Search Results (271)

Against the backdrop of accelerating urbanisation in China, the urban-rural divide continues to widen, while cave dwellings along the Yellow River have been largely abandoned, facing the challenge of cultural erosion. This study breaks from conventional conservation approaches by empirically exploring the viability of living heritage in promoting sustainable rural revitalisation and integrated urban-rural development. Employing participatory action research, it engaged multiple stakeholders—including villagers, returning migrants, and urban designers—across 60 villages in the middle reaches of the Yellow River. This collaboration catalysed a “collective-centred” adaptive reuse model, generating multifaceted solutions. The case of Fangshan County’s transformation into a cultural ecosystem demonstrates how this model simultaneously fosters endogenous social cohesion, attracts tourism resources and investment, while disseminating traditional culture. Quantitative analysis using the Yao Dong Living Heritage Sensitivity Index (Y-LHSI) and Living Heritage Transmission Index (Y-LHI) indicates that the efficacy of collective action is a decisive factor, revealing an inverted U-shaped relationship between economic development and cultural preservation. The findings further propose that living heritage regeneration should be reconceptualised from a purely technical restoration task into a viable social design pathway fostering mutually beneficial urban-rural symbiosis. It presents a replicable “Yao Dong Solution” integrating cultural sustainability, community resilience, and inclusive economic development, offering insights for achieving sustainable development goals in similar contexts across China and globally. Full article

Urban Water Systems (UWS) are complex infrastructures that interact with energy, food, ecosystems and socio-political systems, and are under growing pressure from climate change and resource depletion. Planning circular interventions in this context requires system-level analysis to avoid fragmented, siloed decisions. This paper develops the Hydrosocial Resource Urban Nexus (HRUN) framework that integrates hydrosocial thinking with the Water–Energy–Food–Ecosystems (WEFE) nexus to guide UWS design. We conduct a structured literature review and analyse different configurations of circular interventions, mapping their synergies and trade-offs across socioeconomic and environmental functions of hydrosocial systems. The framework is operationalised through a typology of circular interventions based on their circularity purpose (water reuse, resource recovery and reuse, or water-cycle restoration) and management scale (from on-site to centralised), while greening degree (from grey to green infrastructure) and digitalisation (integration of sensors and control systems) are treated as transversal strategies that shape their operational profile. Building on this typology, we construct cause–effect matrices for each intervention type, linking recurring operational patterns to hydrosocial functionalities and revealing associated synergies and trade-offs. Overall, the study advances understanding of how circular interventions with different configurations can strengthen or weaken system resilience and sustainability outcomes. The framework provides a basis for integrated planning and for quantitative and participatory tools that can assess trade-offs and governance effects of different circular design choices, thereby supporting the transition to more resilient and just water systems. Full article

Global climate change has emerged as a critical challenge for human society in the 21st century. As hubs of population and economic activity, urban and rural areas are increasingly exposed to complex and compounded disaster risks. To systematically evaluate the role of educational intervention in climate adaptability capacity building, this study employs a case study approach, focusing on the “Climate Change Adaptation Education and Teaching Alliance Program” launched in Taiwan in 2014. Through a comprehensive analysis of its institutional structure, curriculum, alliance network, and practical activities, the study explores the effectiveness of educational innovation in cultivating climate resilience talent. The study found that the program, through interdisciplinary collaboration and a practice-oriented teaching model, successfully integrated climate adaptability content into 57 courses, training a total of 2487 students. Project-based learning (PBL) and workshops significantly improved students’ systems thinking and practical abilities, and many of its findings were adopted by local governments. Based on these empirical results, the study proposes that urban and rural planning education should be promoted in the following ways: first, updating teaching materials to reflect regional climate characteristics and local needs; second, enhancing curriculum design by introducing core courses such as climate-resilient planning and promoting interdisciplinary collaboration; third, enriching hands-on learning through real project cases and participatory workshops; and fourth, deepening integration between education and practice by establishing multi-stakeholder partnerships supported by dedicated funding and digital platforms. Through such an innovative educational framework, we can prepare a new generation of professionals capable of supporting global sustainable development in the face of climate change. This study provides a replicable model of practice for education policymakers worldwide, particularly in promoting the integration of climate resilience education in developing countries, which can help accelerate the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goals (SDG11) and foster interdisciplinary collaboration to address the global climate crisis. Full article

