Search Results (24)

This study selected green spaces from three residential areas in Hefei as the research subjects, combining behavioral observation methods and a natural experiment to collect behavioral data from 2010 and 2024. The data were then compared using Poisson regression models. Additionally, home visits were conducted to gather residents’ perceptions of the factors contributing to the decline in vitality. Based on the survey data, multilevel regression analysis was performed to explore the decline in RQGS usage vitality and its influencing factors in the context of rapid urbanization. This study found a significant decline in green space visits, particularly during the afternoon (16:00–18:00) and in areas adjacent to roadways. The main influencing factors include emerging leisure choices (such as taking the subway to large parks or preferring indoor activities) and residents’ satisfaction with RQGS characteristics (such as functional zoning, noise pollution, and neighborhood familiarity). Notably, there was no significant correlation between “disposable leisure time” and visit frequency. These findings suggest that, despite the inherent advantages of proximity, the vitality of RQGS faces increasing challenges due to emerging diverse leisure demands and growing environmental disturbances. In contrast to the traditional emphasis on accessibility, this study recommends that future RQGS planning prioritize functional zoning (e.g., dog-walking areas, sports zones), address the needs of vulnerable groups, and focus on mitigating vehicle noise and air pollution rather than merely expanding parking facilities. Interventions should be scheduled for the afternoon and emphasize strengthening community interaction and cohesion to enhance user experience. This research provides valuable scientific evidence and practical guidance for urban planners and policymakers to optimize residential green spaces in the context of rapid urbanization, offering new perspectives for the empirical evaluation of RQGS upgrades. Full article

Abstract: Urban greenspaces have been essential in supporting residents’ well-being during the COVID-19 pandemic, particularly under strict lockdown measures. However, the impact of changing containment policies on residents’ perceived greenspace quality remains insufficiently explored. This study utilized online survey data collected between 11 October and 29 December 2022, in Shanghai, coinciding with the major policy shift on 5 December 2022. A probability proportionate to size sampling was adopted to survey residents aged 18 and above who had lived in the city for at least six months, yielding a total of 577 valid responses. We assessed residents’ perceived greenspace quality using 20 park- and community-level variables, focusing on both overall quality and specific features of greenspaces. A regression discontinuity design (RDD) was applied to evaluate how the lifting of the COVID-19 policies influenced residents’ perceptions of parks and community greenspaces. Our RDD estimation indicates no statistically significant change in residents’ overall perceived quality of parks after the policy shift, except for increased satisfaction with specific features such as plant diversity, maintenance, seating areas, trails, and large open spaces. In contrast, residents who responded after the policy shift reported a significantly higher perceived quality of community greenspaces compared to those who completed the survey before the shift (0.609 score difference, p < 0.01), with notable increases in satisfaction regarding plant diversity, maintenance, and seating areas. Perception of plant quantity remained unchanged in both types of greenspaces. Residents expressed greater satisfaction with sports facilities in parks, while community greenspaces were preferred for their water features and esthetic qualities. By adopting an RDD with a unique dataset, this study contributes empirical evidence to the current ongoing debate on the role of urban greenspace during the later stages of COVID-19. Specifically, it examines how changes in public health policy and the resulting increase in mobility might affect residents’ perceived greenspace quality. The findings can assist decision-makers and urban planners in developing more adaptive strategies to address the diverse needs of residents for greenspaces during the transitional period of a public health crisis. Full article

Introduction: The broader determinants of health including a wide range of community assets are extremely important in relation to public health outcomes. Multiple health conditions, multimorbidity, is a growing problem in many populations worldwide. Methods: This paper quantified the effect of community assets on major health conditions for the population of England over six years, at a fine spatial scale using a data analytic approach. Community assets, which included indices of the health system, green space, pollution, poverty, urban environment, safety, and sport and leisure facilities, were quantified in relation to major health conditions. The health conditions examined included high blood pressure, obesity, dementia, diabetes, mental health, cardiovascular conditions, musculoskeletal conditions, respiratory conditions, kidney and liver disease, and cancer. Cluster analysis and dendrograms were calculated for the community assets and major health conditions. For each health condition, a statistical model with all community assets was fitted, and model selection was performed. The number of significant community assets for each health condition was recorded. The unique variance, explained by each significant community asset per health condition, was quantified using hierarchical variance partitioning within an analysis of variance model. Results: The resulting data indicate major health conditions are often clustered, as are community assets. The results suggest that diversity and richness of community assets are key to major health condition outcomes. Primary care service waiting times and distance to public parks were significant predictors of all health conditions examined. Primary care waiting times explained the vast majority of the variances across health conditions, with the exception of obesity, which was better explained by absolute poverty. Conclusions: The implications of the combined findings of the health condition clusters and explanatory power of community assets are discussed. The vast majority of determinants of health could be accounted for by healthcare system performance and distance to public green space, with important covariate socioeconomic factors. Emphases on community approaches, significant relationships, and asset strengths and deficits are needed alongside targeted interventions. Whilst the performance of the public health system remains of key importance, community assets and local infrastructure remain paramount to the broader determinants of health. Full article

