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Land
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Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and...
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Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and Regional Perspectives

A special issue of Land (ISSN 2073-445X). This special issue belongs to the section "Urban Contexts and Urban-Rural Interactions".

Deadline for manuscript submissions: 20 October 2024 | Viewed by 6104

Special Issue Editors

Prof. Dr. Yuan Yuan

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Geography and Planning, Sun Yat-sen University, Guangzhou 510275, China
Interests: healthy community and community planning; urban planning and urban development
Prof. Dr. Yang Xiao

E-Mail Website1 Website2
Guest Editor
College of Architecture and Urban Planning, Tongji University, Shanghai 200092, China
Interests: built environment; spatial assessment; social health;community governance
Special Issues, Collections and Topics in MDPI journals
Dr. Jianxi Feng

E-Mail Website
Guest Editor
School of Architecture and Urban Planning, Nanjing University, Hankou Road 22, Nanjing 210093, China
Interests: health cities; urban and regional planning

Special Issue Information

Dear Colleagues,

According to the United Nations, most of the World’s population lives in urban areas, with the proportion projected to reach 68% by 2050, which has led to great changes in the economic development pattern, population structure, social transformation, climate change, ecological environment, etc. At the stage of high-quality development, livable and sustainable development is adapted to the needs of the urban and regional development transition period. Urban and regional planning and designing are essential, especially when guided by the goal of making cities and human settlements inclusive, safe, resilient, and sustainable (United Nations’ Sustainable Development Goal 11). Currently, there is a growing consensus across many academic fields that practice decisions can have a significant impact on the economic, environmental, and social wellbeing of regions. Along with cities and regions becoming increasingly interconnected, the challenges of achieving livable and sustainable development are becoming more complex. Research gaps remain that need to be addressed before the benefits of livability and sustainability can be fully integrated into the development of optimal urban planning and policies.

This Special Issue, titled “Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and Regional Perspectives”, is dedicated to highlighting the latest advances in our understanding of the new findings (such as leading factors, influences, and mechanism), tools (such as artificial intelligence, geospatial analysis, computer modeling, and simulation), and perspectives (such as resilience, livability, and equity) of planning and designing regions in a livable and sustainable context.

This Special Issue welcomes the submission of manuscripts that link the following themes:

  • New findings and perspectives on livability and sustainability in urban and regional planning and designing;
  • Innovative approaches and tools for urban and regional planning and designing in the livable and sustainable context;
  • The effects and mechanism of planning and designing livable and sustainable regions;
  • The relevant implications of economic, environmental, and social urban and regional planning decisions.

We look forward to receiving your original research articles and reviews.

Prof. Dr. Yuan Yuan
Dr. Yang Xiao
Dr. Jianxi Feng
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

  • livability
  • urban and regional planning
  • urban design
  • regional development
  • spatial planning
  • urban and regional resilience
  • community and neighborhood
  • habitat
  • human settlements
  • sustainable development goals

Benefits of Publishing in a Special Issue

  • Ease of navigation: Grouping papers by topic helps scholars navigate broad scope journals more efficiently.
  • Greater discoverability: Special Issues support the reach and impact of scientific research. Articles in Special Issues are more discoverable and cited more frequently.
  • Expansion of research network: Special Issues facilitate connections among authors, fostering scientific collaborations.
  • External promotion: Articles in Special Issues are often promoted through the journal's social media, increasing their visibility.
  • e-Book format: Special Issues with more than 10 articles can be published as dedicated e-books, ensuring wide and rapid dissemination.

Further information on MDPI's Special Issue polices can be found here.