Urban resilience has emerged as a critical paradigm for addressing the intertwined challenges of climate change, rapid urbanization, and social inequality, positioning green public spaces as catalysts for social, ecological, and institutional transformation. This article presents a systematic review conducted under the PRISMA 2020 guidelines, examining how collaborative and community participation influenced transformative urban resilience in green public spaces between 2021 and 2025. A total of 6179 records were initially identified across ScienceDirect and MDPI (last search: July 2025), of which 26 empirical studies met the inclusion criteria (peer-reviewed, empirical, published 2021–2025). Methodological rigor was strengthened through the application of the Mixed Methods Appraisal Tool (MMAT, 2018) and confidence in qualitative evidence was assessed using the GRADE-CERQual approach, enhancing transparency and reliability. Data extraction and synthesis followed a theoretical-methodological coding framework, allowing for the comparison of participatory strategies, typologies of green spaces, resilience dimensions, and applied instruments. The results show that multi-actor co-management, co-design, and community self-organization are the most frequent participatory strategies, while urban green infrastructure, pocket parks, and urban gardens constitute the predominant spatial contexts. Socio-ecological and social-participatory resilience emerged as dominant theoretical perspectives, with qualitative and mixed-methods designs prevailing across studies. Evidence synthesis through GRADE-CERQual identified seven key pathways—multi-actor co-management, Nature-based Solutions, community-based actions, social equity, cultural identity, institutional innovation, and planned densification—each contributing differently to resilience dimensions. Overall, the findings highlight that transformative resilience depends on deep, inclusive participatory processes, multi-level governance, and the integration of social, ecological, and cultural dimensions. Despite the heterogeneity of designs and unequal data adequacy, this review confirms that transformative urban resilience is a co-produced process grounded in community action, ecological sustainability, and collaborative governance. Strengthening underexplored areas—technological innovation, cultural resilience, and standardized methodological instruments—is essential for advancing comparative research and practice. Full article

This paper presents the Living Lab Assessment Method (LLAM), a context-sensitive framework for assessing impact and value creation in Living Labs (LLs). While LLs have become established instruments for Open and Urban Innovation, systematic and transferable approaches to evaluate their impact remain scarce and still show theoretical and practical barriers. This study proposes a new methodological approach that aims to address these challenges through the development of the LLAM, the Living Lab Assessment Method. This study reports a five-year iterative development process embedded in Ghent’s urban and social innovation ecosystem through the combination of three complementary methodological pillars: (1) co-creation and co-design with lead users, ensuring alignment with practitioner needs and real-world conditions; (2) multiple case study research, enabling iterative refinement across diverse Living Lab projects, and (3) participatory action research, integrating reflexive and iterative cycles of observation, implementation, and adjustment. The LLAM was empirically developed and validated across four use cases, each contributing to the method’s operational robustness and contextual adaptability. Results show that LLAM captures multi-level value creation, ranging from individual learning and network strengthening to systemic transformation, by linking participatory processes to outcomes across stakeholder, project, and ecosystem levels. The paper concludes that LLAM advances both theoretical understanding and practical evaluation of Living Labs by providing a structured, adaptable, and empirically grounded methodology for assessing their contribution to sustainable and inclusive urban innovation. Full article

