Research-by-design for nature-based riverfronts in socially complex urban areas: rethinking Liffey Boardwalk in Dublin

Integrating nature-based and ecological approaches in urban design is called for in the literature, while there is a considerable gap between academic research and practice on the applicability and effectiveness of related strategies. We define a research-by-design process and discuss relevant approaches for riverfronts in dense urban fabric, taking Liffey Boardwalk in Dublin, Ireland, as a case study. The methods employed include a desk study of academic literature and urban policies, site analyses (site observations, footfall counting, photographic documentation), and urban design scenario development. Biophilic urbanism was determined as the most pliable vision for addressing socio-ecological issues in a complex and problematic area, from which implications are further derived.