Urban open space
Open space areas for "parks", "green spaces", and other open areas
From Wikipedia, the free encyclopedia
Urban open space, also known as urban space or simply open space, is a term used in urban planning and law. It is defined as a space left within a building site that can connect to roads and provide public access or rest.[1] Openness means that it must be open to the public for citizens to relax. It's outdoor, not indoor; including vegetation. The definition of open space is sometimes ambiguous,[2] and urban parks, squares, greenways, and highways are all open spaces.[3]
In order to encourage private businesses and land developers to actively create public spaces, some cities have implemented "incentive open space" measures by their governments. Private owners provide public spaces for public use within their private properties in exchange for additional reward capacity. This type of public space is known as privately-owned public privately-owned public space (abbreviated POPS); it can be contrasted with public open space.
Definition
The term 'urban open space' can describe many types of open areas. One definition holds that "as the counterpart of development, urban open space is a natural and cultural resource that is neither 'unused land' nor synonymous with 'parks and recreational areas'." Another definition is that "open space is land and/or water that is open to the sky on the surface, intentionally acquired or publicly regulated to provide opportunities for entertainment, conservation, and urban shaping functions.[4] In many cases, the space referred to by this term is similar to urban green space. However, some urban green spaces, although not publicly owned or supervised, are still considered as urban open spaces.
From another perspective, public spaces are generally defined as gathering places outside of homes and workplaces, typically allowing the public to enter and promoting interaction among residents, as well as providing opportunities for connection and proximity.[5] This definition implies a higher level of community interaction, with a focus on public participation rather than public ownership or management.
The modern concept of "open space" was first defined by the Metropolitan Open Spaces Act 1877 in the United Kingdom, and it is also the earliest legal regulation related to open spaces. The 1906 version of the law defines open space as follows:[6]
The term 'open space' refers to any land on which there are no buildings or the building coverage rate is not more than one twentieth, whether enclosed or not, the whole or the rest of which is used for landscaping or entertainment purposes, or abandoned and unoccupied.
Benefit
The benefits provided by urban open spaces to citizens can be roughly divided into three categories: recreational, ecological, and aesthetic values. The psychological benefits brought by urban open spaces to visitors increase with the increase of biodiversity,[7] indicating that "green" alone is not enough, and the quality of green spaces is equally important.