IDEAS home Printed from https://ideas.repec.org/a/gam/jijerp/v19y2022i22p15018-d972957.html
   My bibliography  Save this article

Urban Blue Spaces as Therapeutic Landscapes: “A Slice of Nature in the City”

Author

Listed:
  • Niamh Smith

    (School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK)

  • Ronan Foley

    (Department of Geography, Maynooth University, W23 HW31 Kildare, Ireland)

  • Michail Georgiou

    (School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK)

  • Zoë Tieges

    (School of Computing, Engineering and Built Environment, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK)

  • Sebastien Chastin

    (School of Health and Life Sciences, Glasgow Caledonian University, Glasgow G4 0BA, UK
    Department of Movement and Sports, Ghent University, Watersportlaan 2, 9000 Ghent, Belgium)

Abstract

Urban blue spaces are defined as all natural and manmade surface water in urban environments. This paper draws on how the concepts of experienced, symbolic, social, and activity space combine to position urban blue spaces as therapeutic landscapes. We conducted 203 intercept interviews between 12 October 2019 and 10 November 2019. Although safety concerns had health-limiting impacts, interacting with the Glasgow Canal and surrounding landscape was predominantly perceived as health-enhancing. Our findings build on current evidence, which has suggested that urban blue spaces, particularly canals, may foster therapeutic properties, contributing to healthier city environments. Further research is required to understand better the interconnectedness of urban blue spaces and health and how such spaces can be best developed and managed to improve the health outcomes of local populations.

Suggested Citation

  • Niamh Smith & Ronan Foley & Michail Georgiou & Zoë Tieges & Sebastien Chastin, 2022. "Urban Blue Spaces as Therapeutic Landscapes: “A Slice of Nature in the City”," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-20, November.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:15018-:d:972957
    as

    Download full text from publisher

    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/22/15018/pdf
    Download Restriction: no
    File URL: https://www.mdpi.com/1660-4601/19/22/15018/
    Download Restriction: no
    ---><---

    References listed on IDEAS

    as
    1. Michail Georgiou & Gordon Morison & Niamh Smith & Zoë Tieges & Sebastien Chastin, 2021. "Mechanisms of Impact of Blue Spaces on Human Health: A Systematic Literature Review and Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(5), pages 1-41, March.
    2. Liz O’Brien & Jack Forster, 2021. "Physical Activity Supporting Connection to Nature, and Helping to Maintain Wellbeing during the Covid-19 Restrictions in England," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(9), pages 1-13, April.
    3. Katrina Smith Korfmacher & Katia Aviles & B.J. Cummings & William Daniell & Jared Erdmann & Valerie Garrison, 2014. "Health Impact Assessment of Urban Waterway Decisions," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 12(1), pages 1-22, December.
    4. Benjamin Saunders & Julius Sim & Tom Kingstone & Shula Baker & Jackie Waterfield & Bernadette Bartlam & Heather Burroughs & Clare Jinks, 2018. "Saturation in qualitative research: exploring its conceptualization and operationalization," Quality & Quantity: International Journal of Methodology, Springer, vol. 52(4), pages 1893-1907, July.
    5. Elias Giannakis & Adriana Bruggeman & Dimitra Poulou & Christos Zoumides & Marinos Eliades, 2016. "Linear Parks along Urban Rivers: Perceptions of Thermal Comfort and Climate Change Adaptation in Cyprus," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 8(10), pages 1-16, October.
    6. Plane, Jocelyn & Klodawsky, Fran, 2013. "Neighbourhood amenities and health: Examining the significance of a local park," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 99(C), pages 1-8.
    7. Gesler, Wilbert M., 1992. "Therapeutic landscapes: Medical issues in light of the new cultural geography," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 34(7), pages 735-746, April.
    8. Bell, Sarah L. & Foley, Ronan & Houghton, Frank & Maddrell, Avril & Williams, Allison M., 2018. "From therapeutic landscapes to healthy spaces, places and practices: A scoping review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 123-130.
    9. Jenny Veitch & Elliott Flowers & Kylie Ball & Benedicte Deforche & Anna Timperio, 2020. "Exploring Children’s Views on Important Park Features: A Qualitative Study Using Walk-Along Interviews," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 17(13), pages 1-14, June.
    10. Amirafshar Vaeztavakoli & Azadeh Lak & Tan Yigitcanlar, 2018. "Blue and Green Spaces as Therapeutic Landscapes: Health Effects of Urban Water Canal Areas of Isfahan," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 10(11), pages 1-20, November.
    Full references (including those not matched with items on IDEAS)

