This is an analytical study of the intensely debated concept of urban livability. The paper examines different literature or theoretical streams that contribute to the debate related to the notion of livable cities. It juxtaposes academic constructs from architecture and urban planning fields with the popular culture and web indices that rank cities according to their living standards, services, and international appeal. The study offers a comparative analytical assessment of these diverse approaches and lays out a nuanced understanding of urban livability that draws on the richness and diversity embedded in design, planning, and current ranking tools. The paper ultimately aims to shed light on the configurations, conditions, and processes that may enhance the livability of various urban settings. It integrates such disparate views into an interdisciplinary perspective of urban livability. While the bulk of this paper analyses relates to North American, European, and Australian cities, the concepts discussed pertain to urban livability on a global scale.
Abstract
This is an analytical study of the intensely debated concept of urban livability. The paper examines different literature or theoretical streams that contribute to the debate related to the notion of livable cities. It juxtaposes academic constructs from architecture and urban [...]
part of the CREATE project, the primary goal of WP4 is to analyse the historical ‘Transport Policy Evolution Cycle’ processes in Stage 3 cities, by identifying the qualitative factors that have enabled – or hindered – a shift from Stage 1 “urban congestion growth” to Stage 3“encouraging sustainable mobility and liveable cities” policies, and highlighting lessons to be learnt in order to speedup these processes in Stage 1 cities. This is the first WP4 technical report. It introduces the common analytic framework, methodology and data collection strategy that is applied in WP4. It also provides a first assessment of the spatial and chronological perimeter it targets, a brief mapping out of multi-level institutional and transport governance settings in the five Stage 3 cities, including a chronology of the shift from Stage 1 to Stage 3 and. Most of the work introduced in this report was done in close cooperation with partners across the five cities and with other WPs in the CREATE project. This first internal report is organized in five sections. First it discusses the relevance of the “Transport Policy Evolution Cycle” approach for understanding the long-term evolution of transport policy developments in European capital-cities. Second, drawing on the policy studies and urban governance literatures, it it introduces the common analytic framework for the work done as part of WP4. Third, it introduces the research design, methodology and data collection strategy applied in WP4. Fourth, it develops a short case-by-case analysis of the current state of urban sustainable mobility policies and governance across the five cases under scrutiny. Based on this first case-by case assessment of data availability in all five cities, it discusses next steps.
Abstract
part of the CREATE project, the primary goal of WP4 is to analyse the historical ‘Transport Policy Evolution Cycle’ processes in Stage 3 cities, by identifying the qualitative factors that have enabled – or hindered – a shift from Stage 1 “urban congestion growth” to Stage [...]