Urban Public Places Research Articles

Physical activity through place attachment: Understanding perceptions of children and adolescents on urban places by using photovoice and walking interviews

Public urban places and their environmental characteristics impact youth's physical activity (PA) through perceptions. The objective of this study was to use a qualitative participatory approach with children and adolescents to understand how their attachment to urban places perceived as PA-friendly or unfriendly is related to their PA behaviour. Ninety-three participants aged six to 17 from six neighbourhoods with varying objective walkability engaged in photovoice and walking interviews. Data were analysed by using the tripartite framework of place attachment (PPP model), which was adapted for application to PA behaviour and supplemented by photographs. Themes were identified for each (sub-)dimension of the PPP model with person, place and process factors influencing attachment. Further subdimensions (PA and other behaviours) and categories (travel mode, trip length and frequency of visits) were added to the PPP model. Urban design recommendations were derived by age and gender to promote PA through place attachment.

Geoprocessing and Sustainable Design of Grand Parks in Dubai

The aim of this paper is to analyze the five grand parks in Dubai, United Arab Emirates (UAE) and provide a geoprocessing approach to different aspects such as sport, health, leisure, recreation, and public wellbeing. The study uses a hybrid of qualitative and quantitative approach as methodology. Sustainability offerings, accessibility for people of determination and special needs, typology and the geolocations of the grand parks plays crucial role in residents’ wellbeing. The paper concludes with recommendations for Dubai government to design new and innovative approaches to manage wellbeing of urban public places into the leisure environment for residents.

Effectively planning waterfront public place affected by the ecological environment

Abstract Urban waterfront area planning is a very important part to improve the quality of the urban ecological environment. Research effective planning paths of urban waterfront guided by ecological environment effect can promote landscape diversity index and other indicators are selected as the relevant indicators of the ecological environment which establish comprehensive evaluation index system of urban waterfront public place planning path. Use the fuzzy statistical path to determine the evaluation index weight, establish the waterfront public place planning path evaluation model according to the waterfront public place planning evaluation index weight, and use the model evaluation results to determine the effective planning paths of urban waterfront guided by the ecological environment effect. The experimental results show that the evaluation score of urban waterfront planning path 2 is the highest, which verifies that planning path 2 is an effective planning path of waterfront public places guided by considering the ecological and environmental effects.

Active guardianship in urban public places: place attachment and social cohesion

ABSTRACT Everyday users of public places are vital crime guardians because they are often present when formal security is absent. In this study, we use survey data from 940 Australian residents to examine the influence of place type, place attachment and perceived social cohesion on responses to disorder in public places. We find that individuals are more likely to intervene directly in disorder problems at places that are associated with a specific activity and have a defined in-group of participants (e.g. places of worship, health clubs) compared to consumption places (e.g. shops) or open public parks. We also find that perceived social cohesion can reduce the likelihood of guardianship-in-action when place attachment is high. We suggest that in public places the perception that other individuals are capable and willing to intervene may lead to diffusion of responsibility.

The association between street construction projects and community violence in New York City.

Community violence is a major cause of injury and death in the United States. Empirical studies have identified that some place-based interventions of urban private places, such as remediations of vacant lots and buildings, are associated with reductions in community violence in surrounding areas. The aim of this study was to examine whether routine maintenance and repair of urban public places (e.g., street construction projects) are also associated with reductions in community violence, proxied by violent crime. This staggered adoption difference-in-difference analysis investigated the association between street construction projects and community violence in New York City from 2010-2019, divided into 40 calendar quarters. The units of analysis were street-quarters (n = 155,280). Intervention street-quarters were those with completed projects in 2010-2019; control streets were those where projects were scheduled but not completed before 2019. The outcome of community violence was proxied by counts of crime and violence incidents reported to the New York Police Department, within street-quarters. There were 79,592 street-quarters with any community violence incidents (51.2%). We found that street construction projects were associated with a decrease in reckless endangerment (ATT = -0.013; 95% CI = -0.021, -0.004), robbery (ATT = -0.035; 95% CI = -0.063, -0.007), and weapons offenses (ATT = -0.016; 95% CI = -0.031, -0.001) occurring on street-quarters. Street construction projects may be yet another type of place-based intervention to reduce community violence.

Socially inclusive Lighting Design: exploring a method to enhance freedom of movement for marginalised groups.

