Development Of Public Space Research Articles

Planning Public Space Climate Comfortability: A GIS-Based Algorithm for the Compact Cities of the Far North

The issue of forming a comfortable environment in cities with complex climatic conditions has always been an urgent and difficult issue for urban planners. Cities located in the territories of the Far North are characterized by extremely harsh climatic characteristics that affect the planning solutions for the public spaces of the city. Low temperatures and strong winds reduce the time of comfortable stay in the open air, which leads to a decrease in the mobility of the population in the city and stimulates the use of personal cars. The research question is the rational placement of points of interest on the street network to ensure a comfortable travel time between objects. The research methodology of public space planning taking into account the climatic comfortability of Far North cities is proposed in this article. Also, an automated GIS-based algorithm for determining intermediate points on linear objects to increase POIs’ connectivity for the development of the public space of Far North cities under the condition of organizing climatic comfort is proposed. Development of safe and comfortable public space on the basis of network accessibility, taking into account the difficult climatic conditions of these cities, will increase the social activity of the population and tourists, as well as promote economic growth and business development in the city.

How urban renewal affects the sustainable development of public spaces: trends, challenges, and opportunities

The process of urbanization has spurred economic growth and social challenges, necessitating research on public spaces in urban renewal to optimize design, enhance functionality, promote sustainable urban development, and improve residents’ quality of life. However, existing studies lack in-depth discussions on development trends and research focal points. This study addresses the gap in existing literature, by conducting a bibliometric analysis using data from the Web of Science Core Collection database from 1 January 2000, to 1 April 2024. Using visualization tools such as VOSviewer and CiteSpace, the study examines publication trends, collaborative networks among countries, institutions, and authors, co-citation relationships among key journals and articles, and emerging research hotspots through keyword analysis. A total of 393 papers were analyzed, with China contributing the highest number (65), followed by the United States (51). Leading contributors include Zazzi Michele and Anguelovski Isabelle. The top three journals for publications are Sustainability, Cities, and Land. Key research trends highlight themes such as space syntax, nature-based solutions, and sustainable transportation. These findings have significant implications for urban planning and policy, suggesting that future urban development strategies should increasingly incorporate sustainable design practices and nature-based solutions to address both environmental and social challenges. By identifying global research trends and highlighting future challenges, this study provides a comprehensive overview that will help policymakers and practitioners in urban planning align their efforts with cutting-edge research and emerging best practices for more sustainable and resilient cities.

A Multi-Scale Evaluation Model of Sustainable Development Goal 11.7 for Problem-Solving at Different Levels

Sustainable Development Goal 11.7 (SDG 11.7) aims to promote the improvement of urban public spaces. However, the localization process of SDG 11.7 mainly relies on a bottom-up problem-solving approach, which fails to fully encompass the connotation of SDG 11.7. Additionally, existing evaluations primarily focus on a single scale, neglecting the impact of scale issues. These limitations can lead to imbalanced development or misallocation of responsibilities when guiding governments at different levels in promoting the sustainable development of public spaces. Therefore, this article introduces a multi-scale assessment model of SDG 11.7. It employs a top-down problem-solving approach to construct a sustainable development indicator framework, setting appropriate sustainable development indicators for various levels of government based on the connotation of SDG 11.7, and generates city-scale results by integrating three scales: apartment complexes, street blocks, and counties. Testing this model in Xi’an, China, revealed that it adequately captures four key aspects of SDG 11.7—safety, inclusiveness, accessibility, and greenness—through 11 indicators. The evaluation outcomes at the apartment complex, street block, and county levels effectively guide future development directions for various levels of government. Ultimately, the synthesis of these scales reveals the spatial pattern of SDG 11.7 at the city scale and identifies focal areas for development. Overall, this exploratory model demonstrates high accuracy and robustness, providing a comprehensive understanding of the essence of SDG 11.7. It also alleviates challenges posed by scale issues, offering decision support for monitoring SDG 11.7 across different levels of government in Chinese cities and promoting the process of sustainable development.

