本科毕业论文浅谈居住小区绿化设计

浅谈居住小区绿化设计目 录摘要1关键词1前言21. 居住区绿化设计的原则31. 1功能与形式统一31. 2 设计需经济实用31. 3 美化环境31. 4因地制宜，巧于因借31. 5居住区绿地规划应以人为本3 1 .6合理的组织空间31 .7利用自然景观，体现绿色32. 居住区绿化43. 居住区绿化中的植物配置原则44. 居住区绿地树种的选择5 4.1生长健壮、便于管理的乡土树种5 4.2冠大荫浓，枝叶茂密的落叶、阔叶乔木5 4.3常绿树和开花灌木54.4具有环境保护的树种和经济收益的植物55. 开拓新形式的居住区绿化空间55.1开拓垂直绿化，走立体绿化之路65.2营造屋顶花园，开辟绿化新空间65.3充分利用空间，大力发展阳台和棚架绿化66 结论78 参考文献89 致谢912摘 要居住区绿化是城市园林绿地系统中的重要组成部分，是改善城市生态环境中的重要环节，随着人们物质生活水平的日益提高，人们对居住区绿化、美化的要求及欣赏水平也越来越高。因此，居住区绿化应从遵循绿化规划原则,从其绿化的作用出发，使居住环境适应现代建筑，满足功能需求。与社会的发展同步，居住区园林已成为园林设计的一个重要的类型，国家的园林设计思想也进入了新的活跃期，并随着国外景观设计思想的进入，中西方园林设计思想的交融发展到一个新的阶段，这里我们称之为居住小区景观环境设计阶段。人们在这样的环境下才能工作和学习。本文介绍的是居住区绿化设计的原则要求、居住区绿化的功能与作用、居住区绿化中的植物配置和树种的选择、开拓新形式的居住区绿化空间。在人类居住区中间建设一些绿化设施。会给人们的生活、休息带来方便。使其充分享受物质生活的优越条件，我们在考虑人们的健康、生活质量的时候要对居住小区的绿化进行设计，这样人与自然更加协调，使人更加接近自然。优美的园林绿化环境区成为居住小区最基本的要素。发挥居住小区绿化的功效是一个很深的研究课题。除去以上所述的几方面之外，还有许多值得深入研究的内容，尤其涉及到许多边缘交叉科学的方面，更需要进一步做好调查研究，更好的体现“以人为本”的原则，满足人们对公共性和私密性的需要，丰富和充实社会主义物质文明、社会主义精神文明的内容。关键词：居住小区，绿化，设计前 言进入新世纪，由于城市居民普遍生活在工业时代，高节奏的工作使人感到紧张和压力，希望有个能放松心情、恢复体力、舒适健康的环境，因而现代人比以往任何时候都更加渴望自然,希望生活近自然的环境中, 有一种“回归自然”，“还璞归真”的内在需要。最接近居民，与居民日常生活关系最为密切，它对提高居民生活环境质量，增进居民的身心健康至关重要。居住区的绿化水平，是体现城市现代化的一个重要标志。居住区绿地在城市园林绿地系统中分布最广，是普遍绿化的重要方面，是城市生态系统中重要的一环。随着城市现代化进程步伐的加快，居住区的绿化水平也应相应的提高，以更好地满足人们对环境质量的不同要求。因此，加强居住区绿化建设首要的任务是必须做好设计。提高设计水平应在尊重传统、尊重科学基础上摈弃原有落后的环境，着重注意生态及景观设计，才能使居住区绿化工作再上新台阶。居住小区绿化是城市园林绿化中重要组成部分。在人们居住地中间建设一些绿地和绿化设施，给人们创造了一种花繁叶茂、优美舒适的生活、休息环境，使其充分享受着社会主义物质文明的优越条件。改革开放以来国民经济及城市建设都得到了飞速的发展，园林绿化建设作为城市建设中不可分割的部分，发展的速度更是突飞猛进。尤其是居住小区绿化建设更为人们所重视。人们的日常生活与其息息相关。人们在紧张的工作和生活之余来到这些舒适、恬静的自然环境里调剂精神、陶冶情操。小区绿化成为城市居民日常生活不可缺少的生活空间。随之，小区绿化的功效越发显现出来，居住小区环境绿化、美化以及提高其质量的要求也越来越高。居住小区绿化在理论上也具有了相对的科学性。随着世界人口增多，资源匮乏、污染严重、环境恶化等现象随即出现，并不断加剧，在这种环境中生存发展的现代人身心疲惫。因而现代人比以往任何时候都更加渴望自然，希望生活在近自然的环境中，而在这样的心理作用下，人们对城市小区的绿化给予了越来越多的关注。运用植物材料构成既统一又有变化、既有节奏感又有韵律感的生活空间成为环境质量的一个重要标志，居住小区绿化在理论上也具有了相对的科学性。1 居住区绿化设计的原则1.1功能与形式统一 设计必须根据不同的气候特点、居民生活习惯的不同、对户外活动要求不同来进行。乔木、灌木、草坪要有一个合理的配置比例，达到最佳的生态和美化作用。1.2设计需经济实用 充分利用原有地形地貌，尽量减少土方工程。适地适树，建筑周围的土壤由于建筑施工经常有建筑垃圾等阻碍植物生长的环境，须采用耐瘠薄、抗性强的树种。而且现在很多居住区的物业管理也跟不上，导致植物的生长状况不良，因此更需要选择适合当地环境的树种。1.3美化环境 园林绿地设计是一种多维立体空间艺术的设计，是以自然美为特征的空间环境设计，有平面构图，也有立体构图，同时又是把植物、建筑、小品等综合在一起的造型艺术。绿化要有统一的形式，在统一的形式中再求得各个部分的变化。要充分利用对比与调和、韵律节奏、主从搭配等设计手法进行规划设计。 1.4因地制宜，巧于因借 居住区绿化是以满足居民生活、为生活在喧闹都市的人们营造接近自然、生态良好的温馨家园为宗旨，本着经济适用的原则，因地制宜，巧于因借，充分利用原有地形地貌，用最少的投入、最简单的维护、达到设计与当地风土人情及文化氛围相融合的境界。1.5 居住区绿地规划应以人为本 小区绿地最贴近居民生活，规划设计不仅要考虑植物配置与建筑构图的均衡，以及对建筑的遮挡与衬托，更要考虑居民生活对通风、光线、日照的要求，花木搭配应简洁明快，树种选择应按三季有花，四季常青来设计，并区分不同的地域，因地制宜。北方地区常绿树种应不少于2/5，北方冬春风大，夏季烈日炎炎，绿化设计应以乔、灌、草复层混交为基本形式，不宜以开阔的草坪为主。另外以人为本并非一味迎合目前人们的趣味，更重要的是通过环境影响人、造就人、提高人的层次和品味。1.6合理的组织空间居住区绿化同居民的日常生活关系密切，更具有功能性和实用性。居住区绿化主要采取分割与渗透的手法来组织空间。1.7利用自然景观，体现绿色人是自然的产物，自然的东西更容易在人的头脑中产生和谐与美好的感觉，因此居住区的绿化尽可能地将原有的有价值的自然生态要素保留下来并加以有效的利用，组织到居住区的绿地当中去。避免为了追求形式上的美感而对原有的自然环境破坏，使住户闻不到自然的气息和泥土的芳香，不论是新建的居住区还是改造的旧住区，总会有一些现存的植物存在，特别是一些大树要尽量将它们组织到居住区的绿地系统中，通过植物自然生长营造良好的生活环境，这样就不必等新栽的植物缓慢生长，就会有较好的绿化环境，节约了大量的资金，并且不会给后期的养护管理工作带来负担。