Abstract
Policymakers and urban designers strive to implement the increasing evidence about the positive association between urban green space (UGS) and health in policy. In Almere, The Netherlands, the Regenboogbuurt (“Rainbow Quarter”) neighbourhood is currently being revitalized. The research team was asked to deliver design principles for the improvement of UGS in this neighbourhood to benefit the health of its residents. However, robust studies that demonstrate what UGS criteria offer what particular benefit for what target group are scarce. This paper contributes to the need for more evidence-based UGS design by presenting the approach we used to develop UGS design principles for Regenboogbuurt. Demographic information, health statistics, residents’ opinions, and data about the current use of UGS were analysed to choose target groups and to formulate health benefit goals. We also developed a model for assessing the health benefits of UGS. For two age groups (those aged 10–24 and 40–60), stimulating physical health and social cohesion, respectively, were determined to be the goals of improving UGS. UGS design principles were then assessed based on the existing literature. These principles will be taken into account when this area is revitalized in 2021. Thus, there will be an opportunity to measure whether these design principles did indeed contribute to residents’ health.
Highlights
IntroductionAs cities grow, they increasingly face environmental challenges: urban green space (UGS)
The share of the world’s population living in cities is projected to increase from 54% in 2015 to 66%by 2050 [1]
Based on our interpretation of the literature, we argue that to stimulate physical activity amongst youth/adolescents and to support a diversity of activities, urban green space (UGS) design has to include a variety of accessible natural amenities, facilities, and open spaces
Summary
As cities grow, they increasingly face environmental challenges: urban green space (UGS). There is substantial evidence that UGS is positively associated with the health of urban citizens [3,4,5,6] (for a recent systematic review, see [6]). UGS is of great value for ensuring socio-environmentally sustainable urban growth [7]. The effects that completed UGS projects have on public health often go unevaluated, and it frequently remains unclear whether these projects achieve their stated goals [10]. Several authors [9,10,11] call for more robust, evidence-based research to increase the knowledge base about how certain aspects of UGS affect health. Brown and Corry [10]
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