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Scientific Inquiry of Built Environment: An Overview

Understand the steps in conceptualizing urban design research and identify determinants of urban design. Explore greenway network in Singapore as a case study.

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Scientific Inquiry of Built Environment: An Overview

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  1. An overview of the scientific inquiry of built environment Learning Objectives: 1. To understand and describe the major steps in the conceptualization stage of urban design and planning research. 2. To identify the determinants or domains of urban design and planning. Lecture 2 July 2009

  2. Empiricism • Scientific inquiry is based on empiricism. Empirical evidence is the only means scientists use to corroborate, modify, or construct theories. • Scientific inquiry has to do what is, not what should be.

  3. What is the problem this study investigate? A greenway network for Singapore The greenway movement in Singapore began in the late 1980’s as a proposal for an island-wide network of green corridors. The paper traces the conceptualization, planning strategy and implementation of this greenway network. The capitalization of under-utilized land along drainage channels and beside carriageways for pilot greenway projects ensured government backing for the projects. The challenges faced in implementing the projects and the solutions taken to advance the greenway concept are discussed. Garnering public support for the completed sections generated resources and conferred additional flexibility to the land allocation process, allowing the concept to evolve. Strategic partnership with key land-use agencies and the overview of a national Garden City Action Committee for conflict resolution facilitated the process. Lessons are drawn from the implementation of the pilot projects to inform subsequent greenway development efforts, enhancing the usage and multi-functional capacity of the greenways. The Singapore experience provides a model for greenway planning and implementation for other rapidly urbanizing cities in Asia.

  4. Objectivity • Researcher should strive to suppress value judgments to minimize bias in their findings. In social sciences, maintaining objectivity is difficult through no fault of the researchers.

  5. Research Purpose and Types of Research • Exploratory research is usually conducted when relatively little is known about the phenomenon under study; that is, the subject of study is itself relatively new and unstudied (Shi, 1999). For example, little is known the impact of green spaces on creating identity of town in Malaysia (Mazlina and Ismail, 2008). • Exploratory research often results in generating meaningful hypotheses about the causal relationship among variables or in identifying a more precise research problem for investigation.

  6. Research Purpose and Types of Research • Exploratory study may also be conducted when the researcher is examining a new research interest. For example, investigating the role of Padang as a public place in Malaysian towns or cities. In other words, the subject has been studied by others but not the researcher.

  7. Research Purpose and Types of Research • Descriptive research is conducted to describe some phenomenon. Descriptive studies summarize the characteristics of particular individuals, groups, organizations, communities, events, or situations as completely, precisely, and accurately as possible, with the ultimate purpose of formulating these descriptions into conceptual categories.

  8. Research Purpose and Types of Research • Explanatory research, also called analytic or causal research, attempts to seek answers to research hypotheses or problems. It may be conducted to explain factors associated with a particular phenomenon, answer cause-effect questions, or make projections into the future. • While exploratory research is concerned with questions of what and descriptive with questions of how, explanatory research answers questions of why and what will be.

  9. Research Topic • The choice of a research topic is influenced by: Research aims addressing an design or social problem Testing or constructing a scientific theory The researcher’s personal interest: commitment of researcher Resources available: funding Professional award and recognition: e.g. sustainable city

  10. Discussion question • The following three topics are studies published in journals. What is the type of research of the topics? 1. Public policies for managing urban growth and protecting open space 2. Meaning and form in community perception of town character 3. Place attachment, place identity, and place memory: Restoring the forgotten city past

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