Revealing the Community's Interpretation of Place: Integrated Digital Support to Embed Photovoice Into Placemaking Processes

Rising the quality of life through improving existing living environments remains one of the critical tasks of contemporary urban design. The quality of life is, in part, a subjective matter and shall thus be approached not only through professional measures but must also include participatory inputs. The techniques for including the residents’ points of view are various and greatly depend on the broader context of each case. However, using new ICT and other digitally supported tools is an ongoing trend and can be traced in various places and stages of the process. This article addresses the issue of the participatory reading of characteristics in existing living environments as they are assessed through residents’ eyes. It reviews and analyses two case studies, a Slovenian and a Spanish one, that used the photovoice approach with photography and related supplementary materials to get to know residents’ perceptions towards cultural and natural values that enhance their quality of life. The cases illustrate two different contexts, the urban and the rural one. In both cases, the processes were supported by a digital approach to achieve broader participation in the process, to offer residents an additional channel of expression, to analyse the input data, to disseminate the results, and to encourage a wider community and stakeholder dialogue. The case studies reflect the added value of using digital support in terms of the level of the integration of residents’ voices into the placemaking process. It concludes that the photovoice supported by digital tools can importantly enhance community-oriented urban planning processes

Heritage Requires Citizens’ Knowledge : The COST Place-Making Action and Responsible Research

This chapter reflects on responsible science with an eye toward concrete research practice. To this end, we briefly introduce the RRI paradigm (Responsible Research and Innovation) and then highlight seven EU research projects in the con- text of a transnational COST Action project. This COST Action will investigate how placemaking activities, like public art, civil urban design, and local knowledge pro- duction, reshape and reinvent public space, and improve citizens’ involvement in urban planning and urban design, especially in the context of heritage sites. The chapter introduces heritage case studies that either contrast, differentiate, and add to existing knowledge and practices in placemaking through specific initiatives, or enable the establishment of common ground within a wider constellation of societal actors and both, as we see, contribute in different ways to responsible research. We analyze how the four criteria of RRI, namely anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion, and responsiveness are considered and implemented, and the extent to which digital tools are supportive. Obviously, coproduction of knowledge is not sufficient when we call for responsible science in the narrow sense, hence the development of com- mon ground also appears necessary.Peer reviewe

Heritage Requires Citizens’ Knowledge : The COST Place-Making Action and Responsible Research

This chapter reflects on responsible science with an eye toward concrete research practice. To this end, we briefly introduce the RRI paradigm (Responsible Research and Innovation) and then highlight seven EU research projects in the con- text of a transnational COST Action project. This COST Action will investigate how placemaking activities, like public art, civil urban design, and local knowledge pro- duction, reshape and reinvent public space, and improve citizens’ involvement in urban planning and urban design, especially in the context of heritage sites. The chapter introduces heritage case studies that either contrast, differentiate, and add to existing knowledge and practices in placemaking through specific initiatives, or enable the establishment of common ground within a wider constellation of societal actors and both, as we see, contribute in different ways to responsible research. We analyze how the four criteria of RRI, namely anticipation, reflexivity, inclusion, and responsiveness are considered and implemented, and the extent to which digital tools are supportive. Obviously, coproduction of knowledge is not sufficient when we call for responsible science in the narrow sense, hence the development of com- mon ground also appears necessary.Peer reviewe

Potniški center Ljubljana

Natečaj je bil razpisan v želji prekiniti mrtvi tek, v katerem se je znašlo urejanje ljubljanske prometne glave in nanjo vezanih projektov. Ob spremenjenih družbeno-političnih okoliščinah in mednarodnemu povabilu k udeležbi so se obetale sveže in z lokalnimi kapricami neobremenjene ideje, ki pa jih, tudi zaradi togih konceptualnih in tehničnih predpisov v izhodiščih natečaja, ni bilo dosti. Predstavljeni predlogi v danih okvirih rešujejo osnovno nalogo, s svojo konvencionalnostjo pa ne prinašajo bistvenih novosti v urejanje območja z visokim mestotvornim potencialom

The new tram in Ljubljana – excuse me, does it go to Maribor?

Constantly increasing motorisation in Ljubljana demands serious consideration about future traffic management in the city and region. The reintroduction of the tram system that would connect the wider area as a tram-train system and integrate with other transport modes is one of the possible solutions. Without changes in present travel habits it isn’t feasible therefore public participation in all phases is of key importance. Simultaneous introduction of public spaces, enabled by the physical introduction of the system, can significantly add to the (re)designed city image that is becoming an extremely important advantage in competition between cities

Strukturiranost odprtega mestnega javnega prostora v uporabnikovi miselni predstavi

Članek predstavlja metodo za prepoznavanje kvalitativnih in kvantitativnih razsežnosti odprtega javnega mestnega prostora v uporabnikovi doživljajski sliki. Temelji na domnevi, da odprti prostor mesta v miselni predstavi ni zvezni kontinuum, kar v splošnem velja za njegovo fizično pojavnost. Odkriva, kje in kako doživlja meje konkretnega odprtega javnega prostora, v katerem je, in kaj doživlja kot soseščino takega prostora. Raziskuje torej pravila, po katerih uporabnik fizično kontinuiran odprt javni prostor v mislih strukturira na manjše enote in jih povezujejo med seboj v omrežje. S poznavanjem teh pravil je mogoče odprte javne prostore, ki jih uporabniki doživljajo izrazito pozitivno, na miselni ravni razširiti na širši prostor in tako oživiti tiste sosednje prostore, ki so doživljani z negativno konotacijo ali pa v miselni predstavi sploh niso prisotni in posledično uporabljani. Prav navzočnost ljudi pa je bistvena sestavina kvalitetnega javnega prostora

