Open Space Research Articles

Correlation between physical characteristics and plant composition of home gardens in Bandung City, West Java, Indonesia

Abstract. Laraswari S, Wulandari I, Husodo T, Abdoellah OS, Amalia CA, Fawwaz MR, Azadi SM, Farhaniah SS. 2024. Correlation between physical characteristics and plant composition of home gardens in Bandung City, West Java, Indonesia. Biodiversitas 25: 3051-3060. Green open space in urban settings provides various benefits to city residents, yet the increase in urban population indirectly results in a decrease in urban green space. Home gardens can expand urban green space to complement public areas but are often overlooked. This research examines the physical characteristics (area size, shape, and zoning) and plant composition of home gardens in Bandung City, West Java, Indonesia, as well as the correlation between both aspects. This research examined extensive data collection from a densely populated urban area, a context rarely explored but highly relevant in recent urban development. Data was collected in five housing complexes in the Rancasari Sub-district, with 514 home gardens, and correlation analysis was performed using Canonical Correspondence Analysis (CCA). The result showed that 92.2% of the home gardens had very narrow areas with 2-53m2. The shape of the home garden was dominated by strips, with 66% and 94% of home gardens having front zoning. Across the sampled home gardens, there were 1054 species from 141 families, with a total of 32,967 individuals. Araceae was the most commonly found family with 100 species and Sri Rejeki (Aglaonema commutatum Schott) had the largest number of individuals. Most of the home garden plants were ornamental plants due to their attractive morphology, making them relatively homogeneous within 95% of the home gardens. The presence of ornamental plants was the least influenced by physical characteristics, while medicinal and spice plants can be grouped together as they were more affected by the area size and less by the zone and shape. Edible plants were the most influenced by all physical characteristics, particularly the zone. This study provides new insights into urban ecology, offering valuable information for homeowners, developers, and policymakers to enhance the role of home gardens as private green spaces.

Spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the relationship between urban morphology and land surface temperature at a block scale

Understanding the relationship between urban morphology and land surface temperature (LST) is essential for mitigating urban heat island (UHI). This study investigates the spatiotemporal heterogeneity of the relationship between urban morphology and LST across 5 experiment sites located in different temperature zones of China at a block scale. Normalized difference vegetation index (NDVI), building density (BD), floor area ratio (FAR), average building height (ABH) and open space ratio (OSR) are adopted to indicate the physical urban morphology. The results show positive relationship between BD and LST, and negative relations between LST and NDVI, ABH and OSR from a global perspective. The relations of FAR to LST are mixed. However, variable relationship between urban morphological indicators (UMIs) and LST are significantly observed at a block scale. 12 scenes that generate local relations of UMIs and LST differing from that of the surroundings are identified. Typical strategies for land development, vegetation phenology, large natural elements and human activities may be the most important causative factors to the heterogenous relationship between urban morphology and LST. Findings derived in the study would promote studies on mechanisms of the effects of urban morphology on LST and contribute to practices of UHI mitigation.

Examination of the Placemaking Concept on Bursa Historical Cumhuriyet Street

In historical cities, urban public open space’s identity is a fundamental aspect that contributes to shaping the identity of communities. The architectural elements succeeded in expressing the identity of the community and maintaining the continuity of identity. The city's identity is determined by the city's geographical context, cultural level, architectural elements, local traditions, and quality of public open spaces. In recent years the multi dimensional place-making concept become an interesting study area in increasing urban identity. The concept of place-making coines to describe a multi-disciplinary approach in planning, designing, and urban public open spaces management to improve the urban environment and the quality of life. In this study, the conceptual framework of the topic was drawn by putting forth the concept of place and place-making to improve the quality of places in historical public open spaces. The studying area is Cumhuriyet Street in the historical center of Bursa City, which is located in the traditional trade center as a pedestrian road. The historical background is examined to demonstrate its potential in creating a place-making concept in the city's historic core.

