In urban areas, informal green spaces (IGS) can offer complementary green resources next to designed parks and gardens, contributing to green space equality. Therefore, particular attention should be paid to what cultural ecosystem services (CES) IGS provide in socioeconomically deprived neighbourhoods. However, how residents of these neighbourhoods perceive IGS and how IGS can serve as an everyday social space is still an under-explored area. This research investigates local residents’ perception and preference of CES provided by an IGS in Amsterdam K-buurt through semi-structured interviews. The interview data were processed through five thematic groups including human scale, recreational and social activities, adequate amenities, inclusivity and accessibility, and appropriation, revealing two dynamic networks of CES perceptions and preferences. Positive perceptions centred on recreational activities like play and dog walking, while challenges included inadequate amenities, poor maintenance, and a sense of neglect. Suggestions emphasised enhancing amenities, fostering community-focused programmes, improving human scale by defining borders, and creating opportunities for appropriation to make the space more inclusive and engaging. By diving into qualitative perspectives, the paper reveals the social dynamics in IGS and highlights the design potential for IGS to contribute to the livability of local environments. ... Read more

Shade provision is the most effective strategy for mitigating heat in cities; yet its distribution remains highly uneven. Using high-resolution simulations of shade casting from buildings and trees on pedestrian areas, combined with socioeconomic data at the neighbourhood level, we assess shade availability across nine climatically and geographically diverse cities: Amsterdam, Barcelona, Belém, Boston, Hong Kong, Milan, Rio de Janeiro, Stockholm, and Sydney. Our results reveal a consistent pattern of spatial and socioeconomic inequality: lower-income and peripheral neighbourhoods tend to receive significantly less shade on sidewalks, despite facing greater heat vulnerability. Notably, inequality persists even in cities with high overall shade coverage, where wealthier areas benefit from disproportionate abundance. By focusing on public pedestrian spaces, rather than general coverage, this study highlights the importance of measuring heat burden through the lens of human experience. We call for equity-centred adaptation strategies that target shade provision where it is most needed, particularly in underserved and exposed communities. ... Read more

Cities are the core of social interactions and resource consumption in our current times. However, urban systems are still largely based on linear activities in which resources are discarded after usage. Current practices around waste reduce possibilities of circularity, mainly due to low percentages of sorting and recycling practices in high- and middle-income countries and landfill practices in middle- and low-income countries. This resulted in a continuous increase in urban waste and negative environmental impact over the last decades. The development of circular practices and innovations, such as additive manufacturing, is crucial to modify the current supply chain and return valuable discarded materials to urban industries. Additive manufacturing is a novel technology based on the creation of objects layer by layer involving the use of a diverse range of materials. Several materials such as plastics, metal or concrete, for example, can be transformed into functional products for cities. Based on a literature review, this paper showcases the potential of urban waste for 3D printing with a main focus on recycling practices at the end of the supply chain. This paper aims to examine the current knowledge, regulations, and practices in circularity and additive manufacturing in the urban context, to identify opportunities and practices for material recovery applications, and showcase applications for additive manufacturing at the last stage of the supply chain. Furthermore, it identifies the needs for further research that could support the implementation and diffusion of additive manufacturing in society. ... Read more