Provision of health benefits

NATURE-IN “New Sustainable Nature-Inclusive Architectural Devices for the Transformation of our Interior Dwelling Space: through Selected Case Studies”

As the PI of NATURE-IN, I am developing an innovative independent research project “New Sustainable Nature-Inclusive Architectural Devices for the Transformation of our Interior Dwelling Space: through Selected Case Studies”, supported by the European Commission within the programme H2020 Excellent Science- Marie Skłodowska-Curie Actions. This is an interdisciplinary research project that unfolds and analyses the underlying forms of knowledge behind exemplary buildings which...

To Ally Technology, Nature and Society for integrated urban water management: ATENAS

AteNas is built around 3 demonstration sites, covering urban and periurban zones of Łódź, Lyon and Vantaa/Helsinki and sharing the challenge of enabling water to citizens and nature, both in terms of quality and quantity.

Utilize of cities water resources to secure regulating ecosystem services, enable Nature-Based Solutions, and enhance adaptive capacity to global changes.

UNaLab - Drought-resilient orchard, Genoa, Italy

The city of Genoa experiences acute densification and lack of public green spaces, making urban heat stress a pronounced challenge. Air pollution and biodiversity loss are among the other challenges Genova targeted to address through NbS implementation.

UNaLab - Tree groups and green areas, Genoa, Italy

UNaLab - Slope afforestation, Genoa, Italy

UNaLab - Urban street greening, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

Several streets around the Eindhoven city centre (Waagstraat, Bilderdijklaan, Willemstraat, H. Boexstraat and Dommelstraat) have been rehabilitated and nature-based solutions such as bioswales and street trees have been introduced to address existing problems with heat stress and flooding, and to enhance biodiversity and attractiveness for pedestrians and cyclists.

UNaLab - City Hall area, Eindhoven, the Netherlands

Eindhoven is facing rapid population growth. Critical issues for the city, which are exacerbated by climate change, include flooding, urban heat stress, air pollution, and lower quality of life. The rapid urbanisation in recent years has also led to the disappearance of significant blue zones, which has had detrimental consequences to the urban environment and quality of life. The renewed City Hall area features a green roof and a green terrace.

UNaLab - Urban gardens, Vuores, Tampere, Finland

Three small-scale NbS projects were awarded innovation vouchers in summer 2019 by the City of Tampere. Two of the vouchers were used to develop garden areas near residential housing. Through this initiative, the city encouraged citizens to take the initiative to plan and implement the NbS that they find useful for their environment.

Co-Creation of an URBiNAT Healthy Corridor for Neder-Over-Heembeek, Brussels

Brussels is one of the four follower cities of the URBiNAT project, and was chosen for its green character, its history of involvement in European and international agreements and cooperation, and its current practice of citizen participation in political and territorial processes. The URBiNAT project, implemented in Brussels through a Living Lab in the neighbourhood of Neder-Over-Heembeek, is meant to reconnect the social housing neighbourhoods amongst themselves, with the broader neighbourhood, and with the rest of the city. This in order to reduce socio-spatial fractures linked to its...

Co-Creation of an URBiNAT Healthy Corridor for Campaña, Porto

URBiNAT intervention areas. In Porto city, Campanhã parish was identified as one of the priority areas for urban regeneration aiming at a more sustainable improvement of local living conditions. This area faces severe socio-economic challenges territorial aggravated by isolation, due to lack of accessibility, safety, feeling of security and poor overall conditions of the urban space.

The outline of a study area was developed by the Local Taskforce of Porto, according to the previously established commitment by the municipality of Porto to develop the project URBiNAT in this area. The first criteria were to ensure the inclusion of Cerco, Falcão, Lagarteiro, and other social housing neighbourhoods nearby.

Given the intention of implementing new healthy corridors, the study area includes the most relevant strategic green spaces (Oriental Park, Corujeira Plaza, Quinta da Bonjóia, municipal nursery), services (schools, industry, health centres, local associations)...