The ultimate goal of this project is to facilitate low-cost interventions aimed at the recovery and improvement of parks and gardens in the Canary Islands. Generally, the rehabilitation of a public space involves a project with significant human and financial resources. Numerous underutilized spaces remain unrestored due to this lack of resources. Underutilized parks and gardens can benefit from minimalist interventions with reduced costs and execution time, provided the interventions are well-defined and targeted.
To this end, the aim is to develop a protocol based on the necessary structural and functional characteristics for a public space to be attractive to potential users. The protocol will include an initial section evaluating the space and a second section with specific recommendations based on the different results obtained in the evaluation.
Some of the protocol's key features include its behavior-driven approach, meaning it will be based on how users interact with the space. Furthermore, the protocol aims to bridge the gap between social science knowledge and knowledge from design and construction sciences. Both the space assessment section and the recommendations section should be applicable to anyone involved in urban planning tasks in public spaces. Finally, another contribution of the project is to help communities with limited resources benefit from minimal interventions in underutilized parks and gardens.
The evaluation section of the protocol will be developed based on the dimensions associated with the environmental quality of parks and gardens, taking into account the structural elements present that allow for the development of both individual and social activities, as well as the elements associated with the quality, attractiveness, and variation of the existing structures. Considering the structural and qualitative characteristics of the public space allows for the inclusion of the psychosocial elements involved in the design of the space and will guide the intervention toward its specific needs.
Thus, the main operational objective is to develop an assessment and recommendation protocol based on the physical characteristics and social use necessary for a park or garden to be attractive and healthy for potential users. To achieve this, the following specific steps will be taken: to develop an assessment tool and a recommendations document; and to test the protocol through a pilot study, an inter-rater reliability test, a criterion validity test, and a test of its potential influence on the development of recovery plans.
The project will be carried out in four main phases spread over two years. The first phase will involve developing the protocol itself. The second phase will consist of conducting pilot tests to validate the protocol as a stable and reliable instrument. The third phase will seek to evaluate the protocol's effectiveness through two strategies. One strategy will establish the protocol's criterion validity, and the other will determine its influence on decision-making. The fourth and final phase will consist of disseminating the results, including publishing articles and creating a website, among other activities.
Based on the above, the protocol will help improve low-cost interventions, especially in communities with limited resources. Furthermore, the results will be made openly available online to anyone who wishes to access them. Another benefit of implementing the project will be improved collaboration between the University of La Laguna and other local institutions. Finally, this project can open new avenues in architectural and engineering planning for future collaborative projects where the protocol would be an inherent part of the design, redesign, and restoration process for public spaces such as parks and gardens.