scholarly journals A Space to Call Our Own, an investigation into designing for play in urban environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Hayley Webber
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Network Growth ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
Social Fragmentation ◽  
Meaningful Activity ◽  
Holistic Understanding

<p>Play is an act of discovery and stimulation. As children, we play to learn and grow. As adults, we play for freedom and to escape from reality. The action of play is a largely neglected aspect of peoples experience in urban public space. It is the un-functional and impractical use of the environment that fulfils a human instinct and curiosity that can spark conversation and spontaneity in public spaces. The development of the built environment has centred on improving the efficiency of daily life and little attention has been given to the informal synergies that urban public space can enable. Yet this space plays a central role in the formation of our culture and communities. With increasing trends of migration and urbanisation, New Zealand has become a multicultural society, but the quality of our public spaces and a distinct lack of meaningful interaction is causing increased levels of social fragmentation. The universal action of play can be used as a design tool to increase the level of meaningful activity and interaction in these spaces.   This thesis aims to understand how the inclusion of play and playful behaviour can create polycentric environments that can contribute to the reversal of social fragmentation between our ethnic communities and improve social cohesion and resilience within Newtown and Berhampore, socially deprived suburbs in Wellington, New Zealand.   The method of this research focuses on combining methods of spatial assessment and community engagement to develop a holistic understanding of play across social, cultural and physical dimensions. Observational studies, public surveying and community workshops combined with a comparative study across a series of case studies provided a foundation of knowledge that was then able to be applied to the design of physical playful spaces.  The design response across three test sites vary in scale between small tactical additions and overall redesign of space. These responses display how play can facilitate new forms of social interaction and spark spontaneity. The improved sense of community, familiarity and overall playfulness, increase overall resilience and overturn effects of social fragmentation. This thesis demonstrates how landscape architects can engage with the concept of play to reignite passion within a community and support social network growth.</p>

scholarly journals A Space to Call Our Own, an investigation into designing for play in urban environments

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
◽  
Hayley Webber
Keyword(s):  
New Zealand ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Design Tool ◽  
Network Growth ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
Social Fragmentation ◽  
Meaningful Activity ◽  
Holistic Understanding

<p>Play is an act of discovery and stimulation. As children, we play to learn and grow. As adults, we play for freedom and to escape from reality. The action of play is a largely neglected aspect of peoples experience in urban public space. It is the un-functional and impractical use of the environment that fulfils a human instinct and curiosity that can spark conversation and spontaneity in public spaces. The development of the built environment has centred on improving the efficiency of daily life and little attention has been given to the informal synergies that urban public space can enable. Yet this space plays a central role in the formation of our culture and communities. With increasing trends of migration and urbanisation, New Zealand has become a multicultural society, but the quality of our public spaces and a distinct lack of meaningful interaction is causing increased levels of social fragmentation. The universal action of play can be used as a design tool to increase the level of meaningful activity and interaction in these spaces.   This thesis aims to understand how the inclusion of play and playful behaviour can create polycentric environments that can contribute to the reversal of social fragmentation between our ethnic communities and improve social cohesion and resilience within Newtown and Berhampore, socially deprived suburbs in Wellington, New Zealand.   The method of this research focuses on combining methods of spatial assessment and community engagement to develop a holistic understanding of play across social, cultural and physical dimensions. Observational studies, public surveying and community workshops combined with a comparative study across a series of case studies provided a foundation of knowledge that was then able to be applied to the design of physical playful spaces.  The design response across three test sites vary in scale between small tactical additions and overall redesign of space. These responses display how play can facilitate new forms of social interaction and spark spontaneity. The improved sense of community, familiarity and overall playfulness, increase overall resilience and overturn effects of social fragmentation. This thesis demonstrates how landscape architects can engage with the concept of play to reignite passion within a community and support social network growth.</p>

scholarly journals Possibilities to Apply the Urban Acupuncture Concept in Kaunas: Social Aspect

2018 ◽  
Vol 13 ◽  
pp. 18-27
Author(s):  
Aurelija Daugelaite ◽  
Indre Gražulevičiūte-Vileniške ◽  
Mantas Landauskas
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Public Art ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Street Art ◽  
Small Scale ◽  
Ecological Design ◽  
Social Aspect ◽  
Wide Range ◽  
The City

