Application of new technologies in promotion of a healthy lifestyle – selected examples

Modern society is characterized by fascination of Information and Communication Technologies (ICTs), physical laziness, isolation from nature and preferences to stay indoors. Despite the general acceptance and understanding of health benefits coming from recreation in open air, a change of recreational patterns of urban dwellers is observed, as they spend less time outdoors. In order to counteract such behaviours we can try to apply ICTs to enhance spending time outdoors. The performed study aimed at searching for solutions of ICT application in design of public spaces in order to enhance  and promote a healthy lifestyle. The selected examples show possible application of ICT in promoting active recreation, e.g. mobile applications for sport activities, urban games in line with the idea of Playable City, urban furniture and outdoor hotspots enabling access to the Internet. The research findings proved that the digitalisation is not only a threat for a healthy lifestyle, but it can create opportunities to improve the quality of life

Socio-spatial practices: An introduction and overview

We are now firmly in a digital era and technologies are ever-present. Since the introduction of new digital technologies and ICTs, such as smart phones, the literature has presented some contrasting analyses of the socio-spatial practices and impacts that have resulted from the uptake of new technologies in urban public spaces. On one hand, there is a particular set of debates that have expressed concerns that the introduction of digital technologies, especially personal ICTs, is leading to a greater withdrawal from urban public spaces

Thinking deep. Acting on top. Underground built heritage and its fringe as a community catalyst for local sustainable development : Exploratory cases from poland and greece

Underground Built Heritage (UBH) is a distinct class of cultural heritage providing a focal point for community pride and engagement to become a springboard for local sustainable development (LSD). This research aims to articulate how local UBH and its fringe serve as a facilitator of communal identity to mobilize community care towards social and economic development with less involvement from the state and the market actors. For this purpose, local (and less-conspicuous) cases of UBH are employed in Warsaw, Poland, and Volos, Greece, indicating the power of UBH to connect and engage local communities with places, triggering a momentum for a truly bottom-up action that pays less attention to market considerations and state support. The studied UBH sites have been discussed according to an established common framework, dealing with five main issues: (a) general context and status, (b) history, (c) users and management, (d) ecosystem services, and (e) introduction of the paradigm of living labs. The analysis was based on a thorough literature review and complemented by field observations and interviews. The results provide evidence for UBH as a potential facilitator of social and economic development. The case studies in Poland and Greece showed that local actors were involved in activities and social networks of tacit knowledge, generating community building to reinforce bottom-up activities in contact with UBH

Outdoor hotspots as a tool for enhancing healthy lifestyles of ICT users : design and development principles

The authors of this presented study formulated research assumptions that the Internet and new technologies may interact with the landscape architecture. The presence of hot spots in public spaces can help to increase the amount of time spent outdoors, improve relationships between users and enhance their quality of life. The conducted research included a review of literature related to ICT applications, as well as a survey of global design solutions concerning the introduction of ICT components into public spaces. Moreover, the study was based on the results of previous research by the same authors on behaviour and social expectations of ICT users in relation to leisure spaces. The research results let us frame design guidelines and principles for development of outdoor hotspots. The developed guidelines apply both to technological and spatial solutions, including the following aspects: the location of hot spots, rules of design of urban furniture, vegetation, pavements and architectural details.Funded by the Horizon 2020 Framework Programme of the European Union.peer-reviewe

CyberParks: The interface between people, places and technology

This open access book is about public open spaces, about people, and about the relationship between them and the role of technology in this relationship. It is about different approaches, methods, empirical studies, and concerns about a phenomenon that is increasingly being in the centre of sciences and strategies – the penetration of digital technologies in the urban space. As the main outcome of the CyberParks Project, this book aims at fostering the understanding about the current and future interactions of the nexus people, public spaces and technology. It addresses a wide range of challenges and multidisciplinary perspectives on emerging phenomena related to the penetration of technology in people’s lifestyles - affecting therefore the whole society, and with this, the production and use of public spaces. Cyberparks coined the term cyberpark to describe the mediated public space, that emerging type of urban spaces where nature and cybertechnologies blend together to generate hybrid experiences and enhance quality of life

Thinking Deep. Acting on Top. Underground Built Heritage and Its Fringe as a Community Catalyst for Local Sustainable Development: Exploratory Cases from Poland and Greece