为提高小区的生活质量，绿化要充分利用自然环境，在整个小区内以自然植物景观且多以绿色植物为主，增加整个空间的绿量。在居住区内多种植高大的乔木，因为成片的高大的乔木不仅可以改善居住区的环境而且还为低层植物的生长创造了较好的生态条件，在高大的乔木下面还可以作为活动、娱乐的休闲场地。并实现绿化的多样性，建立乔、灌、草多层次的复合结构的植物群落，增加开放性空间的绿化，在有限的空间内创造最好的绿化效果。为居民创造一个良好的自然环境，让居民能真正感觉到大自然的亲切美好。2 居住区绿化的作用居住区绿化为人们创造了富有生活情趣的生活环境，是居住区环境质量好坏的重要标志。随着人们物质、文化生活水准的提高，不仅对居住建筑本身，而且对居住环境的要求也越来越高，因此，居住区绿化有着重要的作用。小区内的绿地给人们提供了活动和相互进行交往的场所，人的一生约有1/2以上的时间是在居住环境中度过的，小区绿地又是人们居住环境不可缺少的户外生活空间，是人们休息活动与人际交往的最佳去处。在这种空间里，人们感到舒适可以自由自在地进行交往活动。人们相互交往需要舒适的活动空间，其活动主要表现为：公共游戏、演出、交谈、体育活动等。人们在交往中往往还需要一个相对安静的环境。前者的游憩需要一定面积的广场、铺装地和一定数量的坐凳，或亭、廊、花架等以容纳较多的人进行活动；而后者则只需要较小的空间尺度并随之较小的游人密度。小区绿化不仅是给生活带来方便，更重要的是让使用者与使用空间之间的关系更加融洽。它会最大限度地迁就人的行为方式，体谅人的感情，使人感到舒适，而不是让使用者去适应它、理解它。同时也考虑到不同文化层次和不同年龄人活动的特点，所以有明确的功能分区，形成动静有序、开敞和封闭相结合的空间结构，以满足不同人群的需要。人性化设计更大程度地体现在设计细节上，如各种配套服务设施是否完善，尺度问题，材质的选择等 小区绿化设计对于心理层次上的满足感不像物理层次上的满足那样直观，它往往难以言语和察觉，甚至连许多使用者也无法说明为什么会对它情有独钟。人们对绿化设计的心理感知是一种理性思维的过程。通过这一过程才能做出由视觉观察得到的对绿化的评价，因而心理感知是人性化设计感知过程中的重要一环, 对绿化的心理感知过程正是人与景统一的过程。无论是夕阳、清泉、急雨、蝉鸣、竹影、花香，都会引起人的思绪变迁。在小区绿化设计中，一方面要让人触景生情，另一方面还要使“情”升为“意”，这时“景”升为“境”，即“境界”，成为感情上的升华，以满足人们得到高层次的文化精神享受的需要。3 居住区绿化中的植物配置原则适应绿地功能的要求，获得较好的生态效益。居住区的各类绿地有各自的功能要求，但主要功能是发挥生态效益，改善和保护居住区的生态环境。因此，绿地的植物配置应以绿为主，利用各种植物材料构成绿地结构，以达到净化空气、美化环境的目的。乔灌木结合，常绿与落叶、速生与慢长相结合，乔灌与地被、草皮相结合，适当点缀些草花，构成多层次的复合结构，既满足生态效益的要求，又能达到观赏的景观效果。 植物配置在统一基调的基础上，树种力求丰富，有变化，避免种类单调，配置形式雷同。树种选择和配置方式要适合不同绿地的要求。如在主次干道和街道以乔木为主，选用花灌木为陪衬；在道路交叉口，道路边要配置色彩鲜艳的花坛；在公共绿地的入口处和重点地方，种植体形优美、季节变化强的植物；在庭院绿地中以草坪为基调，适当点缀些生长速度慢，树冠遮幅小，观赏价值高的低矮灌木。如千年红、珊瑚树、火棘等常绿灌木，这些花色艳丽、红果累累的花灌木，能起到万绿丛中一点红的效果，更能显示出绿地的整体美。植物配置要考虑种植的位置与建筑、地下管线等设施的距离，避免有碍植物的生长和管线的使用与维修。一般乔木需距建筑物m。灌木距建筑和地下管网1.5m。树丛的组合，从平面与立面构图，色彩，季相等方面要有变化，在高层建筑四周气流较强，不宜种植高大乔木。4居住区绿地树种的选择目前居住区一般人口集中,住房拥挤,绿地缺乏,环境条件还比较差.植树造林人为损害较大，所以在居住区绿化中,除了要符合总的规划和统一的风格外,还要充分考虑选用具有以下特点的树种。4.1生长健壮、便于管理的乡土树种在居住区内，由于建筑环境的土质一般比较差，宜选耐瘠薄、生长健壮、病虫害少、管理粗放的乡土树种，这样可以保证树木生长茂盛，绿化收效快，并具有地方特色。4.2冠大荫浓，枝叶茂密的落叶、阔叶乔木在酷暑的夏季，可使居住区有大面积的遮荫，枝叶繁茂，能吸附一些灰尘，减少噪声，是居民的生活环境安静，空气新鲜，冬季又不遮阳光，如北方的槐、椿、杨树、南方的榉、樟树等。4.3常绿树和开花灌木在公共绿地的重点绿化地区或居住庭院中，小气候条件较好的地方，儿童游戏场附近，宜栽姿态优美、花色、叶色丰富的植物，如雪松、油松、红叶李、枫树、丁香等。4.4具有环境保护的树种和经济收益的植物根据环境，因地制宜选用那些具有防风、防晒、防噪声、调节小气候，以及能够监测和吸附大气污染的植物，特别是在幼儿园和小学校附近，要注意选择适当的树种。有条件的庭院，可选用在短期内具有经济效益的品种，特别要选用那些不需要大肥、管理简便的果、蔬、药材等经济植物，如核桃、葡萄、枣等，既好看又实惠的品种。5 开拓新形式的居住区绿化空间5.1开拓垂直绿化，走立体绿化之路住宅建筑的立面绿化有利用生态环境，植物的生长过程明显的改善着小气候。最显著的变化莫过于降低夏季室内温度，提高小环境的空气湿度，增加含氧量。墙面绿化植物可以反射和吸收太阳辐射热的70%左右，太阳光使植物的水分蒸发，在灼热的阳光下，植物消耗掉大量的太阳能。空气中水蒸汽增多，气温就会下降，植物有吸附空气悬浮尘粒子的作用灰尘也就少，这些都有利于人类的生存。进行墙面绿化的方法是简便易行的，且占地极少，可以合理利用居住区有限的空间。根据我们以往在居民区的试验，只要有2030cm宽度，4050cm深度的靠墙小花坛，就可以进行墙面绿化了。墙面绿化可供选择的攀缘植物是较广泛的。爬山虎、常春藤、地锦、卫矛、喇叭花、蔷薇、藤本月季、金银花等等都是很好的爬墙与攀缘植物。我们实验用落叶的爬山虎和常绿的卫矛或常春藤，用观叶攀缘植物进行墙面绿化布置，收到了很好的功能要求和园林观赏效果。而对于诸如蔷薇、藤本月季等植物，绑扎与修枝是必不可少的。此外，根据德国的经验，悬钩子等植物最适合绿化低矮墙面，通过精心管理便能鲜花盛开，果实累累。 