The concept of urban acupuncture, which has been gaining ground in recent decades, is based on the activation and revitalization of urban environments using small architectural or landscape architectural interventions in precise carefully selected locations of urban fabric. However, the rapid and unexpected design solutions of urban acupuncture, based on ecological design, nature dynamics, street art, material re-use, can cause different social and psychological reactions of urban population and these reactions may vary depending on cultural contexts. Consequently, in order to implement successful urban acupuncture projects in Lithuanian cities, it is very important to find out public opinion and priorities in the fields of public space management, aesthetics, and public art. The aim of the research was to analyze the opinion of Kaunas city residents regarding these issues. For this purpose, a sociological questionnaire survey was used. The questionnaire containing 20 questions was designed, with the aim to find out the trends of use of public spaces in the city, the attitudes of residents towards street art and other small-scale initiatives in public spaces implemented in the recent years, possibilities of creating landscape architecture based on ecological ideas in urban environment, the attitude of inhabitants towards community spaces and community space design in the city, etc. 100 residents of Kaunas participated in this online administered survey. The survey has demonstrated general positive attitude towards contemporary design trends of public spaces and public art; however, the surveyed population expressed preferences towards fully equipped public spaces offering possibilities for a wide range of activities.

scholarly journals Children-friendly design of urban public space based on the study of Shanghai, China

2019 ◽  
Author(s):  
Shuai Li ◽  
◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Green Spaces ◽  
Motor Vehicles ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
Outdoor Activities ◽  
Point Space ◽  
Sports Venues ◽  
Line Space ◽  
Safe Path

At present, more than 50% of children live in big cities. But with the increasing number of motor vehicles and shrinking public spaces , children have less and less opportunities for outdoor activities, resulting in obesity and sub-health problems. Therefore, it is very important to build children-friendly public spaces in metropolis. This study takes the Shanghai,china as an example.Firstly,through questionnaires,it is found that ensuring the safe movement of children and inspiring their spontaneous activities are key points to build children-friendly public spaces. Meanwhile, The public spaces near the home are the most used environment by children. Therefore, open spaces in metropolis areas need to be planned carefully for children near their homes. Then it is way much better to make sure children's places of daily life, such as homes, schools, green spaces, sports venues and so on, can be connected in a safe path. Secondly, for building the safe path for children ,the safety of each spot along the path is analyzed by SP method, which is a mathematical algorithm , in order to find the risk factors and to avoid them in the future. Then we establish the action plan of "line space + point space" to build the children-friendly urban public space system. Line space refers to meeting the basic safety space needs of children through the improvement of the routes to school, including reducing the impact of motor vehicles, safe road facilities, and enhancing road lighting system. "Point space" refers to the promotion of children's outdoor activities through the arrangement of multi-level outdoor children's playgrounds and green spaces, including safe green parks, security platforms and so on. Finally, it is hoped that the "Safety Line Space + Interesting Point Space" plan will establish a safe and inspiring path for children to travel, linking home, school, green space and sports venues, which they use mostly in their daily life. Then we can ensure the safe movement of children and inspire children's spontaneous games in big cities for a children-friendly goal

Analysis on Building Readable Image of Urban Public Spaces

2013 ◽  
Vol 409-410 ◽  
pp. 883-886
Author(s):  
Bo Xuan Zhao ◽  
Cong Ling Meng
Keyword(s):  
New York ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Urban Space ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Life ◽  
Space Images ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
Good Image ◽  
The Public ◽  
The City

City, is consisting of a series continuous or intermittent public space images, and every image for each of our people living in the city is varied: may be as awesome as forbidden city Meridian Gate, like Piazza San Marco as a cordial and pleasant space and might also be like Manhattan district of New York, which makes people excited and enthusiastic. To see why, people have different feelings because the public urban space ultimately belongs to democratic public space, people live and have emotions in it. In such domain, people can not only be liberated, free to enjoy the pleasures of urban public space, but also enjoy urban life which is brought by the city's charm through highlighting the vitality of the city with humanism atmosphere. To a conclusion, no matter how ordinary the city is, a good image of urban space can also bring people pleasure.

scholarly journals A Multi-Level Path Analysis of the Relationships between the Momentary Experience Characteristics, Satisfaction with Urban Public Spaces, and Momentary- and Long-Term Subjective Wellbeing

2019 ◽  
Vol 16 (19) ◽  
pp. 3621 ◽  
Author(s):  
Weijs-Perrée ◽  
Dane ◽  
van den Berg ◽  
van Dorst
Keyword(s):  
Path Analysis ◽  
Urban Environment ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Subjective Wellbeing ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Living Environment ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
Contextual Characteristics ◽  
Multi Level