Functional and Aesthetic Factors for Well-Being in Age-Friendly Residential Areas (AFRA) in Poland: An International Comparative Perspective

(1) Background: A precise and comprehensive diagnosis of the needs of older adults is the basis for developing concepts of aesthetic functional and spatial arrangements of public open spaces in residential areas that meet their expectations, termed “age-friendly residential areas” (AFRAs). The primary objective of the research was to determine the needs of older people concerning their preferences for the development of AFRAs. (2) Methods: This research was conducted on the basis of a survey conducted from October 2021 to April 2022, involving 1815 older citizens from Poland, Germany, the United Kingdom, the United States, Canada, Croatia, Italy, Lithuania, and Slovakia. The research aimed to determine the needs of older people regarding their preferences for the development of AFRA public open spaces. The developed research approach made it possible to answer the following research questions: (1) What are the needs of different generations of older adults, differentiated by gender and lifestyle, in terms of spatio-functional and landscape aspects with regard to the open spaces of residential estates? (2) Do older citizens from different countries living in various estates (single-family, multi-family) have the same expectations towards AFRAs? (3) Results: The research results showed a high convergence of preferences among older people regardless of gender, age group, or type of residential estate they live in (multi-family/single-family). Slight differences in AFRA preferences were noticed between Polish and non-Polish older adults, most often due to cultural habits. A correlation between the landscape attractiveness and aesthetics of the estate and the comfort of life for the older population, as well as their impact on the final assessment of the estate, was confirmed. As a result of the research, 33 spatio-functional and 16 landscape factors of AFRAs were identified and ranked.

BETWEEN PUBLIC AND PRIVATE: URBAN VIOLENCE IN THE CITY OF CAMPINA GRANDE-PB

Urban and rural violence in Brazil affects the development and appropriation of public spaces. Rising crime generates fear, reducing interaction in urban environments and favoring their privatization. Campina Grande, a medium-sized city, faces challenges typical of large centers, such as violence that restricts the use of public areas. This study analyzes how violence influences the appropriation of these spaces, highlighting socioeconomic, legal, and ideological factors that shape their perception and use. The study seeks to understand the impact of violence on quality of life and the right to the city, exploring urban reorganization strategies. The research uses data from public agencies, such as IBGE and the Ministry of Justice, as well as academic sources, to map neighborhoods with the highest crime rates. The study reveals that violence in Campina Grande has fluctuated over the last two decades, with an increase until 2016 and a recent recovery. However, vulnerable areas such as Bodocongó and Malvinas remain impacted, with insecurity and a lack of infrastructure limiting the use of public spaces, reinforcing urban segregation. Even with the reduction in violence rates, the perception of insecurity still hinders social interaction in these places.

Research on Child-Friendly Evaluation and Optimization Strategies for Rural Public Spaces

Public spaces are essential for the implementation of child-friendly principles and the development of child-friendly cities, with positive and healthy environments playing a crucial role in supporting children’s well-being and development. However, existing research on child-friendly public spaces predominantly targets economically developed urban areas with robust public service infrastructure, often neglecting rural areas with less advanced facilities. This study utilizes grounded theory and qualitative analysis to propose a child-friendly public space evaluation framework specifically for rural settings. The framework includes four primary indicators—safety, accessibility, comfort, and multifunctionality—and 19 secondary indicators, such as facility safety and plant safety. An empirical investigation was conducted in Baishoupu Town, a child-friendly pilot area within Changsha, China, which is designated as a United Nations Child-Friendly City, and the study encompassed an analysis of 11 rural villages within this area. The findings reveal that while Baishoupu Town demonstrates a relatively high level of child-friendly development, there is significant disparity among individual villages. Key determinants affecting the child-friendliness of rural public spaces include the type of rural industry, per capita income levels, and the degree of policy support. Specifically, the advancement of public service infrastructure and the tourism sector significantly influence the primary indicators. Moreover, while rural road infrastructure is positively correlated with accessibility, the presence of through traffic adversely affects safety indicators. Based on these insights, this study recommends enhancing child-friendliness in rural public spaces through strategic village planning, spatial design improvements, and ensuring child participation. This research provides valuable insights for government policy development and implementation and offers a replicable framework for child-friendly public space development in rural areas globally.

Theory Research on Visual Communication Design of Urban Public Space under the Concept of Social Design

Through observation and analysis of modern urban public spaces, we can find that design is not only a combination of appearance and functionality, but also a profound understanding and response to society, culture, and the environment. The social design concept emphasizes the principle of people-oriented design, pursuing the inclusiveness, interactivity, and sustainability of public spaces, and shaping the identity and shared experience of urban spaces through visual language and symbol systems. This article will explore how to implement the concept of social design in visual communication design, and explore its impact on the quality of life, social cohesion, and urban image of urban residents. The ultimate goal is to provide practical guidance and inspiration for urban planners, designers, and decision-makers, promoting sustainable development of public spaces and social harmony.

