Access To Public Space Research Articles

A Reference Architecture for Virtual Human Integration in the Metaverse: Enhancing the Galleries, Libraries, Archives, and Museums (GLAM) Sector with AI-Driven Experiences

The digital transformation of the GLAM (galleries, libraries, archives, and museums) sector is a multifaceted process that must address a range of requirements and critical challenges, such as traceability, long-term preservation, and sustainability. The potential of disruptive technologies to revolutionize this sector is significant, offering new ways to overcome these challenges and align with the broader objectives of smart cities. While substantial research has been conducted on the digital transformation of the GLAM sector, many opportunities remain unexplored by various stakeholders. This paper contributes to the field by proposing a reference architecture rooted in a design-oriented approach for developing and implementing processes related to the digital transformation within the context of smart cities. To illustrate the practical application of the proposed architecture, a proof of concept was developed in the form of an immersive digital gallery, which features an AI-powered virtual storyteller. The gallery, built using the open, cross-platform, Unreal, incorporates digitized physical art and a virtual metahuman tutor who guides users through the gallery. This interactive 3D environment enables users to explore the space, engage with artworks, and interact with a virtual guide. The environment’s performance was evaluated using a keystroke-level model analysis. Key findings from a pilot study involving 10 users showed that, when directed by the AI storyteller, the average time to locate an artwork was 16.5 s, while the average time to ask a question was 15.8 s. By integrating such technologies, the GLAM sector can contribute to the cultural fabric of smart cities, fostering more sustainable, accessible, and interactive public spaces.

Enhancing Accessibility in Public Spaces: A Computational Study of Hatirjheel Lakefront Using Space Syntax

Public spaces are vital for urban living, contributing to the environmental, social, and economic aspects of city life. Hatirjheel Lakefront, a newly developed recreational area in Dhaka, offers significant potential for enhancing accessibility and connectivity in a rapidly urbanizing metropolis. This study aims to evaluate global and local integration of access routes and propose strategies to improve pedestrian and vehicular connectivity using Space Syntax methodology and DepthmapX V10 software. The key findings indicate that while Hatirjheel demonstrates strong global integration, regional integration remains moderate, with certain access roads being underutilized due to poor connectivity. Recommendations include enhancing integration through connecting dead-end roads, improving pedestrian pathways, and constructing foot-over bridges to mitigate vehicular traffic barriers. This study contributes to urban planning by providing actionable insights to optimize accessibility in public spaces, supporting recreational and economic activities. The findings are critical for creating a more integrated urban fabric in Dhaka, ensuring sustainable urban growth. This research provides actionable strategies for urban planners to optimize the use of public spaces, reinforcing the role of Hatirjheel as a vital component of Dhaka’s urban network.

Public Room Door Locking System Using Wireless Technology and Internet of Things

Enhancing the efficiency and security of public spaces has become increasingly important, leading to the development of an automatic door lock system utilizing wireless technology and the Internet of Things (IoT). This study aims to design and implement a smart door lock system that provides automated control and improves convenience in managing public room access. The research methodology involves programming the ESP32 microcontroller, integrating IoT applications, and conducting various testing methods. These include manual control through physical switches, automated control via the Sinric Pro platform, and Wi-Fi hotspot-based control using the ESP32 module. Comprehensive hardware and software testing was carried out to ensure system reliability and functionality. The results indicate that the proposed system enables seamless control of public room doors through multiple methods, including an Android-based application and Wi-Fi connectivity. By leveraging IoT technology, the system offers a user-friendly, efficient, and secure solution for managing public space access, addressing modern requirements for convenience and safety.

The role of community gardens in achieving UNSDG 11, Target 7: safe, inclusive and accessible green and public spaces

ABSTRACT This paper examines the contributions that community gardens can make in achieving Target 7 of UN Sustainable Development Goal (SDG) 11, namely, to ‘provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible, green and public spaces’ (UN 2021). The paper focuses on a subset of green and public spaces, namely community gardens, to examine if their features enhance the capacity of public spaces to contribute to achieving target 11.7. In doing so, the paper applies a more expansive definition of ‘inclusive’ than that currently suggested by the target. The paper draws on findings from interviews with participants in several types of community gardens in Australia. The data indicates that community gardens contribute to solving the challenges of UNSDG 11.7, by improving the inclusivity and activation of public spaces through their design features, governance and community involvement. The development of additional target indicators that planners and policy makers can use to measure progress towards meeting the target is an area in need of further research. KEY FINDINGS Community gardens are effective sites for enacting UNSDG 11 Target 7. Community involvement in the design and governance of community gardens contributes to their inclusivity, safety and accessibility as a local public space. Secure tenure, well-chosen locations and sufficient resourcing can improve the ability of community gardens to meet SDG 11 Target 7.

