As cultural diversity continues to increase in U.S. urban centers, and indeed throughout the country, it becomes increasingly important to promote interaction between people of different backgrounds. Many forms of interaction, from simply seeing, to intimate conversation can increase our familiarity and acceptance of cultural differences. In addition, a greater understanding of these differences can lead to communities with a strong sense of togetherness and a vibrancy of local place. As a means of achieving this outcome, this thesis identifies ways in which urban park spaces can promote social interaction between different cultural groups and how these methods can then be used to develop a community gathering place that is welcoming to all. This thesis has developed a unique Social Space Organizational Model based on literature review findings relative to multi-cultural urban park and social space development. The model serves as a foundational framework for the creation of a collection of social spaces that function to accommodate the diverse ways in which different cultural groups use urban park spaces, as well as to provide opportunities for shared experiences that encourage community gathering and interaction between groups. Additionally, the model suggests an interconnectivity of various park spaces that promote a unified social experience throughout the park. Case studies of urban parks designed for use as social gathering places were analyzed against the model. Literature review findings on character qualities associated with social spaces as valued by multiple cultural groups were also explored in the case studies to identify design elements that encourage social interaction and foster positive experiences. Ultimately, these findings led to the creation of a neighborhood social gathering place that is welcoming to many different cultural groups and encouraging of community gathering and togetherness. The design engages multiple community groups by creating a park that is accomodative to a range of needs and uses as valued by different groups. Additionally, the design incorporates a diverse range of social opportunities and experiences that maintain flexibility in their ability to provide for individual as well as community based social experiences. / Master of Landscape Architecture / As cultural diversity continues to increase in U.S. urban centers, and indeed throughout the country, it becomes increasingly important to promote interaction between people of different backgrounds. Many forms of interaction, from simply seeing, to intimate conversation can increase our familiarity and acceptance of cultural differences. In addition, a greater understanding of these differences can lead to communities with a strong sense of togetherness and a vibrancy of local place. As a means of achieving this outcome, this thesis identifies ways in which urban park spaces can promote social interaction between different cultural groups and how these methods can then be used to develop a community gathering place that is welcoming to all. This thesis has developed a unique Social Space Organizational Model based on literature review findings relative to multi-cultural urban park and social space development. The model serves as a foundational framework for the creation of a collection of social spaces that function to accommodate the diverse ways in which different cultural groups use urban park spaces, as well as to provide opportunities for shared experiences that encourage community gathering and interaction between groups. Additionally, the model suggests an interconnectivity of various park spaces that promote a unified social experience throughout the park. Case studies of urban parks designed for use as social gathering places were analyzed against the model. Literature review findings on character qualities associated with social spaces as valued by multiple cultural groups were also explored in the case studies to identify design elements that encourage social interaction and foster positive experiences. Ultimately, these findings led to the creation of a neighborhood social gathering place that is welcoming to many different cultural groups and encouraging of community gathering and togetherness. The design engages multiple community groups by creating a park that is accomodative to a range of needs and uses as valued by different groups. Additionally, the design incorporates a diverse range of social opportunities and experiences that maintain flexibility in their ability to provide for individual as well as community based social experiences.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture, Regional and Community Planning / Jason Brody / The Mid America Regional Council, (MARC) is the official metropolitan planning organization for the Greater Kansas City region. MARC received a 4.25 million dollar grant from the US Department of Housing and Urban Development in 2010 to advance the region’s vision of sustainability through vibrant, green, and connected centers and corridors. From which the CSP (Creating Sustainable Places) initiative was established. Responding to this initiative, eight grant funded Kansas State University students worked in a Rock Island Corridor group. This group showed and described ways of achieving MARC’s and the US Department of Housing and Urban Development’s goals through the development of Master’s Reports. Reports include design ideas and proposals which MARC and city planning departments might not have developed otherwise. Student collaboration between public and city planning departments informed the development of student ideas. Green trail systems and tourism specifically addresses how the quality of life in the Kansas City Metro Area could be enhanced with the implementation of a cultural trail network. This network would provide access to the Rock Island Corridor, create greenspaces, and establish mixed-use housing districts for potential home and business owners. The Greater Kansas City region population is increasing. Trails, parks, and mixed-use buildings for residents in KC could improve the quality of life for future residents. Adding greenspaces, pedestrian mobility, and entertainment districts in which to find region specific activities could help attract people to redeveloping areas. Green trail systems and tourism’s project area is located between the Sprint Center and the Truman Sports Complex. To resolve problems and dilemmas within this region of Kansas City, a routing plan of a cultural trail network is outlined. This cultural trail features new trail heads, cultural centers, and proposed zoning overlays for park developments and mixed-use housing districts. The trail network created connects the Sprint Center and Truman Sports Complex in Kansas City, Missouri as a tourism link. Tourism destinations and historic sites add to the economic success of KC. Sites are connected to in the routing plan for the cultural trail. This proposal shows one approach for creating sustainable centers in KC.

