Promoting a better public health quality with urban green space in an informal settlement, Bogota, Colombia

Abstract: Heat waves, rising temperatures, air pollution, and loss of biodiversity are examples of issues that will and are already rising due to climate change. The urban environment is one that continues to steadily grow at the cost of natural vegetation in the city, and this will only worsen with population growth. Urban green infrastructures, specifically urban green spaces, are of utmost importance in combating the consequences of future climate change and urbanization. This is because they provide immense ecosystem services such as improving the air quality, increasing local biodiversity, providing restoration, managing stormwater in the city, and much more. These services provided in urban green spaces are closely related to residents; physical and mental health, as well as increased social integration and group identity. The benefits of urban green spaces for public health increase greatly with the use of specific vegetation that can reduce air pollutants. This is why this thesis is about improving public health whilst mitigating and adapting to climate change using sustainable urban green space designs. The study area of the thesis is set in an informal settlement in Bogota. Green spaces in cities are not always equitably distributed, particularly in developing countries such as Colombia with an intense history of segregation where green space tends to correlate with real estate prices, resulting in urban gentrification, socioeconomic disparities, and green space exclusivity. This is why in addition to improving the public physical health, and mitigating climate change a strong emphasis on local co-creation methods is highlighted in the thesis. This is because the local perspective is an important aspect of landscape architecture design. Giving a voice to the community. A local co-creation will foster a stronger connection to the green spaces, allowing for regular maintenance and use. Improving the quality of urban green spaces specifically targeting environmental challenges and protecting the public health of urban dwellers while emphasizing participatory processes will provide a co-benefit approach in urban areas. This will address UN sustainability goals, socioeconomic disparities, and public health. As a consequence, behavioral research methods such as Gehl's methodology and interviewing are used. Based on the findings and design principles, a design proposal is created. According to the interviews and observational analysis, the most lacking component for the community, and thus the most important, is safety and recreational opportunities in the park. This opened up the discussion on the importance of adequate communication between citzens and landscape architects in city planning.This had an impact on the design proposal for a sustainable park, as well as the design principles for air pollution management. The proposal resulted in four distinct themes of an urban park with recreational opportunities for people of various ages.