Synopsis
To be sustainable, cities need to both supplement existing aging infrastructure and create new adaptive infrastructures that are designed to meet demands in urban life as climate and resource availability change over time. By focusing on the renovation of underutilized public land, the researchers will help cities before more robust, resilient, and socially and ecologically sustainable.
Using a combination of geospatial analysis and specialized design techniques, the researchers analyze ways to redesign underutilized city-owned land, including alleys and right-of-ways, in order to create green spaces, moderate traffic pollution, and provide urban shade. They will publish a set of accessible, open-source software apps for urban designers, driven by new forms of urban data as well as citizen participation and engagement.