Urban open spaces for sustainability transformation : capturing citizens’ perceptions with arts-based methods

Abstract

Urban open spaces (UOS) in cities maintain urban nature enabling human-nature interaction. Citizens’ rich nature perceptions may facilitate positive attitudes to sustainability transformation. Current public participation in the management of UOS does not, however, allow the capture of citizens’ place-based perceptions. While artsbased methods to identify perceptions have been acknowledged, the potential has not been empirically tested in UOS.

This dissertation investigates, whether arts-based methods can capture citizens’ perceptions of UOS, and identifies place characteristics that contribute to positive, rich nature perceptions. The investigation took place in UOS of three cities in Finland. The arts-based methods (drifting and theatrical images) were piloted in three workshops in two public parks. In addition, the digitally enabled spontaneous self-articulated in-situ storytelling (DESIS storytelling) captured citizens’ place-based perceptions in UOS in one city. Totally 2368 digital clips of stories from 100 UOS places in one city over six years were utilised. The characteristics determining positive, rich perceptions were observed in 22 representative places. Finally, a national workshop and a Likert survey for UOS managers assessed the capacity to employ the captured perceptions. The mixed (qualitative and quantitative) methods were applied to the analysis of the data.

The findings suggest that arts-based methods are useful for capturing perceptions and DESIS storytelling particularly positive, rich nature perceptions in UOS. Especially three characteristics: mystery, prospect, and refuge were identified for the places of emotional and embodied perceptions. On the contrary, recreational activities and housing areas reduced these perceptions. Managers were found to have the capacity to utilise such perceptions. The results provide insights for land use planning and the management of UOS benefits from the continuous involvement of citizens who provide place-based knowledge.