scholarly journals CuRbanIsME: A Photographic Self-Analysis to Evaluate the Likelihood of the Occurrence of Predatory Crimes in Downtown Hamburg

2020 ◽  
Vol 12 (19) ◽  
pp. 7859
Author(s):  
Romina Fucà ◽  
Serena Cubico
Keyword(s):  
Random Walks ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Self Awareness ◽  
Niklas Luhmann ◽  
Occurrence Probability ◽  
City Center ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Random Walker ◽  
The City

In this study, a triangulation of (a) spatial data, (b) self-awareness, and (c) behavioral self-analysis seeks to provide an explanation from an innovative perspective for the likelihood of the occurrence of predatory crimes in the city center. This study does not examine the circumstances in which criminal acts occur. Instead, it focuses on a broader concept that combines both the configurational factors and the behavioral interconnections in which criminal acts occur. We orient the occurrence probability of crime towards appropriate objectives in the presence or absence of attractors/detractors, with interesting variation in the behavior of the acting subject—in our case, a random walker (also called the Random Movement–displacement Agent, or RDMA, in the text), which is the key variable that triggers the occurrence probability of predatory crimes. The relationship between spatial and/or behavioral observations and the probability of the crimes that may result from such observations is limited in this text to “predatory crimes,” which are the most common and light forms of crimes that endanger both human quality of life and the related safety in the city. Such crimes include theft, damage (specifically crime against public property and all similar offensive acts, such as littering and incivility), physical attacks (restrained to attempted violence against defenseless people), robberies, and car thefts (i.e., the most frequent crimes in urban areas). The theory of complexity, specifically as illustrated by the in-depth work of the 20th century German sociologist Niklas Luhmann, also suggests the importance of self-analysis in specific contexts to construct a mosaic of social phenomena. We conducted both a behavioral self-survey and a metric-based self-analysis by measuring random walks (RWs) to achieve some common behaviors—for example, buying food, shopping, or just looking at shop windows—on the streets of downtown Hamburg, Germany. RWs are used in our article to indicate random walks in the city center and any activities that may arise from them, such as protecting oneself from potentially hostile contexts, seeking information, or conforming oneself to official signals and customs. The hundreds of images taken by us in October 2019 during their RWs in Hamburg form a reservoir of our pictures, with the aim of showing the acceptable patterns of random movements–displacements that emerge. This method was primarily discursive but based on the ongoing search for a transformative conduit of behaviors that were intuitively established and observable for us but actually involved a complex process of imaginative ideation that was impossible to promote and pass on to the reader.

scholarly journals A Model for Complex Subsidence Causality Interpretation Based on PS-InSAR Cross-Heading Orbits Analysis

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (17) ◽  
pp. 2014 ◽  
Author(s):  
Bahaa Mohamadi ◽  
Timo Balz ◽  
Ali Younes
Keyword(s):  
Regression Analysis ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Rock Type ◽  
Linear Regression Analysis ◽  
City Center ◽  
Causal Factors ◽  
Final Model ◽  
Alexandria City ◽  
The City ◽  
Central South

Urban areas are subject to subsidence due to varying natural and anthropogenic causes. Often, subsidence is interpreted and correlated to a single causal factor; however, subsidence is usually more complex. In this study, we adopt a new model to distinguish different causes of subsidence in urban areas based on complexity. Ascending and descending Sentinel-1 data were analyzed using permanent scatterer interferometry (PS-InSAR) and decomposed to estimate vertical velocity. The estimated velocity is correlated to potential causes of subsidence, and modeled using different weights, to extract the model with the highest correlations among subsidence. The model was tested in Alexandria City, Egypt, based on three potential causes of subsidence: rock type, former lakes and lagoons dewatering (FLLD), and built-up load (BL). Results of experiments on the tested area reveal singular patterns of causal factors of subsidence distributed across the northeast, northwest, central south, and parts of the city center, reflecting the rock type of those areas. Dual causes of subsidence are found in the southwest and some parts of the southeast as a contribution of rock type and FLLD, whereas the most complex causes of subsidence are found in the southeast of the city, as the newly built-up areas interact with the rock type and FLLD to form a complex subsidence regime. Those areas also show the highest subsidence values among all other parts of the city. The accuracy of the final model was confirmed using linear regression analysis, with an R2 value of 0.88.

scholarly journals Detecting the Severity of Socio-Spatial Conflicts Involving Wild Boars in the City Using Social Media Data