Her City Weimar

The global Her City initiative provides a framework for gender-sensitive urban planning, which seeks to create inclusive and accessible public spaces that meet the needs of all residents, particularly women and girls, who have often been overlooked in traditional urban design. This paper presents the results of Germany's first Her City initiative in Weimar— a city rich in cultural heritage with a vibrant tourism sector that strongly influences its public spaces. It contributes to existing studies in this field by providing an innovative methodological analysis of Weimar’s public spaces through gender-sensitive, data-driven, and participatory processes, with the aim of identifying strategies for improvement. The Her City Toolbox was utilised and extended through a participatory citizen science approach with 18 young women and the collection of gender-sensitive data regarding public space usage. Data collected from two city walks, three workshops, open space assessments as well as measurements of people’s movements and stationary activities were triangulated to reveal five thematic fields that highlight how public spaces are failing to meet the needs of women and girls. These include (1) Facilities & Furnishing, (2) Representation & Appreciation, (3) Security & Social Control, (4) Mobility & Accessibility, and (5) Visibility & Appropriation. Collaborations with local stakeholders combined with communication platforms and media contributed significantly to the project’s impact. The paper concludes by emphasising the necessity of adopting a gender-sensitive, participatory, and data-driven approach to urban planning to address the diverse needs of all city dwellers.

Perceived accessibility matters: Unveiling key urban parameters through traditional and technology-driven participation methods

The demand for innovative solutions to address urban complexities, with accessibility being crucial for sustainable environments, is growing globally. As demographic shifts and disability prevalence evolve, understanding spatial dynamics affecting accessibility becomes urgent. The research hypothesis suggests that investigating both physical and perceived accessibility realms reveals critical insights into challenges individuals face in public spaces. This study explores public participation methods of different nature to evaluate their effectiveness and complementarity in portraying perceived accessibility in urban spaces. A multi-method approach, integrating participant observation tools like self-completion questionnaires and semi-structured interviews with non-participant technology-driven data sources like Foursquare, Twitter, and Google Places, was employed. The analysis focused on two areas in Alicante, Spain. Findings emerge in four phases: (1) identifying perceived accessible public spaces via questionnaires, (2) discerning influential parameters from interviews, (3) conducting a comprehensive analysis incorporating quantitative and qualitative methods, and (4) establishing correlations between parameters gathered through the methods. The results underscore the importance of diverse public participation methods in urban planning, offering a comprehensive framework for future research to improve accessibility and inclusivity in urban environments. Understanding the relationship between physical urban features and citizens' perceptions advocates targeted interventions for improved accessibility and socially inclusive environments.

Public Spaces are Failing Girls and Women

Public spaces are often failing girls and women, with male dominance and a lack of representation being prevalent issues. The 2030 Agenda emphasises the need for safe and accessible public spaces for women, children and other disadvantaged or marginalised groups. Nevertheless, women and girls tend to be neglected in the development of urban areas, and their specific needs and risks are not fully considered. Hence, there is a need for feminist urban planning. Feminist planning aims to understand, challenge, and change power relations in public spaces, by involving the experiences, needs, and desires of marginalised groups in the planning process in order to create more equal cities. This approach recognises the individual and collective power that women and other disadvantaged groups already possess. Social innovation is an innovative practice for meeting social needs and shares a common goal with feminist planning of promoting social change and increasing power for disadvantaged groups. However, whereas feminist urban planning – and urban planning in general – tend to end when a project has been planned and executed, social innovation has a stronger and more explicit focus on results or impact of the process or project. This is an aspect where feminist planning can learn from social innovation. By addressing the specific needs of marginalised groups and focusing on results and actual change, feminist planning can contribute to positive social change and empower women and girls in urban development processes. This viewpoint argues that feminist planning can learn from the focus of social innovation on results (i.e. output, outcome and impact of the planning), which has the potential to change planning practices and challenge gendered social norms in order to create more equal, just and socially sustainable public spaces and cities.

