Street Life! It's the Only Life I Know. Street Life, and there's a Thousand Parts to Play

Vienna’s urban Stadtparterre(street-level environment) crisis is a key focal point of the city’s urban research and for its administration: Although rapid population growth has created an urgent need for additional (living) space, ground floor vacancies are still spreading. Furthermore the environmental impact generated by individual motorized traffic has reached a critical level. TheStadtparterreconcept refers to the city’s “parterre” as a holistic urban system: it covers both built-up and non-built-up areas. Thus street, ground floor and courtyard are treated as entity, so that interrelations are coming to light. Because we perfectly know that the potentials of ground floor use and the structure of the correlating public street space are directly related to each other. Given this perspective the paper is therefore addressing the following issues: • Which architectural, legal and structural interventions have had an impact on the functional change of the street-level environment? • How was the Viennese ground level originally used? Which urban functions were located there? • What are the (historical) interrelations between public space and the life inside buildings? Thus the causes of the current Stadtparterre crisis is analysed from a historic and systemic perspective

A Smart Researching and Planning Tool for the Neuralgic Urban Zone: 3D-ZPA

There is a strong and direct relationship between urban street space and the structures and uses of the buildings’ ground floor. When addressing urban development issues the necessity to consider the “StadtParterre“ (street-level-environment)—a holistic urban zone of public, private, and semi-private spaces—must therefore be emphasized. In consequence the spatial representation of Vienna’s street-level environment 3D-ZPA is covering both built-up and non-built-up areas, it includes the street as well as the adjacent houses and yards. Vienna’s official digital map serves as matrix where the individual ground level plans of the flanking buildings is set in—both historical plans and most recent conversion documents are taken into account, so that the morphological evolution of the street-level is reflected. Given the importance of ceiling and building heights the plan is elevated into the third dimension, which marks the major distinction from the Comprehensive Ground Floor Surveys, originally carried out in the 1960ies (Muratori, Caniggia). 3D-ZPA differs in precision and scale from the current settings of 3D city models that mostly render a distant bird’s eye perspective and that by simply showing the external building perimeters do not provide an objective representation and description of the city’s interior structure. 3D-ZPA precisely represents the buildings’ ground floor; the areas above and below are generically outlined as a rather simple cubic model, so that street profile and day light situation on the ground are reflected. 3D-ZPA yields information about a building’s spatial and functional relationship to public space and topographical environment; qualitative statements can be made concerning use, use-frequency and intensity. It facilitates conclusions regarding use-potential of the ground floor zone and places structural functions of the street space in relation to it. Interrelations can be identified, problematic situations considered and resolved in context; thus 3D-ZPA is providing a fundamental tool for planning and research

The loss of semi-public spheres within the Vienna urban parterre system—cause and effect study

[EN] As proven in the preceding pilot study the historical Viennese StadtParterre (urban parterre) originally presented an extensive, intriguing network of interior and exterior urban spaces: streets, building ground floors and courtyards. It included an essential semi-public sphere with no clear-cut boundary between inside and out. Rather, doors and windows were left open most of the time so that ground-floor premises were easily accessible to the"public flow". Original photos from the period attest to this: the ground-floor facades were permeable semi-public or private uses extended from the interior out to the street, and conversely. In addition, many of these so called "Gewölbe" were connected witgh basement floors or cellars underneath, which meant a further extension of the urban parterre and in most cases the (commercial) use of the street-facing premises also included the interior courtyard. Today, courtyards within the Viennese Gründerzeit areas mostly accommodate garbage cans or dumpsters; their soils are sealed and a considerable part of the urban parterre lies idle. Intensive, diversified use nowadays is rare: street, ground floor and courtyardall being different parts of one essential urban systemare not mutually supportive, their interlinked use-pattern falls apart and diverges. The paper discusses reasons and socio-urban effects of such a dis-linked, malfunctioning urban parterre structure by among others comparing it to the original historic state. First and foremost, though, it debates to acknowledge the significance of the StadtParterre for the functioning of a city -a fact that has somewhat fallen into oblivion latelyPsenner, A. (2018). The loss of semi-public spheres within the Vienna urban parterre system—cause and effect study. En 24th ISUF International Conference. Book of Papers. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 213-240. https://doi.org/10.4995/ISUF2017.2017.5221OCS21324

Urban Parterre Modelling UPM: Lifting the Cadastral Map to the Third Dimension

As conventional cadastral maps only show building perimeters, they contain no information about the city’s internal structure – about the complex interplay of architecture and its socio-economical use. Thus, urban planning seems to spare little thought for what really takes place inside the buildings lining a street, although we perfectly know that the potentials of ground floor use and the structure of the correlating public street space are directly related. The Urban Parterre Modelling UPM-method refers to the city’s “parterre” as a holistic urban system: it covers both built-up and non-built-up areas. Thus street, ground floor and courtyard are treated as entity, so that their interrelations can come to light. Technically the method represents the merging of a common 3D-city-model and a Comprehensive Ground Plan Survey CGPS – a researching technique used in the 1960s until the late 1990s (throughout Europe, but mostly in Italy, France and Switzerland)