Healthy public spaces for children within neighbourhoods through urban transformations

ABSTRACT Public spaces have many tangible health benefits for children. This paper draws on the work developed by the authors working closely with UNICEF, UN-Habitat, and WHO to conceptualize, research, and write the principles and guidance of public spaces for children and a compendium of 50 case studies. For this paper, the authors selected eight case studies that directly or indirectly address children’s physical and mental health as a rationale for urban transformations and the development of public spaces within neighbourhoods and local areas using evidence-based health-promoting strategies. The analysis within and across cases understands some of these strategies, and the degree of urban transformation achieved as measured through changes in the physical and social environments and institutional arrangements. The case studies demonstrate it is possible to develop safe and vibrant public spaces within neighbourhoods through equity-focused planning to reduce health disparities for children and adolescents. Lessons are drawn for scaling up niche ideas to create healthy cities and neighbourhoods for children while also addressing the gaps, most notably that of insufficient efforts devoted to moving beyond assumptions of health benefits to actually making visible the health impacts of the interventions.

Kurdish women’s interactions in European urban public space and the extent of their social integration

ABSTRACT The development of accessible and inclusive public spaces has been proposed as a means to address this gender inequality and promote social inclusion. However, there is a lack of specific analysis on the interactions and integration of Kurdish migrant women in European cities. This study explores the social integration of Kurdish migrant women in European urban settings, with a focus on Vienna and Cologne. It investigates the role of urban public spaces in Kurdish women’s social interactions and integration into host communities. The study analyzes the sociodemographic characteristics of Kurdish women in both cities and examines the nature of interactions, sense of safety, meaningful social activities, and barriers in public spaces. The results show that frequenting public spaces and engaging in meaningful social activities correlate positively with social inclusion, while feelings of safety and barriers do not show significant correlations. The study highlights the importance of considering the unique context of each city and improving access to public spaces and community activities to promote social inclusion. The findings contribute to strategies for promoting social inclusion of immigrant women based on their interactions in urban public spaces.

General principles for the formation of city public spaces

City public spaces act as a holistic concept that cannot be dismembered and is a systemic structure that exists in the flow of time and carries traces of history, politics, culture, economic development and technological progress. In general, this structure is stable, but always changing in detail, and its growth and shape are only partially under control. This process of city formation has no final result, it is absolutely continuous. Given the constant development of open public space and its complex multifaceted structure, there is a need to derive general principles of its formation and development. This determines the relevance of the issue under study in this article. City public spaces - all undeveloped space surrounding the city; dismembered separate built-up areas; space that is part of a single building massif. Urban open spaces are diverse - they differ in size, configuration, ratio of natural and artificial components, type of functions, and role in shaping the city's image. Existing theoretical studies in this area provide an understanding of the importance of formulating general principles for the formation of open public spaces in cities for their further organization. Thus, the article summarizes the general principles of their development - the principle of "multifunctionality", the principle of "inclusiveness", the principle of "comfort", the principle of "hierarchy", the principle of "contextuality", the principle of "public openness". The relevance of using these principles for the organization of open public spaces in cities is shown, and recommendations for improving the quality of these spaces are provided. The influence of the above principles on the characteristics and properties of open public spaces of cities on their physical, functional and social content is revealed.

Perencanaan partisipatif taman tematik Perumahan Kampoeng Semawis Semarang

This community service focuses on participatory planning of thematic parks at the Kampoeng Semawis Housing Complex, Semarang. This area has great potential to be developed into a useful public space, but currently the existing green open space is still less than optimal in its use. The focus of this service is to create a thematic park that not only functions as a green open space, but also as a place for social interaction and education for residents. The main issue faced is the lack of community involvement in planning and managing public spaces, which results in a lack of sense of ownership and concern for existing facilities. Through a participatory approach, this program aims to increase citizen participation in planning and managing public spaces. It is hoped that with this thematic park, the level of citizen participation in maintaining and utilizing public spaces will increase, which will ultimately improve the quality of life for the residents of Kampoeng Semawis. This community service aims to examine the participatory planning process for thematic parks in Kampoeng Semawis and its impact on community participation and the quality of life of local residents. It is hoped that the results of this program can become a model for the development of public space in other residential areas in Semarang.

