QUALITY OF URBAN OPEN SPACES IN A SOUTHWESTERN NIGERIAN CITY
Keywords:
Built environment, Geographic Information Systems, Open space quality typologies, Urban neighborhoods.Abstract
Open spaces are multi-functional and beneficial in diverse ways to both residents and the general environment. However,
most attention has been on formal open spaces, other typologies are commonly ignored especially in developing countries
where different types of informal open spaces exist. This study examined the quality of open spaces in Osogbo, Osun State, Nigeria. Primary data were obtained through a multi-stage sampling technique. Three neighborhoods each were purposively selected from the high, medium and low-density areas. Typologies of open spaces were identified through direct
observation. Geographic information systems were used to obtain information about features and quality of open spaces.
Descriptive and inferential were used to analyse the data. The results showed that school playgrounds were the most
common (63.6%); open spaces in the high-density areas had the best quality and overall, the neighbourhood park had the
best quality. The results of chi-square analysis show differences in open space typologies within the residential densities were statistically significant (χ2 = 244.832, df = 6, p<0 .001). Findings show that quality of open spaces differ by residential densities. The study recommends design interventions that consider the potentials of informal open spaces to improve the quality of urban residential neighborhoods.
