Time

spent outdoors and outdoor activities

the presence of facilities, such as seats, toilets, and shelters in their neighbourhood open
space
good paths (easy to walk on and enjoyable) to reach their open spaces
the presence of water features such as a fountain or a river, beach or lakeside,
contributed to longer time spent in outdoor activity

Neighbourhood open space and quality of life

the suitability for children's play and for chatting with people
a variety of activities to engage in (or to watch)
the quality of trees and plants
good facilities such as seats, toilets, and shelters

Preferences for environmental attributes

an open space which is without nuisance (e.g. from dog mess or undesirable people
hanging about),
cafes and/or toilets,
dense trees and plants,
light traffic on the way to the park,
wildlife to watch, and
well-maintained open space.

Travel to the open space

Public transport: participants would like their open spaces to be easily accessible by
public transportation (91%).
Car park: most participants valued having a car park nearby (96%).
Traffic: light traffic on route (93%) is greatly valued when compared with medium
and heavy traffic.
Distance: most people (57%) preferred an open space which is 5-10 minutes away
from their homes as compared with shorter (0-5) and longer distances (10-15 or 15+
minutes).
Seats en route: most people preferred to have some seats en route (95%) in their
local open space.

Sub-group preferences in the sample of older people

When considering different sub groups in the sample, defined by: whether or not people
live alone and whether or not they have difficulty in getting around, the findings showed
that:

those who live with someone place a higher importance on the provision of
facilities (e.g. cafes and toilets) and a car park;
those respondents who live alone place a relatively higher importance on the
shortness of the distance to the open space and whether there are trees planted along
the footpath; and
respondents who have greater difficulty getting around place greater importance on
the provision of seats, both at the open space and en route.

6.1. Linear promenade by coastal/riverside edge

Experiential characteristics (ideal/desired effect)

Path activity (leisurely movement of people moving back and forth)

Edge activity (visual and physical engagement with water, such as viewing,
gazing, and fishing)
Path characteristically distanced from water edge by level change or spatial
structure (e.g., river bank, dunes, shingle beach)

Key design challenges (problems/potentials)

Making provision for conflicting needs, such as car users, pedestrians, joggers,
and cyclists.
Making a good edge, that is, places to stop, sit, view, and gaze out.

6.2. Circular promenade in urban park setting around body of water

Experiential characteristics (ideal/desired effect)

Path activity (leisurely movement of people moving round water with people
entering, leaving at different points
Edge activity (visual and physical engagement with water, such as gazing
across water, feeding ducks, and watching other people
Path and edge relationship act as one combined element and is more
immediate and direct than at coastal/riverside

Key design challenges (problems/potentials)

Making provision for conflicting needs of users

Making a good edge

6.3. Urban neighbourhood and pocket park with thoroughfares

Experiential characteristics (ideal/desired effect)

Path activity (shoppers/people thoroughfaring through; dog walkers

circuiting)
Space activity (unstructured, such as football kickaround and structured, such
as tennis)
Focal points and hubs of activity (e.g., caf, sitting terraces, and childrens play
area)
Edge activity (people penetrating in/out at various points around perimeter)

Key design challenges (problems/potentials)

Making provision for passive and active uses of park of all age groups
Thorough faring activity that will also encourage incidental social interactions
and other inadvertent activities, such as sitting, watching and playing with dog

Table 1. Place attributes that work

PLACE
CATEGORY ATTRIBUTE
Light traffic Easy parking
and
easy parking

DESCRIPTION
PHOTOS
This means the ability to park near parking
open space access points, with space
to park easily. 'Easy' parking means
having plenty of parking spaces, and
easy manoeuvrability, with light
traffic if it's on-road parking.
Easy to find
'Natural
A cluster of trees at main park access gateway
access, with no gateway'
points and/or start of main pathways,
barriers to
can create a 'gateway' effect. This is
open spaces
particularly helpful in an open
landscape, such as along the coast,
where there is no formal gate
entrance to a park. The 'natural
gateway' of trees signifies 'welcome',
enhances a sense of arrival, and
creates a park-like atmosphere.
Facilities such Easy to find and Toilets should be located at 'gateway' toilets
as cafes and
accessible
points with clear views and ready
toilets
toilets.
access to them. A natural tree canopy
helps provide shelter and a
comfortable micro-climate, but lines
of visibility should be maintained
from main paths/key areas of
activity.
Easily
A place to get a cup of tea or ice
foodplace
accessible food cream and somewhere pleasant to sit
place
near by and that offers shelter is
desirable. The facilities need to be
easily accessible.
Dense trees
and shrubs

Evidence of
maintenance

Dense trees and shrubs are attractive maintenance

so long as there is evidence of
maintenance e.g. mown lawns,
pruned shrubs; bins emptied, dog
mess and graffiti removed.

