Urban Public Space Research Articles

Maintaining traditional values and looking for novel uses assure equines' survival as a species

SummaryBackgroundRoutine tasks performed by equids have been taken over by motorised transportation and agricultural mechanisation services, and both are rapidly expanding in developing nations. For instance, in developing nations, the length of all‐season roads annually has increased by 0.2% and the number of vehicles by 15% to 17%. Consequently, rural agriculture no longer regularly recruits equines.ObjectivesStrategies need to be developed to safeguard the use values of equids to guarantee their crucial role in the daily lives of rural people.Study designThe report has compiled the findings of field‐based exploratory qualitative study.MethodsThis study involved in‐depth interviews of 10 knowledgeable informants and analysed FAOSTAT historical dataset to assess the population status of equids.ResultsTo encourage people to use equids for companionship and recreational purposes, the hobbies of equine farming need to be promoted in both urban and rural areas. Equestrian riding and racing can be beneficial for festivals and sociocultural events, like weddings, funerals and competitions. It is illogical to disregard the transportation, ploughing and crop harvesting roles of equids. It is worthwhile to include donkeys and mules in the well‐established sports of horseracing and riding. Bovines can produce high‐quality carcasses when equids are used as work animals. Equine manure is rich in nutrients compared with ruminant manure. Equid meat is occasionally consumed and exported. Equid hides can be used to produce leather goods and parchments. It is essential to investigate the medicinal value of equine products. By clipping hair from horses' tails and manes, handicraft people can make whiskers and cords of musical instruments. Equids are highly sought‐after in landscape management and scientific studies. In rangelands, horses can assist in monitoring grazing and browsing livestock. In open urban public spaces and rural areas, equines can graze on communal grazing lands as stray animals and a population of feral animals may eventually emerge.Main limitationsThis is an exploratory qualitative study and it needs to be supported by extensive studies involving formal surveys.ConclusionTo ensure the continued existence of equids, it is worthwhile to explore the derived use values, enhance the existing ones and alleviate their major production constraints.

THE IMPACT OF PUBLIC EVENTS ON THE USE OF SPACE: ANALYSIS OF THE MANIFESTATIONS IN LIBERTY SQUARE IN NOVI SAD

<p>Urban public spaces play a crucial role in holding various public events. Although events positively enrich the urban environment and encourage real social interactions, there are no guidelines for their spatial organization, posing a challenge in terms of using public spaces. This paper introduces new classifications of public events and temporary structures intended for their maintenance, applied to investigate their role and impact on urban spaces, using Liberty Square in Novi Sad as a case study. This research provides valuable insights for improving urban planning, considering the need for a balance between events and preserving the quality of urban spaces.</p>

Do We Need Different Urban Green Spaces Now? A Case Study of Preferences during Pandemics

The role of public urban green spaces (UGSs) in providing various ecosystem services, especially those related to the physical and mental health of city dwellers, has increased during the COVID-19 pandemic. While research has analyzed shifts in UGS visitation and changes in people’s attitudes, there remains a noticeable gap in our understanding of the necessary adaptations required within UGS environments. This paper presents the survey results of Vilnius city residents (Lithuania) conducted in the final days of the quarantine in 2021 and discusses the findings in the broader context of other studies. The survey is centered on preferences for UGS qualities clustered into four groups. The results provide empirical evidence that UGS users highly prioritize ergonomic and ecological characteristics related to comfort and naturalness. However, the preferences differ between those who live close to UGS and those who live further away. In contrast, aesthetic and social qualities are of relatively lesser significance for all. Similar preferences have been identified in international studies, underscoring the global nature of this phenomenon that urban planners must consider when designing or enhancing local UGS.

Transforming urban mobility and public space through slow streets. A stakeholder approach

In June 2020 the Local Council Association (LCA) in Malta launched the ‘Slow Streets’ action plan to promote active travel and use public transport, while at the same time provide information to reduce mobility. This paper explores people's perceptions and opinions towards this action plan, and the opportunities and challenges perceived and anticipated experiences in the future implementation of it. To do this we use two qualitative datasets: people's perceptions from 84 semi-structured interviews and an N focus group amongst stakeholders. The semi-structured interviews were conducted between February 2022 and April 2022 by intercepting people in the streets of six localities that showed interest in being part of the action plan. The online focus group was conducted in February 2022. The findings show that 66 % of the resident participants were not aware of the action plan, which is of concern when considering the topic of stakeholder involvement. From the qualitative analysis three main themes emerged: car culture, safety and policy. People agreed that there should be permanent interventions to reduce car use. Both stakeholder groups agreed that urban areas should have safe environments for children to play, and engage in sustainable mobility and healthier lifestyles.

