Article Title

Contemplative Greenway Design for the Health and Well-Being of City Inhabitants

Authors

Agnieszka Olszewska, University of Porto, Department of Geosciences, Environment and Landscape Planning

Publication Date

2016

Abstract

This paper presents the findings of the PhD research titled Contemplative Values of Urban Parks and Gardens, which can be applied to urban greenway design. We consider the network of urban green spaces a multifunctional structure that can not only serve environmental and aesthetical values, but also directly influence people´s mental health and well-being. Urban green infrastructure has a significant potential to serve as a place for the passive recreation that involves re-connecting with nature through contemplation. We made the concept of contemplative landscapes operational by identifying physical attributes of such spaces.

The study revealed seven key-categories of landscape design that make the landscape “contemplative”, namely: Landscape Layers, Landform, Vegetation, Light and Color, Compatibility, Archetypal Elements and Character of Peace and Silence. This paper focuses on particular components of these categories, which are understood as the most important design strategies to create contemplative character in the greenways.

Recommended Citation

Olszewska, Agnieszka (2016) "Contemplative Greenway Design for the Health and Well-Being of City Inhabitants," Proceedings of the Fábos Conference on Landscape and Greenway Planning: Vol. 5: Iss. 1, Article 21.
Available at: https://scholarworks.umass.edu/fabos/vol5/iss1/21