Outdoor Activity Space Research Articles

JEDDAH EASTERN HILL ECOLOGICAL COMPLEX

With people moving to cities around the world, urban areas need infrastructure to function well. Realizing that green space is also an essential component of a comfortable city. Green infrastructure takes green space planning beyond preserving a few selected sites. Saudi Arabia's 2030 vision looks toward green infrastructure as new approaches to energy production, industry, and natural resource management are needed. Thus, this work proposed the development of an Eastern Hill ecological complex at Jeddah, Saudi Arabia. For this work, two case studies related to ecological complex were analysed. Based on the analysed case studies, for the proposed complex, the estimated overall gross floor area is 25 000 m2 and the net floor area is 22350 m2. The ecological complex encompasses multiple areas such as public area, education, research, service, basement parking, outdoor activity space and outdoor parking. Three sites were proposed for the construction of the ecological complex and based on site evaluation analysis, site 3 achieved the highest score of 147 and was selected as the proposed site. This complex is expected to enhance the government of Saudi Arabia's ecological preservation effort and will contribute positively to the community.

Impacts of Urban Form on Thermal Environment Near the Surface Region at Pedestrian Height: A Case Study Based on High-Density Built-Up Areas of Nanjing City in China

The continuous worsening of urban thermal environments poses a severe threat to human health and is among the main problems associated with urban climate change and sustainable development. This issue is particularly severe in high-density built-up areas. Existing studies on the thermal environments (temperature data extracted from satellite remote sensing images) are mainly focused on urban canopy areas (airspace below the average height of trees or buildings) rather than the near surface region (at pedestrian height). However, the main outdoor activity space of urban residents is the area near surface region. Hence, this study aims to investigate the influence of urban form (i.e., building density, height, and openness) on thermal environment near the surface region. The high-density built-up areas of a typical megacity (i.e., Nanjing) in China were selected, and the thermal environments of 26 typical blocks were simulated using ENVI-met software. Temperature field measurements were carried out for simulation validation. On this basis, a classified and comparative study was conducted by selecting the key spatial form elements that affect thermal environments. The results showed that in actual high-density built-up areas, single urban form parameter does not determine the thermal environments near the urban surface but mainly affected by the use (function) of space. For this study, the overall thermal environment of a street block is optimal when the building density is between 40% and 50% and the average building height is between 8 and 17 stories. Nonetheless, the urban form can be improved to optimize the overall effects on building functions and thermal environments. Furthermore, function-specific urban form optimization strategies were proposed to optimize thermal environments according to specific functional needs.

Children–plant interaction using therapeutic horticulture intervention in a Romanian school

Abstract Nature, childhood, and ecopsychology can to be connected in the landscape of a schoolyard. The landscape architecture of the natural environments serves as a wide-open green space for outdoor activities, creating imaginative and inventive urban environmental layouts and connecting natural elements. School-based green experience, either indoor or outdoor, can be a physical and mental activity for children. In the case of individuals, it makes` easy to access a natural, green environment and to be actively involved in a natural setting, developing either social and/or cognitive functions and improving concentration and creativity. Therapeutic horticulture activity, such as planting indoor plants, can be a good experience for developing team work, the proprioceptive (kinase) receptors, affectivity, socialization, permanent care, and responsibility. The potential benefits of ornamental plants for children involved in public education include spending time in outdoor spaces, fresh air and sunshine, experiencing a sense of control, and being exposed to sensory stimulations. Physical and psychological education based on therapeutic horticulture activities in Romanian schools, such as planting and green care, can provide important opportunities for children to develop their attachment to nature, offering sustainable education solutions to an active part of the natural environment.