Sensors ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 21 (24) ◽  
pp. 8215
Author(s):  
Małgorzata Dudzińska ◽  
Agnieszka Dawidowicz
Keyword(s):  
Social Media ◽  
Wild Boar ◽  
Spatial Data ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Social Networking Site ◽  
Surveillance Systems ◽  
High Coverage ◽  
Wild Boars ◽  
Conflict Situations ◽  
The City

The encroachment of wild boars into urban areas is a growing problem. The occurrence of wild boars in cities leads to conflict situations. Socio-spatial conflicts can escalate to a varied degree. Assessments of these conflicts can be performed by analyzing spatial data concerning the affected locations and wild boar behaviors. The collection of spatial data is a laborious and costly process that requires access to urban surveillance systems, in addition to regular analyses of intervention reports. A supporting method for assessing the risk of wild boar encroachment and socio-spatial conflict in cities was proposed in the present study. The developed approach relies on big data, namely, multimedia and descriptive data that are on social media. The proposed method was tested in the city of Olsztyn in Poland. The main aim of this study was to evaluate the applicability of data crowdsourced from a popular social networking site for determining the location and severity of conflicts. A photointerpretation method and the kernel density estimation (KDE) tool implemented in ArcGIS Desktop 10.7.1 software were applied in the study. The proposed approach fills a gap in the application of crowdsourcing data to identify types of socio-spatial conflicts involving wild boars in urban areas. Validation of the results with reports of calls to intervention services showed the high coverage of this approach and thus the usefulness of crowdsourcing data.

scholarly journals PARKING SPACES NEAR MASS GRAVITY CENTERS IN URBANIZED TERRITORIES: METHODOLOGY FOR ESTIMATING THE REQUIRED PLACES

2020 ◽  
Vol 17 (1) ◽  
pp. 72-83
Author(s):  
A. V. Zedgenizov ◽  
A. V. Bazan
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Normative Values ◽  
Affecting Factors ◽  
Practical Application ◽  
City Center ◽  
Gravity Center ◽  
Transport Services ◽  
Financial Interest ◽  
Retail Outlets ◽  
The City

Introduction. The paper discusses the problems of organizing the vehicles’ parking near large shopping centers and also describes their relevance, taking into account the transport services of retail outlets and residence places. The authors present the research of the problem by leading scientists, which is reflected in the regulatory documentation.Materials and methods. The authors used a mathematical description of the average parking duration and identified the main affecting factors, taking into account the proportion of workers in the mass gravity center. The authors proposed a mathematical dependence based on the average parking duration, taking into account reservation of parking places for workers and the required number of parking spaces for other categories. The paper considered the possibility of the intra-hour deficit of parking places based on the PHF-factor.Results. As a result, the authors made the comparison of the obtained values of the required parking spaces with the standard ones. The paper provided more than 30 types of mass gravity centers and urban areas. In addition, the authors considered the examples of assessing the required number of parking spaces near a large housing estate at the 8 km distance from the city center. Therefore, the authors proposed the technique for assessing the required number of parking spaces based on normative values per 100 m2 of the area of the mass gravity centers.Discussion and conclusions. The authors present recommendations are made for the practical application of the required number of parking spaces by the normative values.Financial transparency: the authors have no financial interest in the presented materials or methods. There is no conflict of interest.

scholarly journals Identifying Urban Structure Based on Transit-Oriented Development

2019 ◽  
Vol 11 (24) ◽  
pp. 7241
Author(s):  
Yingqun Zhang ◽  
Rui Song ◽  
Rob van Nes ◽  
Shiwei He ◽  
Weichuan Yin
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Spatial Organization ◽  
Network Activity ◽  
Human Model ◽  
Urban Structure ◽  
Transit Oriented Development ◽  
City Center ◽  
Fast Development ◽  
Transportation Development ◽  
The City

The fast development of urbanization has led to imbalances in cities, causing congestion, pollution, and urban sprawl. In response to the growing concern over the distribution of demand and supply, a more coordinated urban structure is addressed in comprehensive planning processes. In this study, we attempt to identify urban structure using a Network–Activity–Human model under the Transit-Oriented Development (TOD) concept, since TOD is usually regarded as an urban spatial planning tool. In order to explore the strengths and weaknesses of the urban structure, we define the TOD index and unbalance degree and then classify the urban areas accordingly. We take the city of Beijing as a case study and identify nine urban types. The results show a hierarchical urban structure: the city center covers most of the hotspots which display higher imbalances, the surroundings of the city center are less developed, and the city edges show higher potentials in both exploitation and transportation development. Moreover, we discuss the extent to which the spatial scale influences the unbalance degree and apply a sensitivity analysis based on the goals of different stakeholders. This methodology could be utilized at any study scale and in any situation, and the results could offer suggestions for more accurate urban planning, strengthening the relationship between TOD and spatial organization.

