MODEL FOR ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC SPACE QUALITY IN TOWN CENTERS

Journal Title: European Spatial Research and Policy - Year 2016, Vol 23, Issue 1

Abstract

Public space is an important element of urban structure, playing various spatial, social and economic roles in towns/cities. Its quality influences the quality of life of the inhabitants and the attractiveness of the town as a whole. Public space located in town center is the most representative of its identity and image, and also serves multiple functions and activities. The quality of urban space depends on different factors, which have been discussed in professional literature for the last few decades. The author of this paper developed a model for assessment of the quality of public space in town centers based on studies of methods already used in Poland and abroad, and the analysis of trends and ideas which should be taken into consideration while constructing a set of criteria for assessment methods. The main goal of this paper is to present the methodology of research on the quality of public space in town centers using this model. An important element of the model is the proposed method of delimiting the research area – the town center – based on identification of key public space of a town. The model comprises three methods, which can provide valuable information on the quality of public space, and also serve as a basis for constructing ratings of towns in each of these methods and the model as a whole. The research conducted using this model in chosen medium-sized towns of the Łódź region showed that the results of ratings obtained using particular methods and the whole model coincide with subjective opinions on public space in town centers given by its users and professionals evaluating it.

Authors and Affiliations

Anna Wojnarowska

Keywords

Related Articles

Level of Social Participation in the Creation of Urban Regeneration Programmes – The Case Study of Small Towns in Poland

Social participation enables citizens to take part in the decision-making process. It is an increasingly popular instrument in Poland. The effectiveness of participation is the most important issue in this context. In ac...

ECONOMIC GROWTH, INEQUALITIES AND POVERTY IN SLOVAKIA FROM 2005 TO 2015 (THE ANALYSIS OF RELATIONS AND CONTEXTS AT A REGIONAL LEVEL)

Poverty rate is influenced by numerous factors. The determining ones are economic growth and the distribution of its effects. This article is therefore focused on the analysis of these effects and their relationship, as...

LANDSCAPE HERITAGE PROTECTION AND PERCEPTION IN URBAN FRINGE AREA: THE CASE OF THE SOUTHERN PART OF WARSAW

The inhabitants and local governments may treat landscape heritage resources as a cumbersome legacy, which disrupts development, or may see its potential, which may serve as the cornerstone for building a sense of local...

WHY DO SKILLED PEOPLE MIGRATE TO CITIES? A SPATIAL ECONOMETRIC ANALYSIS FOR UNDERSTANDING THE IMPACT OF THE SOCIAL ENVIRONMENT ON THE ATTRACTION OF HUMAN CAPITAL TO CITIES IN TURKEY

The main focus of this study is on understanding the importance of social dynamics of cities for attracting human capital to urban regions. The principal research question of the article is “if there is a spatial depende...

LOCAL DISORDER AND THE SUCCESS OF FIRMS IN RESIDENTIAL NEIGHBOURHOODS

According to economic geography literature, the success of firms is affected by the local context, in particular when firms are socio-spatially embedded. We expect this effect to be stronger when firms face an increase i...

Download PDF file
  • EP ID EP554596
  • DOI 10.1515/esrp-2016-0005
  • Views 27
  • Downloads 0

How To Cite

Anna Wojnarowska (2016). MODEL FOR ASSESSMENT OF PUBLIC SPACE QUALITY IN TOWN CENTERS. European Spatial Research and Policy, 23(1), 81-109. https://europub.co.uk/articles/-A-554596