Public parks are vital for community well-being, yet often fail to cater to the needs of people with disabilities, restricting their safe and independent use. This paper details a pragmatic study aimed at crafting the design for an inclusive park on the outskirts of Bangkok, addressing these limitations. Through a comprehensive mixed-methods approach—encompassing literature reviews, semi-structured interviews, and surveys with stakeholders, including individuals with disabilities—this research gathered diverse perspectives on inclusive design. Participants underscored the importance of social and recreational activities in universally accessible spaces, providing valuable spatial insights. This research aims to employ pragmatic research methods to develop the design of an inclusive park for people with disabilities at the Thammasat University Rangsit Campus Water Sport Center. This study seeks to integrate the perspectives and needs of people with disabilities into the park design, ensuring that the space is accessible and meets a wide range of needs. The research aims to bridge socio-environmental considerations with practical design applications, creating a model that can serve as a template for similar developments in other urban settings. This study’s findings informed the creation of a design that harmoniously integrates green spaces with the specific requirements of disabled users, promoting inclusivity and accessibility within the fast-growing urban areas of Southeast Asia. This research not only offers a template for addressing the gaps in public space provision for people with disabilities but also illustrates how designers can interpret and meet socio-environmental and health-related needs through inclusive planning. It extends the discussion on overcoming WHO-identified inequalities in urban settings and lays the groundwork for interdisciplinary studies aimed at enriching the fabric of urban life through research processes and scientific inquiry. This paper asserts the pivotal role of inclusive design in enhancing urban livability, advocating for a design methodology that responds to the nuanced demands of inclusivity, thereby contributing to the broader discourse on equality, accessibility, and the right to the city for people with disabilities. Full article

This study explores strategies for promoting sustainable development in urban public spaces by focusing on transforming and reusing closed landfill sites. Using landscape regeneration theory and the genius loci principle from architectural phenomenology, this research investigates spatial redesign techniques to facilitate the sustainable utilization of these sites. Through the analysis of three representative case studies and the specific application of these strategies to the Zhangjiawan Landfill site in Xining City, Qinghai Province, northwest China, this study elucidates practical approaches for spatial function transformation, constructing community networks, and heritage preservation and cultural continuity. From an urban macro-planning perspective, the post-closure design of the Zhangjiawan Municipal Landfill emphasizes organic linkages with adjacent city parks, fostering community integration and enhancing recreational opportunities for residents. The transformed area facilitates social interaction and cultivates a harmonious community atmosphere by repurposing the site to incorporate community farms, cultural centers, and outdoor sports facilities. Moreover, integrating leisure spaces, cultural exhibitions, and ecological restoration initiatives contributes to ecosystem rehabilitation while providing residents with leisure, social engagement, and cultural enrichment spaces. This research demonstrates how effective spatial transformation can promote environmental education, heritage preservation, and urban functionality in redeveloping closed landfill sites. The theoretical insights and practical design strategies presented contribute to advancing sustainable practices in urban planning and public space utilization. Full article