Researching the morphology of the city’s internal micro structure: UPM Urban Parterre Modelling

[EN] As conventional cadastral maps only show building perimeters, they contain no information about the city’s internal structure—about the complex interplay of architecture and its socio-economical use. Thus urban planning seems to spare little thought for what really takes place inside the buildings lining a street, although we perfectly know that the potentials of ground floor use and the structure of the correlating public street space are directly related. The Urban Parterre Modelling UPM-method refers to the city’s “parterre” as a holistic urban system: it covers both built-up and non-built-up areas. Thus street, ground floor and courtyard are treated as entity, so that their interrelations can come to light. Technically the method represents the merging of a common 3D-city-model and a Comprehensive Ground Plan Survey CGPS—a researching technique used in the 1960s until the late 1990s (throughout Europe, but mostly in Italy, France and Switzerland)Psenner, A.; Kodydek, K. (2018). Researching the morphology of the city’s internal micro structure: UPM Urban Parterre Modelling. En 24th ISUF International Conference. Book of Papers. Editorial Universitat Politècnica de València. 1245-1254. https://doi.org/10.4995/ISUF2017.2017.5115OCS1245125

Integrative Diversität zu ebener Erd'? Das Entwicklungspotenzial der stadträumlichen Struktur des Wiener Gründerzeit-Parterres

"Im vorliegenden Text werden die bauliche Struktur, die aktuelle Nutzung und das Potenzial des städtischen Parterres der Wiener Gründerzeit analysiert, wobei die Sockelzone der Wohnviertel abseits der Einkaufsstraßen im Zentrum des Interesses steht. Denn speziell dort zeichnet sich eine problematische Entwicklung ab: die Entfunktionalisierung und Homogenisierung der ebenerdigen Zone. Darüber hinaus behandelt der Artikel die Frage nach den Möglichkeiten der stadtplanerischen Direktive, Einfluss auf die Nutzung des gründerzeitlichen Erdgeschoßes zu nehmen. Der methodische Ansatz geht von spezifischen lokalen Bedingungen der stadtstrukturellen Situation aus, umfasst transdisziplinäre Erkenntnisse aus Verkehrs- und Stadtforschung und basiert zudem auf den sozialwissenschaftlichen Ansätzen der Integrations- und Diversifikationsforschung. Der Beitrag schließt mit einem konkreten Maßnahmenkatalog als Direktive für weiterführende Forschung und Planung." (Autorenreferat)"One quarter of all apartments in Vienna is located in so-called 'Gründerzeit' buildings. The Gründerzeit areas of the city are characterized by a stable urban structure, which has withstood the test of time for more than one hundred years while proving its capacity to accommodate and integrate major demographic shifts. However, also the following trend emerged, resulting in adverse effects on the quality of life in these densely-built urban areas: the visual and functional homogenization of the buildings' street-level zone in tandem with a loss of multi-use purpose. The article analyzes the built structure, the actual use and the potential of the historic urban ground floor. The focus is being put on the basement zones within residential areas and offside shopping streets, where vacancy problems appear to be most serious. The article also discusses the options of the city-planning department to impact on both, the architectural structure and the use of the ground floor. Based on local conditions and the specific historical situation, the methodical approach covers, in addition, various disciplines of the social sciences: urban research, transport and traffic research, migration and diversity research. The study finally offers an application-oriented action plan for further research and future planning." (author's abstract

