COURSE:- LANDSCAPE DESIGN AND ENVIRONMENTAL PLANNING
Lecture-5
By Gifty Mathewos
Outline
1. Define Open Space?
2. Different types of open spaces
3. Its function and use
4. Benefits and values of having open spaces
5. Public park as open space
Session Objective
1. Define and discuss types of open space
2. Understand the implication of open space design
3. Function of open space
Open Space
Definition
Land or open surface open to sky;
Surface not covered by impermeable surface.
Characteristics
Relatively free from development
Vegetated to provide visual contrast to manmade
environment
It is much more than a leftover category of land
Open Space
What it is?
Physically, open space is described as-
Land not intensively developed for residential,
commercial, industrial and institutional uses.
Public or privately held land.
Agricultural lands and forests.
Undeveloped shorelines and scenic lands
Public parks and preserves
Water bodies, wetlands, streams, floodplains
Open Space
Open spaces contains one or more of the followings:
Rural Landscape
Ecological and environmentally sensitive areas
Recreation areas
Trails
Types of Open Space
Utility Open space
General Open space
Corridor Open space
Multi use Open space
Types of Open Space
Utility Open space
I. Resource Lands: for production and extraction, eg.
Forest, grazing areas, lakes and rivers for water supply
II. Urban Utility Space: Dam site, reservoir, land fills, waste
disposal area and treatment facilities.
III. Flood control and drainage: flood plain, flood banks,
watershed, drainage ways etc.
IV. Reserves and Preserves: forest area for wildlife, lands for
future expansion.
Types of Open Space
General Open space
I. Protected areas: Controlled for development, Coastline and
shore areas.
II. Natural parks: National park, city park etc.
III. Urban parks: Zoo, botanical garden, urban forest, water
bodies and etc.
IV. Recreational areas: play grounds, swimming pools and etc.
V. Urban development Open spaces: Green belts, setbacks,
open space around building.
Types of Open Space
Corridor Open space- Right of way spaces of highway,
streets etc.
Multi-use Open spaces- Campuses, private clubs with
recreational facilities, cemeteries and garden areas etc.
Function of Open Space
Adequate open space is vital for proper functioning of urban
system.
Functions
To give structure, shape and form to the city.
To provide space needed for recreation, preserve value,
protect watershed, aquifers, natural habitats
Benefits of Open Space
A. Social benefits
Interaction between man and nature, enjoyment,
recreation etc.
B. Aesthetic benefits
To preserve natural beauty, improve ugliness, buffering
unpleasant view and distributing spaces, visual relief
from manmade cityscapes.
C. Psychological
Maintain emotional well being
Benefits of Open Space
D. Economic benefits
Spatial improvement are linked to cities economic future
through development.
E. Structuring development
Buffer between conflicting land use
F. Ecological process
Adequate amount of carefully located spaces are
necessary for improved management and use of our
essential natural resources, air and water.
How can we preserve open spaces
Situation
Open spaces are competing with urban growth and are
on the losing ends.
Perception that open spaces like public parks do not
produce economic benefits.
Left over space serving us solid waste dumping site.
Le Corbusier, Pioneer Architect Planner: Planned City by taking Human Figure
Head as Government
Lung as : Open/Green spaces
Heart as: City center and CBD
Arteries (Blood Circulatory system) as Road and transport
Limbs as: Services
Viscera as: Manufacturing
“Our current problems cannot be solved with the same
level of thinking which created them.”
Albert Einstein
If you can’t fly, then run, If you can’t run, then walk, If
you can’t walk, then crawl, But whatever you do, You
have to keep moving forward.
Martin Luther King Jr.
Designing Open Spaces With Different Design Language
Guidelines of open space design are,
1. Be meaningful to place and community
2. Be multi-functional and adaptable
3. Provide diversity
4. Encourage social interaction
5. Promote health and wellbeing
6. Provide equity and accessibility
7. Embody environmental sustainability
8. Ensure financial sustainability
Public Open space
Open Space is more than just parks it is an integral
element of the landscape and an essential part of the
communities.
It is a complex system that encompasses a wide range of
functions and participants.
"Open Space" are used:
for the preservation of natural resources;
for the managed production of resources;
for outdoor recreation;
for public health and safety;
and for community character.
Public open spaces should provide opportunity for informal
physical activity for children, especially within residential areas
where private gardens are small or non-existent.
Greenway
Greenways tie park components together to form a
cohesive park, recreation and opens space system.
Within a natural environment, they allow for
uninterrupted and safe pedestrian movement between
parks throughout the community,
Provide people with a resource based outdoor recreational
opportunity and experience, and can enhance property
values.
Appropriate Uses:
Activities such as: hiking, walking, jogging, bicycling,
in‐line skating, horseback riding, canoeing, boulevards
and parkways that accommodate automobiles
Nature Park
Nature parks are lands set aside primarily for
the preservation of significant natural resources
remnant landscapes,
open space,
visual aesthetics
and buffering, or for wildlife protection.
Nature Park
Appropriate Uses: Passive activities and facilities that
minimize disturbance on the natural setting, such as: nature
center, areas of nature interpretation, wildlife viewing.
USEABLE OPEN SPACE
Green space
Green spaces are small parcels of preserved open space including
street medians and streetscapes that increase the perception.
The location of the green space would be opportunity based with
access from interconnecting trails, sidewalks, or low‐volume
residential streets.
Appropriate Uses: If passive recreation facilities exist, appropriate
examples include: picnic/sitting areas, general open space, and
people watching areas
Detention Area
A detention area is a shared use park with the primary purpose of
managing storm water.
Depending on the circumstances and potential for shared use and
development, the detention area could serve as anything from a green
space to a sports complex.
Location and Access: Depends on its secondary use.
Appropriate Uses: Appropriate recreation facilities depend on the
compatibility with storm water detention requirements and will vary.
Class activity
1. Select open space, define surrounding environment,
look at design elements [landscape design, spatial
design, green design, main activities]
2. What attracts people to visit your selected open space.
3. Re design
Any Questions?
THANK YOU
