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HEALTH AND WELL-BEING
Port Credit Memorial Park
Health and well-being are obvious design factors when examining Port Credit Memorial Park. The space nurtures its users by providing a space that has maximal exposure to nature.[1] The open spaces implement both landscaping and hardscaping, which increases the number of opportunities for users to create the sense of connectedness on site.[2] The site is also pedestrian oriented, which encourages users to walk through the site and experience the nurturing environment that it has to offer.
The environmental features of the site, such as the trees, grass fields, and body of water, all act as nurturing elements of the park that encourage physical comfort. These visually comforting features help users to be present and understanding of their thoughts and feelings.[3] As shown in figure 5, the site encourages people to linger in different ways, that ultimately helps to reduce symptoms of stress and anxiety. The acoustical comfort unfortunately is not as comforting, considering that the site is surrounded by vehicular traffic to its East and train traffic to its West.
Further, the site introduces several playful activities for its users.[4] Specific examples of this include the large grass fields that invite users of all ages to engage in physical activities, the paths that connect different areas of Port Credit to Memorial Park, and the play structures on site. The successful integration of playful activities on site increases the number of visitors while enhancing their health and well-being.
Overall, the park is successful in creating a public space that encourages positive health, wellbeing for its users, and ultimately aims to increase the quality of life for its occupants.
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Figure 2: Users occupying site features that overlook the water.
JC Saddington Park
JC Saddington park expresses a positive nature towards health and well-being for its primary users. The connectedness of the natural elements and the people address the well-being and health of public spaces throughout this park.[8] As it is situated in an urban setting, exposure to nature is an important element to people who live near the area. The maximized usage of greenspaces gives the opportunity of freedom and nature components integrated into the locals’ everyday lives.
As shown in figure 7, the natural elements such as the tall trees create thermal comfort for the users by shading designated areas on sunny days. There is also a constant flow of air circulating through the site to create a comfortable place. The visual comfort of the site also derives from the trees as well by diffusing direct sunlight in these specific areas which offers satisfaction with their environment.[9] From its separation to the main urban streets, the connection of nature is amplified through its peaceful acoustics; an example of this is the water features bordering the site which provide a pleasing sound.
Integrating the playability of surroundings in both built and natural spaces is considered a nurturing environment and enriches people’s well-being. [10] Features that give opportunity for engaging with the landscape in a playful manner, such as the grass hills sprawled throughout the park, create a fulfilling experience for its users. These formations encourage mindfulness of the occupants as they encourage people to pay attention to their surroundings.[11]
Overall, JC Saddington Park has several formations that encourage a variety of activities giving opportunity for the users to enhance their well-being, while motivating them to achieve a healthier life from the benefit of its urban design.
Figure 1: People using site features to enjoy its
spaces.
St. Lawrence Park
The St. Lawrence Park is a well-designed space that creates a well-supported and healthy environment. As shown in figure 6, the location overlooks the water and creates a sense of calmness and peacefulness. Triangulation is also exhibited between people as it creates a sense of community, further generating a sense of ease to the area.[5]
Within its design, there are spaces that are quieter and more connected to the surrounding landscape, but the site also has areas that allow for users to be loud. The site is designed to create a mindful environment in which the white noise of the water and conversations with other people are the only sounds to be heard. This allows for a variety of acoustical comforts for the users within the park to experience. The design also has spaces that are more open to a constant flow of air, receive direct sunlight, and ease into different areas creating elements within the park that showcase thermal and visual comfort.[6]
As the layout is direct and simple, the ability to enjoy the park comes naturally. The design creates an opportunity for a range of interactions as people can experience the park differently influencing their own experiences. The park promotes physical activity and play, as it has open spaces that connect throughout the entire site. [7] It provides favourable circumstances to respond to a range of multiple needs and activities; in which people can play, walk, run, or ride a bike. Although this park is not as large as the other sites, the space
allows for people to have their own area of play without obstructing others.
Figure 3: Comfort provided by natural elements.