Porosity–permeability characteristics and mineralization–alteration zones of the Maoping germanium-rich lead–zinc deposit in SW China

The Maoping superlarge germanium-rich lead–zinc deposit is a typical nonmagmatic hydrothermal deposit that is structurally controlled in the Sichuan–Yunnan–Guizhou lead–zinc polymetallic metallogenic area. The orebodies are distributed in several formations. This paper is based on large-scale alteration mapping combined with porosity and permeability measurements. We delineated the mineralization–alteration zones of different ore-bearing formations, explored the geological significance of porosity and permeability, and proposed prospecting directions. The research results indicate that during the mineralization period, the ore-forming metal fluids migrated from the deep part of the SSW region to the shallow part of the NNE region along the ore-guiding structure (Maoping Fault). Through the ore distribution structure, depressurization boiling occurred in the open space of the NE-trending interlayered sinistral compressive–torsional faults in several ore-bearing formations, resulting in fluid precipitation and the formation of different brecciated hot-melt dolomite lead–zinc mineralization zones. From the orebody to the wallrock, the C2w Formation and D3zg Formation are divided into four different mineralization–alteration zones. Tectonic activity affects the properties, migration, and precipitation of fluids, thereby controlling the alteration characteristics generated during fluid migration and thus changing the porosity and permeability. The porosity and permeability of strata on the NW flank of the anticline are greater than those of strata on the SE flank. On the NW flank, the greater the degree of mineralization–alteration is, the greater the porosity and permeability are, and the porosity of the orebody is lower than that during dolomitization. Finally, we believe that the NW flank of the anticline is an important area for prospecting. The pyrite + striped altered dolomite zone (Zones II–III) in the C2w limestone and the pyrite + strong dolomite zone (Zones II–III) in the D3zg dolomite are important prospecting indicators.

METHODS FOR MANAGING VISUAL QUALITIES OF LIGHTING IN PUBLIC SPACES OF THE CITY

Raising of problem. Lighting is an important aspect of creating an attractive and comfortable urban environment. It can enhance the aesthetics of night-time cities by highlighting architectural details, highlighting significant urban locations and creating areas for public interaction. Properly designed lighting affects the health and comfort of citizens. It can improve mood, sleep, reduce fatigue and improve visual function. With the development of new lighting technologies and digital innovations, it becomes possible to introduce modern approaches to urban lighting planning into architectural practice.At the present stage of innovative development of street lighting technologies, the Urban Lighting Masterplan (ULMP) is playing an increasingly important role. These are strategies that regulate and fix the basic requirements for organizing sustainable artificial lighting in urban spaces. Purpose. This study is devoted to the principles of managing the visual qualities of the illuminated architectural environment. For the first time, a framework for the formation of criteria for assessing the visual qualities of the architectural environment is proposed. GIS is considered as a promising tool for managing the visual qualities of lighting, the levels of which are formed in accordance with the functions of visual comfort. The following nine basic functions of visual comfort are defined, each of which is the basis for creating GIS layers: 1. Adaptive; 2. Axiological; 3. Compensatory; 4. Integrating; 5. Aesthetic; 6. Cultural; 7. Social memory function; 8. Epistemological; 9. Ethical. Each subsequent layer adds its own light sources. For each of these nine functions, two lighting properties are proposed: color and light. Each property is described by four characteristics: color − saturation, lightness, color temperature, color tone; light (luminous flux) – brightness, illumination, contrast. Conclusion. An idea of the approaches and structure of the assessment of the visual qualities of illuminated public spaces has been formed. It is hypothesized that the optimal approach to the analysis of existing situations in the lighting of open public spaces and the formation of sets of requirements for improving their visual qualities is the use of GIS. A hypothesis was formed about the structure of the criteria for assessing the visual qualities of lighting, based on the psychophysiological, emotional-aesthetic, and pictorial-artistic levels of perception of the architectural environment.Thus, the approach described in the article allows us to formulate criteria for assessing the visual comfort of artificial lighting of public spaces.

Landsat images and GIS techniques as key tools for historical analysis of landscape change and fragmentation

Monitoring and evaluation of landscape fragmentation is important in numerous research areas, such as natural resource protection and management, sustainable development, and climate change. One of the main challenges in image classification is the intricate selection of parameters, as the optimal combination significantly affects the accuracy and reliability of the final results. This research aimed to analyze landscape change and fragmentation in northwestern Peru. We utilized accurate land cover and land use (LULC) maps derived from Landsat imagery using Google Earth Engine (GEE) and ArcGIS software. For this, we identified the best dataset based on its highest overall accuracy, and kappa index; then we performed an analysis of variance (ANOVA) to assess the differences in accuracies among the datasets, finally, we obtained the LULC and fragmentation maps and analyzed them. We generated 31 datasets resulting from the combination of spectral bands, indices of vegetation, water, soil and clusters. Our analysis revealed that dataset 19, incorporating spectral bands along with water and soil indices, emerged as the optimal choice. Regarding the number of trees utilized in classification, we determined that using between 10 and 400 decision trees in Random Forest classification doesn't significantly affect overall accuracy or the Kappa index, but we observed a slight cumulative increase in accuracy metrics when using 100 decision trees. Additionally, between 1989 and 2023, the categories Artificial surfaces, Agricultural areas, and Scrub/ Herbaceous vegetation exhibit a positive rate of change, while the categories Forest and Open spaces with little or no vegetation display a decreasing trend. Consequently, the areas of patches and perforated have expanded in terms of area units, contributing to a reduction in forested areas (Core 3) due to fragmentation. As a result, forested areas smaller than 500 acres (Core 1 and 2) have increased. Finally, our research provides a methodological framework for image classification and assessment of landscape change and fragmentation, crucial information for decision makers in a current agricultural zone of northwestern Peru.

