The Role of Connectivity in the Green Structures Integration of Cities

Abstract

The concept of green structures rises as a contemporary, eco - friendly approach to organize the relation between landscape resources, and their surroundings. The integration of green structures with the built environment is essential to activate its role in facing the different challenges of city centers by achieving ecological balance and offering opportunities to promote sustainable development of places and communities. The role of connectivity arises as one of the principles to ensure an integrated system of ecological areas and activate the potentials of green structures. This research aims to define the connectivity as one of the basic principles to achieve integration of green structures. The research concluded that the connectivity of green structures would be on two levels. Physical; which is related to the strategic spatial planning to find an integrated network for movement, to reach the second level, functional connectivity; which is related to the ecological process of connectivity and responses, these two types of connectivity anticipate in activating the potential green structures and create a responsive environment, adapted to the climate changes.

Keywords

• green structures
• integration of green structures
• structural connectivity
• functional connectivity