Search Results (889)

Marine spatial planning (MSP) has emerged as a key governance approach for managing competing uses of marine space. However, implementing MSP in federal governance systems presents unique challenges due to the distribution of authority across multiple levels of government and sectoral institutions. This study examines the governance feasibility of MSP in Peninsular Malaysia by analyzing the interaction between constitutional arrangements, as well as legal, policy, institutional, and stakeholder perspectives. The coastal districts of Kuala Terengganu and Kuala Nerus are examined as potential pilot areas for exploring MSP implementation within existing planning mechanisms. This study adopts a qualitative governance analysis based on document review and stakeholder perspectives. Relevant constitutional provisions, policy documents, and institutional mandates are analyzed using qualitative coding in ATLAS.ti and synthesized through a Thematic Analysis Matrix. The findings indicate that Malaysia possesses several governance elements necessary for initiating MSP, including the statutory spatial planning system under the Town and Country Planning Act 1976 (Act 172) and policy recognition of coastal–marine integration. However, governance responsibilities remain dispersed across administrative levels and sectoral agencies. This study proposes a governance pathway demonstrating how MSP may be incrementally integrated within existing spatial planning mechanisms, through Local Plan adaptation and strengthened institutional coordination. Full article

Background: An outbreak of Marburg virus in Jinka Town, Southern Ethiopia, has raised significant concern regarding the potential spreading of disease throughout the country. Healthcare workers play a crucial role in early prevention and control of such an outbreak. However, the knowledge, attitudes, and preparedness of healthcare workers regarding Marburg virus disease have not been assessed yet, despite these factors being critical for early prevention and control of an outbreak. This study aimed to assess the knowledge, attitude, and preparedness regarding Marburg virus disease among healthcare workers in Awi Zone public hospitals, northwest Ethiopia, in 2026. Methods: An institutional-based cross-sectional study was conducted among healthcare workers in Awi Zone public hospitals from 26 December 2025 to 10 January 2026. A simple random sampling technique was used to select 394 participants. The data were collected using a pre-tested, structured self-administered questionnaire. The data were entered into Epi-data version 4.6 and analyzed using SPSS version 25. Results: A total of 394 healthcare workers participated in this study. The mean age of the participants was 32.9 ± 4.87 years. The study revealed that 47.7% (95% CI: 42.78–52.62%) and 61.2% (95% CI: 56.4–66%) of participants had good knowledge and a positive attitude towards Marburg virus disease, respectively. However, only 20.3% (95% CI: 16.34–24.26%) demonstrated good preparedness for the Marburg virus outbreak. Conclusions: The study revealed that the majority of healthcare workers had positive attitudes and suboptimal knowledge but critically low preparedness regarding Marburg virus disease prevention and control in Awi Zone public hospitals, northwest Ethiopia. Hence, healthcare workers who are frontline staff for outbreak prevention and control, Awi zone health departments and hospital administrators should be provided with targeted training preparation, training for implementing emergency preparedness plans, and essential infection prevention protocols to improve readiness for a potential outbreak. Full article