An investigation of outdoor thermal environments with different ground surfaces in the hot summer-cold winter climate region

This study aims to find the impact of different ground surfaces on thermal environments in outdoor activity space. Field measurements were conducted in a university campus located in the hot summer-cold winter climate zone. Five typical outdoor ground surfaces were selected: light-colored marble brick, plastic track, bluestone slate under the shade, lawn under the shade, and unobstructed lawn. Thermal environment parameters, including air temperature, relative humidity, solar radiation, surface temperature, mean radiant temperature (Tmrt) and the physiological equivalent temperature (PET) were measured and calculated for summer and winter, respectively. It is confirmed that the property of the ground surface had a significant effect on surface temperature and Tmrt in winter and had a significant effect on relative humidity and PET in summer. The use of ground surfaces with low reflectivity which could increase the surface temperature by 4.5 °C in winter while reduce the heat stress (PET) by 3.7 °C in summer, should be encouraged in outdoor activity space.

Study on the influence of sunlight and ventilation on outdoor activity space of residential district

Outdoor activity space in residential districts is an important place for daily leisure activities of urban residents, whose comfortable level is directly affected by sunshine environment and ventilation environment. In this study, three residential areas represented in Hangzhou were selected. First, models were established to analyze the sunlight environment, and the suggestions were proposed to improve the sunshine conditions based on the research results. Secondly, the CFD wind environment simulation analysis method is adopted to analyze the ventilation environment of the three residential areas and discuss the solutions to the corresponding problems. The research conclusion can provide reference for the planning and design of outdoor activity space in urban residential districts.

Impact of Built Environment on Respiratory Health: An Empirical Study

In many heavy industrialized countries such as China and India, the impact of air pollution on respiratory health has been headline news in recent years. Among the risk issues examined, exposure to particulate matter (PM) is cited as the prime contributing factor that causes respiratory diseases, yet it is traceable and controllable. In this paper, we report on an empirical study conducted in Shanghai, based on urban spatial determinants as independent variables to investigate its link to occurrence of lung cancer in their neighborhoods. A survey was conducted on a population of 472 lung cancer patients. After reliability and validity tests, only 156 pairs were included in this report. The questionnaire designed for this survey covers 11 outdoor and 6 indoor factors; these include the building density where they live, proximity to pollution sources, volume of traffic nearby, degree of enclosure by surrounding tall buildings, being residential or commercial with reference to their homes, proximity to parks, measured in terms of the plant type, green space per capita, accessibility to public open spaces for outdoor activities and water body; while parameters inside the house cover the age of the house, bedroom sizes, space per occupant, cooling-off time of taking up residency after renovation, humidity and dust inside the houses. Data collected were classified using random forest classification and further refined with Boruta algorithm for feature selection to identify possible correlation between risk of lung cancer to both outdoor and indoor factors of built environment. The results reveal a strong correlation between lung cancer and the environment where they live, so much so that the finding confirms our long-held belief that urban redevelopment could play an important role in reducing the risk of respiratory disease. Since prevention is better than cure, if by design to relocate pollution sources away from residential areas, provision of good public transportation to cut down vehicles on our streets, creation of green spaces to improve airflow pathway to deduce the concentration of PM in the atmosphere in our neighborhoods, we could perhaps reduce or even prevent lung cancer and a range of other respiratory diseases for the residents we served.

Regenerating Urban Spaces: A Brief Commentary on Green Infrastructures for Landscape Conservation

The present study debates on the issue of urban regeneration in contemporary cities, adopting a strategic vision which includes the use of vegetation and green infrastructure to create a network of public spaces. Especially, urban periphery lacks of public spaces, meaning a public use of urban space for outdoor activities and social networks. The extraordinary program for the Italian peripheries, addressed to all the metropolitan cities and provincial capitals in 2016, inspired to Renzo Piano idea of “re-sewing” urban fabrics, has been a good opportunity for testing new approaches to urban regeneration. The case study investigated in this study is the financed project for the city of Perugia, which provides different interventions aimed at improving (and developing new) public spaces through vegetation enhancement and a large area destined to vegetable social gardens as a strategy for urban infill. By recovering public spaces with social purpose and providing a comprehensive strategy for aesthetic improvement of the city, the case study provides a representative example, how greening the city may promote together biodiversity conservation and urban regeneration.

