Assessing Observation Methods for Landscape Planning Practice in Rural Villages

Barbora Lipovská, Roberta Štěpánková

Department of Garden and Land Architecture, Horticulture and Landscape Engineering Faculty,Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovakia.
Horticulture and Landscape Engineering Faculty, Slovak University of Agriculture, Nitra, Slovakia.

DOI: 10.4236/cus.2013.14011                

Abstract

In recent years, people’s behaviour has become attractive not only for psychologists and sociologists but also for urban planners, architects, landscape architects and all those involved in designing people’s environment. Community has its own interest in the site that we should consider. This paper identifies people-space relations and reflects on the implications from theory and practice in landscape architecture, in relation to the use and potential physical change to public open space in rural settlements. As far as is known, there are no specific methodologies for assessing the use of rural public areas—public spaces in villages. This paper presents observation methodology providing information of the form of public spaces, their users and how public spaces are used. These surveys are important for landscape architects who design public spaces not just with vegetation but with hard landscape features (such as outdoor furniture, paths, and playgrounds).

Keywords

Observation Methods; Rural Public Spaces; Community; Design; Quality; Landscape Planning

Conflicts of Interest

The authors declare no conflicts of interest.

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