Strategy of user-driven re-design for inclusivity: Schuster Park in Rome

The paper presents the results of a research carried out by the Department of Architecture of Roma Tre University about user-driven re-design of public spaces, with the aim of transforming them into accessible and inclusive public spaces. Activities are related to the case of Schuster Park in Rome, whose re-functionalisation in terms of accessibility and inclusiveness is currently being planned. With this target, the research team, during the support phase for a preliminary feasibility study, experimented with a recursive participatory model, which can also be applied to other contexts related to public spaces.

CHILDREN'S RIGHT TO PARTICIPATE IN PUBLIC SPACES FOR REINFORCING DEMOCRACY: EVALUATIONS ON THE CASE OF TURKIYE

Public spaces are areas that allow people to interact, express themselves, and make them visible. Yet, limited attention has focused on understanding and designing public spaces with regard to children’s rights. Grounded in Habermas's deliberative democracy model, the research explores the intricate relationship between children and public spaces. This study aims to the discourse on public spaces, and their significance in facilitating children's interaction and expression. In the study, the relationship between children and public space is established within the framework of deliberative democracy and children's rights, and then the characteristics of accessible public spaces for children are discussed. The study was designed in accordance with qualitative research methodology, and the data were obtained through document analysis technique. Here we show that organizing public spaces as child-friendly environments will make them new actors of democracy by gaining visibility in public spaces and this will guide the making of public policies. Keywords: children, children's rights, children participation, public space, democracy

Conviviality in urban neighborhoods: an experience of social interactions in urban space

ABSTRACT Urban spaces should serve as collective arenas that facilitate social and human interactions, which are fundamental to human life. This study explores space conviviality in a neighbourhood marked by planned layouts in Tehran, defined as environments that encourage spontaneous gatherings and meaningful connections among residents, thereby nurturing community and belonging. The research reveals a generally positive level of space conviviality, with higher social interaction linked to better conviviality. Key factors contributing to this include well-planned neighbourhoods with mixed-use zoning, walkability, and accessible public spaces, with walkability identified as the most significant factor enhancing both pedestrian movement and the neighbourhood’s vibrancy and safety. The findings emphasise the importance of a holistic approach to urban planning and urge planners and policymakers to integrate various elements that promote social interaction and conviviality to create more engaging urban spaces.

The value of green and blue space: Walkability and house prices

Urban green and blue spaces are important amenities within highly urbanised areas which offer social, economic and ecological benefits and provide a number of valuable direct and indirect ecosystem of services to surrounding land uses, urban households integral to sustainable urban development. Existing research has revealed that green and blue spaces are not uniform environmental amenities, but rather a set of distinct goods comprising aesthetic and hydro-morphological characteristics therefore which can influence property values. Consequently, the purpose of this study is to examine the heterogeneity of green and blue spaces using 4985 sales transactions applying quantile regression to investigate the proximity effects of these urban amenities on property prices within the Belfast Metropolitan area, Northern Ireland. The findings show premiums for green features range between 3.0 % and 3.6 %, with blue space proximity to the coastline and lakes commanding premiums of 7.3 % and 5.3 %. Conversely, walking distance to large rivers shows a negative pricing effect of 3.8 %. The results further reveal some evidence of distance decay effects with proximity for green and blue space amenities. The quantile findings show empirical evidence of a U-shape relationship for a number of the green space amenities, indicating that lower and higher priced houses value proximity to these urban amenities differently. For urban blue spaces, the findings reveal that living near to a lake or the coastline observes larger premiums for higher priced properties. Moreover, the highest priced dwellings exhibit a higher negative pricing effect with walkability to urban rivers than those in the lowest priced properties. Overall, the findings provide empirical evidence to inform urban design and planning in line with sustainable development goals and biodiversity strategies for inclusive, and accessible public spaces within cities.

