This research examines planning for recreational facilities and open spaces in townships. In this regard, various planning methods and approaches to planning for recreational facilities open spaces have been reviewed. Both primary and secondary sources of data were used in the study. Secondary sources were used in defining the nature of recreational facilities and spaces whereas the primary sources provided experiential knowledge. The study assessed the adequacy and appropriateness of recreational facilities and open spaces for the youth in the township. Different methods were employed in data collection and analysis. This includes the use of a questionnaire, check lists and documents. Questionnaires presented responses from the youth on the topic whereas check list represents the researchers' observations gathered through field survey. The research focus examined suitability, quality and quantity of recreational facilities and open spaces for the youth in ESikhawini. The results reveal that recreational open spaces show varying degrees of suitability and quality. Poor quality of spaces was characterized with lack of visual appropriateness as a result of littering, maintenance and lack of open space furniture. As such conclusion and recommendations to improve the situation are made. These findings are useful to planners, urban designers, architects and developers in making decisions in the planning for recreational facilities and spaces in township environment. / Thesis (M.T.U.R.P.)-University of KwaZulu-Natal, Durban 2009.

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One of the top priorities in American cities has been the improvement of business conditions in downtown shopping areas. Downtown Indianapolis, as other American cities is involved in economic revitalization in order to be able to compete with rapid suburban expansion. This revitalization effort seeks to attract more people to the city core.Downtown economic development is integrally related to the urban space revitalization. Since the beginning of cities, open spaces have been regarded as an important public amenity for providing quality urban environments. Open space provides the life of community and a place for human activity.As an entertainment center, Indianapolis can not just develop new sophisticated buildings, it needs also to comprehensively revitalize the open spaces. This project is an effort to demonstrate how urban environments located in the core area that have easy access, security, and comfort and also are joyful and attractive place for its citizen and guests.In this creative project, the designer/planner proposes an open space improvementconcept and program that can be implemented in the south-western section of downtown Indianapolis. The concepts derived m analyzing the potentials and assets that exist in the area today and responding to known future developments.The major goals of thesis project are:1 . Strengthening the pedestrian loop through out the project area in order to create a continuity of pedestrian spaces.2. Creating a pedestrian mall along five blocks of Illinois Street as a major effortto provide a pedestrian oriented environment.3. Creating a pedestrian corridor to connect the Circle Center Mall complex withthe Hoosier Dome and Convention Center.All planning and design concepts that are recommended in this project will reinforce the assets that already exist. The recommendations proposed within are meant to serve as "idea pieces" to aid in the planning and design of revitalization of downtown Indianapolis. / Department of Urban Planning

The thesis considers the changing concepts of local open space in relation to the demand, supply and standards of open space. The development of parks in Britain first are contrasted with the development of parks in the United States, noting the legacies in both nations. After the historical resume, the changing attitudes to leisure and recreation in Britain and the United States which have occurred in the last fifteen years are considered. The numerous studies, both in Britain and in the United States, detailing the demand for open space are followed by supply studies of open space, which expose the deficiencies of open space and express people's desires for open space. A comparison of the ideal open space standards to the actual supply and deficiencies of open space are analysed in further local studies. Both private and public organisations in Britain and the United States have carefully fostered ideal standards, which have been unattainable by any of the major cities in Britain or in the United States. The need for new standards and new approaches to local open space designs in inner urban areas is discussed in the chapter on current policies on open space. Different design concepts and methods are suggested for solving the present problems. The concepts particularly emphasised are small parks, greenways and adventure playgrounds, but other suggestions are made. An appraisal of the financial, legal and administrative difficulties is followed by a study of the availability of urban wasteland for public open space. New methods of assessing the multi-purpose use of existing open space and discovering potential new open space sites on a case-study basis are suggested. The concluding chapter summarises the need, character and problems of local open space.

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Thesis (M.S.)--Humboldt State University, 2008. / Includes bibliographical references (leaves 60-65). Also available via Humboldt Digital Scholar.

Thesis (M.A.) - Carleton University, 2007. / Includes bibliographical references (p. 117-124). Also available in electronic format on the Internet.

