Urban Greenery as a Tool to Enhance Social Integration? A Case Study of Alstetten-Albisrieden, Zurich

Abstract

Urban greenery can help mitigate adverse effects caused by urbanisation. It benefits thermal comfort and individual well-being remarkably. Nevertheless, its benefit to social well-being needs to be further explored. This study investigated green spaces and their potential for boosting community integration in Altstetten–Albisrieden, Zürich. Three green-space types, public, community and private, were categorised by ownership and accessibility and were used to portray green-space structure. The study first analysed public green spaces’ connectivity and significance at the district scale. Four significant green space clusters and their 400-m service areas were selected as subsite cases for further discussion concerning their social potentials at the neighbourhood scale. Data on green space structure and space use activities were extracted from the open-source data of Zürich and were collected through onsite observation. The study concluded that practical public green spaces might be the combination of location and size in the urban fabric. The attributes of green spaces, such as size, boundary, and equipped facilities, could be decisive in influencing the activities in green areas significantly for enhancing community integration.