The architecture dissertation is to demonstrate the skills one has learned and the knowledge one have developed over the course of one's studies. It identifies a current question of interest that one is willing to explore and analyse. The architecture dissertation needs to ask a question.
Street Livability through Vegetation
Synopsis
The dissertation attempts to understand the influence of Street Vegetation on the Pedestrian Experience. As streets are the most valuable asset of the public realm and the communities thrive on the streets. Research explores the concept of urban livability of streets, where walkability can help in decreasing sedentary lifestyles. So, there is an increase in the focus on the walkability of streets and pedestrian interactions. The detailed study focuses on the urban street design and planning to create livable streets which provide pedestrians with a comfortable urban and social environment. The various factors are established to have a critical analysis of the various case examples around the globe discussing the various parameters - accessibility, connectivity, safety, comfortability, ambience, placemaking and physical features of street space created by the vegetation elements. The sidewalk plane of the streets is defined as an enclosed room where the pedestrians walk, where the design is based upon a human-centric approach. Also, the various measures of livable streets which define the streets enclosure, imageability, scale, safety, connectivity and complexity are further discussed and analysed. The primary survey (online) was conducted to have a Pilot study to understand the general pedestrian perspective while using the streets. The survey data shows the pedestrian mindset which allows them to have a movement based upon the visual and safety appeal of the environment.
The study concludes by laying stress on the importance of street vegetation in terms of enhancing the experience and sense of safety on the streets. It as well reveals that a balanced and healthier urban livability of streets is an outcome of several factors depending upon the typology of the street, its infrastructure, vegetation and lighting elements that are properly designed and maintained.
How does Street Vegetation Influence Street Livability for Pedestrians?
Why are walkable streets important, does it make them livable?
What is the role of vegetation in making a Street pedestrian-friendly?
Is street vegetation an asset to Livability?
The study is aimed to understand the influence of street vegetation in creating livable environments. Furthermore, to analyse how it affects the pedestrian experience.
Objectives
Research Structure
Measuring factors for livability on streets
Looking at the various measures to study and analyse based on the livability of streets.
Imageability/Accessibility is the factor of a placemaking that makes the space image and the experience while having a movement across counts, ensure accessibility for multiple users, considering different ages and abilities. This imageability depends on the attractiveness of the space that influences and creates emotion from the pedestrian movement.
Safety measures ensure the efficient design and its consideration towards the stakeholder and the intervention of the quality space concerning the mapping of safety throughout the day.
Enclosure/Resilience factor relates to the periphery of the built environment formed along the streets which includes the canopy, vegetation, and other elementary features on streets.
The human scale factor refers to the size and proportion of the sidewalk room which forms planes that define the movement, correlating it to the interaction of humans through various senses.
Transparency/Connectivity is the factor that enables the porosity in and around the space to perceive the objects and the activities.
Complexity/Continuous variety factor is the visually oriented richness of space that influences the physical environment and the landscape around.
Case Study Analysis
The case study examples selected are based across the globe, the examples are where the influence of street vegetation is seen (positive or negative). The streets identified are different typologies of streets that are studied to gain a broader perspective in understanding how the arterial, local, neighbourhood and fully pedestrianised streets and other elements respond to the vegetation grown in and around (designed or grown over time) and analysed based upon (Qualitative) measures of livability parameters to understand the effect on the pedestrians’ feelings and quality of life through the increase in walkability due to the ambient physical environment created.
Key Structure
Conclusion
Today, with the growing congestion levels on roads, most cities are focusing on being high on the liveable index by increasing the Walkability ratio and Pedestrianisation helping in creating social inclusion and have a better quality of life, making streets safe, healthy and happy for all.
The research findings indicate that the walkable street is a mixture of the
Physical Environment and Psychological Feelings are created by the virtue of various elements and amenities.
During the Covid-19, the global crisis highlighted the importance of streets as public spaces. The environment created by the planned and designed vegetation helps in creating better opportunities for all the various stakeholders of streets and enhancing the clear visibility, activity space, inclusion and better qualities of livability.
In the Indian context, high density shows that Coherent development of streets can help in providing a better space for all creating a better accessible and well-connected infrastructure with basic requirements which are appealing, enabling people to walk and interact with streets more.
