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A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Land Planning and Landscape Architecture".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (31 August 2024) | Viewed by 45153

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Michael Hensel

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Guest Editor

Department of Digital Architecture and Planning, Faculty of Architecture and Planning, Vienna University of Technology, 1040 Vienna, Austria
Interests: sustainable development; architecture and environment integration; designing environments; data-driven planning and design
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Dr. Defne Sunguroglu Hensel

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Guest Editor

1. Architecture Internationalization Demonstration School, Southeast University, Nanjing 210096, China
2. School of Engineering and Design, Technical University of Munich, 80333 Munich, Germany
Interests: green construction; data-driven design; knowledge-based decision support
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Prof. Dr. Alessandra Battisti

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Guest Editor

Department of Planning, Design, and Technology of Architecture, Sapienza, University of Rome, Via Flaminia 72, 00196 Rome, Italy
Interests: urban land; sustainable development dimensions and urban agglomeration
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Rapid urbanization and related land use changes are key challenges of the 21st century and one of the primary causes of environmental degradation. In this context, new approaches are needed that not only aim to minimize negative impact on the environment, but instead seek to have a net positive impact. This can be initiated by integrating urban design with landscape architecture, and architectures and environments through an inter- and trans-disciplinary and trans-scalar approach to planning and design. This can lead to new hybrid land uses that can better support ecosystems and biodiversity, as well as the delivery of ecosystem services, including food production. Strong impulses towards this end are currently emerging from landscape architecture, from ecology and from urban green systems innovation. New research from different disciplines that transform spaces, enhancing landscapes and new economies emphasize the need for integrating green, blue, and grey infrastructure in urban settings. Moreover, the discovery, recovery, and adaptation of land knowledge and new trends in landscape architecture are of vital importance to making cities livable for humans and other species, with a particular interest in the “visible and invisible practices” of collective care. Interdisciplinary research and data-driven computational methods frequently facilitate such work. This Special Issue welcomes innovation-oriented articles related to the topics listed below.

Prof. Dr. Michael Hensel
Dr. Defne Sunguroglu Hensel
Prof. Dr. Alessandra Battisti
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. 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

Integration of urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture
Urban environmental and ecological restoration
Multifunctional land use
Integration of green, blue, and grey infrastructure
Novel urban green systems
Urban agriculture, horticulture, and gardening
Urban ecology and multi-species design
Decision support systems for integrating urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture
Data-driven design for integrating urban design, landscape architecture, and architecture

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Related Special Issue

Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture (Second Edition) in Land (1 article)

Published Papers (12 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 8910 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Networks and Fragments: An Integrative Approach for Planning Urban Green Infrastructures in Dense Urban Areas

by Maria Stella Lux

Land 2024, 13(11), 1859; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111859 - 7 Nov 2024

Viewed by 625

Abstract

The reintroduction of natural components into the urban environment has several benefits for the adaptation of urban environments. The urban green infrastructure (UGI) approach makes it possible to develop greening programs on a sound scientific basis and in connection with the ability to provide ecosystem services. However, in practice, UGI programs are almost exclusively based on the concept of a continuous green network, which requires large-scale interventions such as green corridors and parks. This severely limits the extension of UGI in dense urban areas such as historic centers. This article introduces the concept of green fragments and proposes an integrative approach to support greater spatial flexibility of the UGI. By setting appropriate limits on the number and proximity of green fragments, the resulting green system keeps functional connectivity despite being physically discontinuous. The proposed approach was tested in the case study of the historical center of Milan, leading to the proposal of integrations regarding the identification and mapping of the existing UGI and the planning of its future extension. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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27 pages, 6249 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Modeling the Effect of Greenways’ Multilevel Visual Characteristics on Thermal Perception in Summer Based on Bayesian Network and Computer Vision

by Yongrong Zheng, Siren Lan, Jiayi Zhao, Yuhan Liu, Songjun He and Chang Liu

Land 2024, 13(11), 1796; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13111796 - 31 Oct 2024

Viewed by 459

Abstract

The aim of this study is to reveal the effects of multilevel visual characteristics of greenways on thermal perception in hot and humid regions during summer and to explore the potential of visual design to enhance psychological thermal comfort. Data on light (L), color (C), plant richness (PR), space openness (SO), scenic view (SV), thermal sensation (TS), and thermal preference (TP) were collected through questionnaires (n = 546). Computer vision technology was applied to measure the green view index (GVI), sky view index (SVI), paving index (PI), spatial enclosure (SE), and water index (WI). Using the hill climbing algorithm in R to construct a Bayesian network, model validation results indicated prediction accuracies of 0.799 for TS and 0.838 for TP. The results showed that: (1) SE, WI, and SV significantly positively influence TS, while L significantly negatively influences TS (R² = 0.6805, p-value < 0.05); (2) WI, TS, and SV significantly positively influence TP (R² = 0.759, p-value < 0.05). Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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24 pages, 5339 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Designing Food Hubs for Territories of Proximity: Assessing the Spatial, Ecological, and Cultural Potentials of Places through Multi-Criteria Decision Support Systems

by Sara Favargiotti, Giulia Zantedeschi, Angelica Pianegonda, Matteo Brunelli and Michele Urbani

