2019 Planning for Transition, Venice 9-13th July

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https://hdl.handle.net/20.500.14235/1813

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Open Access
Landing : How practices of temporary hospitality challenge urban spaces and policies
(AESOP, 2019) Bovo, Martina
Within the broad issue of migration, the paper discusses the conditions of intersection between the short temporality of the phenomenon and the longer temporality of urban spaces and policies. Along the migrant trajectory, the work particularly focuses on migrants’ landing, or first arrival. The research therefore addresses migrant populations who have a “temporary” perspective in their use of the territory and who cannot access certain urban services and opportunities. The paper considers the case of Milan and assuming the background of existing policies, the work draws on a qualitative observation of Milanese first reception, with specific attention to hospitality “practices”, broadly defined as unexpected uses of space, non-institutional actions, and unplanned answers by the Municipality. The observation unveils a general incapacity to structurally deal with the temporariness of migrants’ condition, often resulting in “exceptional” reception spaces and emergency-based policies; on the other hand, some actors and practices seem to provide a deeper understanding of certain conditions, suggesting new points of view on first reception issues and highlighting alternative paths. The work argues the urgency of a renewed and more complex definition of the temporary condition of migrant populations, and the relevance of existing practices as a starting point for discussion. Keywords: migration; landing; first reception; Milan
Open Access
Soil ecosystem services assessment to support land use planning - applications in Italy and a reflection for the future
(AESOP, 2019) Assennato, Francesca; Strollo, Andrea; d’Antona, Marco; De Fioravante, Paolo; Cavalli, Alice; Munafò, Michele
The ecosystem services assessment (ESA) has an increasing visibility and more recently soil-related ecosystem services are under attention. Loss of agriculture and natural soil due to land consumption is one of the main causes of degradation of soil and loss of ecosystem functions. Decisions upon land use and cover at local scale are the arena to effectively foster soil ecosystem services provision. While there is some coherence in global and national ESA, the experience in land use planning is still fragmented. The discussion moves from the experience of national ESA in Italy, measuring variations in eleven soil-related ecosystem services (carbon storage and sequestration, habitat quality, crop production, timber production, pollination, hydrological cycle regulation, fresh water availability, water purification, erosion protection, microclimate regulation, particulate and ozone removal) related to 2012-2017 land consumption changes. The aim is to highlight the barriers and opportunities for integration in land use planning, and to provide critical suggestions around the potential role of ecosystem service knowledge at different levels. Results point out potentials of the ESA in representation of soil functions, together with methodological and procedural uncertainty that makes ESA potentially prone to improper uses and misleading results, in the absence of a common framework for application. Keywords: land consumption, soil functions, ecosystem services, land use planning
Open Access
Participatory sensing within co-creation: improving the transformation of the urban environment. The Verona case inside the LOOPER project
(AESOP, 2019) Condotta, Massimiliano; Scanagatta, Chiara; Borga, Giovanni; Ruggeri, Paolo; De Maria, Michela; Peron, Fabio
This paper illustrates methods, technologies and tools used and developed to support a cocreation method for the transformation of the urban environment, developed and tested in the framework of the Verona case from the LOOPER project. The LOOPER project (Learning Loops in the Public Realm), is an European Research Project co-funded under the JPI Urban Europe program. Other two cities are involved: Brussels, working on traffic related issues; Manchester, working on quality of spaces. Co-creation brings together participatory sensing, co-design and other activities to activate a participatory process. The LOOPER co-creation methodology, in the way it is applied at the Verona case study, is therefore based on working with the stakeholders since the first steps of the project, meaning that participatory sensing is grounded on the scoping and monitoring of urban issues done by citizens, enabling them to gain better result thanks to the knowledges obtained in the beginning. To support this process different technologies are used: passive sensors for NO2; noise boxes; PM2.5 portable sensors; user-friendly visualisation dashboard to collect and visualise data. These methods and technologies have been used to improve co-creation to ideate and design urban transformation facing some issues in the city of Verona Sud. Keywords: Co-creation, Co-design, Participatory sensing, Learning Loop