As China’s urbanization rate continues to rise, new cities are constantly being built, and the popularity of sustainable concepts has led to the development of numerous green infrastructure projects. The increase in green resources has improved the overall urban environment, but this environmental improvement can lead to local stratification and give rise to a phenomenon known as “green gentrification”. Green gentrification can enhance neighborhood vitality but may also lead to negative consequences, such as the displacement of indigenous populations. This study primarily focuses on whether there is residential segregation and social differentiation between indigenous residents and newcomers due to green gentrification and whether they hold different views on green infrastructure. To address these issues and advance the cause of urban fairness and justice, break down neighborhood segregation, and promote community integration, we conducted satisfaction surveys and in-depth personal interviews with indigenous residents and newcomers regarding the Julong Lake facility, their individual circumstances, and the neighborhood relationships. The survey results revealed the following: (1) Both the indigenous residents and the newcomers expressed a relatively high satisfaction with the sports facilities at Julong Lake, but both groups reported a lower satisfaction with the neighborhood relationships. (2) The indigenous residents exhibited a lower satisfaction compared to the newcomers regarding the commercial facilities, social attributes, and green infrastructure surrounding Julong Lake. Additionally, the overall satisfaction with Julong Lake was lower for the indigenous residents compared to the newcomers. We synthesized the survey results and personal interviews with the indigenous residents and the newcomers and arrived at the following conclusions: (1) In the context of urbanization and uneven distribution of green resources in urban areas, the integration of suburban green resources with real estate development has given rise to the new phenomenon of an emerging green middle class, primarily driven by green resources. (2) The new residents exhibited higher satisfaction levels with Julong Lake park attributes and their personal circumstances compared to the long-term residents. This suggests a “green preference” among the new residents, leading to social stratification among the long-term residents driven by cultural aesthetics and value pursuits. The result of this is a stratification and adjacent residential segregation between the long-term residents and the newcomers. (3) The emerging green middle class areas have, on the one hand, promoted the migration of capital, middle-class populations, and green resources to the suburbs, to some extent favoring suburban green development. In conclusion, we hope that this research can help facilitate more equitable allocation of green resources in cities, formulate more optimal green policies, and promote harmonious coexistence and the sharing of the benefits of green development among residents of different income levels in urban areas. Full article

(1) Background: Modern society is characterized by urbanization and an increase in noncommunicable diseases. Governments frequently adopt policies to intervene in this regard; however, they are not always successful. Parks are an easy and feasible health intervention, but they are not always present in cities due to a lack of space. Considering the above aspects, the present study aims to analyze the scientific literature on this topic to provide a city park model versatile in different urban contexts. (2) Methods: A review of the scientific literature on this topic is performed to discover building models designed to replace/flank urban parks. (3) Results: No such articles are found in the scientific literature. The proposed model is a vertical city park. It is a modular structure designed to be adaptable to the urban context. It includes parks, sports fields, and fitness centers in a green and healthy environment. (4) Conclusions: In the scientific literature, there are no mentions of city park models. Consequently, a design model is proposed. This model for a vertical city park can be an instrument for a population-based health program. This solution has the potential to be feasible and economical, thereby giving the community a more easy-to-adopt instrument. Full article

The COVID-19 pandemic triggered unprecedented travel restrictions around the world and significantly altered people’s daily behaviors. Although previous works have explored the changes in usage and perceptions of urban green spaces (UGS) before and through the pandemic lockdown, there are certain differences in conclusions for various regions, and demographic group differences are not figured out. Our study aimed to evaluate the impacts of the COVID-19 lockdown on the use and perception of urban green spaces in Xuzhou, China and identify the differences across groups through an online survey of 376 respondents. The descriptive statistical results showed that approximately half reduced UGS visits, and one third reported increased importance of UGS’s health benefits, especially in mentality. During the lockdown, the city park and community park were the most common destinations and the well-maintained lawn was regarded as the most valued characteristic, followed by sports facilities and seating facilities. Walking was the most frequent means of travel, while public transport was the least common choice. The regression analysis suggested that age, marriage, living pattern and income have significant influences on usage and perception of UGS. The young and the unmarried were more likely to perceive increased social benefits by visiting UGS compared to before the pandemic. People living alone visited the private garden more frequently, and people from three-generation-families preferred green life streets. Richer people unusually spend more time in UGS, benefited more and had more potential to renew green activities. In addition, more perceived risks related to COVID-19 resulted in higher self-reported health benefits. Finally, the suggestions for encouraging UGS visits during the pandemic lockdown are discussed. Full article