Every act of design tells a story about who belongs, who is seen, and who is heard. This paper looks at how participatory design-based research (PDR), practiced with relational care and reflexivity, can help shift interactions among marginalized youth from urban Indigenous and newcomer immigrant communities in Canada from othering toward understanding. Moving beyond surface-level celebrations of multiculturalism, the study frames design as a relational and ethical practice, one that surfaces assumptions, holds space for difference, and creates openings for intercultural dialogue. The study draws on a series of design circles (d.circles) in which youth co-created visual communication artefacts reflecting their lived experiences. These artefacts became catalysts for dialogue, enabling participants to challenge stereotypes, articulate concerns, and develop shared perspectives. Reflexivity was integral to the process, guiding both participants and the facilitator to consider power, positionality, and relational accountability throughout. Findings show that participatory design, grounded in Indigenous relational principles and participatory action research, can unsettle dominant narratives, foster mutual recognition, and support youth-led meaning-making. This work contributes to emerging conversations that position design thinking as a practice of ethical engagement rather than a tool for problem-solving alone. The learnings from this study show how critically practiced PDR can cultivate more inclusive and socially responsive pathways for intercultural understanding to take shape. Full article

Urban public spaces increasingly need to address inclusivity, adaptability, and resilience in the face of health, environmental, and social challenges. Urban policies also promote improving the relationship between schools and their surroundings to mitigate and adapt to climate and social risks. This article presents EDUS Point, an experimental prototype developed within the European project FURNISH and tested in Barcelona during the COVID-19 crisis. Conceived as an Urban Living Lab (ULL), the initiative explored how modular, digitally fabricated, and temporary structures could transform school environments into open, inclusive, and human-scale public spaces. Through an inter-scalar and interdisciplinary approach, the project implemented an urban strategy, a participatory community-building process, and a digital collective platform, alongside the design, fabrication, and testing of a pilot classroom device adaptable and replicable in other schools. A mixed-methods methodology combined tactical urbanism and co-design with fabrication feasibility assessments, social observations, and spatial impact analysis. Results demonstrate that EDUS Point fostered new socio-spatial dynamics among students, teachers, and residents, improved accessibility and usability of nearby public spaces, and validated the effectiveness of low-cost, rapidly deployable interventions in addressing urban needs. The findings propose actionable frameworks, tools, and design criteria for the socio-environmental integration of schools as catalysts for inclusive and resilient urban transformation. Full article

This study explores global experiences of capital relocation to extract lessons relevant to North Maluku, Indonesia, where Sofifi has yet to develop into a functional provincial capital. Drawing on six theoretical perspectives, including growth pole theory, polycentric development, institutional inertia, urban metabolism, spatial justice, and urban vitality, the paper analyzes how political vision, institutional integration, and social participation influence relocation outcomes. Comparative cases from Abuja, Brasília, Putrajaya, Naypyidaw, Randstad, and Nusantara show that successful relocations occur when governance reform aligns with spatial planning and participatory urban design. For Sofifi, enhancing urban vitality through connectivity, inclusiveness, and institutional coordination is essential to transform relocation from a symbolic decision into a functional urban system. The study contributes a conceptual framework linking spatial design, institutional reform, and social vibrancy in the pursuit of sustainable and equitable capital development. Full article

Urban Green Spaces (UGS) are integral components of the built environment, significantly contributing to its ecological, social, and performance dimensions, including microclimate regulation, occupant well-being, and energy efficiency. This decadal review (2015–2025) systematically analyzes 70 high-impact studies to propose a “Symbiotic Intelligence” framework. This framework integrates Generative AI, ethical algorithms, and innovations from the Global South to revolutionize the planning, design, and management of UGS within building landscapes and urban fabrics. Our analysis reveals that Generative AI can optimize participatory design processes and generate efficient planning schemes, increasing public satisfaction by 41% and achieving fivefold efficiency gains. Metaverse digital twins enable high-fidelity simulation of UGS performance with a mere 3.2% error rate, providing robust tools for building environment analysis. Ethical algorithms, employing fairness metrics and SHAP values, are pivotal for equitable resource distribution, having been shown to reduce UGS allocation disparities in low-income communities by 67%. Meanwhile, innovations from the Global South, such as lightweight federated learning and low-cost sensors, offer scalable solutions for building-environment monitoring under resource constraints, reducing model generalization error by 18% and decreasing data acquisition costs by 90%. However, persistent challenges-including data heterogeneity, algorithmic opacity (with only 23% of studies adopting interpretability tools), and significant data gaps in the Global South (coverage < 15%)-hinder equitable progress. Future research should prioritize developing UGS-climate-building coupling models, decentralized federated frameworks for building management systems, and blockchain-based participatory planning to establish a more robust foundation for sustainable built environments. This study provides an interdisciplinary roadmap for integrating intelligent UGS into building practices, contributing to the advancement of green buildings, occupant-centric design, and the overall sustainability and resilience of our built environment. Full article