Open Access
Learning through co-creation: how to solve urban problems with citizens
(AESOP, 2019) Keserü, Imre; Pappers, Jesse; Evans, James; Astbury, Janice; Condotta, Massimiliano; Ravetz, Joe; Scanagatta, Chiara; Macharis, Cathy
The public realm is a place where urban stakeholders interact and come into conflict. The aim of this paper is to present the LOOPER participatory co-creation methodology and platform developed in the Learning Loops in the Public Realm (LOOPER) project to demonstrate ‘learning loops’ i.e. new ways of decision-making which bring together citizens, stakeholders and policymakers to iteratively learn how to address urban challenges. The methodology and platform are demonstrated in three Living Labs with different spatial, cultural and thematic contexts. The main issues being solved are traffic and mobility in Brussels; traffic and green space in Manchester; and air and noise pollution in Verona. The paper will discuss the overall approach and methodology developed in the LOOPER project to support finding solutions to urban problems in a participatory co-creation process, and its broader implications for living lab approaches to urban transformation. Some interim findings emerge in the context of three main social science strands: social learning and collective intelligence; local government and participatory co-governance; and the co-design/coproduction process in the urban environment. Work in progress from the LOOPER Living Labs demonstrates these wider themes in the light of front-line experience. Keywords: co-creation; traffic safety; air pollution
Open Access
A participatory approach to Societal Cost Benefit Analysis (SCBA) as a way to start the debate on transforming residential subdivisions
(AESOP, 2019) Custers, Lieve; Devisch, Oswald; Huybrechts, Liesbeth
Residential subdivisions remain the preferred living environment for the majority of the people living in Flanders. But, this mode of living comes at a high societal cost. These costs are paid by society as a whole, whereas the advantages are only experienced by the residents (De Decker, 2011). In Flanders, there is an ongoing debate on how to reduce these costs since the sixties (Anselin, 1967; Braem, 1967; Strauven, 1980). In spite of this debate, the subdivision of open land continues at a rate of 6 ha each day (De Decker et al., 2010). Our hypothesis is that a societal cost-benefit analysis (SCBA) could benefit a more informed debate. A SCBA analyses the costs and benefits of (spatial) scenarios (ECORYS, 2008, p. 15) and relies on heuristics to translate these costs and benefits, in a transparent way, to a number of (monetary) values. As such a SCBA allows to include perspectives from multiple sectors (e.g. planning, ecology, heritage, mobility) and supports a strategic debate among policy makers. The conducting of a comprehensive SCBA is a complex process. We particularly propose to use SCBA as a dynamic and participatory instrument, that evolves along with the debate. As such, it would no longer only be a decision-support tool for policy makers, but also a capacity building tool that helps participants to reflect over the impact of their current (spatial) behavior and over how to reduce the societal cost of this behavior. In the paper, we will discuss how the participatory SCBA supports the definition of values, the composition of the value framework and the construction of the publics. Keywords: participatory societal cost benefit analysis; dynamic instrument; value framework; constructing publics
Open Access
Transposition of Advocacy Experience as Triple-Loop Social Learning in Albania: Fighting HPPs in Protected Areas from the Vjosa River Basin to the Canyons of Osumi
(AESOP, 2019) Bekteshi, Arba; Misho, Erinda
This paper traces the learning experiences of communities, living near protected areas, taking to the Administrative Court, in view of a lack of environmental crime law that would render these cases penal procedures, government decisions awarding the right to build hydropower plants to several national and international companies. We focus on the first four such administrative lawsuits in Albania, arguing against the construction of HPPs in the protected areas of the Vjosa river basin, the Valbona Valley National Park, the Seta river, and the Canyons of Osumi, from 2016 to 2018. Based on Brown et al.'s definition of triple-learning loops as a process transformative of decisionmaking paradigms and of the learning process itself (2015, pg. 1685), we demonstrate how the fight to protect national parks, biomonuments and dependent livelihoods, accompanied by social media campaigns and protests, have informed practices of participatory social learning (Brown 2015, 1686). We break down the dynamics of the multi-level and multi-agency approaches of these claims, to denote and explain the role of multiple social actors opposing the lack of compliance with environmental legislation on protected areas. We, ultimately, argue that the switch in feedback loops has acted as a catalyst for sustained behavioural change, and rendered possible the transposition of advocacy practices across different communities. Keywords: triple learning loops; protected areas; environmental law; adaptability; Albania
