Enhancing the Potential of Landscape Elements to Facilitate Exercise Activities in Neighbourhood Parks

Abstract

This research aims to study physical conditions and the activities that can be done in each of the five neighborhood parks in the Phra Nakhon area, Bangkok. The aforementioned public parks include Lan Khon Meaung, Saranrom Park, Unakan Park, Museum Siam Park, and Phra Pok Klao Bridge Park, all of them were selected as representatives of different types of open spaces based on the locations. The data was collected by observations of the physical conditions and physical activities that took place in these particular areas. Moreover, questionnaires were distributed and interviews of 100 random people were conducted to survey their satisfaction levels. The analysis revealed that first, there should be improvements of the physical conditions that facilitate exercises in all of these parks in terms of traffic, usable areas, and aesthetics. Second, landscape elements, both hardscape and softscape elements, which corresponded with types of exercises could be divided as follows. The first category was the main elements including fixed pavement, flexible pavement, and the yard. The second type belonged to secondary elements such as trees, shrubs, and ground covers. The third type included additional elements, referring to other hardscape elements. There were certain suggestions proposed as follows. First, the design of an environment that facilitates exercises should adopt design principles that increase awareness and attract people’s attention with naturalness, legibility, and complexity. Furthermore, the design of the landscape components that impact physical exercises should entail the main elements that are able to accommodate heavy traffic as well as physical activities. Lastly, the secondary elements should be able to enhance the comfort of the atmosphere, and the additional elements should appropriately blend in with physical exercises.