Pemodelan Spasial Pengaruh Ruang Terbuka Hijau (RTH) Dengan Mengukur Tingkat Kadar Gas (Karbon Monoksida) (Studi Kasus: : Kelurahan Entrop Distrik Jayapura Selatan)

This research aims to model the impact of Green Open Space (GOS) on Carbon Monoxide (CO) gas levels in Entrop Village, South Jayapura District. Green Open Space plays a crucial role in improving air quality in an area. In the context of rapid urbanization and increasing motor vehicle numbers, GOS serves as the city's lungs, capable of absorbing pollutants and improving air quality. The research method used is spatial modeling, which allows mapping the distribution of GOS and measuring CO levels on the main roads of Entrop Village. Primary data was obtained through field surveys using CO measuring instruments, while secondary data was obtained from various literature sources and reports from related agencies. Data analysis was conducted using statistical and spatial approaches to identify the relationship between GOS and CO levels. The results showed a significant negative relationship between the extent of GOS and CO levels. The larger the GOS area, the lower the CO concentration in the area. Spatial modeling also identified high CO concentration points in areas with low GOS density. Furthermore, this research found that uneven distribution of GOS contributes to variations in air quality (CO) in different locations. These findings highlight the importance of effective GOS management as part of air pollution control strategies in large cities. Recommendations from this research include increasing the number and distribution of GOS in areas with high CO concentrations, and integrating GOS into urban spatial planning to create a healthier and more sustainable environment. This research makes a significant contribution to sustainable urban planning by emphasizing the importance of integrating GOS into spatial planning to improve air quality and environmental health. Thus, the results of this research can serve as a reference for the government and stakeholders in formulating future GOS management and air pollution control policies.

Numerical simulation and analysis of a ducted-fan drone hovering in confined environments

Ducted-fan drones are expected to become the main drone configuration in the future due to their high efficiency and minimal noise. When drones operate in confined spaces, significant proximity effects may interfere with the aerodynamic performance and pose challenges to flight safety. This study utilizes computational fluid dynamics simulation with the Unsteady Reynolds-averaged Navier–Stokes (URANS) method to estimate the proximity effects. Through experimental validation, our computational results show that the influence range of proximity effects lies within four rotor radii. The ground effect and the ceiling effect mainly affect thrust properties, while the wall effect mainly affects the lateral force and the pitching moment. In ground effect, the rotor thrust increases exponentially by up to 26% with ground distance compared with that in open space. Minimum duct thrust and total thrust are observed at one rotor radius above the ground. In ceiling effect, all the thrusts rise as the drone approaches the ceiling, and total thrust increases by up to 19%. In wall effect, all the thrusts stay constant. The pitching moment and lateral force rise exponentially with the wall distance. Changes in blade angle of attack and duct pressure distributions can account for the performance change. The results are of great importance to the path planning and flight controller design of ducted-fan drones for safe and efficient operations in confined environments.

Heat and Organization Studies: Organizing in a world approaching 50°C

As a symptom of the current global climate emergency, rising temperatures pervade organizational lives. Yet organization studies have hardly investigated the everyday organizing necessary to cope and adapt, here and now, to life in a world approaching and even surpassing 50°C. This article seeks to open spaces of collective inquiry to grapple with practices of organizational co-evolution with heat. I apply Barad’s post-humanist notion of diffraction—patterns of interference in entangled agency—through warming organizations, as rising temperatures intra-act with the matter, materials, bodies, and discourses that co-constitute them. Diffractive inquiry helps organization studies understand how rising heat alters and amplifies bodily differences across families, communities, firms, societies, and ecologies. This post-humanist view forces us to rethink theories of organizational resilience, inequality, and identity in co-evolution with heat and other ecological phenomena as part of a relational whole.