Open Access
Urban inclusion of refugees and vulnerable migrants in Portugal
(AESOP, 2019) Leiria Viegas, Sílvia
I will focus on my on-going post-doctoral research INSEhRE 21. Socio-spatial and housing inclusion of refugees in contemporary Europe: Lessons from the African diaspora in Portugal (2017-2023). The purpose is to situate the investigation and to discuss its further developments and alignments from a critical and operational standpoint. I will present my theoretical approach based on the key-concepts of ‘the production of space’ and ‘the right to the city’, ‘governmentality’ and ‘multicultural tolerance’. Also, I will refer to the main policies, practices and paradoxes of today’s Portuguese context concerning urban inclusion and cultural inheritances in general and, in particular, for refugees and/or vulnerable migrants moving to the Lisbon Metropolitan Area. Moreover, I will mention the government’s trend of sending these refugees to rural areas and small/medium-size cities, whilst pointing out the crucial role of digital networks in preserving social bonds and building citizenship. As for grass-roots initiatives, I will present the project Refugi.Arte em Marvila, boosted by the architectural Cooperative Working with the 99%, and the projects Orquídea Silvestre and Tayybeh, both spearheaded by the Association Family of Refugees, with different levels of action and effects. I will conclude with a short crosschecked theoretical-empirical analysis. Keywords: INSEhRE 21; Refugi.Arte em Marvila; Orquídea Silvestre; Tayybeh
Open Access
Co-creation a way of supporting development of neighbourhoodlevel transport innovations
(AESOP, 2019) Haufe, Nadine; Großmann, Astrid
Co-creation is a much discussed concept in the fields of urban planning, architecture, urban design and many more. In the HORIZON 2020 project SUNRISE, co-creation is the key concept to develop, implement, assess and facilitate learning about new ways to address common mobility challenges at the neighbourhood level. Towards this aim, six SUNRISE cities (Bremen, Budapest, Jerusalem, Malmö, Southend on Sea, Thessaloniki) foster co-creation processes with the explicit mandate to implement innovative solutions for and with their residents, and other stakeholders. The SUNRISE action neighbourhoods combine a blend of proven online and face-to-face co-creation methods, tools and techniques to bring together citizens, policy-makers and other stakeholders to learn from each other and to address urban challenges in neighbourhoods in transitions. This contribution gives an overview of various methods for coidentification and co-development of sustainable mobility solutions at the neighbourhood level, and discusses the advantages and disadvantages of online and offline tools. Keywords: co-creation; participation; mobility solutions; online and offline participation methods
Open Access
Evidence-based urban developmental: beyond the urban anecdotes : The need of going beyond anecdotal knowledge in urban planning
(AESOP, 2019) Forsemalm, Joakim; Johansson, Magnus
Building a sustainable city is a complex task. Planners regularly become trapped in the tension between broad international or national aims for sustainable development and local, negotiated, agreements on what a professional is being asked to deliver. That’s because professional behavior and decision-making are based on service to clients or citizens, with only a very general sense of responsibility for economic and social impact on a wider scale. On top of that, the established development- and construction industries with their traditional professional territories and divisions of labor also limit more holistic ways of working with sustainable urban development (Cooper and Symes 2009).
Open Access
Thematic villages as the example of neo-endogenous local development in rural areas
(AESOP, 2019) Tobiasz-Lis, Paulina
This paper is focused on a set of activities undertaken by the local community of peripherally located Polish village and their various cultural, economic and landscape effects. The selected village of Masłomęcz (Lubelskie Voivodeship) is one of over 50 active thematic villages in Poland and well presents the problem of post-war settlement of people from various parts of the country and the long process of their adjustment to the new living environment. The paper is based on quantitative and qualitative data gathered both infield (observation, individual in-depth interviews, focus group, research walk) and along the desk research (the study of literature, documents on local development strategies). The multithreaded analysis in a local scale enabled to present the anatomy of undertaken activities in the scope of the Theory of Change framework. Thematic village of Goths in Masłomęcz presented as the example of neo-endogenous local development in rural areas of Poland is one of the 33 case studies analyzed along the Horizon 2020 Framework RELOCAL Project.
