Date of Graduation

5-2023

Document Type

Thesis

Degree Name

Bachelor of Landscape Architecture

Degree Level

Undergraduate

Department

Landscape Architecture

Advisor/Mentor

Billig, Noah

Committee Member/Reader

Lane, Robyn

Committee Member/Second Reader

Davidson, Fiona

Abstract

In today’s world, designers, planners, and policymakers are grappling with conflicts of climate change, habitat loss, and increasing diversity all during a migratory trend towards urban areas and higher densities of living. Creating public spaces that are both resilient ecologically and environmentally, while also creating a sense of place is essential for providing a higher quality of life equitably for all citizens. Through case studies and literature review, the public’s safety perceptions when accessing public spaces is key to equitable access. Specifically, differing perceptions of safety based on gender, race, and backgrounds. Perceived safety can be defined as an awareness and emotional reaction to space and place based one’s background and experiences. When defining perceived safety this way, it can be directly linked to equitable access and the universal right to mobility and public space regardless of gender, age, abilities, and resources. A lack of perceived safety can inhibit certain communities and demographic groups from accessing public space or green space, thus limiting their quality of life. This capstone analyses the level of perceived safety of the Northwest Arkansas Razorback Regional Greenway to assess the equitable access of the active transportation network. The analysis qualitatively and quantitatively conducts on-site assessments of landscape characteristics and the large-scale land-use factors affecting perceived safety at several areas of the Greenway.

Keywords

Equitable Access; Perceived Safety; Landscape Architecture; Urban Design; Planning; Razorback Greenway

Download

Share

COinS