Ayaka Higashi (p), Kazunari Tanaka

Yuval Arbel

In recent years, the relaxation of regulations on large stores has led to an increase in suburban large stores, resulting in the hollowing out of city centers and a noticeable decline in shopping streets.
The shopping district was once a bustling center of commerce, but today, vacant stores are conspicuous due to closures caused by a lack of workers and other factors, and attempts to revitalize the area have been slow to produce results.
However, in regional cities, there are examples of revitalization efforts by shopping street associations that have succeeded in revitalizing declining shopping streets, giving them a purpose beyond just shopping, which contrasts with people's expectations for a place.
This study aims to clarify how people perceive the appropriate level of human presence in a particular place, focusing on urban spaces. To achieve this, the study surveyed various residential areas and commercial districts to investigate people's perceptions of the appropriate level of human presence.
As a results, it was found that the uniformity of residential buildings, the presence of shadows on the road surface, and the sense of openness are related to the preference for residential areas.
In addition, this study focused on facade types. I did a questionnaire survey using the photographs by five different facade types and analyzed them using a pairwise comparison method.
The results showed that one and three facade types received almost the same evaluation. On the other hand, four facade types were the least preferred. In contrast to predictions, the results showed that a variety of facade types were not preferred. The relationship was found between the façade type of shopping street and number of pedestrians.

Yuval Arbel (p)

Sotirios Thanos

We propose a new approach to estimate the vaccination rates required to achieve herd
immunity against SARS-COV2 virus at a city level. Based on information obtained from the
Israeli Ministry of Health, we estimate two separate quadratic models, one for each dose of
the BNT162b2 mRNA Pfizer vaccine. The dependent variable is the scope of morbidity,
expressed as the number of cases per 10,000 persons. The independent variables are the
first and second vaccination rates and their squares. The outcomes corroborate that herd
immunity is achieved in the case that 71 percent of the urban population is vaccinated, and
the minimum anticipated scope of morbidity is approximately 5 active COVID-19 cases per
10,000 persons, compared to 53–67 cases per 10,000 persons for zero vaccination rate.
Findings emphasize the importance of vaccinations and demonstrate that urban herd immunity may be defined as a situation in which people continue to interact, yet the COVID-19
spread is contained. This, in turn, might prevent the need for lockdowns or other limitations
at the city level

Jonathan Wood (p), Sotirios Thanos (p), Anupam Nanda

Cihan Mert Sabah

The literature of bar and restaurant location patterns does not account sufficiently for temporal dynamics and the role of urban spatial. We address these gaps by developing a novel urban economic framework with a two-fold empirical approach: a) dynamic longitudinal Poisson models that incorporate socio-economics, demographics and accessibility to analyse temporal shifts in the concentration of bar and restaurants, or ‘hotspots’; and b) a longitudinal logit approach that models the determinants of bar and restaurant ‘deserts’. We compile a unique dataset of more than 1100 small areas over a 17-year period (2002–2019) across two carefully selected UK city-regions, Greater Manchester and Nottingham. The key findings reflect a fundamental shift in consumer preference over time. During the study period, the probability of bar ‘desert’ formation increased almost 20-fold along with the reduction in bar counts by around 35 percent in both study-areas. Conversely, restaurant numbers have increased by almost 35 percent and the probability of restaurant ‘deserts’ reduced by at least a factor of 5. While, the Poisson specification provides evidence of positive path dependence in areas with an established bar and restaurant ‘ecosystem’, both approaches show significant accessibility, agglomeration, and socioeconomic sorting effects.

Cihan Mert Sabah (p), Aliye Ahu Gülümser

André Seidel

This study conducts a comprehensive literature review to explore individuals' attachment experiences to temporary spaces. By examining the complex human-environment relationship, it investigates how attachment formation is shaped by individual characteristics, the place itself, and psychological processes. To achieve this, a meta-analysis was conducted within the "person, place, and psychological process" tripartite framework, incorporating 18 parameters to understand attachment dynamics over time in temporary settlements. Additionally, quantitative analyses were performed to capture the complexity of factors influencing attachment formation and to illustrate interactions among these factors. The study synthesizes existing research by identifying key factors that shape users' attachment experiences in temporary settlements. The relationship between emotional attachment and behavior was assessed through an analysis of 27 studies focusing on individuals’ emotional bonds with places and their corresponding behaviors. The findings indicate that individuals develop attachment tendencies that are influenced by behavior, affect, culture, and cognition when they establish a connection with a temporary place. These factors interact in complex ways, shaping how individuals experience and maintain their sense of place attachment in temporary settings. By integrating psychological, emotional, and cultural factors, this study offers a novel and multidimensional perspective on place attachment within temporary spaces. It highlights the interplay between human experiences and spatial characteristics, providing valuable insights into the mechanisms of attachment formation in non-permanent environments. This comprehensive synthesis contributes to a deeper understanding of place attachment theory and offers a solid foundation for future research. Moreover, the findings have significant implications for urban planning and community development, particularly in designing temporary settlements that foster a sense of belonging and well-being among residents.
This study was supported by TÜBİTAK 2224-A Program.

André Seidel (p), Melanie Krause

Ayaka Higashi

This paper studies how the variation in the availability of land for development within cities affects neighborhood density. We use within-city geographical obstacles as exogenous sources of scarcity of certain land types. We show that scarcer land types have higher urban density, which arises mostly from taller buildings and less from crowding or residential coverage. Importantly, the effect operates through the heterogeneous citywide supply of different land types rather than preferences for local geography. Our findings reveal a potentially significant effect that local regulations can have on the heterogeneity of city-wide urban density.