Challenges and experiences of a participative green space development in Budapest-Józsefváros

Abstract

Due to the city’s geographical characteristics the large hills on the Buda side within the city borders off er precious little positive attractions to people living in the centre or the districts on the Pest side. The areas covered with vegetation have rapidly declined during the several hundred years of development inside the city, and by now there are hardly any large green spaces in the centre. With detached houses gradually gaining ground, by now forest land has decreased signifi cantly even on the Buda side, but the diff erences in the size of green areas is still striking: while the per capita green area in the city of Budapest is 0.3 m 2 , this value is 123 m 2 in District XII, on the northwestern fringe of Budapest. The districts have taken very few steps to increase the size and improve the quality of public spaces and parks covered with vegetation. The downtown districts of Budapest lack any strategy for the development of green spaces, and the issue of green areas is often the last item on the list of urban