The Australian Park Life project: Development of a nationally standardised spatial layer and public participatory GIS for greenspace in Australian capital cities

This paper introduces the ‘Australian Park Life Project’ and describes a protocol to standardise the capture and collation of public open greenspace spatial data across Australian cities. This method will progress greenspace research allowing for unique coherent national analyses and comparative research across Australia. We also outline the development of the Park Life public participatory geographic information system (PPGIS) to spatially explore what, and how, public open greenspaces are being used by Australian communities. The combination of community crowdsourced spatial data providing location-specific information on the green public open spaces used, in combination with the national spatial layer of greenspace allows for unique analyses exploring the role of greenspace provision and design on use and represents a transformative strategy in shaping public open space policy and strategy.•A spatial layer of public open greenspace was created for the eight Australian State and Territory capital cities using a standardised data capture and collection method from local government planning schemes and land use data, and listings of managed and demarcated parks and reserves.•The Park Life public participatory geographic information system (PPGIS) was built to capture spatially referenced information on the use of greenspaces - specifically what spaces are used, and how they are used.

Developing a transit desert interactive dashboard: Supervised modeling for forecasting transit deserts.

Transit deserts refer to regions with a gap in transit services, with the demand for transit exceeding the supply. This study goes beyond merely identifying transit deserts to suggest actionable solutions. Using a multi-class supervised machine learning framework, we analyzed factors leading to transit deserts, distinguishing demand by gender. Our focus was on peak-time periods. After assessing the Support Vector Machine, Decision Tree, Random Forest, and K-nearest Neighbor, we settled on the Random Forest method, supported by Diverse Counterfactual Explanation and SHapley Additive Explanation in our analysis. The ranking of feature importance in the trained Random Forest model revealed that factors such as density, design, distance to transit, diversity in the built environment, and sociodemographic characteristics significantly contribute to the classification of transit deserts. Diverse Counterfactual Explanation suggested that a reduction in population density and an increase in the proportion of green open spaces would likely facilitate the transformation of transit deserts into transit oases. SHapley Additive Explanation highlighted the differential impact of various features on each identified transit desert. Our analysis results indicate that identifying transit deserts can vary depending on whether the data is aggregated or separated by demographics. We found areas that have unique transit needs based on gender. The disparity in transit services was particularly pronounced for women. Our model pinpointed the core elements that define a transit desert. Broadly, to address transit deserts, strategies should prioritize the needs of disadvantaged groups and enhance the design and accessibility of transit in the built environment. Our research extends existing analyses of transit deserts by leveraging machine learning to develop a predictive model. We developed a machine learning-powered interactive dashboard. Integrating participatory planning approaches with the development of an interactive interface could enhance ongoing community engagement. Planning practices can evolve with AI in the loop.

Annealing behaviors of open spaces and gas desorption in chemical vapor deposited SiO2 studied with monoenergetic positron beams

The annealing properties of open spaces in 90-nm-thick SiO2 deposited from tetraethylorthosilicate (TEOS) using plasma-enhanced chemical vapor deposition (PECVD) were studied with monoenergetic positron beams. From the lifetime of positronium (Ps) and an empirical model assuming a spherical open space, the mean diameter of open spaces was estimated to be 0.45 nm for PECVD-SiO2 before annealing. In the annealing temperature range below 350 °C, the size of the open spaces and their concentration increased as the temperature increased. Because initial water desorption from PECVD-SiO2 occurred in this temperature range, the observed increases in the size and concentration of spaces were attributed to the detrapping of water from such regions. Above 400 °C annealing, Ps formation was suppressed due to carrier traps introduced by the desorption of gas incorporated during TEOS decomposition. The size of the open spaces reached its maximum value (0.61 nm) after 800 °C annealing and started to decrease above 900 °C. After 1000 °C annealing, although the size of the spaces was close to that in thermally grown SiO2, their concentration remained low, which was attributed to residual impurities in the SiO2 network.