The inventory and the assessment of geosites plays a very important role in highlighting scientific, geotouristic, and geoeducational potential, as well as the ability to identify any criticalities and vulnerabilities of the geological heritage of a territory. Within a geopark, these assessment activities are also crucial for developing land management strategies and policies that not only meet the need to protect geological and natural heritage, but also to promote sustainable economic development of the area and local communities. The Beigua UNESCO Global Geopark (Liguria, Italy) includes fifty-four sites known for their significant geological values. In this work, we have combined a study aimed at the qualitative and quantitative evaluation of 10 of the 54 sites with the results of an analysis of the educational, touristic, and land management activities that have been developed on these sites from 2011 to 2021. The quantitative assessment of the ten selected sites reveals their high scientific value and considerable touristic and/or educational potential. Thus, they represent not only scientific geological heritage to be preserved but also a significant tourism resource for the geopark territory. This is confirmed by the great success of geotouristic and geoeducational initiatives developed in the park over the last ten years, and by the growing involvement of the local communities, institutions, entrepreneurial activities, as well as environmental, sports, and cultural associations. These results highlight some important aspects for the management of geological heritage and associated values within a geopark. Full article

(1) Background: The neighborhood environment has been shown to be an essential factor affecting residents’ quality of life and health, but the relationship between the characteristics of health service facilities and health levels is rarely known. (2) Methods: This study used a representative sample (n = 591, 303 women; 288 men, age 18–85 years, lived in Chengdu for an extensive time) of residents living in Chengdu City, China, and took spatial point data and empirical research data to construct an ordered logistic regression model. We contrastively analyzed the influence of different variables in the neighborhood environment and health service facilities on self-rated physical health (SRPH) and self-rated mental health (SRMH). (3) Results: The frequency of use and accessibility of multiple facilities in the health service facilities were significantly associated with self-rated health (SRH). Significant differences occurred between residents’ perceived accessibility and actual accessibility of facilities in SRH. Comparing the results of SRPH and SRMH revealed that the influencing factors that affect the two vary. The factors that significantly affect SRMH include neighborhood physical environment evaluation; social environmental evaluation; the frequency of use of the parks and squares, and sports zones; and the accessibility of parks and squares, specialized hospitals, community hospitals, and pharmacies. However, the factors that significantly affect SRPH include the frequency of use of sports venues, general hospitals, and pharmacies and the accessibility of general hospitals. The social environment of the neighborhood is also a non-negligible part, and its interaction with the physical environment of the neighborhood affects the outcome of SRH. (4) Conclusions: Neighborhood environmental characteristics and the layout of health service facilities have significant differential effects on people’s physical and psychological health, and this information is of great value in promoting healthy city development and improving the quality of life of urban populations around the world. Full article

(1) Background: The Taipei Dome Complex is a composite park with a baseball dome, a shopping mall, restaurants, cinemas, and an office building. Sustainable cities and communities is one of the Sustainable Development Goals of the United Nations. Since it constitutes urban infrastructure, the sports park’s disaster risk management must be discussed. (2) Methods: This study focused on equipment safety, traffic, staffing, potential public risks, security management, and disaster events using an analytic hierarchy process (AHP) to determine the emergency risk factors. (3) Results: The top 14 risk factors for the Taipei Dome Complex’s tolerable risk probability account for almost 70% reliability (a moderate safety); they include insufficient fire facilities, fire, terrorist attack, earthquake, unclear escape or fire facilities signage, shortcomings in evacuation guidance, insufficient police resources, insufficient firefighting resources, MRT emergency, shortcomings in a moving line, hypoxia, insufficient medical personnel, a lack of staff training, and insufficient broadcast facilities. (4) Conclusions: Among the top 14 risk factors, security management ranks first, with a ratio of 80% (4/5), disaster events rank second, with a ratio of 75% (3/4), and staffing ranks third, with a ratio of 60% (3/5). Full article

Urban green spaces provide multiple ecosystem services to improve human health and well-being. Cultural ecosystem services (CES) are recognized as the most important services for urban residents through the key of social interaction. Researchers commonly acknowledge the function of community sports parks to enhance social interaction. Nevertheless, existing studies generally do not pay enough attention to the influence mechanisms of community sports parks and social interaction, especially the different types of spaces in community sports parks, which could be due to the complex feature of social interaction. This paper selects three community sports parks in Chongqing as the case study, uses BBN to identify the influence mechanisms of three common types of spaces (fitness equipment space, path space, and sports court space) in community sports parks and social interaction, aiming to explore how community sports parks enhance social interaction. The results indicated that sports court space such as basketball court and badminton court enhanced social interaction best; however, the spaces farther away from the park entrances were generally less effective in enhancing interaction. All these three types of sports spaces showed the influence mechanism of “Spatial Factors-Activity Type-Social Interaction”, while differences existed in the specific spatial influencing factors. The findings highlight that based on the BBN obtained in this study, the threshold range of spatial factors could be adjusted to enhance the effect of community sports parks on social interaction. Full article

