Introducing Sustainable Intervention Strategies of Operation Planning and Environment Design to Activate Void Areas on the Urban Fringe

¹ Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia
² School of Environment Art, Hubei Institute of Fine Arts, 430205 Wuhan, Hubei, China
³ College of Urban and Environmental Sciences, Central China Normal University, 430079 Wuhan, Hubei, China
⁴ Institute for Advanced Studies, University of Malaya, 50603 Kuala Lumpur, Malaysia

^* Corresponding author: fongcs92@um.edu.my

Abstract

Vacant and abandoned spaces were increasingly recognised as a major obstacle to urban revitalisation. How to intervene sustainably in urban void areas became a challenge. This paper presented a new theoretical framework for sustainable operation and design by reflecting and innovating on existing studies through a literature review and classification. The framework for sustainable operation planning included operational theme and promotion, management and maintenance, effective resource utilisation and sustainable digital technology. The framework for sustainable environment design included function and layout, ecosystem management, construction material and art design aesthetic. In the context of the sustainability framework, one urban void area in the northern part of the 19th Middle School in Wuhan was selected as the case study area. This case was based on secondary data collection, field research, virtual 3D modelling and computer rendering. The aim was to achieve sustainable and synergistic economic, social and environmental development by activating urban void areas. The results found that the theoretical framework of sustainability had positive implications for operation and design. The scientific and practical value of the planning and design could be enhanced by fully considering the logic of sustainable operation. In addition, the innovative concepts of the sustainable framework provided a theoretical and practical basis for filling the research gap of interventions in the urban void area.