Invisible fish: The selective (dis)connection of elite Chinese gated community residents from urban public space

Gated communities remain identified with strong forms of socio-physical segregation, yet there has been relatively light engagement with the question of how their residents engage with the city more broadly. This relationship, of protected privacy to open public space, is important because segregation is found in modes of mobility as well as in fixed residential spaces. This article contributes to the understanding of mobile forms of segregation by examining the use of public space, and sites of work, leisure and city services, by the (upper) middle-class residents of two high-end gated communities in Zhanjiang, a middle-tier Chinese city. In these relatively new elite residential spaces, newly status-conscious inhabitants reveal how their use of private modes of travel, avoidance of public transportation systems and efforts at seamless traversal of urban spaces connect to ideas of social achievement. Through extensive qualitative fieldwork in these two sites, we are granted a privileged insight into the ways in which China’s nascent middle classes utilise shielded addresses from which to access what they see as status-conferring lifestyle and taste destinations through private modes of mobility.

Coordination-Driven Templated Synthesis of Hierarchically Porous Zeolitic Imidazolate Frameworks for Cascade Enzyme Cycle Amplification Coupled Immunoassay.

Although hierarchically porous zeolitic imidazolate frameworks (HPZIFs) not only inherit the intrinsic architectural and chemical stabilities of their microporous counterparts but also afford open space for the efficient mass diffusion of the macromolecules involved, their rational design and construction are still challenging. Herein, HPZIFs with tailorable pore sizes ranging from 18 to 54 nm were successfully fabricated by using a newly developed soft-template-directed strategy. Our success rooted in the fact that the screened PS81-PVP44-PEO113 triblock copolymer could effectively coordinate with the metal precursor for the directed crystallization of ZIFs along surfactant assemblies. The advantages of continuous large pores and open structures in such HPZIFs were fully taken into account to serve as a bioreactor for the efficient immunoassay. The expanded large pores provided not only a significantly vast surface area to enhance the density of capture antibodies but also enough space for accommodating multiple conjugated biomolecules in one pore channel. In combination with a cascade enzyme cycle amplification strategy, a model biomarker of prostate-specific antigen (PSA) at the femtomolar level was checked with a limit of detection of 92 fM using the developed immunosensor. Specific screening on patients with prostate cancer or even benign prostatic hyperplasia was exemplified through accurately quantifying small changes of PSA concentration in clinical serum samples, prefiguring the great potential of the developed HPZIF-8 immunosensor platform for the early monitoring and diagnostics of diseases.

Caste Transformation, Intracultural Communication, and Social Structure Dynamics in Kei Society, Southeast Maluku-Indonesia

This study investigates the system of social stratification and intracultural communication in the Kei people of Southeast Maluku, Indonesia, which is based on centuries-old caste traditions. Kei society is divided into three main classes: mel-mel (nobles), ren-ren (middle class), and iri-ri (lower class), each of which has roles and rights governed by local customary law, Larwul Ngabal. This caste system has created a recognized social balance despite certain dominance and hegemony. This research uses an ethnographic approach with a focus on direct observation, in-depth interviews, and document analysis to explore how stereotypes and social stratification are maintained through intracultural communication. The findings show that Kei people use language and cultural symbols to reinforce their caste position, while modernization and electoral politics open space for changes in social dynamics. The results of this study provide insights into how local communities adapt to modernization and democratization while maintaining traditional cultural structures. The implications of this study underscore the importance of understanding the dynamics of intracultural communication in the context of social stratification to maintain social order and promote inclusiveness in the social development of Kei society.

Wpływ mikroklimatu gorącego na funkcje psychomotoryczne pracowników

The effect of hot microclimate on psychomotor functions of employees For several years now, one of the most important harmful factors related to the work environment has been a hot microclimate. Additionally, due to climate changes, including an increase in the average air temperature, especially in summer, attention should be paid to people working in open spaces. Microclimate parameters affect not only on physiological responses of the human body, but also psychomotor efficiency, which translates into the number of errors made during work, and thus the safety of oneself and one's colleagues. The aim of the article is to indicate the impact of a hot microclimate (and so a high air temperature) on the psychomotor functions of workers. Expanding knowledge in this area may contribute to improving safety at work in hot microclimates. Keywords: air temperature, hot environment, hot microclimate, thermal load, psychomotor performance, cognitive function

Agent-based simulation of non-urgent egress from mass events in open public spaces

