Biophilic design. Prishtina natural landscape restoration according to IUCN categories in Urban protected areas

Abstract

Prishtina is the capital and the most populated city of Kosova with high air pollution and water contamination. Landscape restoration as a sustainable strategy in management and rescue the ecology and environment in this area is a fundamental approach and has various benefits in social, economic and environmental categories. Landscape restoration strategies cause to drive responsible environment for future generation, and set out goals, and implementation strategies as design approaches to further effective sustainable image of Prishtina. This paper first addresses the meaning of Biophilic design as a paradigm shift approach in urban design and reasons of the significance of this innovative strategy in sustainable design. It discusses the core concept of biophilic design and its various advantages by the scrupulous literature review that was carried out, in order to incorporate the theoretical and empirical outcomes, of biophilic design. On the other hand, by analysing and developing the IUCN principles in urban edge of Prishtina, the practical methods due to achieving a biophilic design in this region is sketched out. The International Union for Conservation of Nature (IUCN) is a membership Union uniquely composed of both government and civil society organizations and it is the global authority on the status of the natural world and the measures needed to safeguard it. Although Conservation of protected environments was launched in late 1950s in Kosova , nowadays there are tremendous testimonies about degradation of the natural landscapes that cause to lose the image of nature in country and cause the crucial circumstances in Prishtina that threaten the people’s public health. Illegal actions like constructions around the peripheral regions of city, industry sites with high air and water pollutions, deforestation and hunting, make environmental issues as the most critical concern in this capital city. This paper applied mixed research methodologies, regarding the interdisciplinary content of the studies that related to the subject, the descriptive-analytical and comparative research method has been applied to present and codify the strategies in this region. This paper follows two linked objectives: firstly: emphasising on the importance of nature and wildness in Prishtina urban lives by Biophilia design approach that suggests the natural landscape restoration is not optional for future urban planning but essential. Secondly: ecological protections and its acceptance by an array of biodiversity and evaluation through review landscape, according to IUCN guidelines in this region is analysed in more depth. Suggestions specify two results: 1) revitalization of ecological, social and cultural values of the city 2) restoration the natural landscapes for the future need. These outcomes provide the context for human well-being and promoting spiritual, scientific and educational value in the urban landscape. Furthermore, decrease in biodiversity loss and climate change, recreational and tourism opportunities are the other critical advantages of this approach. Defining detailed planning requires interdisciplinary studies in ecological layers, and patterns of landscape mosaic, to protect and rehabilitate nature that consider the processes through the ecological assessments and analysis that is far from framework of this paper. In addition, comprehensive studies in wide range of disciplines from national to international technical analysis about legislations and development policies are beyond the scope of this paper.