Published Papers (5 papers)

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Research

17 pages, 7405 KiB  
Article
Association between Land Use and Urban Vitality in the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area: A Multiscale Study
by Cefang Deng, Dailin Zhou, Yiming Wang, Jie Wu and Zhe Yin
Land 2024, 13(10), 1574; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13101574 - 27 Sep 2024
Viewed by 413
Abstract
Urban vitality, which indicates the development level of a city and the quality of life of its residents, is a complex subject in urban research due to its diverse assessment methods and intricate impact mechanisms. This study uses multisource data to evaluate the [...] Read more.
Urban vitality, which indicates the development level of a city and the quality of life of its residents, is a complex subject in urban research due to its diverse assessment methods and intricate impact mechanisms. This study uses multisource data to evaluate the urban vitality of the Guangdong–Hong Kong–Macao Greater Bay Area (GBA) across social, economic, cultural, and environmental dimensions. It analyzes the spatial distribution characteristics of urban vitality and examines the relationships between urban vitality and land use at both regional and city scales. The results indicate that the urban vitality in the GBA generally exhibits a spatial distribution pattern of a high central density and a low peripheral spread, where built-up areas and cropland emerge as key influencing factors. Cities with different developmental backgrounds have unique relationships between land use and urban vitality. In high-vitality cities, the role of the built-up area diminishes, and natural ecosystems, such as wetlands, enhance vitality. In contrast, in low-vitality cities, built-up areas boost urban vitality, and agriculture-related land types exert a lower negative or even positive effect. This research contributes to the understanding of the spatial structures of urban vitality related to land use at different scales and offers insights for urban planners, builders, and development managers in formulating targeted urban vitality enhancement strategies at the regional collaborative and city levels. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and Regional Perspectives)
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15 pages, 603 KiB  
Article
Community Life Circle, Neighbourly Interaction, and Social Cohesion: Does Community Space Use Foster Stronger Communities?
by Min Jiang, Jiaqi Hu and Xiaofeng Gao
Land 2024, 13(7), 1094; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071094 - 19 Jul 2024
Viewed by 825
Abstract
Neighbourhood social cohesion has emerged as a prominent concern in urban governance worldwide. As the primary domain of residents’ daily activities, the community life circle contributes to neighbourly interaction and social cohesion. This study investigates the role of space use within the community [...] Read more.
Neighbourhood social cohesion has emerged as a prominent concern in urban governance worldwide. As the primary domain of residents’ daily activities, the community life circle contributes to neighbourly interaction and social cohesion. This study investigates the role of space use within the community life circle in promoting social cohesion in Chongqing, China. Through an in-depth activity diary survey and structural equation model analysis, we empirically examine the interplay between community space use, neighbourly interaction, and social cohesion. Our findings suggest that the 15 min community life circle plays a crucial role in residents’ daily lives, particularly among senior residents. However, the contribution of community space use to social cohesion is fully mediated by neighbourly interaction. Furthermore, not all patterns of community space use contribute to social cohesion equally; space use engaged with diverse companions on workdays significantly enhances neighbourly interaction and social cohesion. The study enriches the existing literature by deepening our understanding of the role of the community life circle in fostering socially cohesive and sustainable neighbourhoods. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and Regional Perspectives)
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15 pages, 2275 KiB  
Article
Changes in Family Structure during Shantytown Redevelopment and Their Correlation with the Living Space
by Hao Chao and Hui Kong
Land 2024, 13(7), 1025; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13071025 - 9 Jul 2024
Viewed by 609
Abstract
Amid rapid urbanization, shantytown redevelopment profoundly transforms urban environments and catalyzes substantial changes in social, economic, and family structures. Yet, most previous studies have focused narrowly on the outcomes of single residential mobility events, overlooking the complex dynamics that unfold across the pre-redevelopment, [...] Read more.
Amid rapid urbanization, shantytown redevelopment profoundly transforms urban environments and catalyzes substantial changes in social, economic, and family structures. Yet, most previous studies have focused narrowly on the outcomes of single residential mobility events, overlooking the complex dynamics that unfold across the pre-redevelopment, during-redevelopment, and post-redevelopment phases. This study investigates changes in family structure and their correlation with living space throughout all three phases of shantytown redevelopment in Heze City, Shandong Province, China, from 2016 to 2023. Collecting data through a community survey, we gathered 1035 valid responses to analyze family structure and residential characteristics. Our analysis, which included Sankey diagrams and cross-lagged panel models (CLPM), revealed a predominant trend of large families fragmenting into smaller nuclear units and demonstrated a significant positive correlation between family structure complexity (FSC) and living space. Notably, the FSC from a previous phase had a significant influence on the living space of the following phase, indicating lagged effects where housing choices are influenced by prior family structure. Further comparisons across different housing types and tenures during the temporary phase highlighted diverse structural changes among families. These insights are crucial for policymakers to refine urban redevelopment strategies, better meet residents’ needs, and enhance the efficacy of policies. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and Regional Perspectives)
