Although urban planning has used computer models and information systems since the 1950s and architectural practice has recently restructured to the use of computer-aided design (CAD) and computer drafting software, urban design has hardly been touched by the digital world. This is about to change as very fine scale spatial data relevant to such design becomes routinely available, as 2dimension...

importance of security and sense of peace is a one of the most important factors of urban environment. therefore, the necessity of security in urban spaces has caused the emergence of authentic theories like defensible spaces and crime prevention through environment design (cpted)*. in this paper, various literatures related to defensible space theories have been reviewed and the related keywor...

This paper presents a literature review on urban design indicators addressing the impact of urban geometry and vegetation on the outdoor thermal environment at the pedestrian level, as urban geometry and vegetation have been regarded as the most influential urban design factors that affect outdoor microclimate. The thermal balance concept is first introduced to elaborate how each component of e...

This paper maps out the design space of urban locationrelated mood self-tracking as starting point for individual and urban reflection: What are the benefits for key stakeholders, and what are system design options? Data-driven reflection here means that reflection is based on data; in this instance taking mood related to public spaces as starting point for reflection, but “attaching” to mood a...

The eruption of the volcano in Iceland has proven once again that while we have increasing control over the environment, we are becoming more dependent and painfully aware that we are at its mercy. In fact, we have been making major efforts to address this issue for almost four decades, ever since sustainability was introduced as an environmental concept. Researchers have been constructing the ...

This emergy-based urban economic account provided a historical portrait of the urban economy and its structures to understand the overload of the biosphere`s assimilative capacity. The basic situation of the urban economy, involving the indigenous resources base, emergy consumption patterns, emergy exports and imports, were investigated, accounted and discussed. Using a series of ratios and ind...

the issue of urban decline in city centers and horizontal expansion of the city and its consequences is a challenge in sustainable development of the cities. in this regard, new approaches were shaped to define career planning, urban design and urban environmental quality concerns in new-urbanism pattern. the critical approach to modern urban pattern was formed based on scattered, non-human and...

UD Co-Spaces (Urban Design Collaborative Spaces) is an integrated, tabletop-centered multi-display environment for engaging the public in the complex process of collaborative urban design. We describe the iterative user-centered process that we followed over six years through a close interdisciplinary collaboration involving experts in urban design and neighbourhood planning. Versions of UD Co-...