Creating Green Space Sustainability through Low-Budget and Upcycling Strategies

Abstract

Frugality is a core notion of sustainability, and responsible resource management should be prioritized in urban planning and landscape architecture. Low-budget strategies as a deliberate means of creating valuable, attractive, well-used, sociable public spaces are recognized by some influential designers using the "Light, cheap, quick" methodology. Unused spaces, just like objects and waste, can be creatively changed, reinvented with little resource input through a circular solution of upcycling. Case study methodology was predominantly used in the inquiry with three new parks, built after the year 2004, in Faro, Portugal. The study examined how the success rate and the current state of these public green areas correlates with the amount of financial resources invested in each of the projects. The case studies show key aspects in the building of the three spaces including: urban context, management and community participation. The success rate of a place is established based on user activity observations, user counts and questionnaires-conveyed amongst both experts and local residents. Results illustrate how low-budget strategies and limited use of funds and resources can be translated into a successful project of a public greenery. Comparative studies from Warsaw and Berlin further extend the discussion to the concept of upcycling as a sustainable solution for landscape architecture.

Green Infrastructure in the Time of Social Distancing: Urban Policy and the Tactical Pandemic Urbanism

“…Green spaces can be created and programmed with a more flexible approach, allowing spontaneous and bottom-up, tactical use [21]. Green spaces that are lighter in pre-designed function, created with a lowbudget mindset can be seen by both the experts and active users as equally successful and valuable to resource-heavy, expensive designs [86]. This urge to arrange every last bit of each green space is well visible in the amount of new amenities built through participatory budget mechanisms in Warsaw [87].…”

The Usage and Perception of Pedestrian and Cycling Streets on Residents’ Well-being in Kalamaria, Greece

“…To facilitate the mobility of the residents, it is necessary to improve the existing infrastructures of the pedestrian streets and cycling routes. Low-budget strategies, as a deliberate means of creating valuable, attractive, well-used, sociable, public spaces, are sustainable solutions [45]. A number of unused and neglected spaces of often obscure property status, identity, and function can be added to those green public spaces.…”

“…Besides, Two-thirds of the residents in the municipality perceived their own well-being as little satisfied (54.8%, s p = 0.0254) or not at all satisfied (11.2%, s p = 0.0161) with their quality of life in the city. Besides, the combination of the current economic downturn and the decrease of available money for recreational activities have highlighted open green spaces as cost-free alternatives [45].…”

Urban River Recovery Inspired by Nature-Based Solutions and Biophilic Design in Albufeira, Portugal

“…One of the regenerative economy targets is to minimise the use of nonrenewable natural resources [50]. Therefore, in order to ameliorate the quality of city life and make cities attractive, flexible building materials, which last and adapt, and upcycling strategies are solutions for sustainable urban design [51]. One of the most important resources in water and regenerative design should recycle and purify all urban water by introducing new innovative technologies.…”