scholarly journals Public Health and Well-being in Public Open Spaces through Climate Responsive Urban Planning and Design

2020 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Planning And Design ◽  
Urban Planning And Design ◽  
Health And Well Being ◽  
Public Open Spaces

scholarly journals Public health and well-being in public open spaces through climate responsive urban planning and design

2020 ◽  
pp. 1-6 ◽  
Keyword(s):  
Urban Planning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Extreme Weather Events ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Local Climate ◽  
Planning And Design ◽  
Urban Planning And Design ◽  
Active Lifestyles ◽  
Controlled Environments ◽  
Public Open Spaces

The urban fabric enables people to move between climate-controlled environments (such as home and indoors work) and non-controlled ones (such as parks and beaches). The planning and design of urban spaces, on the other hand, largely define the way we live and affect our health as it can, for instance, promote or hinder active lifestyles and social cohesion (Owen, 2009; Speck, 2012). But even when the cities have compact built form and provide key features and infrastructure conducive to healthy lifestyles, local climate can indirectly dictate and restrict the use of public open spaces if the weather is prohibitive (Tavares & Swaffield, 2017). Climate responsive urban planning and design is, therefore, key to secure a healthy urban lifestyle (Barton, Thompson, Burgess, & Grant, 2015; Kent et al., 2017; Mouratidis, 2017) especially in light of frequency and severity of extreme weather events.

scholarly journals Multifunctional public open spaces for sustainable cities: Concept and application

2019 ◽  
Vol 17 (2) ◽  
pp. 205-219 ◽  
Author(s):  
Jelena Zivkovic ◽  
Ksenija Lalovic ◽  
Milica Milojevic ◽  
Ana Nikezic
Keyword(s):  
Urban Planning ◽  
Urban Design ◽  
Urban Areas ◽  
Economic Benefits ◽  
Academic Disciplines ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Planning And Design ◽  
Urban Planning And Design ◽  
Public Open Spaces

The idea that multifunctional open spaces support sustainable urban development has been widely accepted in theory and intensively used in practice of urban planning and design. It is based on the assumption that multifunctional spaces bring a wider spectrum of environmental, social and economic benefits to urban areas. And yet, multifunctionality of space is still a vague and diffuse concept that needs further clarifications. Besides that, different academic disciplines understand and use this concept in different ways. This makes the application of the concept difficult to assess and manage in relation to different aspects of urban sustainability. Through the literature review, this paper analyses and compares how the concept of multifunctionality is used in various spatial disciplines (urban planning and design, landscape architecture) in order to better understand and relate its different dimensions, applications and expected benefits for sustainable development. Based on this, a new, relational and multidimensional conceptualisation of the multifunctionality of public open spaces is proposed for analysis and assessment of urban design solutions. It is further applied and discussed in relation to students projects from ?Ecological urban design studio? from the University of Belgrade Faculty of Architecture, as visions for development of multifunctional public open spaces in modernist mass housing area of ?Sava Blocks? in New Belgrade, Serbia.

scholarly journals Fostering Interactions at Public Open Spaces. The Role of Physical Interface in Facilitating User Interactions in the UAE

2021 ◽  
pp. 167-184
Author(s):  
Arushi Malhotra ◽  
Ranjana Dobriyal
Keyword(s):  
Urban Planning ◽  
Social Life ◽  
Arab World ◽  
Tall Buildings ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
The Public ◽  
Public Open Spaces

Over the past few decades, the importance of public open spaces has been substantially increased due to rapid urbanization and developments. Likewise, cities and communities in the Arab world are also going through urban transformation; driven by the global context in which cities are being reshaped along with the modernization of urban planning themes. Over the last 15 years, Dubai has emerged as one of the world’s fastest growing cities. It has been associated with the desire to build tall buildings as a statement of modernity, globalization, and economic prosperity, which lead to a rapid growth in population. This expansion has caused many environmental and urban planning challenges. Hasty urbanization, demographic, and economic growth alongside land privatization process has progressively changed the nature and theme of public open spaces within the UAE which in turn creates a gap between social life and community urban planning. The regeneration of public open spaces in cities of the UAE is a major issue as multiple factors must be taken into consideration during the design stages. This paper aims at understanding the role of physical interface of the public open spaces in context of UAE and its transformation over the years. These spaces act as a catalyst which accelerate this transformation of urban scenario and there by citizens life. Open places play an important role for bringing people closer and act as a socio-cultural entity for the sake of improving social life and interactivity. Social well-being arises from a sense of security, belonging, familiarity, support, cohesion, and integration of social groups, based on respect for different cultures, traditions, and backgrounds. Hence this research analyzes the influence of such tangible and intangible elements in the public open spaces, through which the social interaction happens and offers unprecedented experience to the users, visitors and urban community alike.

scholarly journals Walkability as the key element of urban planning within the Healthy Cities concept (systematic review)

2020 ◽  
Vol 64 (5) ◽  
pp. 294-300
Author(s):  
Nadezhda A. Vosheva ◽  
Natalya N. Kamynina ◽  
Ekaterina O. Korotkova ◽  
Dmitriy V. Voshev
Keyword(s):  
Public Policy ◽  
Urban Planning ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Development Planning ◽  
World Health ◽  
Sustainable Urban Development ◽  
Healthy Cities ◽  
The Past ◽  
Planning And Design ◽  
Urban Planning And Design