Master of Landscape Architecture / Department of Landscape Architecture/Regional and Community Planning / Mary Catherine (Katie) Kingery-Page / Neighborhood parks can provide a place for children and teens to satisfy their curiosity and learn about nature. Without an open-space policy or regulation from the city, no park was proposed during the development of the neighborhood adjacent to Susan B. Anthony Middle School in Manhattan, Kansas. People have to cross Highway 113 (Sethchild Road) or Kimball Avenue to the closest parks: Marlatt and Cico. However, neither of them is within walking distance for children and teens in this neighborhood. As a result, families have to build private playgrounds in their own backyards. In addition, technological development makes children and teens prefer staying inside playing video games. Neither private playgrounds nor video games provide interaction with nature or social interaction around nature. This project considers how the middle school site, which sits on approximately 40 acres, can be designed as a neighborhood park to allow children and teens to have close nature access and experiential learning opportunities. To better understand what users really need, interviews with teachers and questionnaires for students determined their current and preferred future use of the school site. In addition, neighborhood children, who are not in the middle school, were interviewed about their play preferences. Observations of the school site usage during school time and after were recorded for design purposes. Six precedents were examined to compare and understand what works to connect children and young teens to nature. After analyzing user needs and physical conditions of the site, a neighborhood park design for the site of Susan B. Anthony Middle School was proposed. The proposed design meets both students’ experiential learning needs and the need of neighborhood children and young teens to connect to nature. Because the 40-acre schoolyard is a nationally recommended size for middle schools, this joint-use schoolyard and park concept can be applied cross the country where needed.

Made available in DSpace on 2015-05-14T12:09:23Z (GMT). No. of bitstreams: 1 arquivototal.pdf: 7913479 bytes, checksum: 21446ebd3faf52f23d1b4002918b70d2 (MD5) Previous issue date: 2012-04-30 / Coordenação de Aperfeiçoamento de Pessoal de Nível Superior - CAPES / This study aims to evaluate the quality of vicinity parks and neighborhood parks by obtaining qualitative indices, enabling diagnostics that can support planning activities. Assuming that the terms of vicinity parks and neighborhood parks belongs to the system of free and green areas within the urban structure and the lack of a qualitative evaluation difficults research and analysis of such spaces, we sought to define the indicators of quality required for the composition of technical evaluation methodology. Particularized to the ecological functions, urbanistic, aesthetic, social and of leisure, the choice of qualitative attributes in theoretical references of various authors that regards the qualitative importance of cited elements was based on the evaluation methodology, as well as in the participation of specialists in the urban themes, which helped in the development and definition by completing a questionnaire where they could evaluate the elements that are considered essential in the composition of the vicinity and neighborhood parks. The object of study are the vicinity parks and neighborhood parks in view of its relative standardization or programmatic similarity. Thus, will be presented as indices of quality, the results obtained by applying this methodology. The landscape unit chosen for application of the methodology were the neighborhoods Torre and Madalena, in Recife, Pernambuco, Brazil, at 2011. The survey sample was first defined by the relationship that each Recife's political-administrative region (PAR) has with the number of parks in total area (m²). Being the PAR 04 the political-administrative region that has the highest concentration of parks in square meters, were selected by raffle, two neighborhoods located in this PAR. The definition of the basic units of study was considered from the function as recreation and social interaction support and the following criteria: location and dimensions, resulting in the selection of a vicinity park at Madalena's neighborhood and a neighborhood park at Torre. Thus, the adoption of this methodology for evaluate the quality of vicinity parks and neighborhood parks, would test the degree of universality and appropriateness of the parameters of the assessments. The results showed that the quality levels obtained by applying the methodology of technical qualitative evaluation were consistent with the perception of quality assigned by the community. It was found that the indicators system of the quality index of vicinity park and quality index of neighborhood park showed to be adequate and consistent for measuring the qualitative aspects, particularized to the ecological functions, urbanistic, aesthetic, social and of leisure, thus giving valid subsidies for urban and environmental