Examining the Impact of Crowding Perception on the Generation of Negative Emotions among Users of Small Urban Micro Public Spaces

The improvement of urban congestion and the mood of the populace is vital for achieving the United Nations Sustainable Development Goals. This paper aims to test the hypothesis that crowding in urban micro public spaces (UMPSs) affects emotions, and two different methods were used: a psychological questionnaire to measure whether crowding in such spaces elicits negative emotional responses from users and a portable electroencephalography (EEG) device to explore emotional responses. This study was conducted in Shenyang, China, based on the city’s relevant policies and the type and number of micro spaces and micro public spaces, proving that Shenyang City has paid more attention to planning micro spaces and micro public spaces in its urban development. The results show that 1. UMPS crowding awakens negative emotions in users, which affects their intention to revisit the UMPS, and 2. If the UMPS is more attractive to users, it also improves the negative emotions due to crowding, which implies that the attractiveness of the environment does play an important moderating role. This study may inspire the construction concept of UMPSs in different countries and cities, complementing the planning of urban public spaces to provide more social equity. The creation of UMPS has a positive effect on neighborhood interactions, community network construction, and the reproduction of social capital, which can contribute to the sustainable development of cities.

From flesh to paper: bodily and material transformation in seventeenth-century Copenhagen – a case-study

Abstract This article investigates the transformation of the body of a female child murderer as she passed through specific spatial configurations in the urban setting of the seventeenth-century capital of Denmark–Norway. By using the case of Gertrud Nielsdatter, we explore the significance of public urban spaces in the bodily and material transformation of a woman from a condemned sinner to an object of scientific wonder. This transformation was facilitated by practices in diverse public spaces – controlled or influenced by government, city, church, as well as academic authorities and stakeholders – such as the city court, the place of execution, the university and, not least, the book shops across Europe selling books containing the print representing internal organs of Gertrud Nielsdatter. The case demonstrates how the physical body of an ordinary – yet outlawed – Copenhagener was repeatedly transformed in interaction with public spaces and the material culture of buildings, fixtures and fittings.

Seasonal variation in urban pollen resource use by north temperate European honeybees

AbstractUrban green infrastructure can provide important habitats for pollinators and support urban ecosystem services. Therefore, these areas must be managed to maximize biodiversity and density of pollinating insects. We used DNA metabarcoding to study honeybee pollen resource use over time and space in the city of Oslo, Norway, and to assess the role of green infrastructure as a resource for pollinators and the services they generate. Urban honeybees used diverse pollen resources throughout their active season. There was considerable seasonal turnover in pollen resource use that reflected flowering phenology. Non-native plants (including invasive species) were an important resource early in the season but were replaced by native plants later in the season. Hive location was not strongly correlated with resource use, likely indicating effective long-distance foraging in the fragmented urban landscape. However, flower visitation rates and floral resource density in public urban green spaces were coupled to pollen use. Honeybees collected pollen from a small number of preferred species but also visited other species, likely for nectar. To preserve pollinator services, urban planning should consider flower resource management, with particular focus on planting native species that can act as early season resources for bees. Public campaigns and other incentive mechanisms to promote the cultivation of native plants that are resources for pollinators and the protection of urban semi-natural habitats have the potential to enhance the value of green infrastructure to support urban pollinators and pollination services.

Letters of challenge: displayed writing, urban public space and honour culture in seventeenth-century Madrid

Abstract Focusing on seventeenth-century Madrid, this article explores the interplay between urban public space and a specific type of written defamatory statements, the carteles de desafío or letters of challenge, with the aim of examining the implications of this interaction. Letters of challenge were primarily conceived as a communication tool between the participants in duels and challenges. Displayed in public spaces, they could take on new meanings and even replace the combat itself, while at the same time perpetuating the values of a male honour culture that encouraged the use of violence among large sectors of society to settle disputes.

Politics in the street: the materiality of urban public spaces in Renaissance Italy

Abstract In Renaissance Italy, the political power of authorities found one of its expressions in material symbols of sovereignty. The placing of inscriptions, sculptures and columns and the commissioning of frescoes in streets, piazzas and public spaces, for example, were essential ways of communicating political or spiritual authority to the populace. Sometimes perceived as representations of a top-down form of communication, in the urban context these same material emblems of power became political objects through which to express dissent, as in the case of public loggias, speaking statues or graffiti on walls and civic palaces. Presenting case-studies from various cities in northern Italy, this article investigates the dialectics between the people and the authorities in the urban fabric, especially in everyday life. Combining a spatial and a material approach to politics, this article reveals the dynamic and relational nature of political public spaces.

