Planning for a public space network : a case of Gwalior

Abstract

Public spaces are considered as the heart of a city and provide a character to the cityscape. They also influence the social and physical well-being of our communities and enhance the quality of life of urban citizens; in lines of Sustainable Development Goal 11 (11.7) i.e. “Target to provide universal access to safe, inclusive and accessible and green public spaces for all”. However, our cities are facing a rapid transformation of public spaces because of social, physical, cultural and urban factors. One of the major problems in our cities is the absence of accessible and equitable public spaces due to lack of public engagement and policy issues. With the consideration that public spaces are a common good, the study focuses on qualitative evaluation of public spaces in Gwalior, a historical city in Madhya Pradesh. Within the qualitative study, stakeholder consultation plays a key role in measuring the five dimensions of public spaces: Inclusive & Accessible, Comfort, Safety, Useful Activities, and Pleasurability. Moreover, to understand the inefficiency of public places to serve societies in the Indian context, literature study is conducted and case examples are reviewed. The study also details out the role of public spaces and their classification, through Gehl’s framework, using several survey techniques. Good Public Space Index (GPSI) is used to evaluate the five identified public spaces in Gwalior, to assure that the interventions suggested are public-oriented and effective in nature. The inferences of data analysis are used to create a linked network of diverse public spaces using urban design interventions and techniques. Based on human needs, the sustainable design factors are important for developing successful public spaces and hence, these are prioritized in the interventions. The recommendations also focus on creation of a coherent public space network to deal comprehensively with the planning and design issues of these spaces in the city. The proposals in the study achieve the necessity of maintaining the cultural, social and environmental milieu of public spaces in Gwalior