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Design Characteristics, Visual Qualities, and Walking Behavior in an Urban Park Setting

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  • Mohammad Paydar

    (Escuela de Arquitectura Temuco, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Artes, Universidad Mayor, Av. Alemania 0281, Temuco 4780000, Chile)

  • Asal Kamani Fard

    (Departamento de Planificación y Ordenamiento Territorial, Facultad de Ciencias de la Construcción y Ordenamiento Territorial, Universidad Tecnológica Metropolitana, Dieciocho 161, Santiago 8330383, Chile)

  • Verónica Gárate Navarrete

    (Escuela de Arquitectura Temuco, Facultad de Ciencias Sociales y Artes, Universidad Mayor, Av. Alemania 0281, Temuco 4780000, Chile)

Abstract

The design characteristics of urban parks’ pathways are important in facilitating leisure walking and maintaining the minimum rate of physical activity, thus improving public health. This study examined and explored the relationships between design characteristics as well as certain visual qualities of Cautin Park, the biggest urban park in the Araucanian Region of Chile, and the tendency for walking as well as walking behavior. A mix of quantitative and qualitative methods was used to examine the objectives. Several design attributes were found to be related to the tendency for walking and the walking behavior in this urban park, including greater pathway width, more vegetation, tranquility along the pathways, and more comfortable pathway environments for pets. Additionally, these correlations were assessed based on gender and age, and it was found that adolescents showed the greatest difference from other groups. For instance, adolescents walk significantly more along pathways with more connectivity to activity zones. Among the visual qualities, only legibility shows a significant correlation with the number of all types of pedestrians, as well as subgroups of adolescents, adult men, and adult women. These results were reviewed, and their implications were discussed. Urban planners and designers could apply these findings when designing future urban parks in this context.

Suggested Citation

  • Mohammad Paydar & Asal Kamani Fard & Verónica Gárate Navarrete, 2023. "Design Characteristics, Visual Qualities, and Walking Behavior in an Urban Park Setting," Land, MDPI, vol. 12(10), pages 1-23, September.
    • Handle: RePEc:gam:jlands:v:12:y:2023:i:10:p:1838-:d:1248076
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    References listed on IDEAS

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    Cited by:

    1. Junqi Chen & Zheng Tao & Wenrui Wu & Ling Wang & Dan Chen, 2024. "Influence of Urban Park Pathway Features on the Density and Intensity of Walking and Running Activities: A Case Study of Shanghai City," Land, MDPI, vol. 13(2), pages 1-25, January.

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