Road traffic congestion is a common problem in most large cities, and exploring the root causes is essential to alleviate traffic congestion. Travel behavior is closely related to the built environment, and affects road travel speed. This paper investigated the direct effect of built environment on the average travel speed of road traffic. Taxi trajectories were divided into 30 min time slot (48 time slots throughout the day) and matched to the road network to obtain the average travel speed of road segments. The Points of Interest (POIs) in the buffer zone on both sides of the road segment were used to calculate the built environment indicators corresponding to the road segment, and then a spatial panel data model was proposed to assess the influence of the built environment adjacent to the road segment on the average travel speed of the road segment. The results demonstrated that the bus stop density, healthcare service density, sports and leisure service density, and parking entrance and exit density are the key factors that positively affect the average road travel speed. The residential community density and business building density are the key factors that negatively affect the average travel speed. Built environments have spatial correlation and spatial heterogeneity in their influence on the average travel speed of road segments. Findings of this study may provide useful insights for understanding the correlation between road travel speed and built environment, which would have important implications for urban planning and governance, traffic demand forecasting and traffic system optimization. Full article

Urban community parks are closely related to the health of residents, and have a positive effect on residents’ perception of nature, alleviating anxiety, and promoting physical health. Many previous studies have examined the impact of community parks on the health of the population, but few studies have investigated the potential of specific landscape elements in community parks to restore physical health. We conducted psychological questionnaires with 440 users of community parks in Shanghai through on-site surveys. Based on the psychological questionnaire, a structural equation model of the relationship between the community park landscape environment and users’ feelings was established. The model indicated that the natural environment, activity environment, and rest environment in the community park had positive effects on the physical, mental, and social health of users. At the same time, we recruited 50 participants to conduct laboratory experiments examining physiological changes while participants viewed different types of scene photographs showing the same landscape element. By measuring physiological indicators, including skin conductivity and heart rate, we sought to identify the types of landscape elements that help relieve the stress of users. The results revealed that flower clusters and waterscapes in the natural environment landscape, plastic fitness trails and fitness equipment places in the sports area, landscape elements such as benches with backrests, Chinese style pavilions, and green corridors with plants in the rest space, played positive roles in alleviating feelings of pressure and promoting relaxation among community park users. Based on these findings, we propose specific design strategies to improve the landscape health of community parks. Full article

Physical activity is essential for children’s healthy development, yet COVID-19 physical distancing restrictions such as school closures and staying at home, playground closures, and the cancelling of organised community sport have dramatically altered children’s opportunities to be physically active. This study describes changes in levels of physical activity and screen time from February 2020 (i.e., before COVID-19 restrictions were introduced in Western Australia) to May 2020 (i.e., when COVID-19 restrictions were in place). Parents of children aged 5 to 9 years from Western Australia were eligible to participate and recruited through convenience sampling. An online survey instrument that included validated measures of their children’s physical activity (unstructured, organized, home-based, indoor/outdoor active play, dog play/walking), sociodemographic, and other potential confounders was administered to parents. Paired t-tests and mixed ANOVA models assessed changes in physical activity outcomes. The analytic sample comprised parents of 157 children who were 6.9 years of age (SD = 1.7) on average. Overall, weekly minutes of total physical activity (PA) did not change from before to during COVID-19. However, frequency and duration (total and home-based) of unstructured physical activity significantly increased. Outdoor play in the yard or street around the house, outdoor play in the park or playground or outdoor recreation area, and active indoor play at home all significantly increased. Frequency and total duration of organised physical activity significantly declined during COVID-19 distancing. During Western Australian COVID-19 restrictions, there was an increase in young children’s unstructured physical activity and outdoor play and a decrease in organised physical activity. It remains to be seen whether children’s increased physical activity has been sustained with the easing of physical distancing restrictions. Full article