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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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    1. Mohammad Paydar & Asal Kamani Fard, 2022. "Walking Behavior of Older Adults in Temuco, Chile: The Contribution of the Built Environment and Socio-Demographic Factors," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 19(22), pages 1-23, November.
    2. Mohammad Paydar & Asal Kamani Fard, 2021. "The Contribution of Mobile Apps to the Improvement of Walking/Cycling Behavior Considering the Impacts of COVID-19 Pandemic," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 13(19), pages 1-21, September.
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    5. Kaczynski, A.T. & Potwarka, L.R. & Saelens P, B.E., 2008. "Association of park size, distance, and features with physical activity in neighborhood parks," American Journal of Public Health, American Public Health Association, vol. 98(8), pages 1451-1456.
    6. Mohammad Paydar & Asal Kamani Fard, 2021. "The Hierarchy of Walking Needs and the COVID-19 Pandemic," IJERPH, MDPI, vol. 18(14), pages 1-16, July.
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    8. Mohammad Paydar & Asal Kamani Fard & Marzieh Khaghani, 2020. "Pedestrian Walkways for Health in Shiraz, Iran, the Contribution of Attitudes, and Perceived Environmental Attributes," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(18), pages 1-19, September.
    9. Marjan Shayestefar & Mahdieh Pazhouhanfar & Clarine van Oel & Patrik Grahn, 2022. "Exploring the Influence of the Visual Attributes of Kaplan’s Preference Matrix in the Assessment of Urban Parks: A Discrete Choice Analysis," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 14(12), pages 1-19, June.
    10. Aleksandra Lis & Łukasz Pardela & Wu Can & Anna Katlapa & Łukasz Rąbalski, 2019. "Perceived Danger and Landscape Preferences of Walking Paths with Trees and Shrubs by Women," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 11(17), pages 1-22, August.
    11. Mohammad Paydar & Asal Kamani Fard & Mohammad Mehdi Khaghani, 2020. "Walking toward Metro Stations: the Contribution of Distance, Attitudes, and Perceived Built Environment," Sustainability, MDPI, vol. 12(24), pages 1-19, December.
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    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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