The dimensions of urban public space in user’s mental image

The article presents a method for recognising qualitative and quantitative dimensions of open urban space in the user’s perceptual image. It stems from the hypothesis that the open urban space in mental perception isn’t a uniform continuum, which in general applies to its physical phenomenon. It discloses where and how users experience the limits of real open public space that they occupy and what they perceive as the neighbourhood of such a place. Therefore it researches rules applied by the user to mentally structure physically continuous space into smaller units and then reassemble these into a network. Knowledge of such rules enables expansion of open urban public spaces, which user’s experience as positive, into the wider area, thus revitalising those neighbouring spaces that are perceived as negative or are completely absent in the mental image and consequentially unused. The presence of people is in fact the essential component of quality public spaces

Public spaces and the image of city

Physical limits of public urban spaces (morphological aspect) have an important role in the design of city image. It is not only the form; the process of visual perception that is established with the presence of the observer, is also important. The theme is dealt with by morphological and visual approaches. The first focus on research of physical form, the second try to explain, how a viewer perceives physical form and understands it

The challenges of defining the borders of the areas of architectural identity

Določanje natančnih meja med različnimi zaključenimi celotami ozemlja je zahtevno delo zaradi različnih dejavnikov, ki vplivajo nanj. Slovenija je primer države, kjer je določanja meja prostorskih enot zaradi pestrosti države na različnih področjih polno izzivov. V arhitekturni stroki je možno meje arhitekturnih krajin določati glede na razlike pri umestitvi objektov v prostor in njihovem oblikovanju. Delo zahteva veliko podatkov o stavbah, ki jih je treba obdelati in smiselno urediti. V devetdesetih letih je Fister s sodelavci določal arhitekturne krajine in regije Slovenije. Vendar so že takrat avtorji opozarjali na problem spreminjanja lastnosti stavb, ki določajo posamezno arhitekturno krajino ali regijo, in na nestalnost oziroma možno spreminjanje mej med njimi. S podobnimi problemi kot arhitekturna se ukvarjajo tudi nekatere druge stroke, kjer se lastnosti, ki določajo meje, spreminjajo. Od prve delitve Slovenije na arhitekturne regije in krajine je minilo nekaj desetletij, ki so bila zaznamovana z razvrednotenjem arhitekturne identitete in pojavom novih oblik in namenov stavb. V sklopu Ciljnega raziskovalnega projekta Arhitekturne tipologije in arhitekturne krajine in regije Slovenije, smo želeli s pomočjo različnih orodij in z Metodo za ugotavljanje arhitekturno pogojene prostorske identitete (MAPPI) preveriti aktualno stanje na terenu. Na primeru podrobno analiziranega naselja Prebolda se je pokazal velik vpliv graditve novih stavb v zadnjih desetletjih in razvrednotenje arhitekturne identitete. Primer je odprl nova vprašanja, npr. regulacije arhitekturne podobe v karakterističnih območjih, hkrati pa pokazal uporabno vrednost metode MAPPI tudi za določanje meja med arhitektur- nimi regijami in krajinami.Determining precise boundaries between different territorial units is challenging due to various factors. Slovenia serves as example of country where defining boundaries of spatial units is full of challenges due to country’s diversity in various aspects. In architectural profession, it is possible to determine boundaries of architectural landscapes based on differences in placement of objects and their design. The work requires significant amount of data on buildings, which need to be processed and sensibly organized. In 1990s, Fister and colleagues delineated architectural landscapes and regions of Slovenia. However, even then, authors warned about the problem of changing building characteristics that define specific architectural landscapes or regions, and instability or possible alteration of boundaries between them. Some other disciplines also deal with similar problems where boundary-defining characteristics change. Several decades have passed since Slovenia’s first consideration of its architectural regions and landscapes, marked by devaluation of architectural identity and emergence of new building forms and purposes. As part of Targeted research project Architectural typologies and architectural landscapes and regions of Slovenia, we aimed to assess current situation in this field using various tools and the Method for Determining Architecturally Conditioned Spatial Identity (MAPPI). The detailed analysis of settlement of Prebold revealed significant impact of construction of new buildings in recent decades and the devaluation of architectural identity. This case has raised new questions, such as regulation of architectural appearance in characteristic areas, while also demonstrating the practical value of the MAPPI method for determining boundaries between architectural regions and landscapes

Vpliv ozelenjenih fasad na zaznavanje urbanih okolij – primerjava med Slovenijo in Nizozemsko

V splošni javnosti in v raziskavah v raznih strokah pridobivajo ozelenjeni fasadni ovoji stavb vse večjo pozornost. Sistemi vertikalnih ozelenitev imajo pomembno vlogo kot izrazni element stavbe, hkrati pa se obravnavajo kot poseben tip zelene infrastrukture z raznovrstnimi pozitivnimi učinki predvsem na gosto pozidanih urbanih območjih. Raziskava se osredotoča na zaznavo ozelenjenih fasad v urbanih ambientih. Poudarek je na vizualnem zaznavanju in dojemanju prijetnosti ali vizualne kakovosti raznovrstnih prostorov glede na to, ali stavba ima ozelenjeno fasado ali ne. Odnos javnosti in vrednotenje urbanega odprtega prostora s proučevanimi zelenimi elementi smo preverjali na Nizozemskem in v Sloveniji. V spletno anketo so bili vključeni prikazi prostorskih situacij, o katerih so anketiranci izrazili mnenje. Ciljni skupini sta bili širša javnost in študenti arhitekturno-urbanističnih smeri. Kljub splošnemu rezultatu o večji prijetnosti bolj zelenega mestnega okolja, ki kaže na to, da večina ljudi tudi vertikalne ozelenitve dojema kot prispevek h kakovosti urbanih ambientov, se med proučevanima skupinama v posamezni državi pojavljajo razlike