Urban Form as a Driver for Inclusivity in Public Open Spaces: A Case from Glasgow

This paper argues for inclusivity as a critical factor for designing and examining public open spaces (POS). Understanding inclusivity in urban environments has been limited to physical accessibility for many decades. The United Nations report (UN2030) emphasizes eradicating social exclusion and making societies more cohesive through social integration and social inclusion. This study considers inclusivity as a value attached to public open space (POS). An inclusive public open space is one where the needs of every single individual are recognized and respected affording them a positive experience regardless of their background. Nonetheless, no comprehensive understanding of how urban form affects inclusivity has been undertaken for POS beyond accessibility. Using a selection of public open spaces in Glasgow, Scotland, a walking tour assessment procedure is utilized as an observation tool to quantify a set of indicators associated with urban form and inclusivity. A further Likert Scale is implemented to examine the reciprocal relationship between the user and the space, the activities, and the sense of positive experience. The paper draws conclusions on the possibility of developing an index that examines human behavior in relation to urban form while embedding inclusivity as a key parameter for research and design.