Vilnius City Municipality Administration

Abstract The aim this research was to develop and test the mapping methodology, that would be applicable in the process of community involvement into place-making process and would focus on functioning and usage of public spaces. The methodology is referred to a Present Map methodology and is structured as a one-day mapping workshop involving drawing from memory, fieldwork, identifying the locations in the geographical map, structuring of the collected information and entering data into interactive online Present Map. The application of the methodology in Sanciai historic district has demonstrated that this methodology allows both collecting the material about the people’s experiences in public spaces of the locality necessary for research and planning, as well as connecting community with the place and empowering it by providing the working tools for exploration and understanding of the place and platform for expression in a form of interactive online Present Map.

The article discusses the preservation of urban peculiarity, visual uniqueness and cultural identity in the world affected by globalisation processes. First of all, the urban identity as such is discussed, a study of literary sources helps identify factors that shape urban identity. Tangible and intangible factors are distinguished. Second, in order to reveal the problems of identification and fostering of the identity of historical parts of cities and to verify the urban identity shaping methodology described in this article, historical suburbs of Vilnius in the southeast part of the Old Town are analysed in detail. The performed research of peculiarities of the urban fabric of the historical suburbs has showed very vividly that both the man made physical environment and the features of the natural environment present are significant for urban identity. In the studied suburbs, expressive terrain, also a river and its valley play a significant role for the formation and identity of a place. Man made built-up, ensembles, street routes and even the built-up function adapted to natural conditions. The close interaction between natural conditions and human activities has led to the identity of these historical territories. It is noted that urban identity should not be perceived as unchanging – it is a process that is shaped rather deliberately. Urban design, architecture and landscape architecture are activities that help create urban identity.

Few studies have examined the relation between urban built environment and the prevalence of hypertension. This cross-sectional study aimed at assessing the relationship between the environmental quality, physical activity, and stress on hypertension among citizens of Kaunas city, Lithuania. We conducted a survey of 1086 citizens residing in 11 districts to determine their perceptions of environmental quality, health behavior, and health indices. The independent variables included residential traffic flows, access to public transportation and green spaces. Dependent variables included physician-diagnosed hypertension, systolic and diastolic blood pressure, and stress level. We used multivariable logistic regression to assess the associations as odds ratios (OR). The environmental factors beneficially associated with meeting the physical activity recommendations were opportunities for walking to reach the city’s green spaces and available relaxation areas. Residents of high noise level districts aged 45–64 years had a significantly higher OR of stress and a higher prevalence of hypertension when age, sex, education status, family status, and smoking were accounted for. However, meeting the physical activity recommendations had a beneficial effect on the risk of hypertension. This study provided evidence that improvement of the district-level built environment supporting citizens’ physical activity might reduce the risk of hypertension.