Urban Social Problems and Marginalized Populations in Postsocialist Transition Societies

2016 ◽  
Vol 53 (2) ◽  
pp. 273-304 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jana Temelová ◽  
Jana Jíchová ◽  
Lucie Pospíšilová ◽  
Nina Dvořáková
Keyword(s):  
Social Services ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Social Problems ◽  
City Center ◽  
Social Phenomena ◽  
Societal Issues ◽  
Policy Interventions ◽  
Policy Attitudes ◽  
Semistructured Interviews ◽  
The City

Despite growing scholarly interest in residential segregation in Central and Eastern Europe, thus far insufficient attention has been paid to understanding marginalization in these postsocialist transition societies through the perceptions of stakeholders. The present article reports the findings of a qualitative study of the perceptions of urban social problems in the city center of Prague, Czechia. Semistructured interviews with the key actors involved in the city’s social development are used to understand what social phenomena they perceive as problematic, how they localize them within the urban space, and how their perceptions translate into policy attitudes. We find that stakeholders emphasize the issues of homelessness, drug addiction, and the appropriate delivery of social services in their narratives. Furthermore, we demonstrate that the repressive nature of policy interventions partly results from a lack of experience of overcoming such societal issues and partly results from weak coordination at the city level.

scholarly journals The Influence of Urban Conditions on the Phenology of Aesculus hippocastanum L. Using the Example of Wroclaw (Poland)

Forests ◽  
2020 ◽  
Vol 11 (12) ◽  
pp. 1261
Author(s):  
Iwona Dominika Orzechowska-Szajda ◽  
Robert Krzysztof Sobolewski ◽  
Joanna Lewandowska ◽  
Paulina Kowalska ◽  
Robert Kalbarczyk
Keyword(s):  
Land Cover ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Negative Impact ◽  
Vegetation Period ◽  
Aesculus Hippocastanum ◽  
Horse Chestnut ◽  
City Center ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

The differences in plant phenology between rural and urban areas are the subject of research conducted all over the world. There are few studies aimed at assessing the impact of the urban heat island on plant vegetation only in urban areas. The aim of this study is to assess the impact of the distance from the city center and the form of land cover on the phenological development of trees using the example of the horse chestnut (Aesculus hippocastanum L.). The research area covered the entire city of Wrocław. In order to best capture the impact of the distance from the city center on the rate of changes of individual phenophases, 3 areas were designated—at a distance of 1 km, 2 km and 5 km. The study assessed the average duration of individual phenological phases along with the variability characteristics for leafing, flowering and fruiting in relation to the designated zones and classified forms of land cover based on mean value (x¯) and standard deviation (±SD) in individual weeks of the year. For the leafing and flowering phases, the frequency of the occurrence of phases in individual weeks of the year was analyzed in relation to the designated zones and classified land use methods. The results obtained on the basis of phenological observations carried out in 2017 in Wrocław confirmed the extension of the period of vegetation in the city center in relation to its peripheries. Trees growing in road lanes entered the vegetation period later and defoliated faster, which confirms the negative impact of street conditions on the development of trees in urban space. Thus, the growing season in road lanes is shorter and due to the 1-year observation period, it is justified to conduct further observations.

scholarly journals A Smart Parking System Based on Mini PC Platform and Mobile Application for Parking Space Detection

2020 ◽  
Vol 2020 ◽  
pp. 1-15
Author(s):  
Vladimir Sobeslav ◽  
Josef Horalek
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Mobile Application ◽  
Cost Effective ◽  
City Center ◽  
Parking Lot ◽  
Parking Space Detection ◽  
Car Park ◽  
Smart Parking ◽  
Pilot Implementation ◽  
The City

Car parking is a major problem in urban areas in developed and also in developing countries. The growing number of vehicles creates a problem with parking spaces mainly in the city center and the surrounding streets. The local authorities have to react with regulations, and the current situation is unpleasant for many citizens. Therefore, the aim of this article is to propose a complex outdoor smart parking lot system based on the mini PC platform with the pilot implementation, which would provide a solution for the aforementioned problem. Current outdoor car park management is dependent on human personnel keeping track of the available parking lots or a sensor-based system that monitors the availability of each car. The proposed solution utilizes a modern IoT approach and technologies such as mini PC platform, sensors, and IQRF. When compared to a specialized and expensive system, it is a solution that is cost-effective and has the potential in its expansion and integration with other IoT services.

