Projects / Programmes
The role of urban green areas for quality of life
| Code |
Science |
Field |
Subfield |
| 5.08.00 |
Social sciences |
Urbanism |
|
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| S240 |
Social sciences |
Town and country planning |
| Code |
Science |
Field |
| 5.09 |
Social Sciences |
Other social sciences |
urban green spaces, health. quality of life, vulnerable users
Researchers (4)
Organisations (1)
Abstract
This research aims to perform an evaluation of urban green areas from the aspect of users, its main focus being the new residential developments as a part of urban development. Key research problem deals with the quality of life in these areas, measured especially in the context of needs of the most vulnerable users, mainly the elderly and children. Both depend on well accessible green areas in near proximity to their homes in order to achieve a good quality of life. A lack of appropriate accessible open green areas results in spending the majority of time indoors. The indoor air is known to be polluted with several chemicals, nano-particles, microorganisms, electrosmog etc. Spending time indoors should therefore be balanced with the time spent outside. So we are faced with two contradictory facts: the importance of outdoor activities on one side and the new urban planning concepts that enforce urban regeneration which focuses on densification and reuse. Since the main interest of investors is profit, they aim to achieve the maximum amount of sellable built-up space. Their pressure can force planners and designers to interpret the planning guidelines in a way to reduce the amount and the quality of open green spaces to the minimum or eliminate them completely. The problem arises further in cases, where the building permission for a residential area allows compensation with nearby green areas of the wider neighbourhood. Planning policies may allow this for individual cases, however when it becomes a common practice, it can have a devastating effect on the quality of urban life in the long term. Green areas are mainly considered as unnecessary costs with only aesthetical or gardening benefits, which are not persuasive enough reasons to win the battle of interests. This research aims to contribute reasonable and scientifically supported arguments to protect existing and create new green open areas in urban residential areas. The issues addressed in the proposed research are reducing social inequity and exclusion, ensuring equal opportunities in society, the aging of the population and wider demographic issues, health and the environment.
Significance for science
»Quality of living« is not a new topic of research, but the approach is innovative by connecting urban planning and public health to provide an interdisciplinary research framework. The »health related life style« as a focus of interest proved a useful concept from the perspective of both, public health as well as urban planning. The research therefore contributes findings to this relatively new field of research. Social and physical activity, enabled by open space in housing areas is an important determinant of quality of living especially for vulnerable users, such as children and the elderly, who are in the center of attention of many social researchers. Further, the triangulation approach, interrelating three methods of collecting qualitative and quantitative information enables empirical evidence in support of hypothesis. It contributes to evidence based policy making in urban planning and at the same time challenges the prevailing urban development paradigms of densification and inner development
Significance for the country
The posttransition period brought changes in urban development in Slovenia. The newly built housing areas have higher densities and less open space compared to older ones. Although they could be assessed as economically effective and congruent to contemporary urban densification paradigms, the results of this research draw attention to another perspective. The lack of open space in these areas leads to physically and socially less active life style, which is detrimental for quality of life especially for the vulnerable user groups, children and the elderly. Together with the empirical evidence about the low quality of layouts of these areas and its consequences, these findings question the existing urban development policy in Slovenia and call for measures, which would ensure better quality of life for the inhabitants.
Most important scientific results
Annual report
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
Most important socioeconomically and culturally relevant results
Annual report
2012,
final report,
complete report on dLib.si
