Using a case study approach from past projects in Singapore, Australia, Cambodia, Thailand and Vietnam, we examine the benefits, but also some of the challenges, to implementing green space in urban design. Green space can have multiple physical and psychological wellbeing benefits, as well as environmental benefits, including urban runoff quantity and quality management, urban heat island abatement, air quality improvement, and noise reduction. Water sensitive urban design (WSUD) can be an important element of green space design and here we explore how modeling of ecosystem services and dynamic modeling of WSUD can help to facilitate sound planning and management decision making in support of green space implementation. As we illustrate with examples for Australia, Singapore and Cambodia, we believe that application of an urban ecosystem services modeling approach can elucidate environmental benefits of urban green space that otherwise may not be considered. Engineers may include dynamic modeling of WSUD in support of an urban master plan, or urban redevelopment, but generally urban planners are less conversant in applying models. We discuss some of the challenges to integrating multidisciplinary visioning and modeling of green space design and performance evaluation through our experience with a stormwater and wastewater design study for Cha Am, Thailand, that included landscape architecture and engineering classes at Thammasat University, Mahidol University, and AIT. Through a case study of Phnom Penh, we illustrate how modeling and 3D visualization can be used to effectively explore the benefits of green space. We conclude that a user-friendly decision support system is needed to integrate modeling and visualization tools and thereby bridge the gap between form and function in urban green space design.
A “Smart City” framework was used to investigate and develop visions of alternative futures for a peri-urban superblock north of Bangkok, Thailand. The Smart City framework considers seven smart pillars: environment, economy, energy, mobility, people, living, and governance, with a focus on community wellbeing that is supported by information and communication technology (ICT). A mixed-method approach that included: community and industry surveys, both online and face-to-face (total n = 770); in depth, semi-structured, stakeholder interviews; passive participant observation; and photo-documentation was used to inform and organize the project visions and designs. Several themes emerged from the community surveys and key stakeholder interviews: (i) connected green space is highly valued and effectively links multiple smart pillars, enhancing community wellbeing and resiliency to flooding; (ii) superblock mobility, connectivity, and sustainable development could be achieved through a seamless, integrated public-transit system following the principles of transit-oriented development (TOD); (iii) the superblock should prepare for the implementation of Thailand 4.0 through the improved programmatic and physical integration of local industry, community, and universities, including plans for a Digital Village and co-work space. Example designs that address these considerations and vision alternative futures for the superblock are presented in this Smart City case study.
The creation of sustainable cities for unpredicted and uncertain futures requires and involves a broad range of disciplines. Our living conditions within the cityscape are a consequence of the actions of the past generation, while cities shape the next generation's way of life. Some of the key challenges in shaping our future cities are not only our behavioural changes but also the redesign and restructuring of the built environment to make it more liveable and give it a sustainable urban form. On the basis of the empirical evidences obtained from the Life and Sustainability classes at Thammasat University, in this study, I critically evaluated the sustainability concepts and models of sustainable future cities from the young generation's perspective. Zero energy, quality of life, green infrastructure, city resilience, and combined approach were the five main concepts explored. The analysis shows the students' perceptions and learning outcomes of sustainable concepts and models. By using the built environment module as an example, I collected data 1,735 undergraduate students enrolled in the fall semester of 2016 and closely re-examined 35 group projects. The results revealed that most of the students were familiar with the two concepts of quality of life and green infrastructure. However, there found it difficult to develop their vision of future cities on the basis of the concept of quality of life. The relationship between the new generation's perceptions of sustainability concepts and the conceptualised prototypes or models of future cities from their understanding was analysed from a socio-economic perspective. Finally, in this paper, I suggest that these two concepts, namely green infrastructure and quality of life, be used as the core concepts along with the other sub-concepts to develop the discussion towards the design and development of future cities.
Growing food in a city is quite challenging but possible around the globe. Urban farming practices require specific knowledge depending on the location and the limitation of the land or space availability in a city. Under tropical climate conditions, even though the growing season is extensive, there are investment and business models on greenhouse urban farming within a city boundary. This paper highlights the greenhouse urban farm location and focuses on the commercial perspective of producing crops in Bangkok Metro Region (BMR). The paper focuses on reviewing and analysing greenhouse urban farm opportunities and challenges. There are two objectives of the study to understand landscape patterns and analyse the challenges and opportunities of greenhouse farming within BMR: 1) understand the landscape pattern of greenhouse farming with BMR and 2) analyse the challenges and opportunities of urban farming in BMR. The results are discussed with respect to specific topics including greenhouse urban farming location and operation, greenhouse design, and marketing analysis. There are 54 greenhouse urban farms located within the BMR boundary; 20 of these farms share their business opportunities and constraints of farming in the city. This finding shows that the location of the farms is no longer a constraint of urban farming, as all the greenhouse urban farmers can use social media to promote their farms and products. The most important advantage is that not only are the urban farm greenhouses involved with an extensive farming season, but the local city farms can also set the selling price of their produces higher than the standard price. This study could be used as a database for researchers, urban farmers, and locals who want to invest in the greenhouse urban farming business.
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