Environmental human-friendliness as a contextual determinant for quality of life

The aim of the article is to define some criteria of human-friendly environments and to explain why the concept of environmental human-friendliness (EHF) is important in the analysis and improvement of the quality of people´s lives. EHF is a complex multi-dimensional and multi-level concept that refers to environments or settings which provide support to individuals and different groups so that they can implement their goals or projects, with a potential impact on the subjective well-being. EHF can be described and assessed by an individual criterion (per-son-environment fit) and a group criterion (collective environment fit). A heuristic model of the conditions for EHF is presented that can be applied in the analysis of the context of well-being and in the envisioning phase of the improvement of conditions for the quality of life.Non Peer reviewe

Network Evaluation from the Everyday Life Perspective : A Tool for Capacity-Building and Voice

Despite the rich literature on networks, publications on the evaluation of networks are scarce. The aim of the article is to present the core concepts of network evaluation in the context of local and regional development, and a case study in Finnish North-Karelia. It is argued that network evaluation from the everyday life perspective (NEELP) is a special case. It requires an integrative design and the building of a collective monitoring and self-evaluation system with a variety of enabling and traditional assessment tools. It contributes to the empowerment and capacity building of individuals and groups of people who are involved in the co-creation of their contexts, while it also strives to recognize the complex systemic aspects of the environment. Horelli, Liisa (2009) Network Evaluation from the Everyday Life Perspective. A Tool for Capacity-Building and Voice. Evaluation, 15(2), 205-223.Peer reviewe

The role of shared space for the building and maintenance of community from the gender perspective - a longitudinal case study in a neighbourhood of Helsinki

Cohousing is here referred to as a form of housing with communal spaces, shared facilities and activities. Irrespective of the long history of cohousing, it constitutes only a small part of the total housing stock even in countries that regard cohousing as an alternative dwelling choice. Surprisingly, the importance of shared spaces has often been underestimated, although their role in the coproduction of community is significant, which in turn is one of the key driving forces for expanding cohousing into new markets. The aim of the article is to examine and discuss the role of shared space for the building and maintenance of community and its consequences for everyday life from the gender perspective. I argue that shared spaces are important for the building and maintenance of community, but they have a triple role, which together has an impact. Nevertheless, the Community House is a necessary but not a sufficient condition for the communal culture and its positive or negative consequences for the gender roles and the residents involved with care.Peer reviewe

The methodology of user-sensitive service design within urban planning

The increasingly complex living environment poses challenges in everyday life that thetraditional urban planning cannot meet. We argue that the methodology, called the user-sensitiveservice design within urban planning, is viable for many stakeholders in a situation,where the infrastructure of everyday life is shattering and the uncertainty and ambiguity of theplanning process and outcomes are prevailing (Forester 1993). Our aim is to present themethodology and its application in the planning and development of digitised services in aneighbourhood of Helsinki. The methodology turns out to be a hybridiser and a bridge builderthat embeds urban planning in the local context. In addition, it is a vehicle for transfering theplanning content to the phases of implementation and use, resulting in the emergence ofglocal digital spaces.Peer reviewe

Community Informatics in Cities: New Catalysts for Urban Change.

Peer reviewe

Modern Home, Environment, and Gender : Built, Planned, and Lived Spaces in Post-war Finland

Peer reviewe

Design for gender equality - the history of cohousing ideas and realities

Today’s development of alternative types of housing with communal spaces and shared facilities, called cohousing, has been influenced by utopian visions, practical proposals and implemented pro-jects far back in the past. This article traces the driving forces behind the various models of communitarian settlements, cooperative housekeeping, central kitchen buildings, collective housing and collaborative residential experiments while focusing specifically on the design and gender aspects of these models. An emphasis is given to feminist arguments for cohousing, as well as a discussion of the patriarchal resistance against various forms of housing and living based on equality and neighbourly cooperation. The article includes an analysis of the relief of house work burdens and of the possibility for men to be courageously domesticated through this type of housing. The main research methods comprise analyses of literature and the researchers’ own practical experiences of cohousing. The authors claim that cohousing in Scandinavian and some other countries has contributed to a more equal distribution of responsibilities for house work. However, the number of people living in cohousing is still too small to influence the gender segregation of labour markets. It is furthermore concluded that design factors, such as the quality of shared spaces, easy access to common rooms and indoor communication, are important for the smooth functioning of cohousing.Peer reviewe