5.2 营造屋顶花园，开辟绿化新空间屋顶的绿化不但可以增加一部分植物种植面积，而且还可以使屋顶雨水的排放量减少三分之一，其余三分之二的雨水形成蓄存在屋顶上，屋顶密封层中的温度只会缓慢地上升到25度左右，而在严寒的冬季，温度也不会降至零下。由于温差较小，整个屋顶的热荷载明显的小于绿化的砂石平屋顶的热荷载。屋顶绿化的优点甚多，以至于一些发达国家和地区在6080年代相继建造了各类规模的屋顶花园和屋顶绿化工程。如美国华盛顿水门饭店屋顶花园、英国爱尔兰人寿中心屋顶花园，日本别子铜山纪念馆屋顶绿化等等。与发达国家相比，我国的屋顶花园和绿化，由于受到基建投资、建造技术和材料等影响，还处于起步阶段。实用、精美和安全是营造屋顶花园的三要素，而“安全”是屋顶花园的保证。屋顶的承重能力和防漏处理则是保证屋顶花园的安全的关键。特别是利用原有住宅建筑屋顶改建屋顶花园尤其要处理好着两个问题。目前的住宅建筑在屋顶的荷载设计上基本在150kg/m2，这就要求在营造屋顶花园时，绿化苗木种植土层、过滤层和防漏处理层以及雪、雨等自然因素的总重量不得超过150 kg/m2。首先，我们在种植土中加入了蛭石等轻质材料，同时，把种植土层控制在25厘米左右，过滤层和防漏处理层采用超薄型架空混凝土板结合防水卷材的方法，绿化设计尽量采用低矮花灌木等措施，成功的营造了1500m2住宅楼屋顶花园。5.3 充分利用空间，大力发展阳台和棚架绿化随着物质文化生活水平的日益提高，人们对居室和道路环境的要求也越来越高，阳台绿化，不但能满足人们屋内摆花的需求，改善居室空间环境，还能美化建筑物立面。而棚架绿化，除了有遮荫、美化等效果外，更能弥补居住区绿化用地不足的缺陷，为改善居住区小生态环境作出贡献。 阳台绿化的形式是多种多样的，植物的选择亦很广泛。只要掌握安全和实用这两个原则就可以了。目前，居室摆花与阳台绿化的有机结合，已成为人们美化生活的时尚。选择常绿耐荫的温室观叶花卉，如文竹、龟背竹、吊兰、花叶常春藤等等，都能很好的改善居室环境。而这些耐荫植物，一般一周内只要有23d的光照，即可满足它们的要求。棚架绿化的优点更是自不待言，植物选择除了紫藤、常春藤等攀缘植物外，还有葡萄等经济植物，不但能增加绿色浓度，创造经济效益，还能提高人们的文明程度，真可谓一举多得。 6结论 居住小区绿化影响因素较多。在操作过程中应灵活掌握，不可机械照搬。同时，应充分考虑到绿地的社会效益与生态效益，使居住小区真正成为居民生活、休息的良好场所。 居住小区绿化规划，是一个综合性的课题。它能反映出不同时期的社会经济、文化特点。社会的发展和形势的需要向我们提出了更高的要求，需要我们用发展的眼光去研究探索这门学问。通过建设具有较高水平的现代居住小区绿色空间环境，以达到改善城市生态质量和人居环境的目的，在人与自然相互依存的条件下，开拓人与自然充分亲近的休憩生活境域，使久居闹市的居民获得重返自然的身心享受，这是人们共同追求的理想，是实现城市可持续发展的必然要求。 参考文献1何静山 试论中小城市居住小区绿化规划及植物配置中国园林 19942杨赉丽.城市园林绿地规划.中国林业出版社.1995.3园林绿化与人类居住. 园林杂志社4人居环境中的园林 中国建筑工业出版社5园林绿化与人类的环境 中国建筑工业出版社6园林科研4 北京市园林科研所7生态园林论文续集 园林杂志社8白德懋.居住区规划与环境设计.中国建筑工业出版社.9李德华.城市规划原理.中国建筑工业出版社.10白德懋.城市空间环境设计.中国建筑工业出版社11黄晓鸾.居住区环境设计.北京：中国建筑工业出版社，200012王宏伟.城市居住区规划设计的再认识.城市开发，200013尹公.城市绿地建设工程.中国林业出版社，200014居住区详细规划课题研究组编，居住区规划设计.北京：中国建筑工业出版社15艾素兰. 接近自然亲切宜人居住区绿地设计应该注意的几个问题. 城市住宅，2002致 谢最后，对所有关心帮助过我的老师、朋友、家人再次表示衷心的感谢，并对参加本次论文答辩的专家评委表示最诚挚的谢意！请删除以下内容，O(_)O谢谢！ The term autism refers to a cluster of conditions appearing early in childhood. All involve severe impairments in social interaction, communication, imaginative abilities, and rigid, repetitive behaviors. To be considered an autistic disorder, some of these impairments must be manifest before the age of three. The reference book used by mental health professionals to diagnose mental disorders is the Diagnostic and Statistical Manual of Mental Disorders , also known as the DSM. The 2000 edition of this reference book (the Fourth Edition Text Revision known as DSM-IV-TR ) places autism in a category called pervasive developmental disorders . All of these disorders are characterized by ongoing problems with mutual social interaction and communication, or the presence of strange, repetitive behaviors,interests, and activities. People diagnosed with these disorders are affected in many ways for their entire lives. Description Each child diagnosed with an autistic disorder differs from every other, and so general descriptions of autistic behavior and characteristics do not apply equally to every child. Still, the