Places and Flows

Places and Flows is one of our cross-domain research themes.

People come together in physical places and they organise flows of goods and services to facilitate their lives. Understanding these interactions enables us to contribute to liveable places and sustainable flows.

At BUas we recognise the importance of both physical places and the flows of people, goods, and information that connect them. Our ‘Places and Flows’ research theme focuses on understanding and improving these interactions to enhance the quality of life for residents and visitors alike.

Places and Flows research

‘Places’ refer to the physical environments where people live, work, play, and travel, such as streets, squares, neighborhoods, cities, parks, and transport nodes. ‘Flows’ encompass the movement of people, goods, services, capital, and information within our networked society. At BUas, we focus on the flows related to leisure, tourism, and hospitality activities and their impact on these places.

Societal challenges 

Places thrive by attracting people and enabling interactions. Accessibility and smooth traffic flows are crucial to their attractiveness. However, the movement of people and goods can also have negative impacts, such as noise, emissions and overcrowding. Our challenge is to develop and maintain attractive, accessible and competitive places that contribute to the quality of life while managing sustainable flows.

Research goals and questions within the  ‘Places and Flows’ theme

Our primary research goals include:

  • Linking spatial expertise across BUas domains.
  • Promoting integrated area-based developments.
  • Improving research methods and approaches.
  • Combining research resources and skills, including spatial data analysis and GIS.

Some of our key research questions are:

  • How can we develop new places and redevelop existing ones to enhance the quality of life?
  • How can an integrated approach contribute to the sustainable revitalisation of inner cities?
  • What are the relationships between attractive places and sustainable flows?
  • How can we foster social cohesion among different groups of place users?
  • What are the advantages and challenges of new technologies and mobility concepts?

Conclusion 

This research theme is dedicated to creating high-quality, sustainable environments that enhance well-being and social inclusion. By integrating knowledge across various domains, we aim to develop innovative solutions that have a positive impact on society.