Evaluation of spatial quality and use of urban park: Case study of the Joaquim Amaral Amando de Barros Municipal Park in Botucatu, SP

Abstract

Public spaces play an important role in urban life, as they are spaces that enable social relations, health and well-being. Those spaces aimed at leisure, such as urban parks, aim to offer the population, in addition to contact with nature, the development of physical activities and recreation for various age groups. The good quality of the spatial configuration encourages the permanence of users in the place and enables social interaction. However, the impoverishment of public space projects leads to their disuse. In this context, this article presents the result of a research that evaluated the spatial quality and use of an urban park. The case study was carried out in the Joaquim Amaral Amando de Barros Municipal Park, located in the city of Botucatu, SP. From an adaptation of the methodology developed by the Project for Public Spaces (2020), the elements associated with Access and Linkages, Comfort and Image, Uses and Activities, and Sociability were evaluated, using performance indicators and an index. The results show in general an excellent degree of adequacy of the physical aspects; however, the accessibility indicator was considered unsatisfactory. Accessibility problems impact the use of the park by people with motor disabilities or reduced mobility. Some weaknesses identified in the park can subsidize future design interventions and serve as a parameter for the development of projects in other parks.