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To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches

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A special issue of Sustainability (ISSN 2071-1050). This special issue belongs to the section "Sustainable Urban and Rural Development".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: closed (11 January 2023) | Viewed by 20017

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Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. José Manuel Pagés Madrigal

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Guest Editor

Director of the Program of Architecture and Urban Design, German University in Cairo (GUC), Cairo, Egypt
Interests: heritage and cultural landscapes; revitalization and gentrification; urban identity, authenticity; habitat studies; infra habitation; emerging cities; gated communities; conflict and divided territories; slums; affordable houses; port cities

Prof. Dr. Islam H. El Ghonaimy

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Guest Editor

Department of Architecture, University of Bahrain, Isa Town, Bahrain
Interests: urban design; landscape architecture; city urban problems; environmental studies

Dr. Igor Calzada

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Guest Editor

1. School of Social Sciences, WISERD, Cardiff University, Cardiff CF10 3AT, UK
2. Ikerbasque, Basque Foundation for Science, 48009 Bilbao, Spain
3. Faculty of Social Sciences and Communication, University of the Basque Country, 48940 Leioa, Spain
Interests: data cooperatives; digital rights; data sovereignty; digital citizenship; platform cooperatives; digital commons; AI; people-centered smart cities; datafication; smart cities

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

Evolution of research on urban design has needed in some stages a deeper interdisciplinary relationship with other close fields, like Architecture, Ecology. These eventual gaps led to some socio-economic and cultural problems in cities and regions worldwide.

Milestones in this long journey arose. COVID-19 is one of them. These facts oblige the scientific community to show up the theories, manifestos, case-studies and methodologies on the previous fields. It will be very helpful to raise the understanding of the sustainability of architecture and urban planning from a diverse set of perspectives. This is, in fact, the aim of this special issue: to establish a bridge between theory and practice in the built environment by examining in-depth the consequences for citizens

Any of the latest research findings and innovative approaches, will help to redefine contemporary built environments in relation to the different perspectives. A broad outline of the special issue's scope includes peer-reviewed original research articles, case and technical reports, reviews and analyses. All scholars, practitioners, and policymakers with a common interest to study architecture and urban design from different perspectives are invited to contribute for that. An interaction with different intertwined fields including economy, architecture, engineering, sociology, anthropology, cultural studies, and digital studies, is expected.

Prof. Dr. José Manuel Pagés Madrigal
Prof. Dr. Islam H. El Ghonaimy
Dr. Igor Calzada
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 environmental sustainability
urban morphology
city-regional studies: regeneration and urban renewal
architecture and urban aesthetics
architecture andtechnology: sustainable environmental design and technology
smart cities citizenship: experimental cities, digital rights
design and technology: building structures
healthy and productive economy
social justice and behavioural studies
affordable houses and sustainability approaches
equity in urban planning: gentrification, socio-economic resilience
sustainability and urban design
energy conservation
sustainability through urban identity
urban ecology: resilient landscapes
vernaculars: materials, architectures and landscapes
new urbanism sustainability approaches: housing and urban environments
urban transport planning, management, and strategies
urban sprawl sustainability approaches

Published Papers (10 papers)

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Research

24 pages, 8247 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Measuring Residential Satisfaction in Historic Areas Using Actual–Aspiration Gap Theory: The Case of Famagusta, Northern Cyprus

by Tina Davoodi, Balkiz Yapicoglu and Uğur Ulaş Dağlı

Sustainability 2023, 15(5), 3917; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15053917 - 21 Feb 2023