Effect of visual landscape factors on soundscape evaluation in old residential areas

The visual landscape influences the soundscape experience of urban public spaces. The purpose of this study is to analyze the relationships among visual landscape factors and soundscape evaluation of old residential areas and determine their main influencing factors. In Tianjin, China, six typical old residential areas were selected to collect sound and video information. Virtual reality (VR) was used to create an evaluation environment, and subjective evaluations of the visual landscape and soundscape were accessed through questionnaire (N = 256). The results show that the evaluation of soundscape and visual landscape satisfaction of the central square in the old residential area is superior to that of the public space along the street, as affected by spatial location, sound characteristics and other factors. Greenery satisfaction, environmental cleanliness, and architectural aesthetics were significantly positively correlated with soundscape evaluation. Additionally, three latent variables, namely, visual landscape factors, spatial factors and soundscape evaluation factors, were identified through factor analysis, and a structural equation model (SEM) of “visual landscape factors–soundscape evaluation” was built. The visual landscape factors in old residential areas were found to be important factors affecting soundscape evaluation. The standardization coefficient was 0.46 (P ≤ 0.01). Although the spatial factors have no direct contribution to the soundscape evaluation of the old residential areas, its observation variable, environmental cleanliness, is significantly positively correlated with all the observed variables of the soundscape evaluation factors.

Quantifying the spatial quality of urban streets with open street view images: A case study of the main urban area of Fuzhou

With the advancement of global urbanization, urban streetscapes have become a critical part of urban public spaces. As one of the important ways to enhance the living environment, relevant government departments have accelerated the construction of urban streetscapes; however, certain issues, such as emphasis on surface and light protection, still persist. The visual effects of street landscapes hardly meet people's daily and spiritual needs. Therefore, assessing the quality of urban streetscapes has scientific and practical significance for improving urban planning and construction and creating a new intelligent and green city. In this study, the spatial distribution of vehicle interference index, spatial feasibility index, road area index, green visual index, sky visibility index, spatial enclosure index, color richness index, and visual entropy evaluation indices were drawn from the framework of combining deep learning and machine learning to quantify the spatial quality of urban streets by integrating a large number of streetscape images. The spatial quality of street landscape was evaluated according to the ELO scoring mechanism and random forest method, taking the main urban area of Fuzhou City as an example. The results showed that the overall street landscape quality of Fuzhou City was high, and the spatial distribution showed a pattern of concentrated high values in the center and dispersed high values in the periphery. Therefore, based on quantifying the spatial quality of urban streets, strategies, such as the pavement layout of pedestrian and vehicular paths, control of the continuity and permeability of visual landscape elements, and plant color matching, should be regulated. The method proposed in this study can provide novel insights for urban builders to improve the construction of cities.

A multi-level framework for assessing the spatial equity of urban public space towards SDG 11.7.1 - a case study in Beijing

Rapid urbanization is reducing the limited urban public space available for residents to improve urban life. SDG 11.7.1 is used to assess the equity of urban public spaces, but it focuses only on the equity of public space at the city level, ignoring whether the public space resources in areas within the city match the needs of residents. Therefore, this paper proposes a multi-level framework for assessing the spatial equity of urban public space towards SDG 11.7.1. Based on this, the calculation method of SDG 11.7.1 is refined and the progress of SDG 11.7.1 is assessed at the city level. Then, the spatial equity of open public spaces (OPS) at the grid level is explored based on an improved 2SFCA model. The results show that Beijing has made rapid progress in promoting the implementation of SDG 11.7.1, but there is still a significant gap in the requirements of SDG 11.7. In addition, the spatial equity assessment results indicate significant spatial inequity in the allocation of OPS resources in Beijing. The study can provide a scientific reference for other cities to conduct quantitative measurements of SDG 11.7.1, and a scientific basis for planners and policy-makers to allocate urban OPS more rationally and equitably.

Identifikasi Fungsi Dan Aktivitas Pada Taman Janggan Sebagai Ruang Terbuka Publik Kota Denpasar

Identification of Functions and Activities in Janggan Park as a Public Open Space in Denpasar City. Janggan Park is an urban public open space, located in Denpasar City, Janggan Park has two parts of the park, namely the western and eastern parts, Janggan Park is also a park for relaxing the people of Denpasar City and is predicated as a child-friendly playground. This research was carried out to find out the irregularities in the activities and functions of the park between the western and eastern parts of the park and with this research it can provide advice to the government regarding future management. The method used in this research is field observation, interviews, and questionnaires. From the results of the study, it was found that park visitors prefer to have activities in the eastern part than the western part, which is the difference in activity between the western and eastern parks, namely because of differences in park management, so that the treatment patterns for both hardscape and softscape are different, the eastern part of the park is managed by the city government. Denpasar, while the western part is managed by the provincial government of Bali. The difference in management is what makes the vision of the park differ that effect the park condition. Plants selection and maintenance are two aspects that cause differences in visitors preferences in using the park.