Since the 1980s, South Korea has continuously supplied public rental housing alongside the development of new towns. However, systematic studies examining the relationship between qualitative changes in floor plan design and the institutional factors influencing them remain limited. This study is based on the premise that floor plans in public rental housing are not merely the result of design improvements, but are structurally shaped by legal and institutional frameworks. It systematically analyzes changes in floor plan types and planning elements according to development periods and housing sizes. To achieve this, this study examines public rental housing supplied in Korean new towns from the 1990s to the 2010s, classifying floor plan types by period and housing size and analyzing their planning characteristics. The analysis focuses on the composition and arrangement of interior spaces, the size of each space, bay structure, and aspect ratio. A comparative analysis further examines the relationship between floor plan changes and relevant laws and institutional frameworks. The results show that floor plan configurations evolved in distinct phases in response to institutional changes and housing size differentiation. In the 1990s, standardized one-bay layouts with integrated living and sleeping spaces were predominant under strict regulatory conditions, including spatial dimension constraints. In the 2000s, following the legalization of balcony extensions, floor plans diversified into two-bay and three-bay configurations. In the 2010s, floor plan types became increasingly diversified and complex under the influence of district unit plans and detailed design guidelines issued by public agencies. In terms of housing size, smaller units (around 20 m²) maintained simplified one-room configurations, while medium-sized units (around 30–40 m²) exhibited a clear transition from integrated to functionally separated layouts, and larger units (around 50 m²) showed a significant increase in spatial diversity and variation in layout composition. These findings indicate that floor plan evolution is not a linear process of design improvement, but a structurally conditioned transformation shaped by regulatory frameworks, institutional changes, and path dependency. The persistence and gradual modification of earlier standardized layouts suggest that floor plan configurations are continuously reproduced and adapted within institutional constraints. By empirically identifying the structural relationship between institutional frameworks and floor plan design, this study reveals the mechanisms through which institutional conditions shape housing design. Furthermore, it contributes to an interdisciplinary understanding that integrates architecture, urban planning, and housing policy, and provides important implications for design guidelines and policy development aimed at improving the quality of public rental housing. Full article

This paper examines DisAbitanti, a participatory cultural initiative developed in Corigliano d’Otranto (Grecìa Salentina, Southern Italy) to explore how performative and community-based practices may contribute to sustainable and proximity tourism in small heritage towns. The study adopts an exploratory qualitative case study design, combining participatory action research and artistic research, drawing on participant observation, reflective field diaries, semi-structured interviews with local actors and participants, and analysis of project materials and relevant local planning documents. The analysis identifies a set of emerging patterns suggesting that the reactivation of abandoned or underused spaces through site-specific performances and collective storytelling is associated with forms of resident participation, reconfiguration of resident–visitor roles, and off-season cultural activation. These dynamics contribute to strengthening local identity and social cohesion, while highlighting the role of cultural practice in place-based governance processes. The analysis indicates that performative interventions can act as catalysts for the emergence of informal governance dynamics within the case study, connecting local associations, artists, residents, and cultural organizers. This claim is supported by empirically observed indications, including the number and diversity of actors involved and the emergence of new collaborative interactions. While the findings are not intended to be generalizable, they provide analytical insight into how performative practices may enable forms of place-based coordination around heritage use and spatial activation, linking heritage experience to habitability and spatial equity. The paper concludes that DisAbitanti offers a context-sensitive approach for translating sustainability principles—consistent with the UN 2030 Agenda—into situated tourism governance practices, with potential relevance for other small inner peripheral towns facing seasonality and spatial marginalization. Full article

Unsignalized intersections pose a representative challenge for autonomous-driving decision-making because online planning must satisfy tightly coupled requirements for safety, task completion, traffic efficiency, and control smoothness under a limited computation budget. Existing continuous-action MCTS planners often suffer from sparse candidate-action coverage and from the absence of an internal safety filter before node expansion. To address these issues, this paper proposes CP-LDS-MCTS, a decision-making framework that coordinates Sobol low-discrepancy sampling, truncated Taylor control barrier function (TTCBF)-based safety pruning, and policy-value composite scoring within the expansion stage of Monte Carlo tree search. Sobol sampling improves candidate representativeness under a fixed sampling budget; TTCBF provides a local one-step screening rule that removes actions inconsistent with safety constraints before search resources are consumed; and composite scoring prioritizes safe actions that are simultaneously policy-consistent and value-promising. To clarify the methodological contribution, CP-LDS-MCTS is formulated as a unified expansion-stage design rather than a loose combination of independent modules. The revised manuscript further adds a local approximation-error discussion for the TTCBF truncation, a computational-complexity analysis, a real-time latency evaluation, statistical significance tests, and two stronger baselines, namely PPO and MPC-CBF. Experiments in CARLA Town03 under low-, medium-, and high-density traffic show that the proposed method achieves the best overall balance among safety, success rate, travel time, and control smoothness while maintaining a mean planning latency below 25 ms per step on the test platform. The resulting safety assurance is local rather than global, as TTCBF pruning performs a one-step approximation-based feasibility check within the expansion stage and is validated in simulation. These results suggest that candidate coverage, internal safety screening, and value-aware expansion should be designed jointly for real-time continuous-action planning at unsignalized intersections. Full article