Viewed by 1593

Abstract

Although historical areas have significant unique architectural, historical and cultural values, and urban patterns, the physically degraded/damaged and deteriorated urban fabric of historical environments does not completely fulfill the contemporary needs of residents, which leads to low levels of resident satisfaction. As a result, this study examines the factors affecting residential satisfaction in a historic area to enhance satisfaction. Toward this objective, the present study selects the historical area of Famagusta, North Cyprus, and conducts a comprehensive survey among 129 households. Furthermore, the present study assesses residential satisfaction by incorporating socio-demographic, household environment, local historic housing renovation rules, and sense-of-place factors as well as applying the logit regression approach to find reliable results. Moreover, this study performs bootstrap Least Absolute Shrinkage and Selection Operator (LASSO) logistic regression to rank the importance of variables instead of relying on the size of estimated coefficients. To the best of our knowledge, this is among the first studies to conduct this nexus and the results could significantly contribute to the literature. Remarkably, the results reveal that the residential environment, local historical housing renovation rules, and sense of place have significant and positive effects on residential satisfaction, implying that these factors have a significant role in raising residents’ satisfaction levels. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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19 pages, 4316 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Sustainable-Oriented Development for Urban Interface of Historic Centers

by Ahmed Mohamed Shehata

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2792; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032792 - 03 Feb 2023

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1292

Abstract

The Middle East and North Africa (MENA) cities’ historic centers have a unique urban fabric regarding land use, physical characteristics, and environmental performance. Several cities within this region are subject to significant development projects based on demolition and replacement. These projects aim to improve the quality of life and enhance the city’s socioeconomic and sustainability. This paper investigates the physical characteristics of the urban interface between the historical centers and the rest of the cities’ urban expansions to ensure a smooth transition between the historic urban fabric and the rest of the city’s urban fabric. The research objective was fulfilled by developing a framework to classify urban fabric types based on their physical characteristics. Jeddah city was selected as a case study. Six growth phases of the city were identified. Based on this classification, urban fabric samples representing these phases were selected. These urban samples’ physical characteristics were analyzed. Results identified in urban fabric characteristics between the historic center and the other identified urban fabrics within the city, especially the demolished deteriorated surrounding urban areas. Urban features for under-development urban areas were concluded. Design guidelines were suggested for historical centers to achieve homogeneous integrated, sustainable, livable urban areas. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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26 pages, 10808 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Use of Camouflage Colours to Reduce the Visual Impact of Industrial Facilities on Open Landscape

by Otylia Serwatko, Kamila Pawłowska and Bartosz Jawecki

Sustainability 2023, 15(3), 2343; https://doi.org/10.3390/su15032343 - 27 Jan 2023

Viewed by 1393

Abstract

The use of camouflage colours on industrial sites reduces the visual impact on the open landscape and indirectly identifies the impact of the current condition on visual perception. The research includes the creation of original landscape panoramas and those with camouflage patterns on them in order to analyze and examine their impact on the surrounding landscape. Sector Panorama Analysis was chosen as the leading method of analysis. The knowledge of the objects selected for the study contributed to a better judgment and, thus, a more thorough interpretation of the factors affecting the environment. A survey questionnaire was used to investigate the visual impact of camouflage. Results of the present study were used to compare the average ratings obtained by particular camouflage patterns and also to draw conclusions about the improvement of the visual perception of the object after their application. The highest increase in comparison to initial panoramas was achieved by the Polish pattern WZ.93. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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14 pages, 5460 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Restoration of the Cities’ Water Waterfront after the COVID-19 Pandemic, Case of Al Khobar City, Saudi Arabia

by Dalia H. Eldardiry

Sustainability 2022, 14(22), 14775; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142214775 - 09 Nov 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1657

Abstract

The residents of coastal cities have a strong relationship with the waterfront, which people of different ages, types, levels of awareness, and cultural backgrounds use. People of different cultures tend to use these open spaces with various responses. They consider it a lung for them, and practice most of their entertainment and social events with different attitudes. Therefore, municipalities spend a large budget on designing, implementing, and developing these areas. However, sadly, during the COVID-19 pandemic, the local authorities in many cities decided to shut down the city, including the waterfront area. Al Khobar city, Saudi Arabia, was one of the cities had that had a broad lockdown. Consequently, the use of open spaces became dangerous, and municipalities placed many restrictions on using such spaces to control the spread of COVID-19. Residents had no opportunity to use them for exercise, sports, social activities, or even for enjoying the fresh air, negatively influencing their lives at different levels. This research discusses this problem and examines the restoration of the waterfront after the authorities announced a decrease in the status of the hazards of the COVID-19 pandemic. The study will consider returning safely to using the waterfront and allowing it to be accessible to the public, like before the COVID-19 pandemic. Moreover, it will suggest recommendations for the future use of the waterfront in a secure way to prevent the spread of such viruses. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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21 pages, 14620 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Reviving Low-Tech Modes of Construction as a Method for Sustainability