Research on the Design Strategies of Public Outdoor Spaces in Government Centers from a Health Perspective

This study delves into an investigation of urban public outdoor spaces (POSs) from a health-oriented perspective, recognizing varied health needs encompassing physical, psychological, social, and environmental aspects. In this study, POSs of two typical government service centers (GSCs) were analyzed based on their structure, user demographics, and user satisfaction, revealing several problems with the current GSC POS designs. To address these problems, principles for GSC POS design were proposed for natural, playing, and social spaces and applied to redesign the Wuchang GSC. Firstly, through on-site surveys, questionnaire surveys, and data analysis, the existing problems in promoting residents’ health in the GSC POSs were revealed, such as the insufficient greening of natural spaces, lack of interest in playing spaces, and unreasonable design of the scale of social spaces. Based on the above analysis, a health design optimization principle based on Maslow’s theory is proposed. Firstly, improvement solutions were proposed and implemented for green spaces, such as using more diversified natural elements, zone differentiation, and landscape improvements to promote the health of users. Secondly, the leisure and sports needs of different age groups can be met simultaneously by diversifying the layout and functional settings of playing spaces. Finally, public spaces suitable for social interaction were redesigned to promote the psychological health of citizens in social activities by optimizing the scale of communication spaces. The proposed design optimization strategies for GSCs not only provide theoretical support for the healthy design of POSs but also provide useful references for the healthy development of urban public spaces.

Reflective practice as a basis for building a sustainable public space: the case of Kartuzy

AbstractRecent decades have been characterized by dynamic changes in the urban design process in post-transition countries such as Poland. Numerous activities have focused on upgrading the urban environment. The transformation that drives change also requires some new skills, which are described in the theory of reflective practice: observation, experience, and reflection. The goal of this paper is to build a descriptive scheme of the urban design process based on the reflective practice approach. The case of Kartuzy was chosen as the authors of this paper actively participated in this town’s 10-year redevelopment process, which can be seen as an experimental approach. The experience gathered allowed them to generate results on the issue of reflective practice, both in the sphere of practical skills and the theoretical results of research. One of the main conclusions is that knowledge exchange, observing the influence of actions of participants, and experiencing various types of interactions in the process of spatial development all drive reflection, which is a crucial element for taking another step in improving the quality of the urban design process. This paper contributes to a discussion on using reflective practice in the context of the development of public spaces towards making them more sustainable.

The present situation and the trend of development of urban public green space in the post-pandemic era

COVID-19 has become one of the most dangerous viruses in the world since 2019. After long-time debate and a large amount of experiments, quarantine and self-isolation were claimed as the main measures of prevention. However, the policy of forcing people to stay at home limited their access to outside of their homes while also lowering the intensity of their usual exercise. As a result, public green space has become more important than ever for hosting peoples outdoor activities. This paper aims to highlight emerging questions at COVID-19 and public green space. This paper aims to confirm that the existence of improvement trend of importance of public green space after COVID-19 period. And aims to make out a new kind of public space design model. It can be concluded that the rational construction of public green spaces is of great significance to improving the living environment of residents.

Designing for Communities with Communities: A Public Library Codesign Project

ABSTRACT Codesigning public library spaces is often limited to consulting with end-users rather than giving them a role as actual co-designers. This article advocates for more genuine codesign of public library spaces and critically examines the prevalent challenges in achieving true codesign in public library developments. The article introduces a two-year Australian Research Council Linkage research project, ‘Designing for Communities with Communities’. The project aims to provide public library staff with a set of codesign tools they can adapt for their own particular projects. Using comparative case studies, the project will also identify the challenges of integrating codesign into the development of public library spaces, and key factors in the effectiveness of projects that seek their communities’ inputs and engagement. This article introduces the theory of participatory and codesign, and sets out the basic conceptual framework for the project. It also reports on its initial stages, including preliminary interviews with key protagonists and preliminary user surveys about existing spaces. Moreover, the article discusses the design of the case studies’ community workshops, where most of the actual codesigning will take place, with an extensive discussion and analysis of the activities that could be included in these workshops.

A Preliminary Study on the Sustainable Development of High-Density Cities

In the process of development of high-density cities in China, it has become important to promote the intensive and compact use of urban land, explore the efficiency of land resource use, and create a dynamic environment that is mobile, convenient, and pedestrian-friendly. In order to address a series of challenges of high-density urban development, this paper mainly analyzes the high-density urban development patterns in Japan, and Singapore regions. The study concludes that three-dimensional cities and transit-oriented integrated development are the key strategies to achieve this goal. This paper explores trends and sustainable practices in high-density urban development. This paper sorts out the development framework of high-density cities and discusses the construction characteristics and development trends of contemporary high-density three-dimensional cities from the perspectives of land use, green building assessment, traffic management, and public participation. This paper compares the focus of different measures in different regions, as well as the intensive development of public space and vertical greening measures, which have certain reference values for the sustainable development of high-density cities in China.

