An Investigation of Values Incorporated by Landscape Design in Urban Parks: Case of Ahmedabad

Abstract

Open space in the city helps to enhance the beauty and environmental quality of neighborhoods. They are vital to liveable cities and urban areas, and the interactions shared in these places encourage resident investment in his or her neighbourhood. Public urban parks facilitate significant heath, economic, social, and cultural benefit. In order to include these green spaces in a city’s plan and for the community to reap the benefits; the place must be a successful in both initial design and subsequent use. It is, therefore, important to design them rightly. Landscape design is well placed as a discipline to address the problems of urbanization and its impact on green urban spaces. Landscape professionals contribute to the success and wellbeing of people by protecting natural areas (and the environment); enhancing biodiversity along with building healthy and vibrant communities. They create spaces that are usable, safe and aesthetically appealing. Landscape professionals are also attuned to emerging societal needs, including mitigating the effects of climate change, ensuring equitable access to culturally inclusive public spaces, and promoting sustainable resource management. They are, hence, important when it comes to designing spaces in-between the buildings. This study identifies values a landscape professional adds to a project. Qualitative methods of research have been used to derive the values – social, ecological, cultural, aesthetic and physical – and their respective attributes. This study focuses on the urban parks in the city of Ahmedabad to analyze the values. The study draws to conclusion as to how landscape professionals take into consideration the intangible aspects of design while creating spaces not only for the human species but also the non - anthropoid living souls.