by Mennat-Allah El-Husseiny and Hamdy El-Setouhy

Sustainability 2022, 14(21), 13762; https://doi.org/10.3390/su142113762 - 24 Oct 2022

Viewed by 2920

Abstract

Sustainability in architectural design has been widely researched in respect to environmental, social and economic impacts on the built environment. Associated debates have been raised regarding zero CO₂ emissions, clean energy consumption, simulations for optimized designs, and high-tech utilization, among other. However, little focus has been given to the possibility of reviving low-technology construction, which can contribute to the field through an added value to the identity of communities, especially in areas with special familiar construction techniques that are possible to be optimized and capitalized upon. Stemming from this, the research aims to analyze strategies and tools for contemporary projects which have adopted the experience of applying low-tech construction modes to upraise a specific local community. The “Al-Nazlah” project in Fayoum, Egypt, which has been awarded several international prizes, is the main focus of this analysis, based on first-hand information from the architect, local community, and heritage experts using interviews and questionnaires, in addition to applying Heritage Building Information Modeling (HBIM) methodology to assess the experience collectively. The results highlight the points of strength and weakness of the revival project, in the form of a framework assessing the experiment for the familiar construction-based project in applying the three levels of sustainability in a community with special characteristics. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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17 pages, 4415 KiB

Open AccessArticle

The Role of Urban Planning and Architecture in Sustainable Peacebuilding: Lessons from Belfast to Syria

by Ghada Rifai and Seyda Emekci

Sustainability 2022, 14(19), 11878; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141911878 - 21 Sep 2022

Viewed by 1567

Abstract

The peacebuilding process plays a critical role for urban planning in paving the way for sustainable peace or upcoming conflicts, where it is not innocent and not impartial. The paper aims to draw out lessons learned from Belfast to Syria, focusing on the urban intervention role in sustaining the peace process. The article reviews Belfast’s literature review, using the timeline to scan the recovery process and extract a few lessons learnt. This is followed by reviewing the current interventions for the recovery of Syria based on chosen articles in the Venice charter on reconstruction that define specific indicators of the role of architects and urban planners. Authors debate the way and the aspects of urban intervention in dealing with conflicts. The paper shows the critical role of urban interventions in sustaining peace process implementation and concludes with essential areas to ensure the integration of the urban intervention part of the peace process. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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13 pages, 3512 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Simulation Tools for the Architectural Design of Middle-Density Housing Estates

by Mathieu Paris, Marjan Sansen, Stéphane Bosc and Philippe Devillers

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10696; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710696 - 27 Aug 2022

Cited by 2 | Viewed by 1201

Abstract

Temperatures in every Mediterranean city are increasing due to the effects of climate change, with a consequent increase in extreme events. A previous study of French holiday housing designed during the glorious 1930s allowed us to characterize the environmental performance of four additive morphologies. Starting from in situ measurements during a typical summer day and numerical simulations, the goal of this study is to analyze the influence of two calculation methods used in microclimate simulations on the architectural design process. The results are interpreted through the mean radiant temperature and the Physiological Equivalent Temperature, hour by hour in one day, at six different places in a public lane. This work allows us to explore the use of simulation tools for the development of middle-density housing estates to improve outdoor thermal comfort in summertime. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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20 pages, 13602 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Assessment of Historic Cities within the Context of Sustainable Development and Revitalization: The Case of the Walled City North Nicosia

by Mustafa Eyyamoğlu and Ayten Özsavaş Akçay

Sustainability 2022, 14(17), 10678; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141710678 - 27 Aug 2022

