Assessing the Spatial Distribution of Urban Parks

Abstract

The pandemic of COVID-19 has underscored the critical role local parks play in mitigating the stress of extended confinement periods. Throughout the lockdowns, these green spaces have transformed into refuges for community members. Consequently, scholarly focus is shifting toward post-pandemic neighborhood evolution, prioritizing the integration of local parks via efficiently planned pathways, a crucial aspect of contemporary urban discourse. In this landscape, assessing network connectivity gains importance, providing an extensive insight into the efficacy of network designs in facilitating easy park accessibility. For this analysis, we chose 16 specific locations within Abu Dhabi, examining their network designs' efficiency concerning park accessibility. We employed three unique metrics related to distance: Pedestrian Route Directness (PRD), Redundancy Count (RC) - representing the number of excess pathways, and Route Redundancy Index (RI). These sites encapsulate a variety of urban street configurations, and their specific urban features were measured. We juxtaposed the outcomes from our connectivity assessments with these measured urban traits. The analysis revealed that conventional grid-like or semi-grid street designs generally facilitate simpler park access, though they offer fewer alternative pathways. Conversely, complex or disjointed networks, if they maintain adequate intersection frequencies, might provide less direct but more diverse routing options. We also recognized the transformative impact of integrating alleyways into the urban design, effectively morphing various network structures into a grid-like form, thereby improving both route directness and variation. Most locations studied showed acceptable degrees of direct routing towards parks. The existing urban design and policy guidelines, as stipulated by the relevant municipal authorities, tend to outline park accessibility in neighborhoods quite broadly.

Date of Award	22 Dec 2023
Original language	American English
Supervisor	KHALED ALAWADI (Supervisor)