| | Urban planning is a crucial process for shaping the future of cities. This involves creating spaces that are sustainable, functional, and aligned with the needs of contemporary society, and laying the foundations for building cities that can successfully meet the needs of both current and future generations. It is projected that by the mid-century, at least two-thirds of the world's population will reside in cities, representing a significant increase from one-third recorded in the middle of the previous century. This increase necessitates not only providing space for living and working but also creating conditions for the general well-being and economic prosperity of residents. In this context, urban green infrastructure becomes a primary component of urban planning, contributing to the creation of sustainable, healthy, and pleasant cities adapted to contemporary challenges and the needs of their inhabitants. There are four fundamental principles that are based on a sustainable approach when planning the urban green infrastructure: green-grey integration (combining green and grey infrastructure), connectivity (creating networks of green spaces), multifunctionality (providing and enhancing diverse functions and services), and social inclusion (collaborative and participatory planning). By combining green and grey infrastructure, establishing networks of green spaces, providing diverse functions and services, and through collaborative and participatory planning, the concept of urban green infrastructure becomes a key element in shaping the urban spaces of the future. Green infrastructure offers multiple benefits, including improving the quality of life, supporting biodiversity conservation, efficient management of stormwater runoff, reducing flood risks, contributing to climate adaptation, developing a network of green corridors, enhancing the aesthetics of the city, and providing ecological, social, and economic benefits. Contemporary stormwater management involves various technical measures aimed at mitigating the negative effects of atmospheric water. These measures encompass practices such as collection, infiltration, retention, water storage, reuse, and other relevant techniques. Numerous technical elements, such as rain gardens, bioretention, green depressions, tree-pits, porous paving, rainwater reservoirs, bioswales, underground infiltration trenches, among others, function to implement these technical measures. Within the framework of this research, the contribution of urban green infrastructure to overcoming challenges and improving the quality of life is analyzed, with a focus on appropriately channeling atmospheric water from streets in cities. The research explores how urban green spaces can respond to the demands of contemporary trends in urban development, economic changes, and the strengthening of social cohesion, with reference to relevant examples of good practices from abroad. |
