Designing Urban Green Space (UGS) to Enhance Health: A Methodology

Esther J. Veen, E. Dinand Ekkel, Milan R. Hansma and Anke G. M. de Vrieze
Additional contact information
Esther J. Veen: Department of Social Sciences, Rural Sociology, Wageningen University and Research, Hollandseweg 1, 6706KN Wageningen, The Netherlands
E. Dinand Ekkel: Aeres University of Applied Science, Stadhuisstraat 18, 1315HC Almere, The Netherlands
Milan R. Hansma: Aeres University of Applied Science, Stadhuisstraat 18, 1315HC Almere, The Netherlands
Anke G. M. de Vrieze: Department of Social Sciences, Rural Sociology, Wageningen University and Research, Hollandseweg 1, 6706KN Wageningen, The Netherlands

IJERPH, 2020, vol. 17, issue 14, 1-17

Abstract: Policymakers and urban designers strive to implement the increasing evidence about the positive association between urban green space (UGS) and health in policy. In Almere, The Netherlands, the Regenboogbuurt (“Rainbow Quarter”) neighbourhood is currently being revitalized. The research team was asked to deliver design principles for the improvement of UGS in this neighbourhood to benefit the health of its residents. However, robust studies that demonstrate what UGS criteria offer what particular benefit for what target group are scarce. This paper contributes to the need for more evidence-based UGS design by presenting the approach we used to develop UGS design principles for Regenboogbuurt. Demographic information, health statistics, residents’ opinions, and data about the current use of UGS were analysed to choose target groups and to formulate health benefit goals. We also developed a model for assessing the health benefits of UGS. For two age groups (those aged 10–24 and 40–60), stimulating physical health and social cohesion, respectively, were determined to be the goals of improving UGS. UGS design principles were then assessed based on the existing literature. These principles will be taken into account when this area is revitalized in 2021. Thus, there will be an opportunity to measure whether these design principles did indeed contribute to residents’ health.

Keywords: urban green space; health benefits; urban design; evidence-based design (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: I I1 I3 Q Q5 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2020
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (7)

Downloads: (external link)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/14/5205/pdf (application/pdf)
https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/17/14/5205/ (text/html)

Related works:
This item may be available elsewhere in EconPapers: Search for items with the same title.

Export reference: BibTeX RIS (EndNote, ProCite, RefMan) HTML/Text

Persistent link: https://EconPapers.repec.org/RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:17:y:2020:i:14:p:5205-:d:386558

Access Statistics for this article

IJERPH is currently edited by Ms. Jenna Liu

More articles in IJERPH from MDPI
Bibliographic data for series maintained by MDPI Indexing Manager ().