common impairments in social interaction, communication and imagination, and rigid, repetitive behaviors make it possible to recognize children with these disorders, as they differ markedly from healthy children in many ways. Many parents of autistic children sense that something is not quite right even when their children are infants. The infants may have feeding problems, dislike being changed or bathed, or fuss over any change in routine. They may hold their bodies rigid, making it difficult for parents to cuddle them. Or, they may fail to anticipate being lifted, lying passively while the parent reaches for them, rather than holding their arms up in return. Most parents of autistic children become aware of the strangeness of these and other behaviors only gradually. Impairments in social interaction are usually among the earliest symptoms to develop. The most common social impairment is a kind of indifference to other people, or aloofness, even towards parents and close care-givers. The baby may fail to respond to his or her name being called and may show very little facial expression unless extremely angry, upset, or happy. Babies with autism may resist being touched, and appear to be lost in their own world, far from human interaction. Between seven and 10 months of age, most infants often resist being separated from a parent or well-known caregiver, but these infants may show no disturbance when picked up by a stranger. Other children with autism may be very passive, although less resistant to efforts by others to interact. However, they do not initiate social interaction themselves. Still others may attempt to engage with adults and peers, but in ways that strike others as inappropriate, or odd. In adolescence and adulthood, some of the higher-functioning individuals with autistic disorders may appear overly formal and polite. They may react with little spontaneity, as if social interaction doesnt come naturally or easily to them, and so they are trying to follow a pre-determined set of rules. Some individuals with autism have normal intelligence, and many have special talents in areas such as music or memory. However, individuals with autism may have other mental or emotional problems that co-exist with their autism. Some of these other disorders may include impulse control disorders, obsessive-compulsive disorder , mood and anxiety disorders, and mental retardation . PSYCHOLOGICAL AND FAMILY FACTORS. Although Henry Maudsley, in the late 1800s, was the first psychiatrist to focus on very young children with mental disorders, it was the psychiatrist Leo Kanner who coined the phrase early infantile autism in 1943. Kanner believed that the parents of children with autistic behaviors were emotionally cold and intellectually distant. He