Underground Built Heritage (UBH) is a distinct class of cultural heritage providing a focal point for community pride and engagement to become a springboard for local sustainable development (LSD). This research aims to articulate how local UBH and its fringe serve as a facilitator of communal identity to mobilize community care towards social and economic development with less involvement from the state and the market actors. For this purpose, local (and less-conspicuous) cases of UBH are employed in Warsaw, Poland, and Volos, Greece, indicating the power of UBH to connect and engage local communities with places, triggering a momentum for a truly bottom-up action that pays less attention to market considerations and state support. The studied UBH sites have been discussed according to an established common framework, dealing with five main issues: (a) general context and status, (b) history, (c) users and management, (d) ecosystem services, and (e) introduction of the paradigm of living labs. The analysis was based on a thorough literature review and complemented by field observations and interviews. The results provide evidence for UBH as a potential facilitator of social and economic development. The case studies in Poland and Greece showed that local actors were involved in activities and social networks of tacit knowledge, generating community building to reinforce bottom-up activities in contact with UBH

Specific Features of Parks and Their Impact on Regulation and Cultural Ecosystem Services Provision in Warsaw, Poland

Urban parks are important elements of city green infrastructure. Many studies highlight their positive influence on the quality of life and human well-being as well as their significance for sustaining natural processes in built-up areas. For the last decade, much has been written about urban ecosystem services (ES), however in comparison with the abundance of studies on the potential for delivering ecosystem services by different land use and land cover types, research on the capacity of parks to deliver these services depending on site-specific elements, is relatively uncommon. Thus, this paper reports on research that explored levels of local regulating and cultural ecosystem services delivered by Warsaw parks, as these services are considered as the most important for urban dwellers. The authors based the study on data included in existing policy documents related to environmental and spatial planning for Warsaw, and evaluation of Warsaw green spaces. The assessment included 10 ecosystem services: micro-climate regulation, air quality regulation, noise reduction, balancing rainwater peaks, recreation, social inclusion, physical health benefits, nature experiences, aesthetic appreciation, and sense of identity. The assessment was performed for all Warsaw public parks, covering an area over 2 ha (n = 82). The results enabled us: (1) to assess all parks with respect to their actual impact in delivering 10 studied ecosystem services; (2) to designate their potential capacity to deliver regulating and cultural services; and (3) to allocate all assessed parks into categories that represent their predominant character (multifunctional, with cultural advantage, with regulating advantage or without any predominant function)

Behaviour, expectations and preferences of ‘digital natives’ in regard to the design of urban public spaces

This document contains the comments made by Gabriela Maksymiuk in “Digital methods and social practices in public space – some salient themes ”.The possibility of ICT applications in designing outdoor public spaces is essential. In order to enhance a healthy lifestyle and bring people outdoors, it is crucial to study the behaviour of ICT users and understand their expectations related to attractive public spaces. Currently in Poland, Wi-Fi technology is widespread,mainly in buildings, and outdoor hot-spots are still rather an exception. The research results let us identify 4 main groups of Wi-Fi users characterised by different activities performed in urban spaces: focused on work; focused on entertainment; transit pedestrians; or, tourists. For each user group studied, its preferences, needs and expectations in regard to successful and attractive public open spaces were identified. The research results enable further elaboration of design guidelines and principles for modern outdoor ICT - friendly public space, e.g. a cyber park.peer-reviewe

Thinking Deep. Acting on Top. Underground Built Heritage and Its Fringe as a Community Catalyst for Local Sustainable Development: Exploratory Cases from Poland and Greece

Underground Built Heritage (UBH) is a distinct class of cultural heritage providing a focal point for community pride and engagement to become a springboard for local sustainable development (LSD). This research aims to articulate how local UBH and its fringe serve as a facilitator of communal identity to mobilize community care towards social and economic development with less involvement from the state and the market actors. For this purpose, local (and less-conspicuous) cases of UBH are employed in Warsaw, Poland, and Volos, Greece, indicating the power of UBH to connect and engage local communities with places, triggering a momentum for a truly bottom-up action that pays less attention to market considerations and state support. The studied UBH sites have been discussed according to an established common framework, dealing with five main issues: (a) general context and status, (b) history, (c) users and management, (d) ecosystem services, and (e) introduction of the paradigm of living labs. The analysis was based on a thorough literature review and complemented by field observations and interviews. The results provide evidence for UBH as a potential facilitator of social and economic development. The case studies in Poland and Greece showed that local actors were involved in activities and social networks of tacit knowledge, generating community building to reinforce bottom-up activities in contact with UBH