Design proposal development for a more liveable open public space

Abstract

As a vital element of successful cities, public spaces play an important role in achieving sustainable development goals. The New urban agenda considers public spaces as a need in sustaining the productivity of cities, eco-social cohesion and inclusion, civic identity, and quality of urban life. This is also in line with the New European Bauhaus, as a part of European Green Deal, need to create beautiful places, practices and experiences that are enriching, sustainable and inclusive. In accordance with that there is undoubted importance of the public spaces, while its quality is generated in the symbiosis of various elements. On the basis of normative theories in urban design, SCORELINE framework for public space quality evaluation was developed and tested at the research group for planning and design in landscape architecture at the University of Belgrade - Faculty of Forestry. The framework covers six criteria which illuminate key aspects of public spaces such as safety and security, convenience, legibility, comfort, inspiration and sensitivity and liveability. For the purpose of this research, special attention is given to the criteria of liveability. It will be presented through its quantitative and qualitative indicators and its application in practice that cover the investigation carried out on Cara Urosa Street within the Lower Dorcol quarter in Belgrade, Serbia. The results of this analysis defined the inputs for street renewal design proposal, that was additionally tested using Space Syntax method, precisely Depthmap X simulation software to map potential issues and potentials that will be developed through design in order to achieve the defined goals concerning the liveability of open public space.