Open urban green spaces. The case of playgrounds
The city is a remarkable creation in which social structure combines with natural and artificial features. Buildings, the environment and open spaces interact and work together in both a complimentary and competitive way. Human relations and social structures, as well as quality of life, can be found in the urban environment. This kind of environment is a complex network of natural, physical, social, cultural and other variables and the connection we have for it isn’t only spatial or social but equally socio-spatial. Public open spaces are a part of this organic whole we call the city, and are the places in which the various groups and communities live, work and play. These places have a structural connection with urban life. They are organic civil elements and create an urban tissue which includes places of motion and standpoints with no clear distinction between them. At the same time they are areas where physical activities can take place within the limits of the natural environment. Depending on their organization and structure, they can create feelings of safety or unsafety, pleasure or dislike. Depending on their location and connection with other urban spaces and places, they excite interest, attract or repulse the viewer, they may or may not be accessible and they are possibly part of a system of districts and nodes that people need to remember. They also constitute places of collective public activity and communication; places that offer opportunities for social contact, meetings and developing friendships. A special category of open spaces in the city are play areas for children-usually called playgrounds. Because of their specialized function, namely to be used by children, the designs tend to be very variable ranging from the simple natural environment to totally artificial constructions. Playgrounds are a very interesting field of research because they offer quality in urban life in two ways. First of all, they can become excellent places and green areas which are very useful in urban life –from a bioclimatic, aesthetic and economic point of view and secondly, they offer the opportunity for children who live in cities to play in a natural environment and learn a lot about nature. This is very important because socializing and playing in this type of places enhances the emotional well-being and intellectual development of these children. |
28/02/2007 |