Esta pesquisa examina e compara os níveis de satisfação e preferência estética de espaços abertos públicos delimitados por interfaces térreas com diferentes taxas de conexão visual, diferentes posições da interface em relação à calçada, e diferentes posições das edificações em relação às edificações adjacentes. Também é objetivo avaliar o impacto das diferentes taxas de conexão visual e física, dos diferentes usos dos recuos frontais, dos tipos de usos nos pavimentos térreos e da configuração espacial no uso dos espaços abertos públicos. Adicionalmente, as taxas de conexão visual e física, os diferentes tipos de elementos que configuram a interfaces e os diferentes usos nos pavimentos térreos também são avaliados quanto à percepção de segurança urbana e ocorrência de crimes. Para tanto, foram selecionadas seis quadras na cidade de Caxias do Sul e divididas em três grupos, conforme o predomínio das seguintes características: altas taxas de conexão visual (acima de 66% de permeabilidade) e física (acima de 10 portas/100m de rua); taxas médias de conexão visual (entre 33% e 66% de permeabilidade) e física (entre 6 e 10 portas/100m de rua); e baixas taxas de conexão visual (entre 0% de 33% de permeabilidade) e física (entre 0 e 5 portas/100m de rua). Tais quadras foram avaliadas por moradores e trabalhadores dessas quadras quanto à estética, ao uso e a segurança urbana. Ainda, vídeos de percursos urbanos delimitados por interfaces térreas com distintos atributos, de acordo com cada objetivo, foram avaliados no tocante a estética e a percepção de segurança urbana, por um grupo de arquitetos e outros de não arquitetos com curso universitário. Os dados foram coletados através de múltiplos métodos utilizados na área de estudos Ambiente e Comportamento, tais como: contagens de movimento, observações de comportamento, questionários e entrevistas. A análise dos dados quantitativos foi realizada através de testes estatísticos não paramétricos. Os dados de natureza qualitativa foram analisados através de frequência, conteúdo e importância dos pontos mencionados pelos entrevistados nas quadras selecionadas. Os resultados revelam que os impactos estéticos positivos das interfaces térreas estão relacionados com taxas de permeabilidade visual acima de 66%. Ainda, altas taxas de conexão física e visual associadas a usos nos pavimentos térreos conectados com o movimento das calçadas têm impacto positivo no uso dos espaços abertos públicos, principalmente em relação às atividades estacionárias. Os resultados também mostram que a percepção de segurança urbana é influenciada positivamente por interfaces térreas caracterizadas por taxas de conexão visual acima de 66% e funcional acima de 10 portas/100m de rua. Assim, espera-se que os resultados obtidos no tocante às interfaces térreas possam contribuir para a tomada de decisões de profissionais envolvidos com a forma urbana e na elaboração de legislações urbanísticas que qualificam a estética urbana e contribuam para o uso e segurança dos espaços abertos públicos. / This research examines and compares satisfaction levels and aesthetic preference of public open spaces bounded by ground interfaces with different visual connection rates, different interface positions relating to the sidewalks, and different building positions relating to the adjacent buildings. It also aims to evaluate the different impacts of visual and physical connection rates, of the different uses of setbacks, of ground floor uses and spatial configuration on use of public open spaces. In addition, visual and physical connection rates, different types of elements that configure interfaces and ground floors different uses are also evaluated in terms of perception of security and crimes incidence. Therefore, six blocks in the city of Caxias do Sul were selected and divided into three groups, according to the following features predominance: high rates of visual (above 66% of permeability) and physical connection (over 10 doors / 100m of street); average rates of visual (between 33% and 66% of permeability) and physical connection (between 6 and 10 doors / 100m of street); and low rates of visual (between 0% of 33% of permeability) and physical connection (between 0 and 5 doors / 100m of street). These blocks were evaluated by residents and workers of these blocks regarding their aesthetics, use and urban safety. Moreover, videos representing urban paths delimited by ground interfaces with different features, according to each objective, were evaluated regarding its aesthetic and safety perception, by a group of architects and a group of nonarchitects college graduates. Data were collected through multiple methods of the Environment and Behaviour studies area, such as: movement count, behavior observations, questionnaires and interviews. The analysis of the quantitative data was performed through non-parametric statistical tests. Data of a qualitative nature were analyzed through frequency test, content and importance of the topics mentioned by the interviewees in each block. The results show that ground interfaces aesthetic positive impacts are related to visual permeability rates above 66%. Also, physical and visual connection high rates associated to ground floor use connected to sidewalks movement have a positive impact on public open spaces use, mostly relating to stationary activities. Results also reveal that urban security perception is positively influenced by ground floor interfaces characterized by visual connection rates above 66% and functional connection rates over 10 doors / 100m of street. Therefore, it is expected that the results obtained regarding the ground interfaces may contribute to the decision-making of professionals involved with urban form and the elaboration of urban legislation which qualify urban aesthetics and contribute to public open spaces use and safety.

Lima’s coastal lomas are fog oasis whose verdure and biodiversity challenge our imagery of the desert. Due to their extension and importance within an arid environment, they could constitute the biggest environmental referent for a city such as Metropolitan Lima, which faces current environmental and urban challenges. Today, Lima's fog oasis are open spaces and as such they present an opportunity to rethink the relationship they maintain with the city, either as natural reserves or spaces for public usage. This article aims to approach the lomas ecosystems from a geo-urban perspective to analyze the potential they offer both as an alternative and as an opportunity to overcome certain environmental challenges. / Las lomas costeras de Lima son oasis de neblina cuyo verdor y biodiversidad desafían nuestro imaginario del desierto. Por su extensión e importancia dentro de un medio árido, podrían constituir el mayor referente ambiental para una ciudad como Lima metropolitana, de cara a los desafíos ambientales y urbanísticos que afronta en la actualidad. Las lomas de Lima son hoy espacios abiertos, y como tales, representan una oportunidad para repensar las relaciones que mantienen con la ciudad, ya sea como reservas de naturaleza o incluso como espacios de uso público. Este artículo pretende enfocar los ecosistemas de lomas costeras desde una perspectiva geo-urbanística para analizar el potencial que tienen como oportunidad para superar ciertos desafíos ambientales de la ciudad.