Outdoor Space Quality Mapping by Combining Accessibility, Openness, and Microclimate: A Case Study in a Neighborhood Park in Shanghai, China

Cong Tao, Jiaxin Li, Dao Zhou, Jiamin Sun, Di Peng and Dayi Lai
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Cong Tao: Department of Architecture, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Jiaxin Li: Department of Architecture, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Dao Zhou: Department of Architecture, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Jiamin Sun: Department of Architecture, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Di Peng: Department of Architecture, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China
Dayi Lai: Department of Architecture, School of Design, Shanghai Jiao Tong University, Shanghai 200240, China

Sustainability, 2022, vol. 14, issue 6, 1-16

Abstract: The vitality of outdoor space is largely determined by its quality, which encompasses many factors such as traffic accessibility, openness, microclimate, etc. Creating space with high quality can attract more visitors and contribute to urban vitality and sustainability. Visualization of quality distribution can aid the design and management of high-quality outdoor spaces. In this study, we developed a method for generating an integrated outdoor space quality map by normalizing, weighting, and summing up the traffic accessibility, openness, and microclimate distributions in the space. Field surveys were conducted on a neighborhood park in Shanghai, China, to obtain data to determine the relative importance of the studied factors. Integrated mapping was then performed on the park as a case study. As for accessibility, since the park only has one entrance, the metric step distance (MSD) increased with the distance from that entrance, indicating poor accessibility. The high openness found in the central areas of the park indicate that people may easily notice the central spaces and conduct activities there. The microclimate map denoted by physiologically equivalent temperature (PET) shows that in winter in Shanghai, the distribution of heat stress is mainly dominated by solar radiation. By integrating the distributions of accessibility, openness, and microclimate, we found that some spaces had better space quality than others. Based on the comprehensive map, we proposed a series of design strategies. The method developed in this study provides a quantitative tool to design outdoor spaces with high quality.

Keywords: outdoor space quality; space syntax; microclimate; traffic accessibility; openness (search for similar items in EconPapers)
JEL-codes: O13 Q Q0 Q2 Q3 Q5 Q56 (search for similar items in EconPapers)
Date: 2022
References: View references in EconPapers View complete reference list from CitEc
Citations: View citations in EconPapers (2)

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