Measuring the quality of streets as open public spaces in the city center in Belgrade, Serbia

Abstract

The quality of the environment is of vital importance for urban areas, and streets and squares, as the specific form of open public space, represent an essential part of the city. In urban areas, total road traffic kilometres will grow by 40 % between 1995 and 2030. This particular research focuses on the secondary streets that represent an integral part of a city center not only in a functional way but also in a formal, structural and cultural sense. The research aims to analyze the overall quality of urban streets in the center of Belgrade. The paper represents the segment of the research done alongside approximately 500 students from the University of Belgrade, Faculty of Architecture, as a part of the teaching course entitled: Urban Design of Open Public Space as the research polygon of more than 100 streets from the central urban borough in Belgrade were chosen. The principal methodology is based on the Criteria & Indicators network analysis, with five selected quality criteria: safety, comfort, accessibility, readability, and liveability. Results of the research represent the quality assessment of streets, identifying specific problems and potentials in the context of open public space in the city center. Therefore, one of the expected contributions of the paper are the guidelines and knowledge base for upgrading the pedestrian network and urban design of open public space - the streets in Belgrade's inner historical city center, thus improving the overall quality of life.