Study on thermal comfort of elderly in community parks: An exploration from the perspectives of different activities and ages

Community parks are significant green spaces for outdoor activities among the elderly in urban areas, further serving as crucial environments for their social interaction and mental restoration. This study comprehensively investigated outdoor thermal perception among the elderly in community parks during the winter in Huangshan, utilizing meteorological measurements, questionnaires, interviews and activity observations. It delved into the relationship between the elderly's outdoor thermal perception, age, and activities. Findings are as follows: 1) Ta and Tg were the primary factors influencing thermal perception in the elderly, with RH also being an important factor. Additionally, thermal sensation among individuals aged 80 and above was influenced by wind speed. 2) The NPET was 5.84 °C, with NPETR of 0.22–11.46 °C. The 80% TAR was 3.32–28.91 °C. Outdoor thermal benchmarks varied significantly among elderly individuals in different age groups. 3) The intensity and content of activities significantly influenced the elderly's outdoor thermal perception from physiological and psychological perspectives. Moreover, spatial satisfaction, thermal experience, and thermal adaptation behavior also influence outdoor thermal perception among the elderly. 4) Planning and design strategies for urban public spaces were proposed to enhance elderly residents' outdoor thermal comfort. The findings can guide community park designers in meeting the specific needs of elderly individuals and promoting healthy aging.

Safe and Inclusive Urban Public Spaces: A Gendered Perspective. The Case of Attica’s Public Spaces During the COVID-19 Pandemic in Greece

The COVID-19 pandemic has caused significant disruptions in everyday life, including restrictions on social activities and physical separation. Urban public spaces have become popular places for people to relax and socialize while keeping physical distance. Gender and other social identities, on the other hand, have a major influence on people's perceptions of safety in these public places. The goal of this research was to look into the relationship between perceptions of safety, relaxation, and gender in urban public places during the pandemic. The study's findings revealed that women were more likely than men to report feeling unsafe in public places. This result indicates that gender identity influences women's perceptions of safety in public places. Furthermore, women's feelings of insecurity hampered their ability to relax and enjoy these spaces, possibly limiting their access to public spaces and the benefits they provide. There is an obvious interrelation between easily accessible open public spaces and safety The study's findings outline the significance of inclusive design and planning for public spaces in order to guarantee safety and promote well-being.

Condiciones de habitabilidad y usos del espacio público en migrantes internacionales de Temuco, Chile

The objective of the article is to describe the living conditions of theinternational migrant population and their practices of use of urban public spaces in the city of Temuco, Chile. Under a non-experimental, exploratory-descriptive and quantitative design, a survey was applied to a sample of Temuco’s foreigner residents (n= 200), using descriptive statistics for the analysis. The results indicate that the local real estate market shows incipient signs of exclusion, while low rates of use of urban spaces are observed.Theseevidencesareprobably related to the recent nature of migratory flows in the city. The article contributesto thediscussionabout the relationship between urban space and migration from a statistical approach to the intermediate cities ofsouthern Chile, still understudied. It is concluded that it is necessary to analyze the specific realities of neighborhoods to arrive at more conclusive answers.

Bridges and Bridges’ Structures in the Urban Environment

The question of the functioning of bridges and bridges’ structures in the urban environment, their significant importance in increasing not only its comfort, but also aesthetic characteristics are highlighted in the article. The world theory and practice of using bridges has shown their significant evolutionary progress. From ordinary straight communication routes, bridges gradually acquired new functions, aesthetic qualities and complex spatial solutions – to multifunctional bridges’ structures. Bridges take an active part in the creation of urban multi-level public spaces. Above-ground pedestrian bridges and flyovers convincingly prove the priority of pedestrians and bicycles over cars. They perform not only the function of overpasses. Thanks to the arrangement of such objects with greenery, small architectural forms and landscaping elements, a comfortable space for people to stay is created. Modern bridges have also become a decoration of urban spaces, original art objects, magnets of attraction for citizens and guests. They draw attention to themselves, hold the aesthetic component of the urban environment. In the further practice of their design and implementation, ecological bridges made of containers and natural plants, bicycle bridges in the city centre, museum bridges, gallery bridges, sky bridges and loop bridges found their place. And this is far from the entire list of bridges. The formation of the urban environment and the distribution of “responsibilities” between its main components (dominant-accent-background) are significantly influenced by the degree of manifestation of the compositional techniques of the relationship “city – environment”, “bridge’s structure – environment”. Modern trends in the inclusion of bridges in the urban environment are also revealed in the article. These are ecological orientation, multi-functionality, innovation in the use of technologies and barrier-free.

