Optimizing neighborhood park enclosures for pedestrian mobility: A space syntax case study in northern Riyadh

Emerging efforts in Saudi Arabia focus on humanizing parks and open spaces in line with Vision 2030. Academics emphasize their role in enhancing well-being and social engagement, yet there is a lack of studies that integrate spatial and statistical methods examining how neighborhood parks’ spatial c...

Full description

Saved in:
Bibliographic Details
Main Author: Hosam Salah El Samaty
Format: Article
Language:English
Published: Elsevier 2025-10-01
Series:Ain Shams Engineering Journal
Subjects:
Online Access:http://www.sciencedirect.com/science/article/pii/S2090447925003442
Tags: Add Tag
No Tags, Be the first to tag this record!
Description
Summary:Emerging efforts in Saudi Arabia focus on humanizing parks and open spaces in line with Vision 2030. Academics emphasize their role in enhancing well-being and social engagement, yet there is a lack of studies that integrate spatial and statistical methods examining how neighborhood parks’ spatial characteristics integrate with their surrounding urban contexts. This study explores how different enclosure types—fully enclosed, semi-enclosed, and fully open—affect spatial dynamics and movement patterns in adjacent urban areas. Using Space Syntax methodology and statistical modeling, an axial map analysis was conducted for the three enclosure types, evaluating integration, choice, connectivity, and intelligibility within a prototype neighborhood park in northern Riyadh. Findings indicate that semi-enclosed parks enhance integration by regulating accessibility, while fully enclosed parks isolate the park, limiting interaction. Fully open parks promote access but weaken spatial structure. The study provides recommendations for KSA urban developers and highlights the need for further spatial analysis.
ISSN:2090-4479