Comparison – Health and Well-Being
Port Credit Memorial Park, St. Lawrence Park and JC Saddington Park are three public spaces that individually express opportunities which nurture and encourage positive health and well-being for its users. The connectedness between the user and natural elements of the three sites help slow down movement through the spaces as they create peaceful and pleasant atmospheres. [12] As all three parks have a relationship with nature, the psychological benefits for the user’s well-being can influence a better outlook on life.
The environmental factors of the sites provide users with physical comfort, which encourages thermal, visual, and acoustical well-being. As the three parks all contain sections of open green spaces that encourage users to gather and linger within the parks. St. Lawrence and JC Saddington Park are separated from the main streets creating a peaceful and secluded atmosphere. In contrast, Memorial Park is occupied with people creating more noise, but is still inviting considering the comforting visual aspects that it has to offer. Nonetheless, all sites express a healthy balance incorporating elements of physical comfort within their design ensuring that the users’ experiences are enriched ultimately creating positive atmospheres.
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All three parks are open to interpretation by the users, groups and children can use the space cohesively, ultimately encouraging playful activities for all ages. Examples of this include the changes in topography, the large areas of grass fields, the connectedness of the paths, and the play structures located around the sites. The integration of physical activity plays an important role in a public design as it nudges users to be more active.[13] Design features such as the walking paths creates motivation for the users to walk, run or bike throughout the parks. The larger paths that are connected to the main streets of Port Credit through Memorial Park see a higher flow of traffic with bikes and skateboards, as compared to St. Lawrence Park and JC Saddington Park that have a slower pedestrian flow of traffic considering their connections to the main streets are limited.
Overall, the health and well-being are a noticeable design element that is integrated into the three sites, acknowledging the user’s experience. The quality of the spaces enhances people’s comfort and physical prosperity as it creates an engaging environment to be in. Factors of health and well-being integrated within the designs of the three sites conclude that promoting physical activity, connectedness, and mindfulness in a comfortable setting results in a successful and populated space. Although they express individual qualities that contribute to health and well-being differently, together they share many similarities improving a users' quality of life. Refer to figure 8 which concludes the overall evaluation breakdown of all three sites.
Mann, Tavleen. Success of Health and Well-Being,Brampton, Ontario. November 4, 2020.
[1] Jenny Donovan, What Makes a Place Nurturing or Neglectful? in Designing the Compassionate City: Creating Places Where People Thrive, 1 Edition (New York: Routledge, Taylor & Francis Group, 2018).
[2] Forsight, Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the Most of Ourselves in the 21st Century. (American Psychological Association, 2008), https://doi.org/10.1037/e592742011-001.
[3] Emilie Pinard, Healthy: Happiness and Well-Being. ARCH 4016 EL: Cultural Sustainability (Class Lecture, Laurentian University, Sudbury, On, October 02, 2020).
[4] Ibid
[5] Whyte, W. H. (Director). (1980). The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces [Motion picture Online]. New York, NY: The Society.
[6] Emilie Pinard, Healthy: Happiness and Well-Being. ARCH 4016 EL: Cultural Sustainability (Class Lecture, Laurentian University, Sudbury, On, October 02, 2020).
[7] Forsight, Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the Most of Ourselves in the 21st Century. (American Psychological Association, 2008), https://doi.org/10.1037/e592742011-001.
[8] Forsight, Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the Most of Ourselves in the 21st Century. (American Psychological Association, 2008), https://doi.org/10.1037/e592742011-001.
[9] Emilie Pinard, Healthy: Happiness and Well-Being. ARCH 4016 EL: Cultural Sustainability (Class Lecture, Laurentian University, Sudbury, On, October 02, 2020).
[10] Forsight, Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the Most of Ourselves in the 21st Century. (American
Psychological Association, 2008), https://doi.org/10.1037/e592742011-001.
[11] Ibid
[12] Forsight, Mental Capital and Wellbeing: Making the Most of Ourselves in the 21st Century. (American
Psychological Association, 2008), https://doi.org/10.1037/e592742011-001.
[13] Ibid
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