Simulating bodily movement as an agent for the reactivation of forgotten open air spaces in the city

This paper presents experimental work that uses immersive technologies for engaging users and local communities in the design process of architectural interventions on historic, fragmented environments in an effort to re-activate the place under study. In addition to the use of cutting-edge methods of capturing and analysing on-site information, this research framework, implemented in the on-going study of Paphos Gate area of historic Nicosia which lies on the infamous Green Line that still divides the city, explores the potential of narrative-led visualization to enable personal interpretations of space and its history. This virtual environment hosts reconstructions of the Paphos Gate neighbourhood which were produced based on archival material and via 3D data acquisition (LiDAR, UAV and terrain Structure-from-Motion techniques), in order to explore the associations between the transformation of the monument through the years – from its construction to present day – and the bodily experience of the visitors sojourning in its surrounding part of the city. The vision of this research is to develop a digital platform which through immersion, cinematic language and storytelling will enable the evaluation of alternative scenarios and design interventions in the context of the management plan of forgotten open air spaces that used to be popular within their urban fabric.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe

Reframing digital practices in mediated public open spaces associated with cultural heritage

This article addresses the relationship between digital media technologies (delivered via smart phones, tablets, wi-fi connections) and their use in public open spaces (parks, gar-dens, squares, plazas, streets, etc.). The consequences of technology pervasiveness in the context of the everyday operation of urban environments are not yet fully investigated. Furthermore, due to the rapid development and increasing possibilities of ICTs for appli-cation in the public realm, digital tools challenge a better understanding of the conse-quences of technology pervasiveness by urban designers and social scientists. This leads to questions about the many ways ICTs affect the use of public open space, the risks included as well as the degree to which these new, emergent, uses fit into the concept of a virtual society. This article addresses the capacity of ICTs to transform our cities into more social places and contribute to more interesting and engaging ways to navigate and interact with public spaces, rather than merely offer high-tech interfaces to data about the operation of urban infrastructures, e.g., transportation networks, or measurements of energy consump-tion and atmospheric conditions. It is based on the European COST network CyberParks. Several analysed aspects of the relationship of ICTs with public spaces and urban design show that ICTs cause and enable innovative outdoor social practices which could provoke spatial and social experts to use them in policies, design and research in order to produce responsive and inclusive urban places. Therefore, aspects as leisure and recreation, social media and heritage will be ex-plored and discussed on the basis of examples already implemented in different cities. Heritage can be used to influence positively the social cohesion of neighbourhoods as it can be promoted in such a way that, instead of provoking tensions and division, would offer spaces of inclusion, interesting everyday experiences and provide a sense of belong-ing to socially excluded communities

Data-Driven Multi-Scale Study of Historic Urban Environments by Accessing Earth Observation and Non-Destructive Testing Information via an HBIM-Supported Platform

Digital analytical tools combined with 3D documentation are used incrementally in building rehabilitation in the conservation state analysis process. In the last decade, due to the current advancements in the Architecture Engineering Construction (AEC) industry, the application of BIM methods in heritage building conservation started becoming more attractive for specialists and practitioners. In light of the latest concepts in data management at city level, as a result of the discussion about smart city representations, the use of a shared digital environment that caters to technical studies related to conservation analysis, building provenance, structural changes, and urban context transformations can lead to reduced time, improved quality, and lowered cost of city management for all domain experts and city stakeholders. This paper explores the benefits of multi-scale and discipline digitization for the restoration of heritage buildings, highlighting the potential impact of innovative data integration, methods, and workflows on architectural renovation and energy upgrades. Specifically, it focuses on the integration of conservation information for heritage buildings and large-scale environmental analysis data for historic clusters in modern cities

An Application of Machine Learning Algorithms by Synergetic Use of SAR and Optical Data for Monitoring Historic Clusters in Cypriot Cities

In an era of rapid technological improvements, state-of-the-art methodologies and tools dedicated to protecting and promoting our cultural heritage should be developed and extensively employed in the contemporary built environment and lifestyle. At the same time, sustainability principles underline the importance of the continuous use of historic or vernacular buildings as part of the building stock of our society. Adopting a holistic, integrated, multi-disciplinary strategy can link technological innovation with the conservation and restoration of heritage buildings. This paper presents the ongoing research and results of the application of Machine Learning methods for the remote monitoring of the built environment of the historic cluster in Cypriot cities. This study is part of an integrated, multi-scale, and multi-disciplinary study of heritage buildings, with the end goal of creating an online HBIM platform for urban monitoring

Mitigation and adaptation strategies to offset the impacts of climate change on urban health: A European perspective

Climate change threatens urban health, whether that refers to the human or environmental aspects of urban life. At the same time, initiatives of city regeneration envision alternative forms of the urban environment, where derelict spaces have the potential to be brought back to life in ways that would not compromise urban health. Regeneration processes should utilise mitigation and adaptation strategies that consider the future needs and anticipated role of cities within the context of the discourse about climate change, accounting for expected and unforeseen impacts and regarding the city as an agent of action rather than a static territory, too complex to change. Nevertheless, literature implicating these three parameters synchronously, namely, climate change, cities, and health, has been scarce. This study aims to fill this gap through a systematic literature review, exploring climate change adaptation and mitigation strategies that can be employed in urban regeneration efforts seeking to mitigate climate-exacerbated phenomena and their impacts on urban health as well as identifying the main trends and opportunities overlooked. Findings show that even though the emphasis is given to the physical actions and impacts of climate change and urban health, an emerging theme is a need to engage civic society in co-designing urban spaces. Synergistic relationships, collaborations and avoidance of lock-in situations appear to be the most significant subtopics emerging from this literature review. One main recommendation is the promotion of a community-driven, inclusive, participatory approach in regeneration projects. That will ensure that different vulnerabilities can be adequately addressed and that diverse population groups will have equitable health benefits