scholarly journals Extracting Main Center Pattern from Road Networks Using Density-Based Clustering with Fuzzy Neighborhood

2019 ◽  
Vol 8 (5) ◽  
pp. 238 ◽  
Author(s):  
Xiaojie Cui ◽  
Jiayao Wang ◽  
Fang Wu ◽  
Jinghan Li ◽  
Xianyong Gong ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Spatial Data ◽  
Spatial Clustering ◽  
Road Networks ◽  
City Center ◽  
The Road ◽  
Data Matching ◽  
Density Based Clustering ◽  
The City ◽  
Center Area ◽  
Main Center

The spatial pattern is a kind of typical structural knowledge that reflects the distribution characteristics of object groups. As an important semantic pattern of road networks, the city center is significant to urban analysis, cartographic generalization and spatial data matching. Previous studies mainly focus on the topological centrality calculation of road network graphs, and pay less attention to the delineation of main centers. Therefore, this study proposes an automatic recognition method of main center pattern in road networks. We firstly extract the main clusters from road nodes by improving the Density-Based Spatial Clustering of Applications with Noise (DBSCAN) with fuzzy set theory. Moreover, the center area is generated with road meshes according to the area ratio with the covering discs of the main clusters. This proposed algorithm is applied to the road networks of a monocentric city and polycentric city respectively. The results show that our method is effective for identifying the main center pattern in the road networks. Furthermore, the contrast experiments demonstrate our method’s higher accuracy.

scholarly journals Emergence of spatial transitions in urban congestion dynamics

2021 ◽  
Vol 6 (1) ◽  
Author(s):  
Aniello Lampo ◽  
Javier Borge-Holthoefer ◽  
Sergio Gómez ◽  
Albert Solé-Ribalta
Keyword(s):  
Urban Areas ◽  
Road Networks ◽  
City Center ◽  
Traffic Dynamics ◽  
Design And Optimization ◽  
Spatial Properties ◽  
Realistic Situation ◽  
Geographical Regions ◽  
Edge Distribution ◽  
The City

AbstractThe quantitative study of traffic dynamics is crucial to ensure the efficiency of urban transportation networks. The current work investigates the spatial properties of congestion, that is, we aim to characterize the city areas where traffic bottlenecks occur. The analysis of a large amount of real road networks in previous works showed that congestion points experience spatial abrupt transitions, namely they shift away from the city center as larger urban areas are incorporated. The fundamental ingredient behind this effect is the entanglement of central and arterial roads, embedded in separated geographical regions. In this paper we extend the analysis of the conditions yielding abrupt transitions of congestion location. First, we look into the more realistic situation in which arterial and central roads, rather than lying on sharply separated regions, present spatial overlap. It results that this affects the position of bottlenecks and introduces new possible congestion areas. Secondly, we pay particular attention to the role played by the edge distribution, proving that it allows to smooth the transitions profile, and so to control the congestion displacement. Finally, we show that the aforementioned phenomenology may be recovered also as a consequence of a discontinuity in the node’s density, in a domain with uniform connectivity. Our results provide useful insights for the design and optimization of urban road networks, and the management of the daily traffic.

scholarly journals Future Housing Identities: Designing in Line with the Contemporary Sustainable Urban Lifestyle

Buildings ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 11 (1) ◽  
pp. 18
Author(s):  
Ana Nikezić ◽  
Jelena Ristić Trajković ◽  
Aleksandra Milovanović
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Urban Regeneration ◽  
Urban Housing ◽  
Place Identity ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
City Image ◽  
City Center ◽  
The Impact ◽  
The City

Over the past decade, urban housing typologies have evolved from being a feature of modern life to an essential postmodern issue, questioning future housing identities. One of the ways in which architecture can become engaged in this ever-changing process of urban regeneration is to challenge the inherited traditional housing typologies with the newly recognized values of contemporary lifestyle. This paper presents research and design aimed at exploring contemporary sustainable urban lifestyles as a resource for positioning housing structures as cultural urban infrastructure. The main focus of this study is design principles and strategies for generating future housing identities in accordance with sustainable urban development and sustainability of life in urban areas. It is about finding housing conceptual models for an interaction between housing and identity as a response to the impact of increased cities, changed lifestyles in contemporary cities and the requirements for the preservation of the city image and the public space within the housing areas in the city center. The main goal of this study is to understand whether and how an architectural design can preserve a sustainability of life within the city center and become a valuable agent of place identity in the process of urban regeneration. The paper indicates that the contemporary development of society requires a new architectural paradigm, in which lifestyle and architecture create a unique elastic open-ended system with the ability to adapt and change over time and throughout the place.

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