This paper examines the role of institutional logics in shaping heritage-led urban regeneration across fifteen adaptive reuse projects of former tobacco factories in Europe. By categorizing managing authorities into public, private, and community-led actors, the study interprets regeneration outcomes, such as community participation, tourism growth, and crime reduction, through the lens of institutional theory. The analysis reveals that each authority type operates under distinct logics: regulative (public), market-driven (private), and normative (community), which significantly influence the depth and type of impact achieved. Through a comparative framework and empirical indicators, the paper highlights how institutional arrangements affect not only project design but also questions of inclusion, identity, and sustainability. Findings challenge simplistic binaries of top-down versus bottom-up governance and offer a more nuanced understanding of how urban heritage can serve divergent values. The paper concludes with implications for urban policy and future research on hybrid and participatory models of heritage governance. Full article

The study explores the concept of the X-Minute City, an evolution of the 15-min city paradigm, as an operational tool for sustainable urban regeneration in Europe. Starting from the goal of ensuring daily accessibility to key services within 5–20 min on foot or by bicycle, the research analyses how this proximity model can respond to contemporary environmental, social, and infrastructural challenges. Through a comparative approach between Amsterdam and Milan, chosen for their regulatory and cultural differences, the study combines documentary analysis, urban policy evaluation, and the construction of a grid of multidimensional indicators relating to proximity, sustainable mobility, spatial reuse, and social inclusion. In conceptual terms, the X-Minute City is understood here as a flexible and governance-oriented extension of the 15-min city, in which proximity is treated as an adaptive temporal band (5–20 min) and as an infrastructure of multilevel urban governance rather than a fixed and universal design rule. The findings highlight that in the Netherlands, the model is supported by a coherent and integrated regulatory framework, while in Italy, innovative local experiments and bottom-up participatory practices prevail. The analysis demonstrates that integrating the X-Minute City with multilevel governance tools and inclusive policies can foster more equitable, resilient, and sustainable cities. Finally, the research proposes an adaptable and replicable framework, capable of transforming the X-Minute City from a theoretical vision to an operational infrastructure for 21st-century European urban planning. The limitations of this predominantly qualitative, document-based approach are discussed, together with future directions for integrating spatial accessibility modelling and participatory methods. Full article

Introduction: The informal food sector in Kisumu City, largely run by women informal food vendors, plays a crucial role in the urban food system. However, these female-led businesses faced disproportionate risks stemming from COVID-19-related policies, exacerbating gendered vulnerabilities. This paper explores the gender gaps of post-pandemic recovery strategies and their implications for resilience, recovery, and sustainability of women-led informal food businesses. Methods: This cross-sectional study was guided by the Intersectionality-Based Policy Analysis (IBPA) framework. In collaboration with the Pamoja Community-Based Organization, we employed qualitative methods grounded in community-based participatory approaches. Data were collected through key informant interviews (n = 20), depth interviews (n = 20), focus group discussions (n = 40), and a review of policy documents (n = 2). Data was analyzed guided by the eight principles of the IBPA framework alongside Braun and Clarke’s six-phased thematic analysis approach. Results: Findings indicated that power dynamics in the formulation of post-pandemic policies and top-down implementation approaches excluded women informal food vendors from meaningfully participating in policy processes. For example, female vendors were excluded from the recovery priorities as the strategies adopted had limited to no targeted gender-responsive interventions. As such, women informal food vendors faced several challenges during recovery, including limited government support, barriers to accessing credit facilities, heightened household and unpaid care work, gender-based violence, sexual exploitation, and insecurity. The female vendors employed both individual agency and collective action to facilitate recovery. Discussion: Gender-responsive COVID-19 policies were critical to addressing the disproportionate impact of the pandemic on women-led informal food businesses. Moving forward, a comprehensive understanding of existing sociocultural inequalities is crucial for designing post-pandemic strategies that are gender-inclusive and promote equitable recovery. Such an approach would enhance women informal food vendors’ resilience to emergencies and their contribution to urban household food security and livelihood. Full article