coined the term refrigerator parents to describe them. His belief that parental personality and behavior played a powerful role in the development of autistic behaviors left a devastating legacy of guilt and self-blame among parents of autistic children that continues to this day. Recent studies are unequivocal, however, in demonstrating that parents of autistic children are no different from parents of healthy children in their personalities or parenting behaviors. In fact, many families with an autistic child also have one or more perfectly healthy children. Because autistic children can be extremely sensitive to change, any change within the family situation can be potentially traumatic to the autistic child. A move, divorce, birth of a sibling or other stressors that occur in the lives of most families may evoke a more extreme reaction from an autistic child. While there is no single neurological abnormality found in children with autistic disorders, some research using non-invasive brain imaging techniques such as magnetic resonance imaging (MRI) suggests that certain areas of the brain may be involved. Several of the brain areas being researched are known to control emotion and the expression of emotion. These areas include the temporal lobe (large lobe of each side of the brain that contains a sensory area associated with hearing), the limbic system, the cerebellum, the frontal lobe, the amygdala, and the brain stem, which regulates homeostasis (body temperature and heart rate). Recent research has focused particularly on the temporal lobe because of the finding that previously healthy people who sustain temporal lobe damage may develop autistic-like symptoms. In animal research, when the temporal lobe is damaged, social behavior declines, and restless, repetitive motor behaviors are common. When measured by MRI, total brain volume appears to be greater for those with autistic disorders. Other neurological factors include lesions to the brain, congenital rubella, undiagnosed and untreated phenylketonuria (PKU), tuberous sclerosis, and Retts disorder (a related condition in which the baby develops in an apparently normal manner through age five months, and then begins to lose communicative and social interaction skills). There is also evidence of a higher proportion of perinatal complications (complications arising around the time of giving birth) among children with autistic symptoms. These complications include maternal bleeding after the first trimester and meconium in the amniotic fluid. (Meconium is a substance that accumulates in the bowel of the developing fetus and is discharged shortly after birth.) Some evidence suggests that the use of medications during pregnancy may be related to the development of autistic symptoms. As