Assessing Observation Methods for Landscape Planning Practice in Rural Villages

Barbora Lipovská,Roberta Štěpánková

doi:10.4236/cus.2013.14011

Abstract

In recent years, people’s behaviour has become attractive not only for psychologists and sociologists but also for urban planners, architects, landscape architects and all those involved in designing people’s environment. Community has its own interest in the site that we should consider. This paper identifies people-space relations and reflects on the implications from theory and practice in landscape architecture, in relation to the use and potential physical change to public open space in rural settlements. As far as is known, there are no specific methodologies for assessing the use of rural public areas—public spaces in villages. This paper presents observation methodology providing information of the form of public spaces, their users and how public spaces are used. These surveys are important for landscape architects who design public spaces not just with vegetation but with hard landscape features (such as outdoor furniture, paths, and playgrounds).

Highlights

In the past decade, social goals have become secondary to economic motivation (Carr, 1992)
This paper explores the effectiveness of direct observation methods and described the obtained information and their value for assessing public spaces and argues for more comprehensive ways of looking at the usage-design relationship
On the basis of direct observation we obtained data assessing the quality of selected public spaces and their usage

Summary

Introduction

Social goals have become secondary to economic motivation (Carr, 1992). Public space is space we share with strangers, people outside our immediate communities of relatives, friends, or work associates. It is space for politics, religion, commerce, sport; space for peaceful coexistence and impersonal encounter. For Carmona (2003) is public space a discretionary environment: people have to use these spaces, but conceivably could choose which public spaces to use. If they are to become peopled and animated, these spaces must offer what people want, in an attractive and safe environment (Lynch, 1960, 1984)

Methods

Results

Discussion

Conclusion