Using a Spatial Interaction Model to Assess the Accessibility of District Parks in Hong Kong

Urban parks are key elements of the urban landscape. They provide important ecological, environmental, and social value as well as spaces for outdoor activities to contribute to urban sustainability. Reasonable accessibility is fundamental for people to take full advantage of the benefits of parks. Spatial interaction models are useful in many fields, especially in static systems. The proposed model has been validated for analyzing the accessibility of district parks in Hong Kong. The accessibility index was calculated using the population in catchment zones lying within a walking distance of 400 m, considering the population that the parks serve, the distance between residential areas and parks, the park area, and the facilities and current condition of green spaces in the parks. The results indicate that the index is strongly related to the spatial pattern of residential areas and the shape and spatial pattern of district parks. High accessibility is always associated with parks located in centers of population concentration rather than in the geographical centers of built-up areas. The catchment zones of district parks within walking distance only cover one-fourth of residential areas, and most residents do not have convenient access to reach parks on foot. The district parks were established without much concern for increasing accessibility. No districts have enough district parks to meet the needs of their residents. Future parks should preferably be elongated to serve more nearby residents, especially in extremely compact cities like Hong Kong.

The Case Study of Nature-Friendly Outdoor Activity Space based on kindergarten in Japn.

The Case Study of Nature-Friendly Outdoor Activity Space based on kindergarten in Japn.

Comparing Two Residential Suburban Areas in the Costa Blanca, Spain

The Costa Blanca in the province of Alicante (Spain) represents an emblematic example of suburban development around Mediterranean medium-sized cities, with the existence of a wide range of residential settlements devoted both to the native population and foreign-born groups. Condominiums, gated communities and single-family housing have few facilities and inadequate space for outdoor activities related to leisure and recreation. Such settlements are characterized by a fluctuation in population which increases in the summer, fostered by the high demand for sun, sand and sea tourism. At the same time, they display a lack of vibrant public spaces and a narrow range of accommodation options and activities. Urban sociability, understood as social opportunities afforded by space characteristics, is highly dependent on physical features such as variety in space, diversity of housing types and configuration of urban activities. The aim of this study is to analyze these aforementioned factors in two predominantly residential settlements, i.e., Gran Alacant and La Marina-Oasis. Our research indicates a likely relationship among the following urban features in terms of whether or not they promote social life: the existing number and location of activities (retail, facilities and residential tourism related services), the distribution and diversity of dwellings, and the configuration of open spaces. Each of the aforementioned urban features is analyzed in order to understand how they may contribute to sociability.

Association of environment and policy characteristics on children's moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and time spent sedentary in afterschool programs

BackgroundAfterschool programs are an important setting in which to promote children's physical activity. This study examines the association of environmental and policy characteristics on the moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior of children attending afterschool programs. MethodsA total of 1302 children attending 20 afterschool programs across South Carolina wore accelerometers (ActiGraph GT3X+) for up to 4non-consecutivedays. Policy-level characteristics were evaluated using the Healthy Afterschool Program Index-Physical Activity scale. Physical activity space was measured using a measuring wheel (indoor, ft2) and Geographical Information Systems software (outdoor, acres). The structure (free-play or organized) of activity opportunities was evaluated via direct observation. Time spent in moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary, both indoors and outdoors, was estimated using accelerometry. ResultsFor every 5000ft2 of utilized indoor activity space an additional 2.4 and 3.3min/day of sedentary behavior was observed among boys and girls, respectively. A higher ratio of free-play to organized play was associated with higher indoor sedentary behavior among boys and girls (3.9min/day and 10.0min/day, respectively). For every 1acre of outdoor activity space used, an additional 2.7min/day of moderate-to-vigorous physical activity was observed for boys. A higher free-play to organized play ratio was associated with higher outdoor moderate-to-vigorous physical activity for boys and girls (4.4 and 3.4min/day increase, respectively). Policy characteristics were unrelated to moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels and time spent sedentary. ConclusionFindings indicate that policies and size of activity space had limited influence on moderate-to-vigorous physical activity and sedentary behavior, suggesting that a programmatic structure may be a more effective option to improve moderate-to-vigorous physical activity levels of children attending afterschool programs.