newborns, children with autistic behaviors show a higher rate of respiratory illness and anemia than healthy children. ALLERGIES, INFECTIONS, AND IMMUNIZATIONS. Some professionals believe that autistic disorders may be caused by allergies to particular fungi, viral infections, and various foods. No controlled studies have supported these beliefs, but some parents and professionals report improvement when allergens and/or certain foods are eliminated from the diet. Viral infections of the mother, such as rubella, or of the young child, such as encephalitis, mumps, and measles, occasionally appear to cause autistic disorders. The common childhood immunization series known as MMR (measles, mumps, rubella) has recently come under scrutiny as a possible cause of some autistic conditions.Basketball can make a true claim to being the only major sport that is an American invention. From high school to the professional level, basketball attracts a large following for live games as well as television coverage of events like the National Collegiate Athletic Association (NCAA) annual tournament and the National Basketball Association (NBA) and Womens National Basketball Association (WNBA) playoffs. And it has also made American heroes out of its player and coach legends like Michael Jordan, Larry Bird, Earvin Magic Johnson, Sheryl Swoopes, and other great players. At the heart of the game is the playing space and the equipment. The space is a rectangular, indoor court. The principal pieces of equipment are the two elevated baskets, one at each end (in the long direction) of the court, and the basketball itself. The ball is spherical in shape and is inflated. Basket-balls range in size from 28.5-30 in (72-76 cm) in circumference, and in weight from 18-22 oz (510-624 g). For players below the high school level, a smaller ball is used, but the ball in mens games measures 29.5-30 in (75-76 cm) in circumference, and a womens ball is 28.5-29 in (72-74 cm) in circumference. The covering of the ball is leather, rubber, composition, or synthetic, although leather covers only are dictated by rules for college play, unless the teams agree otherwise. Orange is the regulation color. At all levels of play, the home team provides the ball. Inflation of the ball is based on the height of the balls bounce. Inside the covering or casing, a rubber bladder holds air. The ball must be inflated to a pressure sufficient to make it rebound to a height (measured to the top of the ball) of 49-54 in (1.2-1.4 m) when it is dropped on a solid wooden floor from a starting height of 6 ft (1.80 m) measured from the bottom of the ball. The factory must test the balls, and the air pressure that makes the ball legal in keeping with the bounce test is stamped on the ball. During the