Evolutionary Characteristics of Urban Public Space Accessibility for Vulnerable Groups from a Perspective of Temporal–Spatial Change: Evidence from Nanjing Old City, China

Social equity/inequity and equal/unequal rights to the city extend beyond the distribution of urban parks and green spaces, necessitating research on equitable accessibility to encompass a broader range of public spaces. However, previous research has predominantly focused on green spaces, neglecting other types of public spaces. To address this gap, the present study takes the public space pattern of Nanjing Old City as the research object, employing the minimum distance method, the gravity potential method, and bivariate local Moran’s I to evaluate the matching relationship between the demand of socially vulnerable groups and the supply of public spaces, as well as its temporal–spatial evolution from 2010 to 2020. The results reveal spatial heterogeneity in the accessibility of public spaces for vulnerable groups at the block level, with 28.1% of the total number of blocks and 22.1% of the total area of blocks experiencing a supply–demand imbalance in 2010. From 2010 to 2020, under the rapid urban development, construction of public spaces, and the general decline in population density and proportion of vulnerable populations, the supply–demand imbalance has exacerbated the distribution of public spaces at both individual and aggregate levels. This imbalance is reflected in the deteriorated accessibility of public spaces for vulnerable groups. This study reveals the mismatches between development, population movement, and public space construction in the old city of Nanjing over the past decade, providing decision-making suggestions and foundations for the future optimization of public spaces, thereby offering an effective tool for assessing and improving the accessibility and equitable distribution of public spaces based on the needs of vulnerable groups.

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.

Can primary school pupils become researchers? A research project on the accessibility of public spaces

Education for sustainable development plays an important role in the cognitive and social development of pupils. A wealth of studies demonstrate the correlation between environmental education (EE) projects and the future potential development of informed and active citizens with pro-environmental behaviours. All EE project have common characteristics, but usually the pupils involved in them hold the position of little explorers. It would be interesting if students could have the role of the researcher and be actively involved in all stages of a research project. The current study aims to describe a research on the accessibility of public space and to contribute to the discussion if primary school pupils could become researchers. The main conclusion of this paper, after the evaluation of the research project, is that pupils from the upper primary school classes can play an active role in a scientific research project.

Public Spaces for Older People: A Review of the Relationship between Public Space to Quality of Life

This paper investigates the relationship between public spaces and quality of life (QoL) for older adults, aiming to identify knowledge gaps within the context of population ageing and urbanisation. Recognising the growing importance of sustainable urban development, the research explores how cities can foster active ageing and improve QoL through accessible and inclusive public spaces. A scoping literature review identifies five key QoL domains for older adults: autonomy, meaningful activities, positive social relationships, leisure opportunities, and health. To identify knowledge gaps, a review of the literature was conducted for each of the highlighted themes. The review highlights areas requiring further investigation, including the interplay between environmental design and social connections, intergenerational perspectives on public space liveliness, the influence of context on QoL and the built environment, and the value of qualitative research in this field. By contributing to the understanding of QoL in relation to public spaces through the lens of person–environment fit theory, this study aims to inform urban design, landscape architecture, and policymaking in the creation of age-friendly communities with inclusive public spaces.

Architectural and Urban Changes in a Residential Environment—Implications for Design Science

Current spatial changes involving broad urban landscapes affect people’s perceptions of their surroundings, sense of place, and attachment to a place, constituting a disruption to these. As a result, on a social scale, they translate into people’s well-being. The following study of the impact of large-scale architectural and urban developments on the place of residence is based on the assumption that physical space determines the quality of life in the living place and the changes in the process condition residents to adapt to their new surroundings—based on the three pillars of place, people, and process (3Ps). The article consists of two parts. The first is theoretical, which conceptualises spatial change based on the theory of human dependence on place. The second part–an empirical study—discusses the transformation of the post-industrial area of Bicocca (Milan), which, 40 years after the intervention, has led to conclusions and recommendations for urban planning. The results demonstrate the different sensitivities of the urban areas to the process of functional–spatial change, the essence of the accessibility of public space, public facilities, and transport infrastructure. The planning process can positively influence social adaptation to spatial change mitigation. Residential areas may be subject to additional protection procedures. The study is relevant to a sustainable planning process in the inevitable transformation of urban areas. The interdisciplinary nature of the issue prompts the integration of research findings and knowledge transfer in the socio-technological subsystem (STS).