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23 pages, 19403 KiB  
Article
Exploring the Land Cover Material Interaction of Urban Open Space on the Thermal Comfort of Crowds in High-Temperature Environments and Retrofit Strategies: Two Case Studies in the Nanjing Xinjiekou District
by Ying Tan, Chen Li, Haiyi Feng and Junyan Yang
Land 2024, 13(3), 314; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030314 - 1 Mar 2024
Viewed by 1101
Abstract
The increased frequency of extreme hot weather events in recent years poses a significant threat to the lives and health of urban residents. Consequently, the thermal comfort of urban open areas has garnered growing attention. The ground material in these urban open areas [...] Read more.
The increased frequency of extreme hot weather events in recent years poses a significant threat to the lives and health of urban residents. Consequently, the thermal comfort of urban open areas has garnered growing attention. The ground material in these urban open areas directly impacts the thermal environment, which significantly influences the comfort of crowds. This study aimed to assess the effect of land cover materials in urban center squares on the thermal comfort of people in high-temperature conditions. Eight types of land cover materials were selected from the two urban squares in the central district of Nanjing Xinjiekou. Physiological equivalent temperature (PET) calculations were performed by measuring the surface temperature, the air temperature, the humidity, and other relevant data to evaluate population thermal comfort. The findings indicated that grass provided the highest thermal comfort, with PET scores ranked as follows, from low to high: grass, permeable bricks, granite, concrete, basalt, bluestone, andesite, and asphalt. Additionally, factors such as color, roughness, and shade within the same material also impacted thermal comfort. Subsequently, using the ENVI-met 5.1 software, surface materials exhibiting superior thermal comfort were simulated for replacement, aiming to confirm the experimental results and propose retrofit strategies for improving urban square thermal comfort by optimizing material selection. The outcomes of this study hold significant implications for urban open space design and the overall well-being of city dwellers. The thermal environment in urban centers during high-temperature conditions can be improved by optimizing the choice of land cover materials in urban open areas, thereby enhancing the comfort of the population. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and Regional Perspectives)
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26 pages, 10388 KiB  
Article
The Mechanism of Street Markets Fostering Supportive Communities in Old Urban Districts: A Case Study of Sham Shui Po, Hong Kong
by Yueyi Tan, Jusheng Song, Lei Yu, Yunxi Bai, Jianfeng Zhang, Man-Ha (Sylvia) Chan and Jeroen van Ameijde
Land 2024, 13(3), 289; https://doi.org/10.3390/land13030289 - 26 Feb 2024
Viewed by 1937
Abstract
In old urban districts with tenement buildings, street markets address the working class’s social and economic needs. They are pivotal in fostering supportive communities, in particular for low-income residents in sub-standard housing. However, their outdated overall environment impedes the delivery of adequate support [...] Read more.
In old urban districts with tenement buildings, street markets address the working class’s social and economic needs. They are pivotal in fostering supportive communities, in particular for low-income residents in sub-standard housing. However, their outdated overall environment impedes the delivery of adequate support to residents. Prior research on street markets has focused on those in the Americas and Europe, and has revealed the societal support values of these markets. However, studies on street markets in high-density cities like Hong Kong are lacking. This study introduces an evaluation framework to assess the impact of street markets on the development of supportive communities for Hong Kong’s sub-divided apartment residents. Employing the Pei Ho Street market in Sham Shui Po as a case study, an importance-performance analysis highlights critical but underperforming factors including public facilities, activity venues, commerce, and employment. Based on these findings, the study proposes four improvement strategies for the renewal of street markets in high-density communities, which could apply to other cities with similar high-density urban environments. It concludes that street markets in Hong Kong display unique spatial characteristics shaped by low-income lifestyles in a high-density urban environment, enriching daily social life and promoting sustainable community development. Full article
(This article belongs to the Special Issue Planning and Designing Livable and Sustainable Regions: Integrating Urban and Regional Perspectives)
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