space in urban areas is confirmed by direct information from the city administration and strategic documents. There are many potential sites for implementation; however, this is hindered by ownership, management, and economic issues. The study concludes with some suggestions for following the best practices in other central European capitals, such as Vienna and Berlin. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

23 pages, 12786 KiB  
Article
An Analysis and Evaluation Methodology as a Basis for the Sustainable Development Strategy of Small Historic Towns: The Cultural Landscape of the Settlement of Lubenice on the Island of Cres in Croatia
by Damir Krajnik, Lea Petrović Krajnik and Biserka Dumbović Bilušić
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1564; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031564 - 28 Jan 2022
Cited by 3 | Viewed by 2673
Abstract
Lubenice on the island of Cres in Croatia is one of the most valuable examples of a small historic Mediterranean town. Although the settlement is protected as an immovable cultural property and is also on the list of cultural assets of the Republic [...] Read more.
Lubenice on the island of Cres in Croatia is one of the most valuable examples of a small historic Mediterranean town. Although the settlement is protected as an immovable cultural property and is also on the list of cultural assets of the Republic of Croatia for inclusion on the UNESCO World Heritage List, developmental stagnation, continuous demographic decline, decay of part of the valuable building stock, inappropriate interventions on individual houses and the emergence of radical intervention initiatives in a time of change demand a systematic and comprehensive evaluation of the town’s cultural heritage. This article presents a methodology for the analysis of a cultural landscape using the example of Lubenice. The methodological approach is based on the analysis of the historical development and of natural, urban and architectural features of the cultural landscape. The components of the cultural landscape were evaluated using general and specific criteria. Conducting an evaluation according to this methodology provides guidelines for future interventions in order to improve the preservation of historic heritage and prevent damage by future interventions, while ensuring sustainable development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

26 pages, 4831 KiB  
Article
Towards Resilient Residential Buildings and Neighborhoods in Light of COVID-19 Pandemic—The Scenario of Podgorica, Montenegro
by Marija Bojović, Irena Rajković and Svetlana K. Perović
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1302; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031302 - 24 Jan 2022
Cited by 7 | Viewed by 3469
Abstract
The COVID-19 crisis and new pandemic-oriented everyday life have emphasized the urge to reorganize the way we live and reside, additionally highlighting the already existing socio-spatial problematic that Montenegrin society has been experiencing for thirty years. Since residential space is considered to be [...] Read more.
The COVID-19 crisis and new pandemic-oriented everyday life have emphasized the urge to reorganize the way we live and reside, additionally highlighting the already existing socio-spatial problematic that Montenegrin society has been experiencing for thirty years. Since residential space is considered to be vital for physical, mental and social wellbeing, this sudden and global paradigm shift presents an opportunity to redefine the current housing concepts towards greater long-term resilience in the context of present, pandemic and future challenges. The results of the survey of housing users in Podgorica confirmed the need to address this issue. The article discusses a possible model of resilient adaptation of residential buildings and neighborhoods in Podgorica, Montenegro. The model addresses the flexibility of the apartment units, existence of indoor and outdoor common areas for social activities within the building and immediate contact with nature, and it is applicable in the wider territorial context as well. Formulated with the aim of long-term improvement of the concept of housing, the model presents a significant framework for the planning and design of future buildings. The resilient residential model is tested by its application to specific buildings of residential area Blok 5 in Podgorica. This leads to the conclusion that the earlier concepts of housing present in theory and practice in the second half of the twentieth century in Montenegro and the region were more adequate in the context of resilience. As we believe that such improved resilient housing would consequently increase the resilience of the community regarding the challenges it faces currently due to COVID-19, we consider this a long-term contribution of this research. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

16 pages, 2090 KiB  
Article
Analysis of the Window Views of the Nearby Façades
by Samo Drobne, Martina Zbašnik-Senegačnik, Živa Kristl, Ljudmila Koprivec and Alenka Fikfak
Sustainability 2022, 14(1), 269; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14010269 - 27 Dec 2021
Cited by 5 | Viewed by 2731
Abstract
The view from the window is an important parameter of living comfort. Previous studies have defined several important characteristics of views, but there are very few studies that addressed window views in dense urban environments and their influence on the perceptual elements of [...] Read more.
The view from the window is an important parameter of living comfort. Previous studies have defined several important characteristics of views, but there are very few studies that addressed window views in dense urban environments and their influence on the perceptual elements of the view. The scope of the study was to define the influence of design elements in window views that can trigger negative reactions from viewers. In our study the questionnaire survey was used as a method for obtaining the research data. A group of architecture students who participated as respondents selected different reactions to views and reasons for such responses. Only the window views that received poor responses were further investigated. The results were statistically analyzed according to the most frequent responses and the variability of responses. The homogeneity of the groups of responses as well as the groups of reasons was tested using the Fischer-Snedercor test. The analysis showed that the negative response to a window view depends not only on the short distance between the buildings, but also on the visual aesthetics, especially the composition quality, the surface characteristics and the maintenance of the observed building. The results show that interventions, especially natural elements such as vegetation, can increase the dynamics of the window view. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Review

Jump to: Editorial, Research

19 pages, 1582 KiB  
Review
COVID-19 and City Space: Impact and Perspectives
by Olivera Lekić Glavan, Nenad Nikolić, Branislav Folić, Biljana Vitošević, Aleksandra Mitrović and Saja Kosanović
Sustainability 2022, 14(3), 1885; https://doi.org/10.3390/su14031885 - 7 Feb 2022
Cited by 15 | Viewed by 5549
Abstract
The pandemic of the COVID-19 disease has radically changed human lifestyle and the usage of living space, especially in cities. With the prolongation of the crisis, the effects of COVID-19 on urban spaces are becoming more noticeable, but the definite changes that can [...] Read more.
The pandemic of the COVID-19 disease has radically changed human lifestyle and the usage of living space, especially in cities. With the prolongation of the crisis, the effects of COVID-19 on urban spaces are becoming more noticeable, but the definite changes that can inform approaches to future development, planning, and use of urban space have not yet been determined, as evidenced by the research carried out in this study. The research revealed that there exists the consensus in terms of several new guidelines whose application in design can simultaneously increase the resilience of urban environment to future pandemics and improve the overall quality of city life. These presented guidelines show that we may expect in the future a greater integration of nature-based solutions at various scales of the city, i.e., better ventilated, and naturally lit, more spacious, mixed-use, and flexible buildings surrounded by enlarged, multiplied, and multifunctional open spaces that safely receive the users who are carrying out those activities that were moved from the inner to the outer space. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue New Frontiers in Design and Planning for Healthy Built Environments)
►▼ Show Figures

Figure 1

Show export options expand_more Show export options expand_less
Select all
Export citation of selected articles as:
 
Displaying articles 1-7
Back to TopTop