Urban environment, unhealthy buildings as a root of inequalities and importance of SDGs

Abstract The current pandemic reinforced inequalities and injustice on multiple levels: health, social, and especially urban environment. Cities represent human prosperity and wealth, but also inequity, and health detrimental environments lacking green spaces and sufficiently good air quality, transportation, water supply. Emergencies like COVID-19 pandemic, but also other natural disasters like earthquake and humanitarian crisis have brought a renewed interest in the urban environment and healthy living. With the special circumstances, last year's special attention from public health has become an urban environment concern. The built natural environment, various public spaces like urban parks and forests, transportation hubs and urban open public spaces, are not only significant factors influencing the spread of infectious diseases, but those spaces also have protective roles for health, particularly mental health. There are a lot of examples which reflect increased inequalities in urban areas. Various urban facilities and buildings are in very unhealthy conditions and produce a lot of risks for their inhabitants. Public spaces revealed influential properties for older patients, whereas middle and young-aged adults were more influenced by traveling and the location of business services. The ethnic and minority vulnerability has also a legacy of historical issues in urban planning and unhealthy buildings. This is characterized by diverse racial and minority group populations, with the increased risk from COVID- 19, but also noticeably lower accessibility to green open areas for physical activity. It seems that the Covid crisis have increased the risk of slowing down the achievement of sustainable development goals in urban areas: It is especially important to re-examine the goals and prevent the slowdown in progress towards goals 11 (Sustainable Cities and Communities), 10 (inequalities) in connection with SDG 3 Health) and SDG 17 (strong global partnerships).

Evaluation and Optimization of Urban Public Space Accessibility for Residents’ Satisfaction: A Case Study of Nanshan District, Shenzhen City

In order to meet the people’s growing aspirations for a better life and to improve the efficient supply capacity of the citizens’ diversified needs, our government has made the optimization of the supply of public services in urban communities a key task in urban planning and construction and has taken the community living circle as a starting point to make up for the short boards of urban public services, which is of great practical significance in improving the quality of urban life and optimizing the spatial structure of the city. As an important carrier of urban residents’ public life, urban public open space plays an indispensable role in improving the quality of life of urban residents. Accessibility is an important indicator to characterize the publicity and service level of a public open space. This study focuses on the construction of the community living circle, optimizing the GIS-based, Gaussian, two-part mobile search method to quantitatively calculate and evaluate the accessibility of a public open space within a 500 m walking distance for the residents in Nanshan District, Shenzhen. On this basis, social survey methods, including the questionnaire survey method via a field survey and the interview method, were used to conduct field research on the residents’ accessibility satisfaction. Comparing the differences and correlations between the two results, the deep-seated reasons affecting the residents’ accessibility satisfaction are explored at the levels of the construction system, management services, and structural layout and spatial design of the public open space, and targeted guiding countermeasures are put forward to guide the development and construction of public open space in the future.

The difference in the elderly’s visual impact assessment of pocket park landscape

As an important part of urban public open space, pocket parks have become an important activity place for the elderly in the context of the aging society in China. With the pocket parks in Nanjing, Jiangsu province, China as research object, this paper set six landscape features to be studied, namely, Height of trees, Green color richness, Stratification of green landscapes, Green space ratio, Leisure facilities, and Water landscape. The elderly respondents with different demographic characteristics, such as age, gender, education level and residential type, were subjected to the picture stimulation experiment whose results were then statistically analyzed. The results indicate that gender and residential type exert certain influence on the elderly’s visual impact assessment of pocket park landscape. To be specific, the male elderly prefer the pocket park landscape with 3-6 m high trees, medium green space ratio, and more leisure facilities; the female elderly are in greater favor of pocket park landscapes with 0-3 m high trees, five or more colors, three or more layers; the elderly who live with their families prefer pocket park landscapes with medium green space ratio and more leisure facilities; to the elderly who live alone, pocket park landscapes with trees which are 0–3 m high, five or more colors, and medium leisure facilities are more attractive. This study can provide valuable reference for pocket park design in China.