Public mass events require thorough planning on allocating resources such as paramedics, police officers, urban cleaning teams, and their equipment (ambulances, patrol cars, garbage collection trucks, and other urban cleaning vehicles). Testing different scenarios of event venue layout and crowd behavior at the end of an event might be useful to plan the event and said resource allocation.Our main objective is to model the non-urgent egress of participants at the end of an event, with possible applications for event management. That is when some resources are released (police and paramedics) and others are requested (urban cleaning teams).Using the agent-based GAMA platform, we implemented a spatially explicit simulation model upon an extension of the Social Force Model that considers group behavior, and a novel implementation of the “social retention” phenomenon, to simulate non-urgent egress from public space mass gathering events. Focus groups with architecture, geography, and urban ergonomics experts were conducted for face validation and improvement of the model.We present the outcome of a series of simulations of a scenario mimicking a real-life music event that took place in a square in downtown Lisbon, Portugal. Cell phone data captured during the event was used to calibrate the model. We analyzed model performance when the number of pedestrian agents increases, to assess the feasibility of using our approach in participatory discussions with stakeholders responsible for resources management.On average, the egress evolution obtained in the simulations fit well with the evolution of cell phone counts captured during the event. The behavior of groups of agents evidenced real-life phenomena, such as the persistence of group cohesion and repulsion interactions (both with architectural obstacles and other agents).Model performance degradation with the increasing number of agents may hamper the usage of this model/platform for participatory meetings, due to the incurred delay in obtaining results. To mitigate this problem, we plan to explore parallelization strategies for agent-based simulation, such as using GPUs.

Safe and Efficient Exploration Path Planning for Unmanned Aerial Vehicle in Forest Environments

This study presents an enhanced exploration path planning for unmanned aerial vehicles. The primary goal is to increase the chances of survival of missing people in forest environments. Exploration path planning is an essential methodology for exploring unknown three-dimensional spaces. However, previous studies have mainly focused on underground environments, not forest environments. The existing path planning methods for underground environments are not directly applicable to forest environments. The reason is that multiple open spaces exist with various obstacles, such as trees, foliage, undergrowth, and rocks. This study mainly focused on improving the safety and efficiency to be suitable for forests rather than underground environments. Paths closer to obstacles are penalized to enhance safety, encouraging exploration at a safer distance from obstacles. A potential field function is applied based on explored space to minimize overlapping between existing and new paths to increase efficiency. The proposed exploration path planning method was validated through an extensive simulation analysis and comparison with state-of-the-art sampling-based path planning. Finally, a flight experiment was conducted to verify further the feasibility of the proposed method using onboard real hardware implementation in a cluttered and complex forest environment.

Five Machine Learning Models Predicting the Global Shear Capacity of Composite Cellular Beams with Hollow-Core Units

The global shear capacity of steel–concrete composite downstand cellular beams with precast hollow-core units is an important calculation as it affects the span-to-depth ratios and the amount of material used, hence affecting the embodied CO2 calculation when designers are producing floor grids. This paper presents a reliable tool that can be used by designers to alter and optimise grip options during the preliminary design stages, without the need to run onerous calculations. The global shear capacity prediction formula is developed using five machine learning models. First, a finite element model database is developed. The influence of the opening diameter, web opening spacing, tee-section height, concrete topping thickness, interaction degree, and the number of shear studs above the web opening are investigated. Reliability analysis is conducted to assess the design method and propose new partial safety factors. The Catboost regressor algorithm presented better accuracy compared to the other algorithms. An equation to predict the shear capacity of composite cellular beams with hollow-core units is proposed using gene expression programming. In general, the partial safety factor for resistance, according to the reliability analysis, varied between 1.25 and 1.26.

Re-imagining performance spaces and locations in ecological dynamics: Implications for pedagogical practices in physical education

Many places and locations for physical education, and the associated pedagogies, limit the enrichment of the individual–environment system. Strengthening this relationship can provide children and youth with greater functionality to navigate a diverse range of environments more effectively, leading to a positive relationship with sport and physical activity across the lifespan. The purpose of this position paper is to draw attention to the role that environmental constraints play in shaping the relationship between places, locations, and pedagogical practice in physical education. More specifically, we demonstrate how the design of spaces for physical education, and movement competencies more generally, emerges under political, historical, cultural, and socioeconomic factors. Ecological dynamics is presented as an explanatory framework to position the concept of open spaces as a means of enriching individual–environment interactions via guided discovery and exploratory behaviour. In unpacking these key concepts, we highlight innovative approaches to the design of open spaces for physical activity and sport, exemplified by the Skills Garden and PLAYCE initiatives. To move beyond the theoretical arguments presented in this article, we encourage practitioners and applied scientists to collaborate and integrate sub-disciplines, applied ideas, and research methods to re-imagine the design of spaces for learning. To take full advantage of redesigned spaces in strengthening the individual–environment system, practitioners need to adopt a model of physical education that complements these contemporary learning spaces.