SKETCH
parking2

gateway2

toilets2

Aesthetics and Attractive places Vantage points with comfortable

viewpoint
things to
and view points seating or leaning walls or railings
watch,
can encourage people to stop and
including
take in a view looking outwards to
wildlife
surrounding areas and provides
potential interest for engaging with
wildlife.
Promenading
A wide main path along the edge of linear
path (linear)
something of interest, such as a
riverside, is very attractive. This
should have a pleasant sitting area no
more than 50 m along the path from
the main entry point to give older
people an easy to reach destination
point.
Promenading
A main circular route around
circular
path (circular) something of interest, such as a lake
or pond, is very attractive. Ideally it
should have frequent smaller paths
joining, to link it with exit and entry
points into or out of the space around
the edge, to maximise the
opportunity for people to come and
go at any point, and provide short
circular routes for people exercising
their dogs.
Promenade and Paths can encourage people to take sport
sport
an interesting route, stop and view
sporting activities at the edge of
football and cricket pitches etc, for
example by providing a tree lined
path, and/or by placing a group of
seats for viewing from a safe
distance.
Promenade and Opportunities to engage with wildlife promenade
wildlife
can be provided near a main path.
Providing good 'leaning places'
and/or seats, at places which give
good access to sights, sounds or
other experiences of wildlife, helps
make these activities easy and
pleasant.
Well
Active
The presence of gardeners or rangers active
maintained
maintenance
weeding, mowing etc., or their
open spaces
vehicles in evidence give confidence
that the open space is being
maintained and provides an added
feeling of security. Making
gardeners' sheds visible can also
help.
Open edge
A feeling of open-ness with paths not open edge
tightly enclosed by walls or hedges
enhances a sense of the space being
well cared for with clear visibility in

wildlife

open edge2

and out of the open space through

permeable edges.

Natural
surveillance

Natural surveillance can be provided surveillance

by a permeable edge that allows
passers by or those in adjacent
buildings to look into or across the
space; open views across site from
high points also help.
Good paths,
Thoroughfaring A choice of paths across a site, helps hierarchy
easy to walk on hierarchy
encourage a constant through flow of
and enjoyable.
people. This can be achieved by
providing convenient and pleasant
short cuts, such as to shops. A good
hierarchy of paths of differing widths
would have a main boulevard 5-8 m
wide, with smaller paths of between
2-5 m. width
Multiple
Many entrances around the edge of a exits
exit/entry points park provide many opportunities for
short-cuts across the open space.
These must be clearly defined to help
people see where they are.
Multi-activity
path

Multi-activity
space

'Dog bank'

Multi-activity
walls

A wide main path (5-8 m wide) to

path
allow for activity along both edges
(with seats along the edge) and a
wide walking space works well. This
allows people to sit on the path and
feel part of something going on
without feeling crowded.
Paths where grandparents and older space
carers can move at a leisurely pace
whilst children (or dogs) can run
around alongside e.g. round and
round a grassy area, or up and down
sloping banks, work well.
A sloping bank with a path along the dogbank
top provides a place for dog walkers
to throw a ball for their dog: the
height advantage means no real
effort is needed to propel the ball
(good for people with weak arm
strength). Such a bank is equally
good for young children to roll
down/run up and down with
grandparents/carers walking
alongside.
Low walls that are good for both
walls
sitting and leaning on encourage
incidental inter-generational use;
younger people can sit on them while
older people might lean on them.
Such walls, depending on their
height, can encourage two types of
activity: passive (e.g. sitting/leaning)
and active (e.g. children walking

surveillance2

hierarchy2

dogbank2

walls2

Tree-lined
paths

along them).
Leaning places Walls and railings are good for
leaning
leaning on, especially when located
at scenic places, such as a water edge
or wildlife viewing or listening
points. Sturdy railings of at least
waist height are good for
leaning/resting on, the smoother the
better. At the water's edge,
especially, a lower rail provides both
safety and a fun element for younger
children so that all ages can enjoy the
edge experience together e.g. a view
out to sea.
Tree-lined
Defining the main walking paths as avenues
avenues
tree-lined avenues helps people to
see where they begin and end.

'Natural' Cyclist/ Design can help encourage 'natural' cyclist

pedestrian
segregation of cyclists from other
segregation
path users by making the walking
paths look completely different e.g.
using avenue of trees. Cycling paths
should be made deliberately
unappealing to older people, such as
by having no seats.
Sociable path
Paths with a well-defined edge and Sociable
seating on one side can encourage
people to linger when talking. If the
path width is not too wide, it can
maximise opportunities for incidental
social interaction e.g. verbal
exchange between walking people
and sitting people.
Seats in the
Seats
It is good to provide a seat for every seats
open space and everywhere
purpose: seats that are easily
en route to it
accessed from the paths in a park or
public space, but which provide
different types of sitting places each
with distinct purpose.
Garden seat
A seat in a lawn area, although
garden
harder to access than on a footpath,
can be attractive with shrubbery or
trees immediately behind and an
open area in front. The seat should
be set back from main path at least 2
metres (but no more than 10 metres)
to create a more peaceful place to sit,
but not far from the path.
Path as sitting Seats on a wide path in a sunny,
sitting
place.
pleasant spot are very attractive. A
path of 4-5 m width should create a
place where people can take a rest
and stretch out their legs comfortably
and not feel forced to move on
quickly.
Snoozing seat. Seats can act like armchairs if they snoozing

leaning2

garden2

sitting2

snoozing2

Playground
sitting.

have arms and high backs, placed in

peaceful but people-active spots such
as a riverside, away from children's
play areas. Snoozing seats should be
set back from path approximately 25m. Garden seats also make good
snoozing seats.
A choice of seats both inside and
playground
outside a playground boundary are
popular; trees can provide shade and
shelter, as well as hide and seek
opportunities for children.

Dog-sitting.

Garden seats are popular in places

where dogs can run around and
owners can sit. This seat would be
easier to use if it had arms.

A crescent of
seats

A crescent of seats can provide a

crescent
relaxed sitting area, close to but set
back from, a busy entrance and/or
main thoroughfare path. A sitting
area with good views creates a sitting
terrace where people will happily sit
for some time.

playground2

dog

crescent2