The purpose of the study. The purpose of this work is the exploration and generalization of scientific researches on walkability to determine its advantages as an element of public policy in human-centered cities. Over the past fifty years, the world community has actively discussed the issue of healthy and sustainable urban development planning, which has gained particular relevance with the recent World Health Organization publication of the “Healthy Cities: An Effective Approach to a Rapidly Changing World” concept (2020). One of the Healthy Cities approach goals is to promote healthy urban planning and design centered on human well-being (unlike prevalent in the past vehicle orientation), and the main component of such planning is pedestrianization or walkability. The systematic reviews and meta-analyses reporting method (PRISMA) were used in the review. The search was carried out in the bibliographic databases Elibrary, PubMed, MEDLINE, Scopus, Google Scholar. The study of the structure, types, and relationship between pedestrianization and the type of urban planning revealed the global advantages of creating walkable areas, such as maintaining the physical, mental and social health of citizens, increasing social capital, and improving the city’s ecological and economic atmosphere. Conclusion. Thus the promoting walkability was concluded to be a public policy as a relatively simple and highly effective way to benefit in the short, medium, and long term. This fact ultimately makes pedestrianization one of the most important tools for healthy urban planning and design.

scholarly journals Biodiversity and Health in the Urban Environment

2021 ◽  
Author(s):  
Melissa R. Marselle ◽  
Sarah J. Lindley ◽  
Penny A. Cook ◽  
Aletta Bonn
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Human Health ◽  
Urban Policy ◽  
Policy Research ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Ecosystem Functions ◽  
Natural Environments ◽  
Positive Health ◽  
Causal Pathways ◽  
Health And Well Being

Abstract Purpose of review Biodiversity underpins urban ecosystem functions that are essential for human health and well-being. Understanding how biodiversity relates to human health is a developing frontier for science, policy and practice. This article describes the beneficial, as well as harmful, aspects of biodiversity to human health in urban environments. Recent findings Recent research shows that contact with biodiversity of natural environments within towns and cities can be both positive and negative to human physical, mental and social health and well-being. For example, while viruses or pollen can be seriously harmful to human health, biodiverse ecosystems can promote positive health and well-being. On balance, these influences are positive. As biodiversity is declining at an unprecedented rate, research suggests that its loss could threaten the quality of life of all humans. Summary A key research gap is to understand—and evidence—the specific causal pathways through which biodiversity affects human health. A mechanistic understanding of pathways linking biodiversity to human health can facilitate the application of nature-based solutions in public health and influence policy. Research integration as well as cross-sector urban policy and planning development should harness opportunities to better identify linkages between biodiversity, climate and human health. Given its importance for human health, urban biodiversity conservation should be considered as public health investment.

scholarly journals The Value of Urban Nature in Terms of Providing Ecosystem Services Related to Health and Well-Being: An Empirical Comparative Pilot Study of Cities in Germany and the Czech Republic

Land ◽  
2021 ◽  
Vol 10 (4) ◽  
pp. 341
Author(s):  
Ralf-Uwe Syrbe ◽  
Ina Neumann ◽  
Karsten Grunewald ◽  
Patrycia Brzoska ◽  
Jiři Louda ◽  
...  
Keyword(s):  
Public Health ◽  
Ecosystem Services ◽  
Green Space ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Urban Green Space ◽  
Urban Nature ◽  
Urban Green ◽  
Green Areas ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Health And Well Being

The quality of life in our cities critically depends on the intelligent planning and shaping of urban living space, in particular urban nature. By providing a wide range of ecosystem services (ES), urban nature essentially contributes to the well-being of city dwellers and plays a major role in avoiding common diseases through its positive impact on physical and mental health. Health is one of the most important factors underlying human welfare and is, thus, vital to sustainable development. The ES of urban green space provide other social-cultural functions alongside public health, for example by fostering environmental justice and citizenship participation. Thus, they should always be considered when searching for solutions to urban problems. The aim of this research was to determine the impact of green areas in three selected cities on the health and well-being of people by self-reporting of green areas’ visitors. To this end, we posed the research question: which types and characteristics of urban green space are most appreciated by city dwellers? Based on our findings, we have drawn up recommendations for practices to promote better living conditions. We have also pinpointed obstacles to and opportunities for leisure time activities as well as ways of supporting the public health of citizens.

scholarly journals Social Evaluation of Public Open Space Services and Their Impact on Well-Being: A Micro-Scale Assessment from a Coastal University

2021 ◽  
Vol 13 (8) ◽  
pp. 4372
Author(s):  
Abdullah Addas ◽  
Ahmad Maghrabi
Keyword(s):  
Open Space ◽  
Environmental Changes ◽  
Positive Impact ◽  
Well Being ◽  
Social Evaluation ◽  
Open Spaces ◽  
Rapid Urbanization ◽  
Public Open Space ◽  
The Impact ◽  
Public Open Spaces

Public open spaces services have been shown to be profoundly affected by rapid urbanization and environmental changes, and in turn, they have influenced socio-cultural relationships and human well-being. However, the impact of these changes on public open space services (POSS) remains unexplored, particularly in the Saudi Arabian context. This study examines the socio-cultural influence of POSS on the King Abdulaziz University campus, Jeddah, Saudi Arabia and the impact of these services on well-being. A field survey and questionnaire were used to collect data. Non-parametric tests (Kruskal–Wallis and Mann–Whitney tests) were used to find significant differences in the importance of POSS as perceived by stakeholders based on socio-demographic attributes. Factor analysis was performed for 14 POSS to identify those that are most important. The study showed that (i) university stakeholders are closely linked to services provided by public open spaces (POS) and dependent on POSS, (ii) there were significant differences in the perceived importance of POSS according to gender, age, and social groups, and (iii) 70 to 90% of stakeholders reported POSS as having a positive impact on well-being. Thus, the findings will help design and plan POSS to meet the needs of society and promote well-being.

Sign in / Sign up

Export Citation Format

Share Document