planning. / O presente trabalho visa avaliar a qualidade dos parques de vizinhança e parques de bairro através da obtenção de índices qualitativos, viabilizando diagnósticos que possam subsidiar ações de planejamento. Partindo do pressuposto de que as modalidades parques de vizinhança e parques de bairro pertencem ao sistema de áreas livres e verdes dentro da estrutura urbana e que a ausência de um padrão de avaliação qualitativa dificulta a pesquisa e análise de tais espaços, buscou-se definir os indicadores de qualidade necessários para composição da metodologia de avaliação técnica. Particularizado para as funções ecológica, urbanística, estética, social e de lazer, baseou-se a escolha dos atributos qualitativos em referências teóricas de vários autores que consideram a importância qualitativa dos elementos citados na metodologia de avaliação, bem como na participação de especialistas ligados à temática urbana, os quais auxiliaram no desenvolvimento e definição através do preenchimento de um questionário no qual puderam avaliar os elementos que são considerados imprescindíveis na composição dos parques de vizinhança e de bairro. O objeto de estudo são os parques de vizinhança e parques de bairro tendo em vista sua relativa padronização ou semelhança programática. Sendo assim, serão apresentados, na forma de índices de qualidade, os resultados obtidos através da aplicação desta metodologia. A unidade da paisagem escolhida para aplicação da metodologia foram os bairros da Madalena e da Torre, em Recife, no Estado de Pernambuco, Brasil, no ano de 2011. O levantamento amostral foi definido primeiramente pela relação que cada região político-administrativa (RPA) do Recife possui com o quantitativo de praças em área total (m²). Sendo a RPA 04 a região político-administrativa que possui a maior concentração de praças, em metros quadrados, foram selecionados através de sorteio, dois bairros localizados nesta RPA. A definição das unidades básicas de estudo foi considerada a partir da função como suporte de recreação e de convívio social e dos seguintes critérios: localização e dimensão, resultando a seleção de um parque de vizinhança no bairro da Madalena e um parque de bairro, na Torre. Assim, a adoção dessa metodologia para avaliação da qualidade dos parques de vizinhança e parques de bairro permitiu testar o grau de universalização e adequação dos parâmetros das avaliações. Os resultados mostraram que os níveis de qualidade obtidos através da aplicação da metodologia de avaliação técnica qualitativa foram compatíveis com a percepção de qualidade atribuída pela comunidade. Constatou-se que os sistemas de indicadores do índice de qualidade de parque de vizinhança (IQPV) e índice de qualidade de parque de bairro (IQPB) mostraram-se adequados e coerentes para mensurar os aspectos qualitativos, particularizados para as funções ecológica, urbanística, estética, social e de lazer, fornecendo desta maneira, subsídios válidos para o planejamento urbano e ambiental.

In the United States, there is a growing trend towards livable cities that facilitate physical, psychological, and social well-being. According to Congress of the New Urbanism, the great American suburb served by the automobile, does not fulfill all these functions. Urban sociologist Ray Oldenburg points out three realms of satisfactory life as work, home and the ‘great good place’ as the third. The third place is one that facilitates barrier free social interaction, for example the American main-street, the English pub, French coffee house etc. Despite the ever existing need for such places, greater travel distances and the ever expanding needs of the automobile era have stripped our urban fabric of these. The Charter of the New Urbanism points out that in the American suburbs, neighborhood parks have the potential to serve as ‘third places.’ The twofold purpose of this research was to examine Steeplechase dog-park using Oldenburg’s Third Place construct as a starting point; and then to operationalize third place by establishing relationships between social characteristics and physical environment. Participant observation, casual conversations and ethnographic interviews were methods used to examine how residents use Steeplechase Park. The observation phase was used to understand on-site behavior, user interests and then establish contacts with participants for recruitment. In-depth interviews were then conducted to examine user history, relationships and attitudes toward the place. Data was coded and analyzed in NVivo 10 utilizing Oldenburg’s framework as a reference, the components of which were then examined for correlations to the physical elements. The findings of suggest that Steeplechase Park functions as a somewhat unique third place in terms of user motivation, companion animal/social lubricant, neutrality and inclusiveness of the place. Findings also establish useful links between the physical design of the space and the social activity; prospect-refuge supported by vegetation and layout, topography, shade, edges and access being the most important aspects. Additionally, lack of maintenance was established as a major concern to sustained use.