Designing Age-Friendly Paved Open Spaces: Key Green Infrastructure Features for Promoting Seniors’ Physical Activity

Wei Dong, Shuangyu Zhang (), Jiayi Lin, Yue Wang, Xingyue Xue and Guangkui Wang
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Wei Dong: School of Design, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an 710021, China
Shuangyu Zhang: School of Arts and Design, Xi’an University, Xi’an 710065, China
Jiayi Lin: College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Henan Agricultural University, Zhengzhou 450002, China
Yue Wang: School of Design, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an 710021, China
Xingyue Xue: College of Landscape Architecture and Art, Northwest A&F University, Yangling 712100, China
Guangkui Wang: School of Design, Xi’an Technological University, Xi’an 710021, China

Land, 2025, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-27

Abstract: Urban parks, key components of green infrastructure (GI), offer paved open spaces that significantly impact physical activity (PA) among older adults. However, the environmental features of these spaces and their effects on PA remain underexplored. Existing studies often overlook factors like spatial configuration, planar morphology, and bag storage facilities, and lack a systematic analytical framework. Many also rely on simplistic PA measurements and struggle with multicollinearity in data analysis. This study addresses these gaps by proposing a comprehensive framework examining four environmental dimensions: spatial configuration, planar morphology, facility provision, and visual greenery. Using GPS-tracked mobility data, behavioral audits, and multicollinearity-robust Partial Least Squares (PLS) regression, we analyze the impact of these features on PA. Results show that functional elements—higher spatial integration (VIP = 1.04), larger activity areas (VIP = 1.82), sufficient bag storage (VIP = 1.64), outdoor fitness equipment (VIP = 1.30), and diverse greenery (VIP = 1.23)—significantly enhance PA. In contrast, factors like floral diversity (VIP = 0.67), water visibility (VIP = 0.48), and shape complexity (VIP = 0.16) have minimal effects. This study provides theoretical insights and practical strategies for retrofitting paved park spaces, contributing to age-friendly urban GI.

Keywords: green infrastructure; physical activity; paved open spaces; environmental features; GPS; space syntax (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: Q15 Q2 Q24 Q28 Q5 R14 R52 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2025
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