Wem gehört die Straße? Genealogie der Nutzerrechte in Wiens Straßen

The analysis of the historical development of users’ rights in the Viennese context reveals the following: legislation shifted away from an initial emphasis on protection of people and was soon rewritten to protect vehicle traffic. In fact, the National Socialist street ordinance – which was enacted in Austria in the year 1938 – provided the most significant shift in the hierarchy of street users. While this development was a response to the general increase of motorized traffic, the shift of emphasis was accomplished through legislative means. Postwar regulations called for »care, caution, and attention«, but nevertheless remained primarily fixed on the protection of traffic. It was not until 1960 that the so-called cautionary rule was rephrased, and the human being once again moved into the centre, replacing traffic as the focus of attention. By this even the current traffic ordinance, and with it the rights to use public street space, are rooted in a system of values that privileged the ideal of a »Gesamtvolkssinn« over the rights and the protection of individuals. (author's abstract)In der historischen Entwicklung der Wiener Straßennutzungsregelung lässt sich ein Abdriften konstatieren: von einer anfänglich klar Personenschutz-bezogenen Gesetzgebung in Richtung Schutz des technischen, fließenden Fahrzeug-Verkehrs. Den größten Schnitt in der Hierarchisierung der verschiedenen VerkehrsteilnehmerInnen auf Wiens Straßen brachte die Einführung der nationalsozialistischen Straßenverkehrsordnung im Jahr 1938. Sicherlich muss die Zunahme des Kfz-Verkehrs als Grundlage dieser Entwicklung gesehen werden, die eigentliche Umgewichtung wurde jedoch deutlich durch die Gesetzgebung verursacht. Zwar rief die Nachkriegsregelung zu Rücksicht, Vorsicht und Aufmerksamkeit auf, doch wurde jene, unter dem Nationalsozialismus hervorgebrachte unbedingte Zuwendung und Bevorrechtung des Kfz-Verkehrs weiterhin beibehalten. Auch die aktuell gültige StVO und damit die Benutzungsrechte für den öffentlichen Straßenraum gehen also auf ein Wertesystem zurück, in dem die Rechte des einzelnen Menschen vor der alles überragenden Idee des »Gesamtvolkssinns« verblassten. (Autorenreferat

"Also unten ist's schön und oben ist's Bibione": (visuelles) Wahrnehmen im urbanen öffentlichen Raum

'Das Bild einer Stadt wird - auch - durch die öffentlichen Räume ihrer Straßen und Plätze definiert. Diese spielen eine wichtige Rolle im Zusammenleben der Menschen, sie sind die frei zugänglichen Orte, wo Menschen in ihrem Alltagsleben zusammentreffen. Ob und inwieweit Architektur und Planung Einfluss auf Gestalt und 'Aussage' dieser Räume nehmen, wird hier anhand einer empirischen Studie diskutiert, die sich der Wahrnehmung eben dieses städtischen Raums durch seine BenutzerInnen widmet. Da für die Abwicklung des Projekts ein innovatives Forschungsdesign ausgearbeitet und umgesetzt wurde, wird im vorliegenden Artikel dem Forschungsinstrumentarium besondere Aufmerksamkeit geschenkt.' (Autorenreferat

Regional hydrology controls stream microbial biofilms: evidence from a glacial catchment

International audienceGlaciers are highly responsive to global warming and important agents of landscape heterogeneity. While it is well established that glacial ablation and snowmelt regulate stream discharge, linkage among streams and streamwater hydrogeochemistry, the controls of these factors on stream microbial biofilms remain insufficiently understood. We investigated glacial (metakryal, hypokryal), groundwater-fed (krenal) and snow-fed (rhithral) streams ? all of them representative for alpine stream networks ? and present evidence that these hydrologic and hydrogeochemical factors differentially affect sediment microbial biofilms. Average microbial biomass and bacterial carbon production were low in the glacial streams, whereas bacterial cell size, biomass, and carbon production were higher in the tributaries, most notably in the krenal stream. Whole-cell in situ fluorescence hybridization revealed reduced detection rates of the Eubacteria and higher abundance of ?-Proteobacteria in the glacial stream, a pattern that most probably reflects the trophic status of this ecosystem. Our data suggest low flow during the onset of snowmelt and autumn as a short period (hot moment) of favorable environmental conditions with pulsed inputs of allochthonous nitrate and dissolved organic carbon, and with disproportional high microbial growth. Krenal and rhithral streams with more constant and favorable environments serve as possible sources of microbes and organic matter to the main glacial channel during periods (e.g. snowmelt) of elevated hydrologic linkage among streams. Ice and snow dynamics have a crucial impact on microbial biofilms, and we thus need better understanding of the microbial ecology and enhanced consideration of critical hydrological episodes in future models predicting alpine stream communities

Microbiology and atmospheric processes: Biological, physical and chemical characterization of aerosol particles

The interest in bioaerosols has traditionally been linked to health hazards for humans, animals and plants. However, several components of bioaerosols exhibit physical properties of great significance for cloud processes, such as ice nucleation and cloud condensation. To gain a better understanding of their influence on climate, it is therefore important to determine the composition, concentration, seasonal fluctuation, regional diversity and evolution of bioaerosols. In this paper, we will review briefly the existing techniques for detection, quantification, physical and chemical analysis of biological particles, attempting to bridge physical, chemical and biological methods for analysis of biological particles and integrate them with aerosol sampling techniques. We will also explore some emerging spectroscopy techniques for bulk and single-particle analysis that have potential for in-situ physical and chemical analysis. Lastly, we will outline open questions and further desired capabilities (e. g., in-situ, sensitive, both broad and selective, on-line, time-resolved, rapid, versatile, cost-effective techniques) required prior to comprehensive understanding of chemical and physical characterization of bioaerosols