intensity of high school and college tourneys and the professional playoffs, this inflated sphere commands considerable attention. Basketball is one of few sports with a known date of birth. On December 1, 1891, in Springfield, Massachusetts, James Naismith hung two half-bushel peach baskets at the opposite ends of a gymnasium and out-lined 13 rules based on five principles to his students at the International Training School of the Young Mens Christian Association (YMCA), which later became Springfield College. Naismith (1861-1939) was a physical education teacher who was seeking a team sport with limited physical contact but a lot of running, jumping, shooting, and the hand-eye coordination required in handling a ball. The peach baskets he hung as goals gave the sport the name of basketball. His students were excited about the game, and Christmas vacation gave them the chance to tell their friends and people at their local YMCAs about the game. The association leaders wrote to Naismith asking for copies of the rules, and they were published in the Triangle, the school newspaper, on January 15,1892. Naismiths five basic principles center on the ball, which was described as large, light, and handled with the hands. Players could not move the ball by running alone, and none of the players was restricted against handling the ball. The playing area was also open to all players, but there was to be no physical contact between players; the ball was the objective. To score, the ball had to be shot through a horizontal, elevated goal. The team with the most points at the end of an allotted time period wins. Early in the history of basketball, the local YMCAs provided the gymnasiums, and membership in the organization grew rapidly. The size of the local gym dictated the number of players; smaller gyms used five players on a side, and the larger gyms allowed seven to nine. The team size became generally established as five in 1895, and, in 1897, this was made formal in the rules. The YMCA lost interest in supporting the game because 10-20 basketball players monopolized a gymnasium previously used by many more in a variety of activities. YMCA membership dropped, and basketball enthusiasts played in local halls. This led to the building of basketball gymnasiums at schools and colleges and also to the formation of professional leagues. Although basketball was born in the United States, five of Naismiths original players were Canadians, and the game spread to Canada immediately. It was played in France by 1893; England in 1894; Australia, China, and India between 1895 and 1900; and Japan in 1900. From 1891 through 1893, a soccer ball was used to play basketball. The first basketball was manufactured in 1894. It was 32 in (81 cm) in circumference, or