Based on literature and field research, women and marginalised groups often experience unwanted attention in the public realm worldwide. This attention often produces a gendered fear, which can result in avoidance behaviour of urban public places. Universal design has been implemented to ensure everyone can access urban areas, but this access is still restricted for many vulnerable groups. This investigation aims to find relevant lighting design principles for making public urban spaces more inclusive for all marginalised groups. A literature review, case studies of three urban places, focus group interviews, and an experiment with torches in the field were the chosen methods to gain knowledge. The findings suggest that the participants experience fear in public places when they feel exposed as someone who can become a potential target. This results in a need to see their surroundings and have an awareness of the presence of others. In addition, the experiment showed how they wanted to use warm lighting and beautify the place by enhancing details. The conclusion suggests six different lighting design methods to create inclusive public areas, such as beautifying details and legibility with vertically lit surfaces. These six principles could make urban public places more socially inclusive for marginalised groups, women, and other vulnerable groups. The results should be compared and confirmed by using control groups with other non-marginalised groups.

Place Making within an Urban Public Milieu: An Ethnographic Study of the New Dwellers in Butwal

This paper is based on research undertaken with the main objective of analyzing the modes of place making adopted by the new dwellers within an urban public milieu of Devinagar, Butwal. The data required were collected ethnographically using in-depth interviews, observations, and kuragraphy. The qualitative data analyzed manually have shown that the new dwellers from the rural origin find it chaotic initially but adapt to the urban milieu gradually by using the available public places. The Chautari [public resting place] of Devinagar Chowk, Devi Mandir [Hindu temple] and path [narrow street] and their chowks provide major avenue for adapting to the new socio-cultural context. Moreover, newer people tend to create their identity through the active as well as meaningful contribution in various public activities in their setting. This has eventually enabled them to produce a space of their own. Public places increase familiarity amongst newer and older dwellers and provide a perfect platform for social integration. The place making efforts maximize the dwellers’ chance to enhance their social position. This study shows that people use their financial, social, and other resources to the optimum for turning their place making efforts into a reality. The urban public places and situational junctures in Devinagar provide every dweller with equal chance to experience urban encounters. When these urban encounters occur repeatedly, the social integration process between newer and older dwellers strengthens. This study concludes that the new dwellers who are more skillful to map their opportunities are more successful in using public places more suitably, thereby turning their place making endeavors into a reality.

Modern era fortifications as urban public places

Fortyfikacje nowożytne tworzyły systemy budowli ziemnych oraz szerokich fos. Ich powierzchnia przekraczała często powierzchnia otoczonego nimi miasta. Utrata znaczenia obronnego oraz tendencje wzrostu terytorialnego miast spowodowały konieczność zmiany funkcji fortyfikacji. W XIX i XX w. były one rozbierane, a ich tereny zabudowywane lub też przekształcane w tereny publiczne. Ich zagospodarowania i konserwacja sprawiają jednak problemy z powodu charakterystyki technicznej oraz konfliktów interesów ekonomicznych, prawno-administracyjnych, urbanistycznych, krajobrazowych, ekologicznych.

POTENTIALS OF INFORMAL STREET VENDING AS A PLACE MAKING TOOL IN BANDAR TASIK PUTERI, SELANGOR

The invention of street vendors in urban public places help in creating a living cultural enclave despite the robustness of street activities. This paper aims to explore the potentials of street vending as a place making tool in creating a dynamic public area. By choosing Bandar Tasik Puteri as a case study, this paper investigates how street vendors may help to create and improve the livelihood in a public place. The mixed method approach through site observation and questionnaire survey were adopted to capture tangible and intangible aspect of the study area. Findings of the study reveals that Bandar Tasik Puteri has a great potential for street vendor activities as it will improve quality of life of local community, foster social interactions and create dynamic public space within the area. However, several challenges need to be resolved beforehand, including limited space and regulatory issues. The paper highlights the importance of a supportive legislative framework and a collaborative approach among stakeholders to enable the long-term growth of street vending as a means of improving public spaces and boosting public participation.

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.

