Examination of The City Parks in terms of Landscape Design Criteria

Abstract

Urban parks, which ensure the sustainability of cities and create quality and comfortable living spaces for urban people, affect the users they address in line with their landscape design features. Both positive and negative aspects of compliance with design criteria concern not only the urban park but also its users and the city as a whole. Spaces without any recreational activities, without comfort, without a green texture do not add anything positive to the city and do not create physical, social and cultural interaction for the people of the environment in which they are located, and will cause stagnation and restlessness on the psychology of the city people. However, the urban park applied within the scope of landscape design criteria will provide quality, comfort, and tranquility to the user it addresses. Urban parks that are intertwined with nature, include active and passive recreational activities, are in harmony with their surroundings, create a safe environment, appeal to all age groups and meet the wishes and needs of users increase the level of satisfaction by affecting the living standards of the city.  In this study, firstly, it was planned to observe, identify and analyze the current conditions of 5 urban parks in the central district of Niğde. The study aims to determine the suitability of some parks that provide services at the urban scale within the borders of Niğde; landscape design criteria (accessibility, suitability for all age groups, equipment elements, water elements, parking, barrier-free space use, year-round usability, climate suitability, security, night use, vegetative design, space use, size, contribution to urban aesthetics and harmony with the environment. In this context, it is planned to determine the suitability of the parks in terms of landscape design according to the landscape design criteria determined and to make evaluations to analyze the current situation of the parks. As a result of the evaluation, solutions will be proposed for the problem of the current situation by the landscape design criteria.