    Most related items

    These are the items that most often cite the same works as this one and are cited by the same works as this one.
    1. Mossabir, Rahena & Milligan, Christine & Froggatt, Katherine, 2021. "Therapeutic landscape experiences of everyday geographies within the wider community: A scoping review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 279(C).
    2. Xindi Zhang & Yixin Zhang & Jun Zhai & Yongfa Wu & Anyuan Mao, 2021. "Waterscapes for Promoting Mental Health in the General Population," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(22), pages 1-15, November.
    3. Liamputtong, Pranee & Suwankhong, Dusanee, 2015. "Therapeutic landscapes and living with breast cancer: The lived experiences of Thai women," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 128(C), pages 263-271.
    4. Scott, Darius, 2022. "Uncaring landscapes and HIV peer support in the rural Southern United States," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 292(C).
    5. Proudfoot, Jesse, 2019. "Traumatic landscapes: Two geographies of addiction," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 228(C), pages 194-201.
    6. Buckley, Ralf & Westaway, Diane, 2020. "Mental health rescue effects of women's outdoor tourism: A role in COVID-19 recovery," Annals of Tourism Research, Elsevier, vol. 85(C).
    7. Krista Schroeder & Levent Dumenci & David B. Sarwer & Jennie G. Noll & Kevin A. Henry & Shakira F. Suglia & Christine M. Forke & David C. Wheeler, 2022. "The Intersection of Neighborhood Environment and Adverse Childhood Experiences: Methods for Creation of a Neighborhood ACEs Index," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(13), pages 1-19, June.
    8. Coveney, Catherine & Faulkner, Alex & Gabe, Jonathan & McNamee, Michael, 2020. "Beyond the orthodox/CAM dichotomy: Exploring therapeutic decision making, reasoning and practice in the therapeutic landscapes of elite sports medicine," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 251(C).
    9. Lydia Oeljeklaus & Hannah-Lea Schmid & Zachary Kornfeld & Claudia Hornberg & Christine Norra & Stefan Zerbe & Timothy McCall, 2022. "Therapeutic Landscapes and Psychiatric Care Facilities: A Qualitative Meta-Analysis," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(3), pages 1-25, January.
    10. Trnka, Susanna, 2021. "Multi-sited therapeutic assemblages: Virtual and real-life emplacement of youth mental health support," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 278(C).
    11. Atuoye, Kilian Nasung & Luginaah, Isaac & Hambati, Herbert & Campbell, Gwyn, 2019. "Politics, economics, how about our health? Impacts of large-scale land acquisitions on therapeutic spaces and wellbeing in coastal Tanzania," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 220(C), pages 283-291.
    12. Bell, Sarah L. & Foley, Ronan & Houghton, Frank & Maddrell, Avril & Williams, Allison M., 2018. "From therapeutic landscapes to healthy spaces, places and practices: A scoping review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 196(C), pages 123-130.
    13. Taheri, Shima & Ghasemi Sichani, Maryam & Shabani, Amirhosein, 2021. "Evaluating the literature of therapeutic landscapes with an emphasis on the search for the dimensions of health: A systematic review," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 275(C).
    14. Park, Hyanggi, 2022. "Can imaginary mobilities be conducive to mental health?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 314(C).
    15. Rosenbaum, Mark S. & Friman, Margareta & Ramirez, Germán Contreras & Otterbring, Tobias, 2020. "Therapeutic servicescapes: Restorative and relational resources in service settings," Journal of Retailing and Consumer Services, Elsevier, vol. 55(C).
    16. Power, Andrew & Bell, Sarah L. & Kyle, Richard G. & Andrews, Gavin J., 2019. "‘Hopeful adaptation’ in health geographies: Seeking health and wellbeing in times of adversity," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 231(C), pages 1-5.
    17. Kaley, Alexandra & Hatton, Chris & Milligan, Christine, 2019. "Therapeutic spaces of care farming: Transformative or ameliorating?," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 227(C), pages 10-20.
    18. Havlick, David G. & Cerveny, Lee K. & Derrien, Monika M., 2021. "Therapeutic landscapes, outdoor programs for veterans, and public lands," Social Science & Medicine, Elsevier, vol. 268(C).
    19. Jennifer Tartaglia & Michelle McIntosh & Jonine Jancey & Jane Scott & Andrea Begley, 2021. "Exploring Feeding Practices and Food Literacy in Parents with Young Children from Disadvantaged Areas," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(4), pages 1-18, February.
    20. Najwa Taghy & Linda Cambon & Caroline Boulliat & Olivier Aromatario & Claude Dussart, 2021. "Exploring the Determinants of Polypharmacy Prescribing and Dispensing Behaviours in Primary Care for the Elderly—Protocol for a Qualitative Study," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-10, July.

    Corrections

    All material on this site has been provided by the respective publishers and authors. You can help correct errors and omissions. When requesting a correction, please mention this item's handle: RePEc:gam:jijerp:v:19:y:2022:i:22:p:15018-:d:972957. See general information about how to correct material in RePEc.

    If you have authored this item and are not yet registered with RePEc, we encourage you to do it here. This allows to link your profile to this item. It also allows you to accept potential citations to this item that we are uncertain about.

    If CitEc recognized a bibliographic reference but did not link an item in RePEc to it, you can help with this form .

    If you know of missing items citing this one, you can help us creating those links by adding the relevant references in the same way as above, for each refering item. If you are a registered author of this item, you may also want to check the "citations" tab in your RePEc Author Service profile, as there may be some citations waiting for confirmation.

    For technical questions regarding this item, or to correct its authors, title, abstract, bibliographic or download information, contact: MDPI Indexing Manager (email available below). General contact details of provider: https://www.mdpi.com .

    Please note that corrections may take a couple of weeks to filter through the various RePEc services.

    IDEAS is a RePEc service. RePEc uses bibliographic data supplied by the respective publishers.