Merging Smart and Healthy Cities to Support Community Wellbeing and Social Connection

Urban planning has long pursued the improvement of health and wellbeing through the rapidly evolving scholarship and practice of health-supportive environments, underpinned by the seminal World Health Organization’s Healthy Cities Framework. Although a much more recent development, technology has been informing urban planning, as well as advancing healthcare and personal wellbeing monitoring and assessment. Known as the Smart City movement, it has much to offer regarding life in towns and cities, as well as how they are managed, maintained, and developed. There is also a growing appreciation of the potential for smart city technology to enhance human and environmental health in the context of urban planning and public place making. This has been reinforced by the COVID-19 pandemic with its reawakening of community interest in health and wellbeing, including mental illness, a greater awareness of the importance of local environments, and an explosion of technological knowhow in the embrace of remote working, online shopping, and education. Using the example of the authors’ “Smart Social Spaces” project, this entry discusses the potential benefits of an evolving integrative concept called “Smart Healthy Social Spaces”. The aim is to support community wellbeing as part of everyday living, especially associated with social connection, in densely populated and culturally diverse urban environments, where locally situated public spaces are increasingly important for all citizens.

ASSESSMENT OF THERMAL COMFORT IN URBAN PUBLIC SPACE IN A TROPICAL CITY: A STUDY OF RAJSHAHI, BANGLADESH

Sustainable design approaches reduce energy consumption of urban form and the environment. Urban public space design is an efficient sustainable strategy to improve thermal and microclimatic conditions of outdoor spaces. A tropical city like Rajshahi, Bangladesh, an example of a rapid urbanization, is now dealing with the challenge of sustainable urban development, especially in the urban public space where thermal comfort makes a vital role for active to use of outdoor space in the various time. People’s activities and usages of outdoor space particularly urban public place which is the most viable and sustainable features of urban design is directly affected by thermal setting and thus affect people’s activities. This research aims to calculate the thermal comfort indices to find out the comfort condition of the urban public space by using a CFD based simulation software “ENVI-Met”. Online sources are used to collect site specific microclimatic data for thermal comfort. Data is then synthesized to find out MRT and thermal comfort condition. The aim is to develop and recommend a checklist of comfortable urban form and potential design and materials features to investigate the scope of improvement of outdoor thermal comfort of urban public space of study area. Both the physical (height width ratio of urban form, vegetation, water features, orientation, materials) has strong impact on improving thermal comfort and activities. This research suggests some urban design options for an effective and comfortable outdoor space in the context of tropical city like Rajshahi in the end.

Microbiota and mobile genetic elements influence antibiotic resistance genes in dust from dense urban public places

Many contaminants were carried by dust, a common environment media that is easy to contact with human beings, and antibiotic resistance genes (ARGs) as an emergency pollutant also harbor in dust and pose serious threats to human health especially those carried by opportunistic pathogens because inactivation of antibiotics caused by ARGs may enhance pathogenicity. Considering there is a gap of investigation of dust ARGs, 16 S rRNA gene sequences and high-throughput quantitative PCR were employed to obtain information of microbial communities and accumulated ARGs in dust from different urban places, including the malls, hospitals, schools and parks, to investigate the distribution and influencing factors of ARGs and discover the potential hosts of ARGs in dust. Here, 9 types of ARGs such as sulfonamide, tetracycline, and beta-lactamase and 71 subtypes of ARGs like sul1, tetM-01, and drfA1 were detected in dust. ARGs had varying distribution in different public places and seasons in dust. The abundances of total ARGs, MLSB and tetracycline genes were higher in spring than summer. The diversity of ARGs was highest in malls, follow by hospitals, schools, and parks. Additionally, multi-drug resistance genes in dust were more abundant in hospitals than in schools and parks. The microbes were distinguished as the most important driving factors for ARGs in dust, followed by the mobile genetic elements (MGEs) and different places, while dust physicochemical parameters only exert a negligible impact. Notably, several opportunistic pathogens like the Streptococcus, Vibrio, and Pseudomonas were inferred as potential hosts of high-risk ARGs such as mecA, tetM-02, and tetO-01 in dust because of strongly positive co-occurrence. These results imply that dust is likely an important reservoir of ARGs. We should realize that ARGs may be harbored in some opportunistic pathogens occur in dust and endanger human health because of dust contacting to human easily.