Previous research has shown that the urban environment could influence people's behavior and wellbeing. However, little is still known about how the objective and subjective measures of the momentary experience of urban public spaces could contribute to the satisfaction with the urban environment of cities, which eventually could influence the momentary and long-term subjective wellbeing (SWB) of citizens. Therefore, the aim of this research is to gain insight into how momentary experience and satisfaction with the urban public space could contribute to the SWB of citizens, and thereby control for personal, contextual characteristics. Relationships were simultaneously analyzed using a multi-level path analysis approach based on a sample of 1056 momentary experiences of urban public spaces reported by 161 citizens of the urban area Eindhoven, The Netherlands. The results showed that personality and personal characteristics are highly important for explaining long-term SWB and subsequently long-term SWB positively influences momentary SWB (the degree of feeling secure, comfortable, happy and annoyed) together with the momentary satisfaction of urban public space characteristics. In addition, contextual characteristics, such as time/day and distance to facilities are important for explaining people’s momentary SWB. Policy makers and urban planners can use these results when developing policy and designing a healthy, attractive, livable and safe living environment for citizens.

scholarly journals Features of urban public spaces in the context of globalization

2020 ◽  
Vol 26 (4) ◽  
pp. 232-246
Author(s):  
K. L. Khomyakova
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Social Relations ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
Modern Cities ◽  
The Social ◽  
Essential Properties ◽  
Methodological Problems ◽  
Definition Of ◽  
The Impact

The article deals with characteristics of urban public spaces, their role in the global transformation of the social relations system is determined. The ambiguity of assessing the impact of globalization on modern cities is due to the theoretical and methodological problems of modern sociological urbanism. There is no single approach among scientists to defining the concept of urban public space, which determines the relevance of the study of its interpretation and definition of essential properties. Public spaces are considered as a connecting element between the system and social levels of urban research, which correspond to the levels of integration identified by the modern sociologist E. Giddens. The article analyzes classical and modern approaches to the study of public space, there is reveals the course of evolution of sociological thought in relation to the formation of differentiation of types of spaces within cities. Based on the analysis of the works of modern sociologists and urbanists, such key features of public spaces as openness, socio-political neutrality, and symbolism were identified. Global processes and contradictions lead to an aggravation of the problem of the presence of the category of “Others” within public urban spaces, which are representatives of various segments of the population, with a variety of claims and interests. One of the consequences of the intensive development of digital technologies is a possible situation of “competition for the citizen” between traditional public spaces and online services. Assumptions are made about future transformations of social relations within public spaces as a result of the impact of the COVID-19 coronavirus pandemic.

scholarly journals EVALUATION OF THE GENERAL ATTRACTIVENESS OF THE URBAN PUBLIC SPACE ACCORDING TO MANY CRITERIA

2020 ◽  
Vol 2 (2) ◽  
pp. 193-203
Author(s):  
Feshchur R. ◽  
◽  
Sosnova N. ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Resource Constraints ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Planning System ◽  
Space Planning ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
Controversial Problem ◽  
Reasonable Choice ◽  
The City

Cities are constantly changing – new and existing facilities are created and reconstructed, existing ones are modernized, and new territories are developed, and, accordingly, public spaces are formed and develop in a certain way. To a large extent, this process is random and does not take place systematically, but this rather happens as a response to the urgent economic, environmental, social or other needs of city residents. Development management in the urban planning system is designed to solve the controversial problem of maintaining integrity and at the same time striving for its transformation. The use of the tools of mathematical modeling, considered in the article, allows one to solve the problems of spatial development of a city and its public spaces in a purposeful way, and to coordinate such a solution with the interests of stakeholders. When forming public spaces of a city one faces the task of streamlining competing development projects (alternative projects) for a particular area of ​​a city, taking into account the importance of their impact on the establishment of a distinctive image of the city and ensuring quality of life of its residents. To solve this problem, it is advisable to use methods of expert evaluation of design decisions, in particular, methods of ranking, valuating, and folding vector-valued criterion into a scalar criterion (integrated indicator of project weight). Ranking means assignment of a certain rank (a number from the natural series) to every project. The most important project is given the highest rank, which corresponds to number "one". The sum of the ranks given by all experts to a particular project can be considered as a generalized value of its weight. The article considers approaches to the assessment of urban public spaces on the basis of various criteria, namely urban, social, economic, environmental ones. The developed models of public space planning are designed for making a reasonable choice from a set of alternative projects subject to implementation, either according to the dominant criterion or according to many criteria in the conditions of resource constraints.

