Urban green space design is essential for wellbeing Dr Ida Breed
The importance of being able to access open spaces, especially green spaces in urban environments, has never been more evident than during the current state of social distancing and restriction of movement brought on by the COVID-19 pandemic. This was especially significant during the first levels of the nationwide lockdown. Urban green space design is not only essential for wellbeing, but can provide a refuge for the country’s rich biodiversity.
The inclusion of a greater variety of ecosystem services in multi-functional urban green areas is vital to demonstrate the myriad benefits of green spaces in the global south where they are often taken for granted. However, very little research has been conducted on ecosystem services in urban green spaces in South Africa.
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To remedy this, research in the Landscape Architecture Programme of the Department of Architecture is focused on the needs of urban inhabitants, alongside biodiversity conservation. This research was inspired by a desire to see more quality green open spaces in South Africa that can be used by dwellers of densely developed and disadvantaged urban areas to escape the confines of the city.
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