Open Access
EU urban strategies 2014-2020: exploring the functional area approach
(AESOP, 2019) Fioretti, Carlotta; Pertoldi, Martina
There is a vast literature that has investigated processes of spatial reconfiguration, contributing to the emerging of a "new urban question" that not only reframes traditional urban issues but also challenges our understanding of what are cities todays. At the same time, the "European city model" still persists, particularly regarding the institutional role of cities, increasingly considered as relevant policy actors. This "urban paradox" gives new emphasis on the urban regional scale and urgently calls for connecting the two dimensions, both in terms of dynamics on the ground and policy formulation. The paper addresses the topic by focusing on the functional area approach promoted by the EU Regional Policy discourse discussing how it shapes and legitimates new spatial configurations, with implications for urban analysis and policy approaches. The paper is based on the analysis of a database gathering nearly 1000 strategies for Sustainable Urban Development funded by EU in 2014-2020, with a significant number of functional areas. Interestingly, functional areas as a strategic approach do not only apply to metropolitan areas, big cities and FUAs. On the contrary, it has been used for different type of territories, beyond metropolitan areas, and suggests the need for better understanding what kind of spatialities and territorial arrangements they contribute to shape.
Open Access
The Pla de Barris: a remarkable case of placesensitive territorial policy
(AESOP, 2019) Peverini, Marco
Spatial injustices are rapidly growing and, in the wake of the so called “revenge of places that don’t matter”, there is urgent need for better territorial policies. Ranging on a wide variety of contexts, territorial policies should implement strategies that are not only place-based, but also coherent, effective and place-sensitive. Aim of the paper is to give a contribution to the debate, shedding light on one lesser-known yet remarkable case of territorial policy for social cohesion. The Pla de Barris, Plan of the districts of the Catalan Region implemented between 2004 and 2010, is here investigated. The research followed two main methodologies: on one side, quantitative sociospatial analysis; on the other side the tools of policy analysis to investigate its implementation. It shows that the measure was efficient and effective in targeting spatial injustices thanks to integrated place-sensitive implementation mechanisms. A fairly balanced combination of centralized analytical apparatus, multi-level governance and involvement of the local administrations explains its success in addressing spatial injustices. There is much to learn from this experience, since this approach can make the difference in providing a coherent framework in which to develop place-sensitive interventions in deeply variable local contexts, that is the crucial point for the endurance of European Union. Keywords: Urban regeneration; Urban governance; place-sensitive territorial policies; cohesion policies.
Open Access
Is active ageing a reality for local policies? A discussion based on the portuguese context
(AESOP, 2019) Fernandes, Alexandre; Santinha, Gonçalo; Diogo, Sara; Forte, Teresa
It is worldwide acknowledged that the rapidly rising share of older people places a challenge to public policies at different scales. International and national guidelines have been underlying both the need to promote a more active ageing and the importance of creating the necessary means for decision makers and other relevant actors to work together (the governance mechanisms) to implement local active ageing policies. How are local governments and other actors conceptualizing active ageing? What are their priorities? What governance mechanisms are used to implement such policies? These are some of the questions that this paper addresses in the context of a southern European country: Portugal. Mixed methods were used to address the issue at stake. First, a study at the national level was developed by applying questionnaires to local stakeholders in order to map local active ageing policies. Second, a case study approach involving interviews in two NUTS III regions was conducted to understand the governance mechanisms. Findings confirm the 'passive organization type' in which European politico-territorial studies tend to place Portugal, as there are gaps in the way policies are formulated, implemented and evaluated, as well as a lack of coordination at various levels.