Cited by 3 | Viewed by 1967

Abstract

The City of Nicosia contains cultural heritage from different periods of history. Over time, due to user damage, illegal constructions, and abandonment, Nicosia has faced the danger of deterioration in its morphology and the loss of its original identity. With the recent strategic planning, the city of Nicosia has started to be revived. Within the scope of revitalization works, original or re-functional use projects are carried out on existing structures. Revitalization projects in historical cities should be implemented within the framework of sustainable development. In this study, the Arabahmet and Karamanzade regions of Nicosia were selected as the focus of the research. The research aims to assess revitalization works in selected zones within the framework of sustainable development. Three methodologies were followed in the research process: Theoretical, analytical, and practical approaches. As the first step in the theoretical approach, sustainable development was emphasized in historical cities and Nicosia City. Through an analytical approach, a current analysis of Nicosia city was made. In addition, in the practical approach, data highlighting the physical condition and architectural heritage of the regions were collected. In the practical assessment stage, data obtained within the scope of sustainable development and the revitalization works that can be applied in historical cities have been evaluated for the city of Nicosia. Analysis was made according to the data for the regions selected in line with the social, cultural, environmental, and economic criteria, which are the four pillars of sustainable development. In the last stage, the findings and discussion section, the direction of the revitalization works in the regions was assessed. Research reveals that the revitalization works carried out in the region are not fully addressed within the scope of sustainable development. The study reveals that it is essential for the sustainability of the conservation process of the local community. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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21 pages, 4293 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Integrating Sustainability and Users’ Demands in the Retrofit of a University Campus in China

by Guorui Chen, Li Cheng and Foyuan Li

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10414; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610414 - 22 Aug 2022

Cited by 1 | Viewed by 1592

Abstract

Green retrofit is essential for the sustainable development of Chinese Higher Education Institutions (HEIs). Limited by time and cost, a campus retrofit plan needs to consider both sustainability principles and usage demands to set feasible priorities. By integrating usage demands with sustainability principles, this paper aims to observe the relationship between the sustainability assessment tool (SAT) indicators of campus retrofit and users’ needs in this process. The Chinese official SAT for campuses was combined with the campus environment components from six investigated HEIs, and then processed by a group of 15 members to establish an implementable framework of retrofit objectives. Taking the Weijin Campus of Tianjin University as an example, feedback from 432 users on the sample environment was analyzed according to our framework. The results show the difference between the users’ perspective and sustainability indicators, emphasizing the importance of the sustainable development of HEIs and leading to the implementation of measures to improve sustainability awareness and guide a retrofit. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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21 pages, 8423 KiB

Open AccessArticle

Investigating Regenerative Ideation within Sustainable Development Goals

by Iman Ibrahim and Nadia Ahmed

Sustainability 2022, 14(16), 10137; https://doi.org/10.3390/su141610137 - 16 Aug 2022

Cited by 4 | Viewed by 3356

Abstract

The rapid deterioration of ecosystems and the growing impacts of climate change, which is expected to increase the average global temperature by 3–6 degrees Celsius by 2100 according to The Paris Agreement, reveals that sustainability is no longer an adequate solution to these ongoing challenges. As a result, a paradigm shift toward a more evolutionary approach has recently become a demand, where regenerative concepts have rapidly replaced current sustainable practices. Rather than minimizing human impacts on the environment, regenerative ideation aims to generate more than consume and tackles many shortcomings of conventional sustainability. Therefore, the study attempts to provide an answer for the debate on how far can regenerative ideation go beyond current sustainability, and to what extent does this concept deliver on the UN’s Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs). Therefore, the study aims first to develop regenerative development goals that adopt an integrated approach and secondly to assure their compliance with the UN’s SDGs. The study employed a qualitative methodology and the case study approach to examine the applicability of the proposed principles. The findings provide clear criteria for architects and urban designers to use in spreading regenerative design to create a more responsible built environment. The study recommends further research on creating regenerative development and design metrics and indicators for practicing the concept within the built environment. Full article

(This article belongs to the Special Issue To Practice Sustainability in Architecture and Urbanism: Contemporary Approaches)

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