The impact of spatial properties on the social functioning of neighborhood Green Public Open Spaces (GPOS) in the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area
Rina Magen
Porter School of the Environment and Earth Science –The Department of Environmental Studies, Tel-Aviv university
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The impact of spatial properties on the social functioning of neighborhood Green Public Open Spaces (GPOS) in the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area
Rina Magen
Porter School of the Environment and Earth Science –The Department of Environmental Studies, Tel-Aviv university
Abstract
Green Public Open Spaces (GPOS) are part of a broad public realm of cities where human co-presence and interaction occur. Considerably, our perceptions of their quality influence how we use and function in GPOS. Some properties of the environment are significant to everyone; among them are spatial characteristics. Some of those characteristics are syntactic- related to the location of the GPOS in the street network, especially their accessibility, and some are more local- related to their spatial configuration and land uses around them
We aimed to understand whether there are differences related to the spatial properties of GPOS that affect their social function. To do so, we divided the GPOS into four multidimensional categories based on the levels of integration on the neighborhood and city scale (reflecting the syntactic properties). Next, we examined the GPOS connectivity, size, shape, and mixed land uses around them (reflecting the local properties). Finally, we conducted observations of 26 GPOS samples in the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area (Israel). We collected data on their social function: the number of users, diversity of ages, gender, activities, and ways of grouping
Differences in the social functions were significantly related to the location of the GPOS in the spatial system. Highly integrated GPOS at the city scale attract more people and have more potential for co-presence. However, high integration, at an overlapping scale, is associated with the presence of adult men walking alone. We found that the best age diversity and leisure activities were in GPOS at the high city and low neighborhood integration. In GPOS, located at low city integration, even those highly integrated at the local movement radius, very few people were observed, and age and gender segregation were high. In these GPOS, the potential for random encounters is low; few people use them
Integrated GPOS at the city scale also benefits from high connectivity at the local level in our research area, improving their accessibility to more people. In the regression model, connectivity and GPOS size were good predictors for the number of people present, and linear GPOS strongly predicted walking. In addition, the regression model could predict the number of people, especially men walking alone. Therefore, our models for seniors, children, women, and leisure activities still need further development
Bio
B.A.: Behavior Science, Management and Economy at Ben-Gurion University
M.A.: Porter School of Environmental Studies, Tel Aviv University. Topic of Research: Relationship between spatial planning, retail activity and movement in the Israeli city- The case of Ashdod and Bat Yam (Supervisors: Prof. Itzhak Omer and Dr. Rofe Yodan)
PhD candidate: Porter School of the Environment and Earth Science –The Department of Environmental Studies, Tel-Aviv university. Topic of Research: The impact of spatial properties on the social functioning of neighborhood Green Public Open Spaces (GPOS) in the Tel-Aviv metropolitan area (Supervisors: Prof. Itzhak Omer and Dr. Rofe Yodan)
Main research interests: Human behavior in an urban environment, Analysis of spatial networks and Space syntax
Alon Shepon
The Department of Environmental Studies
The Porter School of the Environment and Earth Science
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