Digitally Supported Participation Processes and Tools to Promote Gender-Responsive Public Spaces

Planning is faced with the challenge of designing public open spaces that meet the diverse needs of everyday life. Gender-sensitive planning can facilitate the development of gender-responsive public spaces by considering the specific needs of different groups. Innovative digital tools are available for collecting and analysing the use of open spaces. However, most of these tools do not integrate group-specific requirements. This article explores what such integration might entail in terms of tool use and the design of the participatory process. It describes the typical planning phases and provides an overview of digital tools classified according to the intensity levels of participation. The application of the tools is then described based on two use cases. The research findings indicate that the primary advantage of using digital tools is the multiple use of the gender-disaggregated data generated. To fully exploit the benefits of digitally supported participation processes, it is necessary to develop seamless tool chains that allow for differentiated data collection and processing.

ОРГАНИЗАЦИЯ АРХИТЕКТУРНОЙ СРЕДЫ ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫХ ПРОСТРАНСТВ В УСЛОВИЯХ СЛОЖНОГО РЕЛЬЕФА

The mountain landscape distinguishes the location of urban routes, the functional-spatial structure and layout of public areas from the design of an urban environment on flat terrain. This study examines the issues of rational use of urban areas in conditions of complex terrain using the example of the territory of the largest city of Chongqing, located in the central part of China. The research is based on an integrated approach, methods of urban planning analysis and functional-spatial modeling. Various aspects of the transformation of complex natural landscapes to expand public urban spaces and form their identity are analyzed using the example of public spaces in the structure of high-density residential development in Chongqing. The study identified the characteristic problems of the planning organization of public areas on difficult terrain (insufficient insolation, lack of green areas, non-standard location of transport infrastructure, irrational organization of pedestrian traffic, lack of public access to public areas, isolation and incoherence of public spaces, etc.). Functional planning models for the organization of public recreational spaces are proposed, which are promising for use both in areas of existing high-density development and for the development of undeveloped territories in the mountainous regions of China. Prospective directions for the development of public spaces in the Baixiangju residential area in Chongqing have been identified.

The contribution of inhabitants to the development of public spaces in eastern Algeria, Constantine

The creation of public spaces in response to the extensive construction of new urban residential areas is a subject of discussion within the international community. Algeria suffers from degraded areas and a lack of clarity regarding the ownership and use of these zones. To address this issue, the State has launched urban improvement projects. In some cases, the residents are the ones who initiate these improvements. However, it has been observed that many of these improvements either do not last or are purposefully rejected by residents. This situation raises several concerns: Why are residents opposed to these improvements? Why are the improvements initiated and funded by residents deteriorating as well? This study examines the strategies used to implement urban improvements in Ain Smara (Constantine). It also assesses the population’s impact on the success or failure of these initiatives. As a research hypothesis, it appears that the main causes of this situation are a lack of involvement of residents in the early stages of the project (lack of information, shared diagnosis) and supervision. The goal is to emphasise the importance of residents’ roles and to try to identify some mechanisms for effectively involving them. The method employed is a hybrid approach, with on-site surveys and observations serving as the primary data collection tools. The study’s findings emphasise that a lack of information and a lack of resident involvement are factors that contribute to the unsustainable nature of development initiatives. The success of such projects depends on the efforts of all stakeholders, and residents must be kept as informed and involved as possible before and after the project is launched. An examination of local participation experiences allows us to identify mechanisms tailored to the Algerian context that can aid in the effective implementation of true participation.

СПЕЦИФИКА ПРОСТРАНСТВЕННО-ПЛАНИРОВОЧНОЙ ОРГАНИЗАЦИИ МНОГОУРОВНЕВЫХ ОБЩЕСТВЕННЫХ ПРОСТРАНСТВ В СТРУКТУРЕ СОВРЕМЕННОГО ГОРОДА

The article examines the prerequisites for the multi-level public spaces’ emergence, the main features of their inclusion in the city planning structure; urban planning, spatial planning, social, economic and landscape-ecological factors contribut-ing to the emergence and development of multi-level public spaces in the modern ur-ban environment have been identified. Taking into account an analysis of global design experience, a typology of these urban areas is given on the assumption of the functional content, composition and relationship of their structural elements and features of placement relative to the earth surface; spaces in the structure of large transport hubs, multi-level spaces accompanying public buildings and complexes, multi-level parks, multi-level transport and pedestrian areas are identified as the studied types. Based on the analysis of the multi-level public spaces’ organization, the characteristic features of their successful functioning have been identified: accessibility, optimal filling of space as a node of social activity concentration, differentiation of use types by level and nature of activity, ensuring urban planning flexibility and continuity, green technologies’ use. Project proposals for the multi-level public space formation for Volgograd city condi-tions were considered on projects for the Station Square reconstruction, providing for the functional zoning improvement, transport and pedestrian traffic and the use of landscape design.