Open Access
Friendly and accessible public spaces : the Venetian case
(AESOP, 2019) Revellini, Rosaria; Tatano, Valeria; Condotta, Massimiliano
The population of Venice is falling drastically and its people are ageing steadily and living a unique existence as regards the town’s morphology. Venice has no car traffic and thus urban accessibility for elderly people is neither straightforward nor always safe. The reasons which make it difficult to live in the historic centre are bound up with its specific features: its town framework is made up of 120 islands linked together by bridges, alleyways and fondamenta canal side streets frequently free of rails, all of which are accessible primarily on foot as the public ferry service cannot link up all its urban spaces and areas. In the light of this, it is important to enable elderly people to get out into open spaces for both health reasons and in relation to the passage of the seasons as well as for socialising. This research work enquires into the physical barriers in the town which can make moving around its open spaces difficult, the various technical and architectural solutions which have been adopted over the years to improve public transport and urban policies designed for an age friendly town.
Open Access
MOBI-AGE : Promoting urban mobility in ageing populations
(AESOP, 2019) Ribeiro, Anabela; Bastos, Ana; Brandão Alves, Fernando; Cruz, Sara; Cunha, Inês; João Martins, Pedro
In the current panorama of many cities, difficulties associated with public transportation and with public space, limit the access of the elderly, also creating difficulties for other age groups. One of the objectives of the project is to carry out a review of the literature on mobility and accessibility characteristics of the elderly. Another is to develop a methodology for diagnosis of age friendly spaces, analysing the area and the population affected. The MOBI-AGE project intends to use two case studies, Coimbra and Porto. This article is a first attempt to identify the main characteristics and main indicators of the mobility of the elderly and the quality of the public space, whose optimization can contribute to an accessible city for all.
Open Access
How to connect freight logistics, persons mobility, and spatial planning in and between urban regions? Perspectives from different European urban nodes on TEN-T corridors
(AESOP, 2019) Linssen, Raymond; De Bruijn, Martijn; Poppeliers, Ricardo; Arts, Jos
European urban nodes are vital for the effectiveness of the European core transport network (TEN-T), for passengers and freight transport. Yet, this role also comes with challenges regarding liveability, a battle for space with other functions in densely populated and growing urban nodes. Effective solutions should be designed at the level of the functional urban area of freight and logistics which exist at a different spatial scale from a passenger transport perspective, as examples of Vienna and Rotterdam illustrate. Urban nodes that are stimulating multi-modality ambitions and solutions should include freight and logistics. Regional opportunities for transit oriented development (TOD) could be combined with potential freight hubs, logistics oriented development (LOD). Initiatives can be taken within the urban nodes as well as on the corridor between the urban nodes, as is illustrated by several examples (Venlo (NL) and Lauterbourg (FR)) that relieve spatial and transport pressure in Rotterdam respectively Strasbourg. European tools and funding exist that could support urban nodes in dealing with these complex challenges and investment needs, both from transport and regional policy. An analysis of the STRAT-Board database shows that ESI funds are used by the majority of urban nodes for investments in mobility and infrastructure..
Open Access
Old age-related stereotypes, inclusion and the development of ‘age appropriate’ neighbourhoods
(AESOP, 2019) Fabian, Carlo
The environment in which one lives, i.e. the neighbourhood, can have a strong impact on people's well-being and health. This also applies to older people. The number of older people increases in absolute and relative terms, especially in urban areas, while the lifestyles of older people are becoming more diverse. At the same time studies show that age-appropriate planning of living environments is often influenced by stereotypes. We investigated how 'age-appropriate' living environments are conceived, practiced and lived (based on Lefebvre) and to what extent age-related stereotypes affect these processes. The research methods were interviews and walkthroughs conducted with experts from various planning disciplines as well as with current (aged 70-80) and future (aged 50-60) older people. Furthermore, this article refers to the model “setting-approach”, to discuss the importance of participatory urban and environmental development. The findings show that negative stereotypes predominate. These stereotypes have an impact on the planning processes. In thus, older people are normally excluded from these processes. This has an impact on the quality of the neighbourhood and so this has a potential impact on well-being. For planning-related social work, this means that older people must be involved more in the design of their living environments.