An Assessment of the Accessibility of Multiple Public Service Facilities and Its Correlation with Housing Prices Using an Improved 2SFCA Method—A Case Study of Jinan City, China

The spatial distribution and accessibility of urban public service facilities affect socioeconomic factors in the lives of residents, especially housing prices. Given that most previous studies focus on the accessibility of a certain, single type of facility and its impact on housing prices, this research uses improved two-step floating catchment area (2SFCA) methods by considering the differences in the service capacity of different types of public service facilities in real life to evaluate their accessibility to residential communities in Jinan city based on 3117 facilities covering 11 different kinds of facilitates. Then, we assess the spatial distribution of the impact of the accessibility of different public service facilities on housing prices in Jinan city through a local indicator of a spatial association (LISA) cluster diagram generated based on the bivariate local Moran’s index. Our objectives are to assess the accessibility of multiple public service facilities using an improved 2SFCA method and to explore the spatial correlations between the accessibility of public service facilities and housing prices. The results show that the housing prices in Jinan are clustered and that the areas with high housing prices are mainly concentrated in the Lixia District and the center of the downtown area. The accessibility of medical, shopping, educational and bus stop facilities in the Lixia District is better than that in other districts. The accessibility of shopping, medical and tourist attraction facilities has the most significant impact on housing prices, and the number of communities in which the accessibility of these public service facilities and housing prices form a positive correlation cluster accounts for 50.5%, 47.9% and 45.8% of all communities, respectively. On the other hand, educational accessibility and bus stop accessibility have nothing to do with housing prices, and the number of communities in which the accessibility of these public service facilities forms a not-significant cluster with housing prices accounting for 51.1% and 56.5% of the total, respectively. In this study, the combined 2SFCA method is used to improve the method for evaluating the accessibility of a variety of public service facilities, and its applicability is verified by practical application. By analyzing the spatial correlation between accessibility and housing prices, we expand our understanding of accessibility and show that it plays a central role in housing prices, which will help to improve the spatial pattern of urban public places in the future, provide support for decision makers and provide a reference for the government and real estate developers.

Mapeamento de áreas verdes e da arborização urbana: estudo de caso de Diamantina, Minas Gerais

This paper show a methodology to analyze the existing vegetation in the main urban area of Diamantina city, aiming to meet the guidelines of the brazilian law called City Statute. The goal was to use the GIS to map the green areas in 2014 and 2016, building a Green Area Index on these dates. As a complement, all the trees on streets and public places in 2016 was georeferenced. The results shows that there was a decrease in the green areas in the entire urban public places and there is a 95.3% deficit in afforestation on public roads. This methodology can be used in another municipalities that need information about vegetation cover. The results can be used for public policies on the improvement of Diamantina's territorial planning, assisting municipal management to increase green areas and urban forestation.

The role of open museums outdoors in the revival of intangible cultural heritage

Urban environments suffer from weak investment of intangible cultural values in stimulating urban environments and public places that are popular with people, thus exposing them to forgetting and weakening the urban memory of the local community. Most countries that have historical roots of those values that can be invested in urban tourism support and maintain.The idea of reviving the values of non-material through the creation of museums Anthropological (Open) Museums, That gives way to display that heritage to ensure community participation, cultural diversity and support for urban development. The levels of cultural expression have multiplied in museums, but they have emerged clearly in aspects including economic, cultural, urban memory, cultural planning, in addition to the aesthetic and symbolic aspects).The research dealt with those levels that were extracted from previous literature and international examples related to the revival of intangible cultural values in open museums. The research found that museums have achieved an important role in the process of cultural revival of intangible values and make them visible to society at several levels, relying on the revival of stories, myths, customs, and social traditions that took place through the participation of the local community in working in these museums most of the time and turning those museums into points of attraction A mission that contributed to increasing social and cultural interaction, reviving economic and civilizational aspects, and providing job opportunities for the local community. I also contributed to increasing awareness and interest in these non-material values.

Rethinking Urban Public Space: Physical and Functional Analysis through Visual Surveys