scholarly journals Successful Attractions of Public Space through Users Perception

2016 ◽  
Vol 1 (2) ◽  
pp. 188
Author(s):  
Maimunah Ramlee ◽  
Dasimah Omar ◽  
Rozyah Mohd Yunus ◽  
Zalina Samadi
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Publishing House ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
The Public ◽  
Site Survey ◽  
Behavioural Patterns ◽  
International Publishing ◽  
The City ◽  
Main Attraction

The success of the revitalization program of urban public space is viewed through attractions that have been identified. This study aims to investigate the perception of users in public space through the on-site survey. In summary, the motivations, behavioural patterns, impressions on the public space as an attraction and the perceived importance of urban public spaces in the development of the city are important attraction for successful public space. The findings of this study will show main attraction in successful revitalization of urban public space based on users perception and can be used in a meaningful way to the users.© 2016. The Authors. Published for AMER ABRA by e-International Publishing House, Ltd., UK. Peer–review under responsibility of AMER (Association of Malaysian Environment-Behaviour Researchers), ABRA (Association of Behavioural Researchers on Asians) and cE-Bs (Centre for Environment-Behaviour Studies), Faculty of Architecture, Planning & Surveying, Universiti Teknologi MARA, Malaysia.Keywords: Public space; successful attraction; users perception; revitalization

scholarly journals Biopolitics and Disciplinarity in the Legislation of Conduct in Public Spaces of Vilnius

2019 ◽  
Vol 7 ◽  
pp. 8-26
Author(s):  
Maryja Šupa
Keyword(s):  
Social Control ◽  
Public Space ◽  
Qualitative Content Analysis ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Public Order ◽  
Urban Public Space ◽  
National Legislation ◽  
Spatial Dimensions ◽  
The City ◽  
Interpretive Scheme

This article presents the specific rhetoric of social control present in the sections of national and municipal legislation pertaining to conduct in public spaces of Vilnius, Lithuania.Theoretically, the paper utilises M. Foucault’s framework of power modalities both because of Foucault’s engaged questioning of power and the applicability of his insights to the spatial dimensions of the city. The paper bases its interpretive scheme on two premises: a) that law reveals biopolitical and disciplinary aspects of social control; and b) that urban public space presents a valuable case for the analysis of these aspects.A qualitative content analysis of national and municipal legislation has revealed that national legislation is driven by biopolitical objectives and municipal legislation by disciplinary ones. The national legislation focuses the regulation of public space on public order, public calm, and public dignity – public mores that must be upheld in the interest of the population and expanding beyond strictly public space. Disciplinarity is evident in municipal legislation insofar as it breaks space up into governable fragments, imposing painstakingly detailed prohibitions and obligations, and building a hierarchy inside the population between the desired and subnormal subject.

scholarly journals CHANGING PROVISION AND USE OF NEIGHBOURHOOD PUBLIC SPACE IN NEPAL’S KATHMANDU VALLEY

2017 ◽  
Vol 41 (1) ◽  
pp. 46-59
Author(s):  
Rajjan Man CHITRAKAR ◽  
Douglas C. BAKER ◽  
Mirko GUARALDA
Keyword(s):  
Public Space ◽  
Spatial Configuration ◽  
Public Spaces ◽  
Urban Environments ◽  
Kathmandu Valley ◽  
Inappropriate Use ◽  
Urban Neighbourhoods ◽  
Modern Cities ◽  
Recent Origin ◽  
Privately Owned

Modern cities have witnessed a significant level of transformation of urban environments, in which the urban neighbourhoods of recent origin have also changed. This paper explores the transformation of public space in contemporary urban neighbourhoods of the Kathmandu Valley in Nepal. It examines the changing provision and use of public space through a case study of three recent neighbourhoods using observations and interviews. The study identifies fundamental differences in the development of public space, suggesting that public spaces are no longer the central elements of new neighbourhoods. Further changes with the provision of public space include the existing spatial configuration of open spaces, the loss of social quality of neighbourhood streets and the rise of alternative public venues. The changing provision of public space has influenced the use with the shifting locations of public activities. There is a growing tendency to use the streets as a public space along with other privately owned public spaces. While a large portion of public space remains underutilised or has been put into an inappropriate use, some new uses of public spaces are also noticed in the changing context.

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