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Abstract
Public open spaces (POS) have an essential positive impact on cities and their residents. These spaces play a critical role in enhancing users’ physical, mental, and social wellbeing. In addition, POS improve city resilience and economic value, and act as part of the city’s visual amenities. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia is taking many approaches to enhance quality of life in all its cities through initiatives such as increasing the POS area per capita. Several studies have examined the importance of the accessibility of POS in addressing users’ needs. In this study, we measured the per capita area and accessibility of POS in the three megacities Riyadh, Dammam, and Jeddah. We also collected data on user preferences for the use of POS through semi-structured interviews, observations, and an online questionnaire. This study suggests that the country needs to establish its own POS planning approach based on users’ desires and behaviors when using POS, as well as the country’s social characteristics, and to depend not only on standard international planning approaches. The paper recommends considering the possibility of increasing POS by creating typologies of these spaces based on each city’s landscape characteristics. This proposal will have a major impact on city planning and design in Saudi Arabia. In addition, it will make the Saudi cities livable and have a positive impact on the physical, mental, and social wellbeing of the population.
Highlights
The United Nations included a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in the New Urban Agenda in to create comprehensive, protected, reliable, and sustainable urban settlements [1]
This study argues that Ministry of Municipal and Rural Affairs (MoMRA) is following international planning standards for public open spaces (POS) provision, even though the country’s cultural characteristics are different from those of Western countries, and the lifestyles of residents cannot be compared to these countries
The government should examine the standard approaches to POS provision and planning to meet the needs of residents in Saudi Arabia
Summary
The United Nations included a Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) in the New Urban Agenda in to create comprehensive, protected, reliable, and sustainable urban settlements [1]. Spatial distribution, ecological amenities, urban context management, the quality of public open spaces (POS), and socio-economic facilities can all enhance urban sustainability depending on how implementation is addressed [2]. Studies have classified POS in the urban context as essential elements to improve the quality of life in cities [3,4,5,6]. Other studies have identified the contribution of POS to achieving social [7,8,9], health [10,11,12], environmental [13,14], and economic benefits [15,16,17]. Studies have been conducted in several countries, examining people’s needs and perceptions of POS [19]. Few studies have focused on the Middle East in general, and Saudi Arabia in particular [20]
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