Team members
| Vanessa Döringer, Robyne Dubief, Noah Eckert, Magali Egger, Niklas Eschenmoser, Daniel Fässler, Alexandre Favarger, Dan Fuhrimann, Dario Gartmann, Basil Gilgen, Alessia Giordano, Natascha Gmür, Alina Graber, Dominic Gregorin, Laura Gross, Dilay Güler, Anna Scholte |
That means urban green
| Each year, more people move to cities. This requires additional infrastructure, more space, and increased use of natural resources. By no means can this process of urbanization be stopped completely, but urban planning methods can minimize the impact on both people and nature. Urban Green explores the ways in which future cities can help people feel good and stay healthy – both physically and psychologically. Most important: these newfound green spaces must be easy to reach and accessible to all members of the community. |
Some videos on youtube introduce the topic
| Our cities have a severe heat problem as a result of climate change. Climate researchers are helping urban planners to identify particularly hot zones in times of climate change and are developing „heat maps“ of cities. The aim is to design strategies for adapting to climate change and its consequences, avoiding hot zones, and creating better air. For example, air corridors are to be created. Nature should also help with this! Bringing them into cities is important – urban planners have long recognized this. Plants clean the air and cool the microclimate. Green facades are therefore increasingly being used to cool down cities. |
More about …
| Communities around the world are currently faced with a number of large-scale environmental challenges including dangerous irreversible climate change. Many of these challenges stem from cities and are resource-intensive urban lifestyles. Urban investment decisions taken today will determine whether people will be locked into resource inefficient and fossil fuel dependent infrastructures and lifestyles or if they will enable cities to become places where we can live attractive and healthy and sustainable lives. The percentage of the population moving from rural to urban areas is increasing rapidly. This process is called “urbanization” and it results in growing towns and an increasing number of people living in towns and cities. In Europe, the level of urbanization is expected to increase to roundabout 84% in 2050. Urban living limits access to nature and can increase exposure to certain environmental hazards, such as air and noise pollution but also limited resources because of the expanding population. Fortunately, an array of concrete solutions to these challenges are already being developed and implemented in cities around the globe, to provide healthy and sustainable living environments. Nature-based solutions, such as green spaces for example offer innovative approaches to increase the quality of the urban settings, enhance local resilience and promote sustainable lifestyles, improving the health and also the well-being of the urban residents. As an approach, there are components such as parks, and vegetation in public and private places or playgrounds. All solutions try to ensure that: · Urban residents have adequate opportunities for exposure to nature · Urban biodiversity is maintained and protected · Environmental hazards such as air pollution or noise are reduced · The impacts of extreme weather events such as heatwaves, extreme rainfall, or flooding are reduced · The quality of urban living is enhanced · The health and well-being of residents are improved Urban green space is an important part of public open spaces and common services provided by a city and can serve as a health-promoting setting for all members of the urban community. It is, therefore, necessary to ensure that public green spaces are easily accessible for all population groups and distributed equitably within the city. |
| urban architecture – When buildings suddenly turn green – to cool down the city and additionally have cleaner air, more emphasis should be placed on green buildings. House facades, rooftop terraces, etc. should be planted with various plants. This can either be included directly in the planning of the buildings or be done afterward. green squares all over the city – green spaces do not only look amazing, but they also loosen up the sometimes very gray Rotterdam streets. With green spaces like these, you can do something for the environment with little space. You can determine the size of these areas yourself. Should it be 1 or perhaps 2 square meters? The decision is entirely up to you. The best thing about green squares: Through different planting, the focus can be put on different things. For example, if more focus is to be placed on clean air, ivy can be used. A very colorful planting with flowers can make a home for bees again. The possibilities are huge. In addition, if the population is to be involved, some squares can be rented out. This can bring a personal touch to the city. promoting urban Agriculture – provide spaces where the people can plant their own vegetables and fruits or whatever in the city. |
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