Cities increasingly utilise digital technologies to tackle climate risks and urban shocks, yet their real impact on resilience remains uncertain. This paper systematically reviews 115 peer-reviewed studies (2012–2024) to explore how smart city technologies engage with planning instruments, governance arrangements, and social processes, following PRISMA 2020 and combining bibliometric co-occurrence mapping with a qualitative synthesis of full texts. Three themes organise the findings: (i) urban planning and design, (ii) smart technologies in resilience, and (iii) strategic planning and policy integration. Across these themes, Internet of Things (IoT) and geographic information system (GIS) applications have the strongest empirical support for enhancing absorptive and adaptive capacities through risk mapping, early warning systems, and infrastructure operations, while artificial intelligence, digital twins, and blockchain remain largely at pilot or conceptual stages. The review also highlights significant geographical and hazard biases: most cases come from high-income cities and concentrate on floods and earthquakes, while slow stresses (such as heat, housing insecurity, and inequality) and cities in the Global South are under-represented. Overall, the study promotes a “smart–resilience co-production” perspective, demonstrating that resilience improvements rely less on technology alone and more on how digital systems are integrated into governance and participatory practices. Full article

This article outlines the development of an inter-scale analytical tool designed to evaluate urban, intermediate, and domestic spaces from a gender perspective. Framed within feminist urbanism and ecofeminist theory, the study addresses the need to foster inclusive and equitable environments by incorporating gender-sensitive criteria into spatial planning processes. The methodology employed consists of a six-stage process: (1) a review of the existing literature; (2) the definition of scales of approach; (3) the formulation of indicators; (4) the establishment of evaluation criteria; (5) the design of data collection instruments; and (6) the refinement of the tool through field testing. The tool uses both qualitative and quantitative indicators across three spatial scales—neighbourhood, inter-block, and housing—organised into dimensions such as safety, accessibility, diversity, vitality, and representativeness. The evaluation process employs direct observation, graphic analysis, interviews, and participatory focus groups to provide a nuanced and multidimensional understanding of the built environment. The results confirm that both urban and domestic spaces have historically been designed from an androcentric perspective. They also highlight the potential of using gender-based evaluations to identify spatial inequalities and guide transformative interventions. The tool is replicable, adaptable, and scalable, and can therefore offer a robust framework for future research and public policy-making aimed at fostering gender equity in urban contexts. Full article

Urban environments play an important influence in influencing healthy lifestyles and reducing sedentary behaviour (SB), particularly as facilitators of physical activity (PA). Urban spaces often do not support healthy lifestyles. A Community of Practice (CoP) could be a valuable strategy for co-designing proposals to enhance healthy and active urban environments. We aimed to develop strategies through a CoP to promote PA and reduce SB in the urban setting of a multicultural population based in the Barcelona Metropolitan Area, with a particular focus on people with chronic diseases. A three-session CoP involving 25 participants (community members with chronic conditions, health professionals, urban planners, and local authorities) was implemented as a participatory research approach to identify barriers and facilitators to PA and co-design feasible urban improvement proposals. Ethical approval was obtained from Bellvitge University Hospital’s Ethics Committee. Participants provided informed consent and image release forms. Participants highlighted the importance of accessible, adaptable, and interconnected urban spaces to address barriers and leverage facilitators to PA. Proposed interventions targeted four selected areas of the neighbourhood and included expanding shaded areas, creating pedestrian-friendly routes and enhancing green spaces. This study highlights the effectiveness of a CoP in identifying and addressing barriers to PA within urban environments for people with chronic diseases. Findings emphasise the impact of neighbourhood design and accessibility on reducing SB and promoting active lifestyles. The participatory approach offers a replicable model for other urban settings aiming to foster health, although its qualitative and local nature limits generalisability. Full article