Automous Lifestyles in Old Age in Smart City Districts
© blog.careum.ch, Anna Hegedüs
In the context of the dissertation "Autonomous Living in Old Age in Smart City Neighbourhoods", measures are determined to support self-determined living in the form of autonomy and flexibility for people with age-related limitations in their familiar living environment. In order to identify potentials for supporting independent living in old age, a survey was conducted among 307 people in the 65+ target group. Questions were asked in the areas of digitalisation, social life, mobility and infrastructure, in relation to relevance and habit. Thus, an age-friendly design of the built environment and public space in combination with digital assistance and alternative forms of living can be an answer to the architectural challenges for independent living in old age and demographic change.
Supervision:
Aglaée Degros, Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz
"Gründerzeit" Inner Courtyards in Graz
© Petra Kubin, BA
The Gründerzeit is particularly important for the urban development of the city of Graz, as a large part of the city was created in this period in its still existing structure. In the course of this, large green areas were created inside the perimeter block development. These still exist today. Although they make up a large part of the inner-city green spaces, the background to their creation has remained unnoticed in the literature until now.
This initial situation leads to the research question: "How can Gründerzeit inner courtyards in Graz be located in history, how are they used today and what potentials are there for the future?
In order to answer the first part of the research question, the developments of building laws and building ordinances from the beginning of the Gründerzeit to the present day were presented taking into account the urban planning process. In addition, city maps from different years were compared and graphically processed. The evaluation of the archive files of individual properties serves the evaluation of the historical planning of inner courtyards.
In order to answer the second part of the research question, a photo of the status quo was taken with the help of a separate photo documentation and then evaluated with regard to the actual uses. Furthermore, a separate analysis of the Graz housing market over 12 months was carried out by observing housing advertisements. A survey on the use of the inner courtyard also revealed the mood of the residents.
The processing of the research question should lead to a first scientific recording of the urban development of the Gründerzeit with regard to inner courtyards. This, together with the documentation of current trends in use, should also serve as a tool for future urban planning. A future scenario should make visible which potential is hidden in the inner courtyards.
Supervision:
Aglaée Degros, Institute of Urbanism, TU Gra
Cycle Traffic in Town Centres
Influence on the location factor of business premises
© Jürgen Sorger, MSc
Mass motorisation, increasing consumption and function-separating spatial planning are having negative economic and ecological consequences today. Shopping centres (shopping centres) and food markets on high-performance roads are creating longer and longer routes for increasingly energy-inefficient (heavier) vehicles. Negative effects are obvious: land sealing, congestion, emissions, energy and resource consumption and economic pressure on the centres of small towns. Today's car-savvy customers make frequent use of the commercial enterprises designed for car accessibility - they avoid the small-scale and for the car impractical town centre. Local centers feel the frequency decrease. A vicious circle for business in many communities. The non-integrated edge of the village flourishes, the charming urban centre dies out. Vitality and quality of life are also lost - in the worst case, permanent vacancies characterise the townscape.
The same topics were always discussed in the seven cycle traffic concepts developed with municipalities: The question of the necessity of car parking is categorically met with the needs of business enterprises. In the discussion and planning processes, however, it became clear that cycling can also make an economic contribution to revitalising the town centre. What is lacking are sound descriptions and clear cause-and-effect relationships on how cycling has a positive effect on businesses located in town centres and on vacant business premises.
Due to the lack of these basic principles, it is difficult for decision-makers in municipalities to raise the conditions for the promising bicycle to the standard of motor vehicle traffic.
In this dissertation project these cause-effect relationships are worked out. Research fields are municipalities with approximately 5,000 to 25,000 inhabitants - potential areas with a small national town character.
Based on the findings, strategic recommendations for action can then be made accurately and target group-specifically and indicators for determining the achievement of objectives can be determined.
Supervision:
Aglaée Degros, Institute of Urbanism, TU Graz
DI Dr. Markus Frewein, verkehrplus GmbH
Sponsor:
Austrian Research Promotion Agency (FFG)
Partner:
verkehrplus GmbH