Lighting characteristics of public space in urban functional areas based on SDGSAT-1 glimmer imagery:A case study in Beijing, China

The artificial light sources in urban areas constitute the primary source of stable nighttime illumination, which can be utilized to reflect the nighttime human activity and the conditions of public space lighting. The previous studies have focused on the evaluation of lighting environments in specific scenarios and the public's perception of these lighting environments. There has been limited analysis of the characteristics of public space lighting and its influencing factors in detail across different urban functional areas. This study primarily utilizes high-resolution SDGSAT-1 glimmer imagery and data from field measurements of lighting attributes to analyze the characteristics of public space lighting and its influencing factors in various urban functional areas. Furthermore, it establishes a quantitative relationship between measured illuminance and glimmer imagery to assess public space lighting levels. The results show that: (1) Various urban functional areas exhibit different illuminance levels, but they all maintain good illuminance uniformity. Additionally, to reduce the impact of the blue light spectrum on public visual perception, urban public space lighting primarily utilizes warm color temperatures with low color rendering properties. However, nighttime public space lighting cannot always achieve a balance between public comfort and high color rendering; (2) In the main urban area of Beijing, 98.5% of illuminance values fall within the range of 0 to 35 lx, indicating that most areas have good public lighting conditions. However, cases of over-illumination are also observed; (3) The building height has a positive correlation with public space lighting, while vegetation density exhibits a negative correlation. This study explored the characteristics of public space lighting in different urban functional areas and conducted a large-scale analysis of urban public lighting conditions using high-resolution nighttime images, providing evidence for the design and optimization of public space lighting in cities and better serving urban sustainable development, and contributing to the achievement of UN Sustainable Development Goal 11.7: By 2030, provide universal access to safe, inclusive, accessible, green and sustainable public spaces, particularly for women, children, older persons and persons with disabilities.

Design of Sustainable Campus Spaces Based on Multidimensional Construction Theory

This article takes campus spaces as the research object, conducting empirical studies through interviews and questionnaires with teachers and students. The research explores multiple dimensions such as spatial layout and design, supporting facilities, campus space management, space usage intensity, spatial distance factors, and campus spatial environment. The study reveals the utilization efficiency and status of various spaces within the campus and gathers insights from teachers and students on the functionality, environment, facilities, and accessibility of public spaces. The article proposes constructing sustainable spaces from three dimensions: creating vibrant spaces, artistic spaces, and ecological spaces, to enhance interactions with the objective world, increase communication with others, and enhance dialogue with oneself, providing valuable references for the sustainable use of campus spaces.

Strategies For Designing Public Open Spaces in Baghdad City

Urban design has a significant impact on residents' quality of life and overall well-being. With the rapid expansion of urban areas, it has become imperative to meticulously plan and provide open areas. Implementing sustainable urban design strategies can bolster environmental sustainability, foster social fairness, and boost public health. Iraq faces numerous challenges that impede the creation of safe, accessible, and attractive public spaces for its residents. The aim of this study is to enhance a sustainable urban design plan that will enhance the functioning, accessibility, and visual appeal of open spaces in Baghdad. The researcher uses a questionnaire to collect data from specific respondents with the aim of identifying the limitations that exist in the urban design of open spaces in Baghdad. The study results demonstrate evident limitations from urban, transportation, economic, environmental, cultural, and social perspectives. The survey's findings indicate that the most prominent issues are the intricate arrangements resulting from the addition of new nodes, the diversity of pathways, unfavorable traffic conditions, inadequate land usage, and insufficient distribution of green spaces. The researcher utilizes Kevin Lynch's design concepts to analyze the urban characteristics of the studied region. These principles address the major existing urban issues that need to be considered in the urban design concept to improve the features of the urban landscape in the research region. According to the findings, the researcher suggests several alternatives, such as redistributing land use, developing the wave front area, building new nodes and open spaces, increasing green spaces, and developing the Metro, LRT Train, and BRT.

‘You ensure your own safety’: gender, fear and tourism labour in the gig economy in Turkiye

The platform or gig economy has had a profound impact on the tourism ecosystem. However, the European Institute for Gender Equality (EIGE) warns that whilst platforms can contribute to more gender equality, they can also reinforce sexism and inequality. While platforms offer access to informal micro-entrepreneurship, they can also expose women to heightened vulnerability due to limited control over clients and lack of legal protection. Our research questions the link between gender roles, spatial fear, and platform workers’ experiences. Our findings indicate that despite Istanbul’s evolving urban tourism landscape, the prevailing gender politics in Turkey continues to uphold conservative gender norms that result in gendered labour divisions and gendered public space access. As female platform workers navigate safety concerns and feelings of fear in Istanbul, productivity becomes spatially constrained, despite their efforts to adapt using diverse innovative approaches. Interesting conclusions are drawn regarding the future of work via the finding that platforms create a hybrid employment model blurring host-guest lines, raising questions about the implications for platform workers’ safety.