Urban Narratives: Exploring Identity, Heritage, and Sustainable Development in Cities

This book engages readers in an enlightening exploration of cities' identities, sustainability, and urban development. Delving into the intricate interplay between art, architecture, and the urban landscape, it offers a compelling analysis of the factors that shape cities and their distinct personalities. The volume uncovers captivating stories of cities as they navigate the delicate balance between heritage conservation and modernity. It highlights innovative strategies employed to preserve historical sites while adapting to the demands of a rapidly changing world. Full of insightful discussions on the impact of cultural lifestyles, the fusion of architectural styles, and the challenges and triumphs of sustainable urban development, it draws upon a diverse range of perspectives and research, inviting architects, urban planners, and scholars to delve into the intricate nuances of cities' identities in the process.

With its informative and engaging narrative, this book providesa fresh perspective on cities' identities and offers practical insights into shaping vibrant, livable urban landscapes.

Mohd. Fairuz Shahidan Associate Professor under the Department of Landscape Architecture in the Faculty of Design and Architecture, Universiti Putra Malaysia (UPM). He obtained his PhD in Architecture from Cardiff University, United Kingdom. His research area of interest includes Energy Efficient Design and Planning in Architecture and Landscape, Urban Heat island mitigation, Urban Greening, and Outdoor and Indoor thermal comfort. He has published numerous papers in renowned local and international journals. He specialised in research and design and wrote several books about it. He has also had vast experience as a reviewer for several journals, such as Building and Environment, Journal of Landscape and Urban Planning, and Urban Forestry and Urban Greening. At the national level, he has evaluated numerous conference papers and books. In 2013 and 2015, he served as the conference's editor-in-chief. From 2012 to 2015, he also served as an editorial member of Alam Cipta, the International Journal for Sustainable Tropical Research Design and Practice. His research has been recognised with numerous awards, including the Invention, Research, and Innovation Exhibition at Universiti Putra Malaysia in 2006 and the Malaysia Landscape Architecture Awards (MLAA) in the Landscape Research Category (Honor Award) in 2015, 2016, 2017, and 2019, respectively. He has been an active member of the International Association for Urban Climate (IAUC) since 2010 and Malaysian Urban Design Association (PEREKABANDAR) since 2019.

Alessio Cardaci Dr. Cardaci has a Ph.D. in "Building Engineering: Restoration Design." Currently serving as an assistant professor and conducting research on Digital Drawing at the University of Bergamo's School of Engineering, he also holds the esteemed position of Head at lab_SABE (Survey & Analysis of Buildings and Environment) laboratory. His expertise lies in the field of architectural conservation and cultural heritage. His research interests encompass3D survey techniques for the preservation of architectural and monumental heritage, with a focus on cultural landmarks. He specializes in architectural and urban restoration and is actively involved in the implementation and development of advanced technologies for surveying, documenting, and conserving such heritage. Within his research scope, he utilizes state-of-the-art tools and methodologies such as 3D laser scanning, 3D image-based modeling, 3D data processing, and reverse engineering. His contributions play a pivotal role in ensuring the accuracy and precision required for the conservation of historical and contemporary buildings. By employing digital mediums, he facilitates the representation and visualization of architectural structures, enabling comprehensive understanding and effective communication within the field of architectural conservation.

Gasim Hayder Dr. Hayder is an Associate Professor at the Civil Engineering Department, College of Engineering, Universiti Tenaga Nasional (UNITEN), and an MIET and a Chartered Engineer (CEng) from the Engineering Council (UK). He teaches, conducts research and provides short courses and consultancy services to industry, especially in the field of water and wastewater assessment and monitoring. He is the Head of Water & Environmental Engineering Unit at the Department of Civil Engineering, and also serving as Head of Environment and Sustainable Development Cluster at the Institute of Energy Infrastructure (IEI); senior researcher for Sustainable Engineering Group UNITEN. He received his Ph.D. in Civil Engineering from Universiti Teknologi PETRONAS (UTP), Malaysia. He has extensive practical engineering, teaching, and management experiences. He has several publications of journals and books, reviewer for many top journals, member committee for several conferences, holds patents and has received national and international awards. Scopus: 56239664100; ResearcherID: C-5042-2013; ORCID: 0000-0002-2677-0367

Israa Hanafi Mahmoud Assistant Professor in Urban and Regional planning at the Department of Architecture and Urban Studies in Politecnico di Milano, Italy. She is a Polyglot Urban Planner and Architect by education. Starting 2022, she is responsible for NBS co-creation processes and Stakeholders engagement in Urban living labs projects at the "NATIONAL BIODIVERSITY FUTURE CENTER (NBFC)" based at Politecnico di Milano. Since 2018, she was a Post-Doctoral Researcher Fellow at the Urban Simulation Lab (Fausto Curti), Department of Architecture and Urban Studies (DAStU), at Politecnico di Milano. She is the research team leader together with Prof. Eugenio Morello on CLEVER Cities Project--Funded by the European Commission--Horizon 2020 as an expert of Co-creation guidance for cities to implement Nature-based solutions in socially inclusive urban regeneration processes. She holds a Ph.D. in Urban Regeneration and Economic Development. In 2016, she pursued her Ph.D. degree in Northeastern University of Boston MA as an (ESR) early-stage researcher part of a Euro-pean Commission--MARIE-CURIE Action funded Horizon 2020 Project--GA # 645651--MAPS-LED Project then in 2017, as an Experienced Researcher (ER) in San Diego State University, CA, USA. In 2010, she earned her bachelor's degree from Architectural Engineering Department Alexandria University of Egypt with a major in Urban Design section about Psychological and Environmental Urban Design, in a collaboration Programme with Michigan State University and Bauhaus--Universität Weimar, Germany. In Politecnico di Milano, she also lectures about Urban Planning topics as well as Nature-Based Solutions and placemaking in the Master of Science in Urban Planning and Policy Design, as well as Master of Sustainable Architecture and Landscape design. She is also an Adjunct professor at the Alleanza Italiana dello sviluppo Sostenibile (ASVIS), advocating for Climate Change and Environmental Sustainability pathways. Lately, she co-led the Greening Cities, Shaping Cities international symposium at Politecnico di Milano, October 2020 and co-edited the latest published book Nature-based Solutions for Sustainable Urban Planning: Greening Cities, Shaping Cities (2022). She is also the author of the newly published monograph of Placemaking for Green Urban Regeneration, in Springer Urban Book series