Land 2024, 13(8), 1131; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13081131 - 24 Jul 2024

Viewed by 921

Abstract

Logistics, distribution models, and landscapes of food production strongly influence the space of our cities and territories. In addition to the network of large-scale retail distribution that is diffused in urban and non-urban areas, with this contribution, we study the presence of new forms of the local and sustainable distribution of food (such as Alternative Food Networks, and community-supported agriculture). Studying and understanding how these distribution models can support and be integrated within a landscape planning and design approach is explored through the Analytic Hierarchy Process (AHP), a multi-criteria decision analysis method. Through the specific focus of a Food Hub localization, the aim is to demonstrate how distribution models can not only support but also integrate into landscape planning and design. The fundamental objectives for structuring and locating a Food Hub can be organized under three strategic objectives: pursuing the benefit of people, the planet, and profit. The choice of one distribution method over others, or what is the best location and condition for distribution centers, is the question we have tested with the collaboration of “L’Ortazzo” Association. The case study is a solidarity purchasing group located in the upper Valsugana valley area (Trentino Region, Italy), a supra-municipality reality involving about a hundred families that, currently, do not have a physical distribution center. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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24 pages, 6975 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Identification of Inefficient Urban Land for Urban Regeneration Considering Land Use Differentiation

by Rui Jin, Chunyuan Huang, Pei Wang, Junyong Ma and Yiliang Wan

Land 2023, 12(10), 1957; https://doi.org/10.3390/land12101957 - 23 Oct 2023

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2752

Abstract

Accurately identifying inefficient urban land is essential for urban regeneration and mining underutilized assets. Previous studies have primarily focused on examining the overall efficiency of land use without adequately considering the heterogeneity of urban land use types and comprehensive characteristics of urban quality. As a result, the spatial accuracy and precision of research findings have been relatively low. To address this gap, we developed a comprehensive method to identify inefficient urban lands for residential, commercial, and industrial use. The method integrated multi-source geographic data to quantitatively characterize the efficiency of different land use types considering six key dimensions, including building attribute, urban service, transportation condition, environmental quality, business performance, and production efficiency, utilized principal component analysis to reduce the multicollinearity and the dimensionality of the data, and identified land clusters with similar features that were inefficiently used by means of hierarchical clustering. By applying the method to Changsha, China, we validated its effectiveness. The results demonstrate that the method can accurately identify inefficient residential, commercial, and industrial land, with kappa coefficients of 0.71, 0.77, and 0.68, respectively. The identification results reveal the spatial distribution patterns of different types of inefficient land. Inefficient residential land is concentrated towards the city center, particularly in central areas. Inefficient commercial land is relatively evenly distributed, mainly outside the core commercial regions. Inefficient industrial land clusters towards the periphery, forming several agglomeration areas centered around industrial parks. By precisely identifying inefficient urban land and focusing on the key influencing factors, the proposed method enables the site selection of urban regeneration, site redevelopment evaluation, and optimization of urban resources. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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20 pages, 1733 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

When Is a Park More Than a Park? Rethinking the Role of Parks as “Shared Space” in Post-Conflict Belfast

by Ian Mell, John Sturzaker, Alice Correia, Mary Gearey, Neale Blair, Luciana Lang and Fearghus O’Sullivan

Land 2022, 11(10), 1611; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11101611 - 20 Sep 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2483

Abstract

With the signing of the Belfast Agreement, Belfast (Northern Ireland, UK) entered a new phase of urban development. Moving away from notions of division, Belfast City Council envisaged an inclusive and accessible city. Over a 20-year period, there have been significant changes in Belfast’s physical, socio-cultural, and political structure, reframing the city as a post-conflict space. However, there has been limited analysis of the role of parks in this process. This paper examines perceptions of parks, asking whether the promotion of a “shared spaces” policy aligns with local use. Through a mixed-methods approach, park users were surveyed to reflect on the meanings of parks in the city. We argue that although residual interpretations associated with historical socio-cultural divisions remain, parks are predominately multi-community amenities. The analysis illustrates that although destination parks attract greater patronage, there is visible clustering around ‘anchor’ sites at the local scale, especially in neighbourhoods with significant Catholic or Protestant identities. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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19 pages, 7002 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Future Role of Exotic Tree Species in Hungarian Built Heritage Environments

by Máté Sárospataki, Patrícia Szabó and Albert Fekete

Land 2022, 11(7), 984; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11070984 - 28 Jun 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 2148

