Contemporary Waterfronts, What, Why and How?

Abstract submission deadline

30 September 2025

Manuscript submission deadline

28 February 2026

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Topic Information

Dear Colleagues,

Cities and water have a long history of interaction, and waterfront spaces have been the living spaces that bear witness to this relation. Since the advent of industrialisation, the accelerated changing of socio-economic paradigms and the continuous emergence of new societal and environmental problems introduced periods with different degrees of tension. The sequences of the production and regeneration of waterfront areas over time reflect this dynamic, testifying to the implementation of new agendas, policies, spatial plans, and urban projects, these frequently being the laboratories of urban/industrial phenomena. In recent decades, waterfront studies from multiple perspectives reveal both the richness, complexity, and representativeness of these areas. Today, new agendas follow each other, overlapping priorities and coexisting with unfinished previous ones: climate change adaptation and rising sea levels; light mobility; ecological and nature-based approaches; port/industrial heritage and memory values; the repurposing of waterfront sites; the coexistence of previous and new economies, in a complex productive system; touristification; the circular economy; new port–city conflicts, such as cruise impacts; new and more intensive forms of leisure and recreation; social conflicts. The waterfront space is the object of a complex system of conflict dynamics, combining transversal perspectives, none less important than the others. Values need to be discussed again, as several need to be combined simultaneously in the same spaces. "Contemporary Waterfronts: What, Why and How?" opens up a reflective discussion about the shared problems of the contemporary waterfront. “What” addresses what those problems are; “why” addresses what they are due to; and “how” addresses how have or can cities deal with them. This Special Issue seeks spatial diversity, allowing for the confrontation of experiences at waterfronts all over the world. It covers a broad time range, looking at the recent past, the present and the future, since practices from the past frequently inform present and future solutions. Over time, waterfront areas have addressed common problems via shared experiences. Today, this practice is even more relevant. We invite you to join and discuss, with support from empirical material and local practices, the contemporary waterfront: what, why and how?

Dr. Maria José Andrade Marques
Dr. Francesca Dal Cin
Prof. Dr. João Pedro Costa
Topic Editors

Keywords

Participating Journals

Journal Name	Impact Factor	CiteScore	Launched Year	First Decision (median)	APC
Atmosphere atmosphere	2.5	4.6	2010	16.1 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Coasts coasts	-	-	2021	23.2 Days	CHF 1000	Submit
Land land	3.2	4.9	2012	16.9 Days	CHF 2600	Submit
Sustainability sustainability	3.3	6.8	2009	19.7 Days	CHF 2400	Submit
Water water	3.0	5.8	2009	17.5 Days	CHF 2600	Submit

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Published Papers (3 papers)

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All Atmosphere Coasts Land Sustainability Water

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22 pages, 8508 KiB  

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

What Brings People to Riverfronts? Revealing Key Factors from Mobility Patterns Using De Facto Population Data

by Mingu Kang and Youngsang Kwon

Land 2024, 13(12), 2188; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13122188 - 15 Dec 2024

Viewed by 920

Abstract

Blue spaces, water-based open spaces, are becoming focal points for urban vitalization. While previous studies have explored waterfronts’ various effects, little research has focused on their influence on actual visitation and vitality. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the effect of riverfronts [...] Read more.

Blue spaces, water-based open spaces, are becoming focal points for urban vitalization. While previous studies have explored waterfronts’ various effects, little research has focused on their influence on actual visitation and vitality. This study addresses this gap by analyzing the effect of riverfronts on mobility using de facto population data, which tracks citizen activity by location through mobile information. The study focuses on two major rivers in northwestern Seoul, covering nine major riverfront facilities. Population Vitality (PV) and Vitality Index (VI), two novel measures derived from the de facto population data, were calculated for 266 tracts and used as a new indicator of spatial activation. Explanatory variables include regional and riverfront factors, such as the density of facilities, riverfront spaces’ specifications, and vitalization patterns. The findings show that higher densities of park-green spaces and commercial activities significantly enhance vitality, aligning with previous research on open spaces. Compact riversides with higher densities of riverfront facilities also exhibit greater vitality. The VI has demonstrated feasibility as a dynamic metric for assessing spatial activation, effectively capturing temporal fluctuations. By utilizing population big data and novel indices, this study empirically demonstrates the magnetic effects of riverfronts, providing deeper insights into effective riverfront planning. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Contemporary Waterfronts, What, Why and How?)