Researching about the Outdoor Space Design Adjusting to Aging Population in South-Central in China

Aiming at the rural-urban background, the paper research content is that the outdoor space design adjusting to aging population. It is noteworthy that the “empty nest” becomes a social phenomenon in China. The community and the village are the are population most centralized region, it is also the main places that old man consume their leisure time. Outdoor space design should be suitable for the local natural climatic conditions and cultural customs. Outdoor space in Hunan of China appropriates local opened space. The high quality design of outdoor space will create conditions for social endowment and self-help endowment. Outdoor activity space is closely linked with the old people’s quality of life. Function of outdoor space includes contact and the exercise as well as manual labor and pastime. Outdoor space design strategy consists of barrier-free design, identification design and activity space. The paper thinks that: “Doing to older, joy to older” is the highest state of old age. This needs the joint efforts of the family and community, needs to assume by physical space. The outdoor is the main site of activity for old man. Taking exercise, accompanying with others or pets, association and manual labor are the main content to outdoor space design.

Barangay Day Care Centers: Emergence, Current Status and Implications to Teacher Education

Using documentary analysis of legislative literature as well as current articles, the study looked into the emergence of Barangay Day Care Centers and surveyed the status of daily operations of about 48 Centers located in the NCR and the nearby province of Cavite. During the visits, the assigned teachers in each center were requested to answer the survey interview. Based on the gathered data, the study attempted to draw implications to teacher education in general and to pre-service teacher education and in-service teacher education or the continuing professional education and training of teachers, in particular. Results of the study showed that the emergence of the day care centers in the country proved the state's deepening commitment to uphold early childhood education. However, it is clear that despite the four decade span the systematic administration of the centers' academic programs, including appropriations of ample budget to cope with the demands of the growing target beneficiaries nationwide is still wanting much less the political will to enact the pending bills at the two houses of the Congress to ensure standard operations of the centers as a pre-school, if not fair employment for the workers. The physical facilities of the centers need attention from the local government units held responsible for them - the classrooms, space for outdoor activities, comfort rooms and others. As to the activities done, both academic and non-academic, the teachers were relatively implementing these at par with the comparable pre-school operation. However, there is no standard academic curriculum being followed. The majority of the workers, though evidently underpaid, expressed satisfaction with their work. Resiliency in facing the most common problems like inadequate teaching materials and lack of involvement from the parents were manifested by these teachers. The inadequate pre-service as well as in-service training of the teachers at the day care centers has crucial implications to teacher education. Hopefully, the passage of the pending bills at the Congress on day care operation can address this issue. The study further recommended that the Philippine Normal University as the National Center for Teacher Education (NCTE) serve as one of the partners of the Department of Education in conducting training programs to enhance competencies of pre-school teachers. This is also in consonance with the mandates of Section 3 of the R.A. 9647, otherwise known as "An Act Designating the PNU as the Country's National Center for Teacher Education".

Teaching in an Urban, Multiracial Physical Education Program: The Power of Context

The purpose of this study was to identify contextual factors affecting the conduct of a physical education program in an urban, multiracial junior high school. Using particiant observation, formal interviews, and informal discussion with teachers and students, the investigator spent 84 hours in the school observing class and nonclass interactions. Four contextual factors affecting the conduct of the physical education program were identified. (a) outdoor activity space, (b) central office policies, (c) schoolbased professional support for teaching, and (d) the unique qualities of urban, multiracial schools. The results are discussed in terms of the effects of contextual factors on the quality of curriculum and instruction possible in a particular school. Analysis of data from this field study underscores the importance of considering contextual factors in defining expectations for what physical educators can achieve. A primary conclusion is that in at least some instances, change in physical education mus...