Open Access
Elderly pedestrians, aged >65 years, during wintertime -attitudes towards walking outdoors, safety equipment and experiences of falls. a comparison with healthy adults. Glenn Berggård
(AESOP, 2019)
Pedestrians slipping and falling is a major safety problem in countries with long winters such as Sweden. According to the Swedish questionnaire-based National Traffic Safety Survey, selfreported accidents involving pedestrians without involvement of any vehicle (single-pedestrian accidents) accounted for roughly half, (1 141 962) of the total number of all road transport single accidents (2 335 017) in 1998-2000. This survey covered 23 030 people aged 1-84. Fall accidents during wintertime accounts for a large portion of all single-pedestrian accidents. An intervention study was performed from February to April among 67 healthy adults, aged 27-67, in northern Sweden, examined the obstacles for walking outdoor during wintertime, attitudes towards safety equipment, their previous experiences of outdoor falls during wintertime and the effect of using antislip devices on daily walking journeys and their prevention of slip and fall accidents. A intervention study has been made among elderly people, aged more than 75 years, also in northern Sweden. A questionnaire has been distributed to record their background, health status, attitudes towards different conditions to reduce outdoor walking and their usage of safety equipment. A daily travel dairy was distributed during February to April 2009 to record daily walking and experiences of slipping and falling. The results from comparisons of attitudes and previously experiences of outdoor falls among the elderly persons is compared with the results from the pilot study among healthy adults.
Open Access
Nature-based solutions: new challenges for urban planning
(AESOP, 2019) Longato, Davide; Geneletti, Davide
Nature-based solutions (NBS) are broadly defined as the use of solutions based on nature and ecological functions to address societal challenges, such as climate change adaptation and mitigation, population health, food security, and natural disasters, through the delivery of multiple ecosystem services (ES). This paper aims to outline some of the main challenges associated to the development and mainstreaming of NBS in urban planning, providing valuable insights for the integration of NBS in urban planning processes and instruments. To this aim, five challenges are proposed and discussed in this paper, namely: to provide decision-makers with tools and methods for mapping and assessing ES that substantiate evidence of NBS effectiveness in providing multiple benefits; to use more flexible and qualitative planning approaches that can foster the implementation of NBS such as performance-based planning; to develop indicators that can be used to evaluate and compare possible NBS during strategic environmental assessment of urban plans; to include the assessment of ecosystem disservices that may emerge when considering and comparing NBS interventions; to develop adequate measures of progress for the monitoring of NBS effects over time to strengthen the evidence base for their benefits and co-benefits.
Open Access
Spontaneous Living Spaces – Dwellings and Settlements in Pemba (Mozambique) : A typo-morphological analysis in changing urban environments
(AESOP, 2019) Del Bianco, Corinna
Self-construction determines large parts of the urban landscape of cities in developing countries. Self-built houses born from need, haste and limited economical resources, with formal or informal methods, are often conceived as temporary when built but then become constituent parts of the urban fabric. Loosing the character of temporariness, it becomes necessary to consider them as an integral part of the city. This research is aimed at mapping the “spontaneous living spaces” of changing urban environments, in terms of dimensions, inhabitants, used technologies, etc. identifying a stage of development and analysing the characteristics of contemporary living in contexts not designed by professionals. The results produced by this research experience can be useful for the development of policies and projects respectful of local, contemporary ways of living. Up to 2019, the research has analysed three case studies: the favela Guapira II in Sao Paulo, Brazil (2012); Pok Fu Lam neighbourhood, Hong Kong (2013) and four selected neighbourhoods in Pemba, Mozambique (2016-2018). Focusing on the evolution of architectural and urban elements that characterize self-built urbanization in Pemba (Mozambique), this paper illustrates the main evolution lines that define the relationship among the house, the city and the main settlement trends, addressing how traditional selfbuilt architecture is evolving and creating new forms of living within the city. Architectural and urban categories, as conceived in the western tradition, such as formal/informal or planned/unplanned are not applicable in developing contexts. Thanks to a typo-morphological on-site survey on, and analysis of, 50 houses in four selected neighbourhoods, this research gives its contribution to a critical understanding of their role, creating a more conscious background on living systems in Pemba. The analysis was integrated with schemes, architectural drawings, photographs, videos and interviews to the inhabitants.