Housing markets display geographical linkages that contravene conventional regression assumptions; yet, Central and Eastern European towns are markedly underrepresented in spatial econometric research. This study provides a systematic spatial econometric analysis of Zagreb’s housing market. It looks at both asking sale and rental prices throughout the city’s 17 administrative districts. There are five model specifications used in the analysis: Ordinary Least Squares (OLS), Spatial Lag of X (SLX), Spatial Autoregressive Model (SAR), Spatial Error Model (SEM), and Spatial Durbin Model (SDM). The findings demonstrate significant positive spatial autocorrelation in both markets: Global Moran’s I = 0.29 (p = 0.007) for sales and 0.42 (p < 0.001) for rents. LISA analysis finds important groups of high-priced homes in the center districts and lower-priced homes on the edges. Spatial models significantly surpass OLS: SLX exhibits AIC enhancements of 9.90 (sales) and 20.20 (rentals), but SAR and SEM yield no enhancements, suggesting that local spillover effects from adjacent characteristics prevail over global spatial diffusion or correlated shocks. The higher Moran’s I and AIC gains in rental markets show that there are different spatial processes for different types of tenure. These results address a significant empirical deficiency in post-socialist housing research, illustrate that neglecting spatial dependencies may lead to biased estimates and reduced model performance, and furnish methodologically sound evidence that spatial econometric techniques are essential for accurate modeling for precise urban housing analysis in intermediate-sample scenarios. Policy implications stress the need to use spatial approaches in choices about property value, forecasting, and urban planning. Full article

Clay-based composite materials offer a low-carbon pathway for improving the environmental performance of the construction sector while maintaining relevance for architectural and heritage applications. A structured qualitative literature review was conducted, supported by thematic classification and exploratory bibliometric mapping (VOSviewer), based on peer-reviewed studies published between 2015 and 2025 relevant to the topic of clay minerals, stabilization, fibers, polymers, alkali activation, properties, performance, and applicability in architecture. According to the results obtained from the synthesized literature, it is seen that clay-based composites achieve performance improvement through complementary mechanisms: fiber reinforcement improves ductility, crack behavior, and energy absorption, polymer modification helps improve cohesion and water resistance and alkali activation transforms calcined aluminosilicate precursors into high-strength binding systems. The synthesis identifies three dominant performance mechanisms governing clay-based composites. Selected alkali-activated clay composite materials are reported to exhibit compression strengths higher than 60 MPa, and certain optimized systems may be able to provide lower thermal conductivity and lower levels of carbon emission in comparison with ordinary cement-based materials. The contribution of this paper lies in the synthesis of these material modification techniques and resulting performance aspects for their applicability in architecture, clarifying the potential of clay-based composites for sustainable construction, heritage compatible interventions, and future material development. By integrating material science with architectural applications, this study identifies the potential of clay-based composites for sustainable and heritage-compatible approaches to contribute to sustainable and circular construction practices, while also outlining key challenges and future research directions focused on optimization, large-scale implementation, and heritage-compatible innovation. Full article

Urban–climate interactions in a warming climate remain largely uncertain; therefore, it is crucial to realistically evaluate and project these feedbacks to establish effective adaptation strategies. This study investigates projected shifts in summertime urban–climate interactions over eastern North America by employing the GEM regional climate model coupled with the Town Energy Balance (TEB) scheme, driven by RCP4.5 and RCP8.5 scenarios for the 1981–2100 period. Evaluations for the current climate (1981–2010) demonstrate that the model simulates an urban-induced warming of 0.5–0.7 °C and a precipitation reduction of 0.2–0.4 mm/day with high fidelity. By the late 21st century (2071–2100), projections under the RCP8.5 scenario indicate a steady weakening of the summer mean Urban Heat Island (UHI) intensity by approximately 0.10 °C, with a more pronounced nighttime attenuation of 0.15 °C. Physically, this weakening is attributed to an enhanced urban-induced evaporative fraction, which limits solar radiation storage within the urban fabric during the day, thereby reducing the thermal energy available for post-sunset release. This UHI attenuation correlates strongly with localized increases in precipitation, particularly in coastal regions where urban-induced effects contribute 20–40% to the total precipitation rise. While this study intentionally utilizes static urban boundaries to isolate the specific sensitivities of current urban morphologies to global warming, these results emphasize that diverse climatological regions will undergo distinct urban–climate feedback changes, providing essential baseline data for resilient urban planning. Full article

