Perception, Use and Experience of Urban Open Spaces-Case Studies of Neighbourhood Public Parks in Nagpur

The relationship between urban open spaces and the satisfaction level of the public ultimately determines the quality of life. But it is found that there is a gap between the intended design of such open urban spaces and experience, use and perception of such spaces by the public. This is because there is a lack of research in developing countries for the reason that there is a lack of good design public open spaces. Hence it is important to carry out the research among many problems of environmental quality of urban spaces so as to formulate more suitable policies based on people needs, satisfaction level and most importantly their perception of such urban spaces. The paper incorporates the study of urban open spaces in the form of neighbourhood public parks of Nagpur, a Grade II city of Central India. It is based on the key attributes of successful urban spaces identified by The Project for Public Space (1999) namely, comfort and image, access and linkage, uses and activity, and sociability. Three neighbourhood parks in Nagpur city were identified and analysed comparatively through various parameters of the above attributes so as to understand the peoples perception of neighbourhood public parks based on their experience and use of such green open spaces. The methodology follows a qualitative approach through a study of morphological maps, non-participatory observation, walking interviews and photo documentation. The enquiry resolves that to make urban open spaces lively and successful, considerations of use, experience and perception of such spaces by the public are essential and should be incorporated in urban spatial planning particularly in the design of such public open spaces. The behavioural patterns by which people experience and use these spaces can act as a valuable source of information for spatial planning of urban spaces. Thus the satisfaction level of the public with such an urban environment proves to be an essential parameter for investigating the quality of urban life.