Abstract

Although some exotic tree species, new to the country at the time, had already been introduced at the turn of the 18th and 19th century in the Hungarian landscape gardens, using foreign tree species in the space composition became widely popular only from the second half of the 19th century. This research focused on determining the date of appearance and compositional role of exotic trees in Hungarian landscape gardens. We can still find aged exotic woody taxa which determine the historical spatial structure in numerous landscape gardens nowadays. The nationwide distribution of these species, and their location within the gardens, can be an important addition to the questions of the revitalization of historical gardens, the more so because they may be indicative of the climate adaptability and, therefore, resilience of built heritage environments. An experimental approach to the introduction and use of new exotic tree species in historic gardens where this approach can be proven to have existed is also discussed as an opportunity to use these gardens in search of new foreign taxa to adapt to climate change. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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18 pages, 1536 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Frontiers in Social–Ecological Urbanism

by Johan Colding, Karl Samuelsson, Lars Marcus, Åsa Gren, Ann Legeby, Meta Berghauser Pont and Stephan Barthel

Land 2022, 11(6), 929; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11060929 - 17 Jun 2022

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5471

Abstract

This paper describes a new approach in urban ecological design, referred to as social–ecological urbanism (SEU). It draws from research in resilience thinking and space syntax in the analysis of relationships between urban processes and urban form at the microlevel of cities, where social and ecological services are directly experienced by urban dwellers. The paper elaborates on three types of media for urban designers to intervene in urban systems, including urban form, institutions, and discourse, that together function as a significant enabler of urban change. The paper ends by presenting four future research frontiers with a potential to advance the field of social–ecological urbanism: (1) urban density and critical biodiversity thresholds, (2) human and non-human movement in urban space, (3) the retrofitting of urban design, and (4) reversing the trend of urban ecological illiteracy through affordance designs that connect people with nature and with each other. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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24 pages, 5819 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Multifunction Land Use to Promote Energy Communities in Mediterranean Region: Cases of Egypt and Italy

by Ahmed Abouaiana and Alessandra Battisti

Land 2022, 11(5), 673; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050673 - 30 Apr 2022

Cited by 11 | Viewed by 3969

Abstract

Mediterranean rural settlements suffer from numerous environmental challenges, specifically the annual decrease of the farmlands, climate change threats, and growing resource consumption and demand, such as energy, the core of development. Rural areas play a significant role in achieving food security and sustainable development. Therefore, this paper promotes the energy community and agrivoltaic key concepts as pillars to show how buildings and farms’ land uses positively impact the ecosystem. The study focused on Egypt and Italy as representatives of the entire region. Two rural settlements with the same characteristics representing typical agriculture-based patterns have been selected: Lasaifar Albalad, representing 339 villages in the Delta Region, northern Egypt, and Pontinia, representing rural typologies of the 1930s in the Lazio Region, central Italy. Then, two focus groups with versatile stakeholders were conducted. The results showed the juxtaposition of the key concepts and national rural and agricultural policies and fostered a novel approach between Egypt and Italy. The study presented the first analysis of both contexts. The focus groups promoted the ideas, led to a better understanding of the implementation possibilities, raised awareness, improved social acceptance, and highlighted the significant barriers. It paved the way for a further study (micro-scale on-ground practices) to be planned and implemented soon. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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23 pages, 6935 KiB

Open AccessFeature PaperArticle

Indicators as Mediators for Environmental Decision Making: The Case Study of Alessandria

by Alessandra Battisti, Maria Valese and Herbert Natta

Land 2022, 11(5), 607; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11050607 - 21 Apr 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 2036

Abstract

The design of urban public open spaces plays a key role in the development of micro-scale reactions to global phenomena (pandemic, climate change, etc.) that are currently reshaping the human habitat. Their transformability and healthy influence on the urban environment make them strategic nodes for acupunctural regeneration with systemic effects. Several methods, models, and indicators have been developed to face the complexity of these spaces, made up of tangible and intangible layers; however, there is a gap between theoretical investigation and the need for public administrations to devise feasible solutions, strategies, and guidelines. The paper focuses on this mediation, presenting, as a case study, an adopted methodology and the first results achieved according to guidelines for the regeneration of the system of squares in the historical center of Alessandria (Piedmont, Italy). In this case, a multidisciplinary approach and a Multi-Criteria Analysis (MCA) method, supported by geospatial analysis and GIS technology, have been employed to work as mediators for a participatory process which will involve public administration, stakeholders, experts, and researchers. The paper presents an overview of the workflow, with a focus on the first set of thematic indicators and an open conclusion. It will explain how they have been defined, integrated, and turned into a dialogic tool, with the aim of laying the foundation for the next stage of involvement by the public administration and stakeholders. Specific attention will be paid to the key role of vegetational and environmental parameters, which represents the requalification strategy’s backbone, for both local and systemic scales. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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23 pages, 15120 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Methodology to Diagnose the Integration of Campsites in Rural Cultural Landscapes—An Applied Research in Catalonia, Spain

by Xavier Martín, Anna Martínez and Jordi Gordon

Land 2022, 11(3), 365; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11030365 - 2 Mar 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 3385