Rapid population growth challenges governance systems, housing markets, infrastructure capacity, and social cohesion, yet it is often treated as a predictable and uniform process. This structured comparative review synthesizes four distinct rapid-growth literatures: energy boomtowns, amenity-migration destinations, gateway communities, and mega-event host towns, to examine how different growth drivers shape community resilience. Using systematic forward and backward citation tracking grounded in community theory, the review identifies recurring patterns across otherwise separate research traditions. The analysis shows that outcomes are shaped less by growth itself than by institutional and spatial conditions. Extractive boomtowns and mega-event hosts experience compressed cycles of disruption and recovery that test adaptive capacity, while amenity-migration destinations and gateway communities face sustained pressures related to housing affordability, land-use conflict, and social boundary formation. Across contexts, three interrelated dimensions of adaptive capacity consistently structure trajectories: multilevel governance coordination, housing and land-use elasticity, and the management of social equity and cohesion. The findings advance a conceptual resilience framework that interprets rapid population change as a socio-spatial shock filtered through institutional and spatial conditions, with implications for sustainable urban design, flexible infrastructure planning, and inclusive governance. Full article

Oceanfront relief varies along coastlines and serves as the first barrier to wave and surge damage. However, forecasted increases in storm frequency and sea levels are anticipated to enhance coastal erosion, potentially weakening this protection. The land–sea transition is variable along the New England coast, USA, and this variability has produced a range of coastal morphologies that can vary over short distances. It is important to track the beach transition zone to better understand transformations of the system and related hazard risks. A combination of field and computer-based methods was used to evaluate the beach transition zone of southwestern Rhode Island to determine alongshore variability and dynamics. More specifically, a decadal-scale study was conducted to examine changes in morphology from 2011 to 2022, and a short-term study at South Kingstown Town Beach examined changes from November 2023 to January 2024 using time-series drone-derived elevations. Classification of over 500 cross-shore transects illustrated the dominance of sedimentary shorelines, with smaller areas of rocky outcrops and hardening. Analysis of four different years (2011, 2014, 2018, and 2022) determined that beaches with dune morphology were the most common type of transition zone (41–47% of the transects) and transects with a high bank upland were the next most frequent class (34–41%). Following Hurricane Sandy in 2012, a 6% decrease in the number of dune-classified transects was measured; however, one-third of those recovered dune morphology by 2022. The greatest beach transformations over the short-term study occurred in response to strong storms in the 2023–2024 winter season, during which lateral beach movement (erosion) exceeded 15 m in portions of South Kingstown Town Beach. Dune erosion was accompanied by overwash flooding and deposition, and the area remained low-lying and thus vulnerable to future impacts. The beach transition zone classification and insights from this research will be informative for future planning by coastal communities by determining at-risk shorelines based on underlying geology and the stability of morphological features. Full article

The external relations of small towns are an important dimension in the regional urban system. However, the “metropolitan bias” in existing studies results in a lack of empirical verification of their characteristics, hindering effective regional policymaking. Applying Central Flow Theory (CFT), mobile phone data, and a multiscale geographically weighted regression (MGWR) model, this study investigates the spatially non-stationary associations between built environment factors and the “city-ness” and “town-ness” of small towns in the Yangtze River Delta. The results show: (1) Enterprise density in metropolitan shadow areas is positively associated with cross-city jobs–housing separation; in peripheral areas, both enterprise density and housing prices exhibit a strong correlation with intra-municipal jobs–housing separation. (2) Middle schools consistently correlate with localized intra-municipal flows, suggesting a plausible spatial anchoring role; around metropolises, medical and commercial facilities link to recreational flows and commuting town-ness, while in distal small towns, medical facilities coincide with intratown jobs–housing balance, and commercial facilities correlate with localized consumption and cross-town employment mobility. (3) Higher road network density corresponds to a shrinking commuting radius near metropolises and intra-municipal intertown interconnection in distal towns, rather than mere external relation channels. This study empirically supports CFT at the small-town scale, explores plausible mechanisms, and informs differentiated planning strategies. Full article