Pedestrian-friendly, liveable, sociable human scale and fun urban environment are the qualities for good cities. Human activities will happen in urban public places if cities can offer choices for people. Increasing the use of the spaces in an urban environment through human activities can turn urban spaces into becoming “places” that is crucial to create good cities. Urban spaces should cater the functional, social, and leisure needs of people. It has positively related to a sense of community that contributes to the identity and image of the city. Therefore, urban street planning and design need to emphasis more on crucial aspects such as the physical, social, cultural, economics and pedestrians to create an urban street environment that is attractive as a destination for economic and social activities. This paper aims to propose and discuss optimal design solutions for a better urban street environment in Ipoh old town, Perak. The objectives are 1) to identify nodes and linkages, qualities of place and fabrics of the spaces and; 2) to determine relationships between the quality of the physical environment of the street and social activities that contribute to the use of the spaces. The study adopted a qualitative methodological strategy. Visual surveys were used to observe the relationship between the physical urban environment and the users’ activities in Ipoh old Town, Perak. Field observation was conducted to gather evidence focusing on the functional aspects of the actual scenes of the place through physical and activity mapping. This study has found that the relationship between the physical environment and the users’ activities significantly influenced the quality of place and fabric of the Ipoh town and in turn, contribute towards reimagining identity of Ipoh as a prominent heritage town.

Investigating the relationship between social support and quality of life in the elderly.

BACKGROUND:Dynamic aging depends on providing opportunities to improve the quality of life of the elderly. The objective of this study was to investigate the relationship between social support and quality of life in the elderly in Guilan.MATERIALS AND METHODS:This descriptive-correlational study was conducted in the elderly who visited urban public places in the East of Guilan (mosques, parks, weekly markets, and clubs). A total of 168 elderly who met the inclusion criteria were selected through two-stage, cluster, and convenience sampling. Data were collected using Phillips Standard 23-item social support scale and 12-item quality of life scale-short form. Data were analyzed through descriptive and inferential statistics (Pearson correlation coefficient).RESULTS:The mean score of social support in the elderly in Guilan was 73.25 ± 9.18 and the mean quality of life was obtained at 24.67 ± 7.06. Data analysis showed that there was a significant and positive correlation between social support and quality of life (r = 0.29, P < 0.0001).CONCLUSIONS:Increased social support leads to a higher quality of life in the elderly. Thus, it is necessary to timely identify the needs and promote comprehensive social support to improve the quality of life in the elderly.

Evaluating Age-Friendly City Indicators in Qazvin: Urban Open Spaces, Buildings and Public Places

Background As the population pyramid in Iran shifts to aging and the influence of environmental conditions on the elderly people, the need to pay attention to the foundations of well-being, security and comfort is felt more than ever. Objective The present study aimed at evaluating the urban open spaces and public buildings/places of Qazvin city in Iran as indicators of an age-friendly city based on the perception of older people and managers. Methods This is a descriptive/analytical study conducted in 2017 on 200 older people and 40 urban managers. The older people were selected by a random cluster sampling technique, and managers by a convenience sampling method. Data collection tools were a demographic form and Ageing-Friendly City Questionnaire. Data were analyzed using descriptive statistics and t-test. Findings The mean age of the elderly people was 68.32±6.48 years and for the managers, it was 40.28 ±5.94 years. The mean score of public buildings/places was 3.49±1.06 reported by the elderly group and 2.64±0.77 by the managers. For urban open spaces, it was 3.06±0.89 and 2.60±0.52, respectively. There was a significant difference between the opinions of two groups regarding the two surveyed indicators (P<0.001). Conclusion The city of Qazvin is far from ideal in terms of buildings/public places and open spaces for the elderly. Therefore, urban managers should pay more attention to these indicators and take more effective steps to increase their quality.

Understanding How and Why Spatial Segregation Endures: A Systematic Review of Recent Research on Intergroup Relations at a Micro-Ecological Scale

Social psychological research has increasingly extolled the benefits of intergroup contact as a means of promoting positive relations. However, a growing body of research suggests that formal policies of desegregation are often offset by informal ‘micro-ecological’ practices of (re)-segregation, in everyday life spaces. This paper presents a systematic literature review of recent evidence on this topic (2001-2017), outlining key findings about how, when, where, and why micro-ecological divisions are reproduced. Informal segregation can happen based on ethnicity, religion, socioeconomic status, gender, or gender and ethnicity, despite people being in a shared place. People generally maintain patterns of ingroup isolation as a result of: a) negative attitudes and stereotypes; b) ingroup identification and threat; or c) feelings of anxiety, fear and insecurity. Educational settings have been the main context studied, followed by leisure and recreational places, public urban places and public transport. The paper also identifies three areas of potential future research, highlighting the need to: (1) capitalise on methodological innovations; (2) explore systematically how, when and why the intersectionality of social categories may shape micro-ecological practices of contact and separation; and (3) understand more fully why micro-ecological patterns of segregation are apparently so persistent, as well as how they might be reduced.