Ali Cheshmehzangi

Urban experimentation and institutional arrangements

ABSTRACT Currently little is known about how institutional arrangements co-evolve with urban experimentation. This paper mobilizes neo-institutional literature and recent urban experimentation literature as a framework to explore how and why institutional arrangements differ across urban contexts. Empirically the paper focusses on smart city initiatives in Amsterdam, Hamburg and Ningbo. These three cities are frontrunners in adopting a comprehensive smart city agenda, but they do so in different ways. The paper examines regulative, normative and cognitive elements of institutional arrangements, explores how they shape experimentation, and reflects on their place-based specificities. The comparative analysis suggests that the focus of, and approach to, experimentation can be understood as resting in a (possibly unique) combination of strategic agency and dynamics at multiple spatial scales.

The Reinvention of Liveability in Public Places: Interaction Mapping Analysis of Central Nottingham’s Improved Walkability

The reinvention of liveability in public places and its integration with social, environmental, cultural, and economic factors of living can be analyzed in detail in urban studies. This is studied in particular here through evaluation of different factors of quality of life and well-being in urban environments, one of which is the convention for encouraging social experience based on the socioeconomic and socioenvironmental values of the public place. This study will also discuss the relation between quality social environments and the socioeconomic values of public places, and how by enhancing the liveability of a place we can increase public expenditure and sociality of a place. Through interaction mapping analysis, and based on both human geography and urban studies, the study evaluates the implications of spatial change (i.e., temporary uses of a place) and walkability on maximizing the potential of a place and its immediate context. This comparison study then elaborates on socioeconomic benefits of walkability for liveability of public places.

Urban Identity as a Global Phenomenon: Hybridity and Contextualization of Urban Identities in the Social Environment

Major sociospatial transformation processes are taking place, and so concepts such as tradition, distinctiveness, and identity have become fundamental but delicate factors in the context of the social environment. Consequently, identity has become not only a term, but rather a comprehensive theme and concept, in making new places and built environments. In this context of argument, this article elucidates the implication of identity at different scales. It emphasizes the importance and hybridity of urban identities and how they may become entities or even mechanisms to overcome globalization issues. This article looks at global examples to exemplify various manifestations of urban identities. This theoretical article aspires to promote debates that can benefit current research programs in the context of globalization, urban identity, and sociocultural diversity. Finally, the aim here for specifying different levels of urban identities is not necessarily toward categorizing them, but rather to identify their roles and propositions in various scales that are related to humans and their social environments.

Green development status in Zhejiang province and the city of Ningbo, China: examination of policies, strategies and incentives at multiple levels

China is undergoing the largest scale of urbanization in history and at an unprecedented pace. The construction and operation of buildings have inevitably brought severe pressures on resource conservation and environmental protection. China has initiated policies, strategies and financial incentive schemes at national level to address these issues. It is also seen that there is a growing interest in recent years at local government level in promoting green buildings. This paper will examine the current national policies, targets and standards and then discuss how these national initiatives are reflected at provincial and city level by taking Zhejiang Province and Ningbo City as case studies. A comparison between different levels of initiatives is conducted by reviewing incentive mechanisms, technological development and compliance requirements. It is concluded that the national initiatives may be not effective without local enhancement.

Environmental implications of privatised public space in gated residential neighbourhood: case study of China's small residential district

Gated neighbourhood is well-defined by enclosed walls and gates with clear physical boundaries. The most distinctive feature of gated neighbourhoods is that their public spaces are normally privatised. The construction and operation of the public space within a gated neighbourhood consumes energy and resources, and sequentially has impacts on the environment. This paper argues such environmental impacts from the construction and operation of the public space should be also “privatised”, i.e. it should be jointly owned by all property owners of a gated neighbourhood. Through examining a case study neighbourhood in China, this research indicates the environmental outcomes due to the privatisation of the public space cannot be ignored. De-privatising the public space from gated neighbourhoods through sound urban planning can help to improve environmental sustainability as well as social sustainability in tandem.

Spatial Syntagma and Identity of a Place: Sensing, Relating to, and Knowing a Place

Place is a complex and multi-dimensional system capable of embracing different uses, interpretations, and even various definitions. As a notion, place is composed of a series of narratives, characteristics, relations, and socio-spatial values that altogether can be regarded as the spatial syntagma of a place. The livelihood of a place is much dependent on its interrelated socio-spatiality, whereby people are not only part of a place but are mutually related to it; to shaping its happenings and forming its identities. In this study, the major focus is toward understanding place and peoples environmental knowledge of place. Through this theoretical approach, this article aims to explore the concept of spatial syntagma on the basis of three major aspects of “sensing a place,” “relating to place,” and “knowing a place.” Moreover, this study aims to emphasize the notion of a place as a socio-behavioral network (or system) and verify characteristics, qualities, and the spirituality of a place.

Introduction: Climate Change and Cities—Perspectives, Planning and People

This chapter serves as the introduction to the book, first focusing on the issues of climate change and its impact on cities. It sets the scene, discussing climate change as a major threat to stable city life. The narrative begins with an overview of facts about climate change, as well as highlighting the related global directions, pressures and challenges for cities. The second part of the chapter argues against top-down practices that are often ineffective in combating climate change matters. By following this structure, we highlight three pillars that relate to climate change—namely, perspectives, planning and people. Through the discussion of various perspectives, we explore the roles of different stakeholders and their views on climate change mitigation and sustainable urban development.

Stakeholder Methods to Climate Change and Sustainable Development

This chapter reviews the history and typologies of stakeholder participation. Stakeholder participation is generally defined as the process whereby individuals and groups take an active role in decisions that affect them. In this case these decisions are based on the impact of climate change on their cities. Hence, a brief history of the bottom-up approach is discussed, as well as the typologies that are based on different degrees of participation. Brief examples of how these typologies affect projects that are directly or indirectly linked to climate change decisions are also discussed. The reviews of the approaches are accompanied by diverse examples related to sustainable development goals, climate change and sustainable urban development.

Sustainable Urban Development in the Age of Climate Change

This chapter provides an overall review of the perspectives and roles discussed so far, and summarises options/opportunities and potential possibilities for future directions. The arguments are enriched through discussion of scenarios and examples that are covered throughout the book, so as to provide a comprehensive picture of sustainable urban development, successful implementation of sustainable development goals (SDGs) and climate change mitigation solutions for cities from the ‘people’ dimension. The chapter also includes the development of an SDG best practice participation template, which is supported by an extensive checklist of the whats and hows in participatory processes. By arguing in favour of participating in association with people, we move back to the ideals of grassroots thinking and initiatives that are context specific and nurtured by locals.

The Review of Sustainable Development Goals (SDGs): People, Perspective and Planning

This chapter focuses on a review of sustainable development goals (SDGs). A meta-analysis of published articles on urban planning and SDGs is investigated to judge the general scope and trend of the current situation. This is followed by commentaries on key SDGs and case study examples. For this chapter points of focus are SDG 3 (no poverty), SDG 4 (quality education), SDG 6 (clean water and sanitation) and SDG 13 (climate action). The SDGs are observed to be adopted to alleviate socio-economic and institutional lapses; only after this, does climate change become a realistic target. Explanations of why SDG 13 takes a back seat to other SDGs are offered, and this is followed by recommendations of how this can be reversed.