Land-Use Mix and Urban Sustainability: Benefits and Indicators Analysis

Abstract

Sustainable development is one of the biggest challenges for the future of our cities. With this in mind, eco-districts are essentially designed to respond to four challenges that place emphasis mainly on complexity and resilience by acting on aspects such as urban green spaces, mobility, energy, water management and waste management. In this study, the focus is on the concept of mixitè, from both a functional and social perspective, which is seen as a tool to increase the sustainability of urban settlements and bring benefits to the social, environmental and economic system. Despite the growing interest of research into the impacts of an urban land-use mix, there have been few methodological analyses on how to measure the functional mix in an urban environment. Therefore, the goal of this study is to define one or more indicators that are able to represent the diversity of the soil through their application to different areas. It is therefore possible to define a tool that helps to design, evaluate and support decision makers in urban planning choices. Indeed, it is important to understand how the soil mix, and subsequently the social mix, affects sustainability and how planners can take it into account in planning and developing urban policies. In this document: (a) we will highlight the theories and concepts underlying both functional and social mixitè; (b) the benefits it brings both to the city and to the individual; (c) a review of the main methods of measurement of the mixitè; (d) application and a subsequent comparison of the methods identified in case studies represented by three areas related to the establishment of the University of Salerno, in Italy, consisting of its two campuses as well as an adjacent site. The results obtained show that some of the indicators analyzed are more effective at representing the phenomenon of mixitè than others. Therefore, widening research, especially for those concerning the social mixitè, is advisable. Despite this, the results show that proper planning and management of urban devices bring about a series of advantages by increasing the sustainability and urban efficiency of settlements.

Adapting moving‐window metrics to vector datasets for the characterization and comparison of simulated urban scenarios

“…Urban diversity is a measure of the concentration of different activities in a specific area, so indicating its degree of multifunctionality (Rueda‐Palenzuela, 2022). The most popular approach to studying urban diversity in cities is through LUM analysis (Abdullahi et al., 2015; Eom et al., 2020; Iannillo & Fasolino, 2021; Yang et al., 2021). Some of the most commonly used diversity measures include the Gini Index (Gini, 1921), the Simpson Index (Simpson, 1949), the Shannon Diversity Index , and the Shannon Evenness Index (Shannon & Weaver, 1949).…”

Water sensitive urban design approach for flood prone area (Study case: Kauman Riverfront Area, Semarang)

“…With the urban design element principles approach, an urban framework and site plan can be formulated that regulates area zoning, spatial planning, and area design focusing on expanding green areas, so the site-specific WSUD elements can be placed to maximize infiltration and rainwater storage in the water cycle. This is likely to be achieved by encouraging vertical development and implementing mixed-use development [21]. Cultural heritage buildings and the Kanjengan market are maintained to support the direction of the RTBL Kali Semarang as a traditional trading center.…”

Planejamento territorial e Objetivos de Desenvolvimento Sustentável:

“…To ensure that the right infrastructure is built, policymakers need to establish long-term visions for sustainable national infrastructure systems, informed by the SDGs, and develop adaptable plans that can substantiate this vision (Thacker et al, 2019). Therefore, there is a need to strategically plan land use and urban sustainability (Mallick et al, 2021;Iannillo & Fasolino, 2021). Cities play a fundamental role in people's lives and the journey toward sustainable development, and it is necessary to analyze all their dimensions and facets, priorities, and criticalities to define and promote strategies to make them more sustainable (Flores et al, 2021;Yigitcanlar & Kamruzzaman, 2018), including the crucial area of territorial (urban and regional) planning.…”