Informal settlements are home to more than one billion people worldwide, with forecasts suggesting this number may increase to nearly three billion by 2050. Although informal settlements constitute a significant component of urbanization in the Global South, they are unsafe and unhealthy places to live, as residents are exposed to various environmental challenges, including increasing temperatures. However, relative to other climate-related hazards, heat stress in informal settlements is under-researched. This paper, therefore, aims to analyze land surface temperatures (LSTs) in informal settlements relative to those in surrounding areas. Focusing on the study areas of Masiphumelele and Dunoon in Cape Town, South Africa, the study utilized downscaled 10 m resolution satellite imagery from 2020 to 2025. The LST was derived from Landsat 8 Collection 2 Level 2 Surface Reflectance and Surface Temperature products. Four indices were also generated to further analyze the spatial distribution of LSTs: the normalized difference vegetation index, the normalized difference built-up index, the bare soil index, and the normalized difference water index. Showing that heat intensity in informal settlements is a relative phenomenon influenced by many factors, Dunoon had a lower mean LST than the surroundings, while Masiphumelele demonstrated elevated mean LST relative to the surroundings. The study provides empirical evidence of heat-related patterns to inform planning and climate adaptation strategies in informal settlements, including the equitable provision of green and blue infrastructure. Full article

Urban shrinkage, driven by demographic and socioeconomic changes, has become a pressing issue across Europe, particularly in small peripheral towns and semi-urban settlements that have historically relied on a single industry or company. This study investigates the demographic and socioeconomic factors contributing to the multi-dimensional decline, encompassing population loss, economic contraction, and deteriorating socioeconomic conditions in Latvian mono-towns, thereby filling a void in empirical research on urban development in post-socialist contexts. Principal component analysis (PCA) was applied to a set of key demographic and socioeconomic indicators derived from census and administrative data to identify the principal dimensions that drive urban shrinkage. The analysis reveals three principal components explaining 87% of the variance: socioeconomic vitality (57.1%), population change and peripherality (17.2%), and aging society dynamics (12.6%). The results contribute to a nuanced understanding of how mono-functional urban contexts shape the intensity and character of shrinkage. These results establish a basis for specific policy measures designed to promote resilience in small-settlement settings and contribute to the understanding of spatial planning and regional development approaches in the post-socialist urban transition context. This research underscores the need for context-specific approaches to address the multifaceted challenges of urban shrinkage. Full article

Although tourists’ multi-attraction visitation behavior in tourism flow networks appears random, it actually follows underlying association rules. These rules may exhibit regional variations due to the influence of administrative barriers. Revealing the attraction association rules connected through tourist behavior can provide theoretical support for regional tourism planning and resource allocation. This study proposes a novel analytical framework to uncover hidden patterns and driving factors in tourists’ seemingly random behaviors across inter- and intra-township scales, with empirical evidence from the Pilot Zone of the Yangtze River Delta Green and Integrated Ecological Development Demonstration Area. Results show that the tourism flow network in the study area exhibits a distinct hierarchical structure. Nodes with high centrality are predominantly high-profile scenic spots that serve dual roles as both “cores” and “hubs” in the network. Most statistically significant association rules were observed at the intra-town level. In contrast, inter-town rules (exclusively among towns within Qingpu District, Shanghai) accounted for only a small proportion, where high-A-level tourist attractions frequently served as key nodes that enhanced cross-regional visitation probability. The determinants of tourist flow association rule intensity exhibit both commonalities and heterogeneities between intra-town and inter-town scales. Full article