Abstract

Campsites are one of the most sustainable models of tourism because of their temporality and close relationship with the natural environment, enhanced by the comparatively light footprint that camping activity leaves on the landscape. The fundamental value of campsites is their ability to preserve the identity of the landscape and favor the recreational use of shared outdoor space, strengthening the feeling of rootedness and belonging to a place. This research is based on a specific study of site conditions through fieldwork and a comparative analysis of case studies in Catalonia (Spain). This territory has long since been one of the most innovative touristic regions in Spain due to its proximity to Europe and the Mediterranean. The result of this study is a new methodology that facilitates the diagnosis of the integration of campsites into landscapes through the development of processes and tools based on the common criteria identified during fieldwork. The final objective is to provide a working guideline to create a diagnosis that can be applied to other settlements in the region, despite the fact that they are located in contexts with different characteristics. This consideration will facilitate decision making by managers and administrations, both at local and regional levels, favoring the preservation of the particular identity of the different cultural landscapes that make up each territory. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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18 pages, 61288 KiB

Open AccessEditor’s ChoiceArticle

The Urban Future: Relating Garden City Ideas to the Climate Emergency

by Anastasia Nikologianni and Peter J. Larkham

Land 2022, 11(2), 147; https://doi.org/10.3390/land11020147 - 18 Jan 2022

Cited by 6 | Viewed by 9180

Abstract

Climate emergency, landscape connectivity and rapid urbanization are among the major challenges of the 21st century. This paper discusses ways in which cities can respond to the changing climate and put in place a sustainable vision. It uses the garden city concept as a vehicle to investigate the future of our cities in relation to the climate emergency and the elements that urban centres need to provide. Cities and their wider regions are recognised as key actors in supporting systemic change and climate change governance, and therefore the scope of this paper is to explore contemporary models of garden cities and the ways in which these might be able to address climate emergency as well as the concepts of zero carbon and sustainability. The study uses the 2014 Wolfson Economics Prize, which was based on a garden city question. Taking an environmental perspective on the delivery of future cities, and using the competition essays and masterplans, this study produces analytical drawings aiming to unpack the concepts of sustainability and low carbon. This research concludes that the garden city concept can support the future needs of our settlements, but a 21st century approach needs to be developed. The social and economic ideas originally introduced at the end of the 19th century need to be updated as a holistic vision, including nature and biodiversity, climatic conditions, climate emergency adaptation and mitigation processes as well as community health and wellbeing, to be able to fully respond to the needs of the future. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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12 pages, 2288 KiB

Open AccessCommunication

Novel Urban Ecosystems: Opportunities from and to Landscape Architecture

by Catarina Patoilo Teixeira, Cláudia Oliveira Fernandes and Jack Ahern

Land 2021, 10(8), 844; https://doi.org/10.3390/land10080844 - 12 Aug 2021

Cited by 8 | Viewed by 5121

Abstract

Novel assemblages of biotic, abiotic, and social components resulting from human-induced actions (e.g., climate change, land-use change, species movement) have been labeled as “Novel Ecosystems”, or “Novel Urban Ecosystems” when emerging in urban contexts. This concept has been shifting perspectives among some scientists and making them question traditional values about human-nature interactions in a rapidly changing era dominated by anthropogenic actions (Anthropocene). Controversial dimensions surrounding the Novel Ecosystems and Novel Urban Ecosystems terms may be preventing the evolution and further research of these concepts. The environmental problems that our society will soon face support a search for innovative solutions and transdisciplinary efforts. For that reason, this discussion should not cease, rather should expand to other fields of knowledge that can contribute with pertinent insights and collaborations. This way, this short communication aims to reflect on the opportunities from Landscape Architecture to the discussion, research, and application of the novel ecosystems concepts in the real world, particularly in the urban landscape, and also reflect on the opportunities of this debate to the Landscape Architecture field. Ultimately, Landscape Architecture can contribute with innovative and creative perspectives, acceding valuable and advanced tools, facilitating dialogues between fields of knowledge, and bridging gaps between science, people, and nature. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue Integrating Urban Design and Landscape Architecture)

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