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18 pages, 8781 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Assessing the Relationship between Urban Heat Islands and Local Climate Zones during a Winter Period in the Coastal City of Balneário Camboriú/SC, Brazil

by Aline Nunes da Silva, Cassio Arthur Wollmann, Amanda Comassetto Iensse, Ismael Luiz Hoppe, Otavio de Freitas Baumhardt, Luana Writzl, Iago Turba Costa, João Paulo Assis Gobo, Emerson Galvani and Andreas Matzarakis

Atmosphere 2024, 15(10), 1171; https://doi.org/10.3390/atmos15101171 - 30 Sep 2024

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Abstract

This research seeks to understand the link between urban heat island and urban cool island, which are the Local Climatic Zones (LCZ) and atmospheric systems during the winter season in the city of Balneário Camboriú, Southern Brazil. First, meteorological data on the urban [...] Read more.

This research seeks to understand the link between urban heat island and urban cool island, which are the Local Climatic Zones (LCZ) and atmospheric systems during the winter season in the city of Balneário Camboriú, Southern Brazil. First, meteorological data on the urban environment was collected at 11 permanent points in the Balneário Camboriú metropolitan region. Next, a synoptic analysis of the dates was performed to understand the atmospheric systems operating in the region. Finally, the LCZs map created for the city in the World Urban Database and Access Portal Tools was used to correlate the magnitudes of the heat and cool islands found in Balneário Camboriú in the winter period. The results indicate that the increasing verticalization as a result of the construction of skyscrapers in Balneário Camboriú has a significant influence on local conditions for the occurrence of heat and cold islands. The findings indicate that LCZs with sparsely distributed buildings (LCZs 6, 8 and 9) and LCZs with dense vegetation (LCZ A) have lower intensity magnitudes of heat and cool conditions. The biggest magnitudes of heat and cool islands were reported in LCZs 1 and 3 during the timeframe. The synoptic analysis supports earlier research that points to atmospheric stability (Anticyclonic domain) as a favorable atmospheric setting for the emergence of urban heat and coolness islands. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Contemporary Waterfronts, What, Why and How?)

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23 pages, 18955 KiB  

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Critical Areas of Openness–Vitality Intensity Imbalance in Waterfront Spaces and Prioritization of Interventions: A Case Study of Xiangjiang River in Changsha, China

by Zhaoyu Zhou, Fan Yang, Jiayu Li, Jiale Li and Zhuojun Zou

Land 2024, 13(5), 686; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050686 - 14 May 2024

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 1575

Abstract

To alleviate the contradiction between high-density urban spatial environments and high-frequency citizens’ activities, it is vital to determine the degree of openness of waterfront space, figure out the matching relationship between spatial openness and vitality intensity, identify imbalanced spatial zones and divide the [...] Read more.

To alleviate the contradiction between high-density urban spatial environments and high-frequency citizens’ activities, it is vital to determine the degree of openness of waterfront space, figure out the matching relationship between spatial openness and vitality intensity, identify imbalanced spatial zones and divide the order of intervention, and compensate for the limitations of subjective judgment in traditional planning decisions. This paper uses the Changsha Xiangjiang River waterfront space as a research sample based on multi-source data. It constructs the evaluation indicators system and research framework for the degree of openness of waterfront space. Then, by evaluating the openness and vitality intensity of the waterfront space and adopting the quadrant division method, waterfront space zones with a mismatched openness and vitality intensity were identified. Finally, planning interventions are prioritized based on a priority index. The results show the following: (1) The openness and vitality of the waterfront space of Xiangjiang River show the spatial distribution characteristics of “high in the middle and low in the north and south” and “high on the east bank and low on the west bank”. (2) Fifteen low-quality waterfront spatial zones with “low vitality intensity and low openness” and one with a severe imbalance of “low openness–high vitality intensity” were identified. These waterfront spatial zones cannot meet the requirements for the high-quality development of waterfront space. (3) The study delineates five priority levels for planning interventions. Among them, three waterfront space zones belong to priority V, mainly distributed north and south of the Xiangjiang River. Five waterfront spatial zones belonging to priority IV are concentrated in the middle of the Xiangjiang River. The above areas need to be prioritized for improvement to accurately promote the overall balanced development of the waterfront space. Full article

(This article belongs to the Topic Contemporary Waterfronts, What, Why and How?)

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