Exploring the Assessment and Strategies of Street Inclusivity in Suzhou, China
Date
2024
Authors
Editors
Journal Title
Journal ISSN
Volume Title
Publisher
AESOP
Abstract
Nowadays, the concept and significant value of inclusive development are widely recognized globally, making it a fundamental principle in urban planning. Simultaneously, urban spatial development has transitioned from incremental expansion to stock renewal. From strict separation between market blocks to integrated, there is a trend of diversity and inclusion in the spatial form and functionality of streets. Guided by this principle, street design aims to accommodate people of different genders and age groups, thereby promoting more profound face-to-face communication and social activities. In the context of advocating for a fair, diverse, and inclusive urban spatial renewal, it is essential to exploring how to better accommodate various social activities, functional layouts, and the experiences of stakeholder. Creating a friendly and integrated street environment is crucial to further enhance urban inclusivity and social openness. This effort holds significant practical importance. As one of Chinese pilot cities for urban renewal, the city of Suzhou boasts a rich array of distinctive characteristics and historical streets. This paper selected four representative types of streets in Suzhou, using multiple sources of data such as street scenes,Point of Interest(POI) and Location-Based Services (LBS). A street inclusiveness assessment system was constructed to interpret street factors from three dimensions: spatial comfort, functional convenience, and human activities. This study analyzed the correlation between indicators, and uses the Analytie Hierarchy Process (AHP) to determine indicator weights and standardized values. The assessment of inclusive scores for the four streets were calculated. For the measurement of certain indicators, the study adopted the GSAM (Grounded Segment Anything Model) to segment and recognize objects. This model has the capability to automatically segment objects in images or videos, generate high-quality labels, and produce measurement results for the factors with a single click. The total score for inclusivity assessment of the four streets is ultimately determined through a combination weighting method. The results of street inclusive assessment indicated that: (1) "Historical Character Streets" presented good performance across various indicators.This marked them suitable for creating highly inclusive and vibrant gathering spaces. (2) The high street penetration rate and density of store facilities demonstrated the potential for inclusive vitality of "Lifestyle and Culture Streets". (3) "Modern Distinctive Streets" performed better in terms of sky openness and pedestrian friendliness,but have a lower greenery ratio. (4) "Lifestyle Landscape Streets" had a higher quality of greenery and accessibility to other parks, but they showed lower inclusion attributes towards functional formats and human activities. Correlation analysis founded that as street building enclosure increases, the proportion of cultural facilities distribution also increases accordingly, providing a wider range of cultural activities. The indicators of accessibility to park and greenery spaces revealed a positive correlation with the proportion of business facilities, indicating a preference for environmentally superior areas among commercial establishments. In terms of inclusion assessment scores, "Historical Character Streets" and "Lifestyle and Culture Streets" received higher evaluation scores , while "Modern Distinctive Streets" and "Lifestyle Landscape Streets" exhibited lower values in this regard. Accordingly, based on the specific presentation of indicators for these four types of streets, the study proposed corresponding renewal strategies, aiming to assist the relevant authorities in improving the inclusion and vitality of streets. It will enhance the quality and happiness of community residents.
Keywords: Street Inclusion ; urban space; Streets classification; Assessment of Inclusivity; scenario strategies
Description
Game changer? Planning for just and sustainable urban regions, Paris, 8-12th July 2024
Keywords
License
CC-BY