An accessible built environment is one of the fundamental rights of people with disabilities. But very little has been done so far to transfer these objectives into practice and, therefore, the right of people with disabilities to an accessible built environment is still not ensured. For these reason and based on field research, a new toolkit was developed. This article demonstrates that this is a comprehensive instrument that could aid policymakers’ effectiveness in implementing policies for guaranteeing barrier-free access to the built environment.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2507203
Public spaces in residential neighbourhoods may be described as areas that play a variety of roles ranging from their various uses to design aspects that may impact on the image of the estate. These areas provide an intermediary link between the dwelling and the outer-world and also represent places of casual interaction between residents. As common facilities intended to provide external space for recreation and places for residents to become acquainted, they are normally planned to create a sense of community for their users. On the other hand, public spaces may be a cause of various negative characteristics within a residential environment if not properly planned, managed or maintained. The chapter in the International encyclopaedia of housing and home gives a contemporary and thorough definition of public space, stress the importance of public space within the neighbourhood, classify categories of public space, stresses users of public spaces on the base of behavioural patterns and knowledge gained via behavioural mapping and address design via usability, physical structure, safety issues, access and comfort and amenities.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2474435
The importance of simultaneous treating of the constituent elements of space on a detailed level of urban design is debated in this chapter. Three aspects are given particular attention when defining these elements: the physical form, the patterns of use of place, and the perceptual dimensions of space. These are based on physical and functional definition of space, as well as its symbolic dimension. The study is illustrated by two squares in Ljubljana, Slovenia - Prešernov trg and Kongresni trg. Both places are characterized by short and long stay active and passive activities. The research showed that the physical articulation and detailed physical characteristics of space makes it recognisable at first hand by their users. In addition, it was found that the presence of users resulted as an important aspect giving character to each place. Although, both case studies bear rich historical footprints and symbolic meanings, only the latter was present in the mental images of space constructed by the users. These empirical findings contribute to the debate on the development of place identity of these historic urban areas, strongly present in contemporary life. Results reflected the importance of a multi-layered approach to place identity.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2481603
This article discusses the character of post-mining potentials and their role in regional development in a German and Slovenian mining region. The many possible uses often include renewable energies (biomass, geothermal energy), or tourism (museums). Discussing two case study regions, this article presents similarities and differences in approaches towards the utilisation of potentials, and compares factors that influence utilisation with reference to national framework conditions. The text argues that in the context of structural change and mine closures, the use of post-mining potentials, such as post-mining landscapes, infrastructures and traditions, can be a way to explore new development options for affected regions.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2481091
The chapter addresses behavioural maps and behavioural mapping as an effective and quite universal research approach when addressing dynamic patterns of use(r)s. It answers the question as to how to produce a behavioural map, and debates various types of behavioural maps, their characteristics, advantages and disadvantages. The chapter addresses also some possible ways of data collection with behavioural mapping and discusses digitalisation of data collected via behavioural matrixes or behavioural maps in a narrow sense, GPS device as a data source, and behavioural mapping in a virtual environment. The core of the chapter is in applicability of behavioural maps stressing behavioural map as a check-list for quality of places, as a check-list of tacit knowledge of designers, and as the key input data for comprehensive spatial simulations, accordingly the role of GIS in relation to behaviour mapping and place design is debated. The major value of the use of behavioural maps as a research tool, lies in the possibility of developing general principles regarding the use of space that apply in a variety of settings. GIS based behaviour maps extract behaviour evidence into layers of spatial information to give a better understanding of the individual and collective patterns of use that emerge in a place. GIS as a system does not serve only as a tool for visualisation and interpretation within the context of studied phenomena, but represents a common comprehensive database and works as a generator of simulations, especially, as GIS has the ability to perform linkages between different scales of any data stored in such database.
COBISS.SI-ID: 2496707