Search

A distinctive feature of downtown Santiago is its three-layered pedestrian network, consisting of streets, pedestrian zones and commercial galleries. This research shows that an important part of the vitality of downtown Santiago is because of its physical and configurational structure of streets, pedestrian zones and commercial galleries. This three-layered pedestrian network has been able to introduce a progressive differentiation of pedestrian flows into the urban block, thereby allowing for lower rents and the diversification of retail, which in turn facilitates the social diversity of service providers and users in the historic centre of Santiago. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

This paper analyzes the functioning of four recently installed open gyms—gyms installed on squares and green spaces that can be used free of charge by anyone—located in Providencia, a residential and commercial district of Santiago, Chile. Specifically, this research seeks to understand, among other questions, who uses these facilities, how often and for how long, as well as whether users were habitual exercisers prior to the installation of the gyms. The methodology used was twofold. The first study technique was to systematically observe the exercise areas between 7:00 am and 11:00 pm on four days (Wednesday and Saturday) in the months of December and August, corresponding respectively to summer and wintertime in the southern hemisphere. In addition, a survey was distributed to the 166 gym users asking, among other questions, how often they visited the gyms, for how long, if they did any other type of physical activity, and whether they were regular exercisers before the installation of these premises. The results showed that the gyms were very successful in prompting people to embrace physical activity, even those who were not regular exercisers. Moreover, the exercise facilities are contributing to the revitalization of the public spaces in which they are located. [ABSTRACT FROM PUBLISHER]

• The impact of bike sharing stations on the perception of public spaces is analysed. • Presence of bike sharing has a positive impact on urban landscape perception. • Positive perception of stations is more likely in compact urban contexts. • Disorganised dockless bikes on sidewalks produce a negative perception. The pervasiveness of bike sharing schemes around the world has the potential to bring important benefits in terms of public health and reduction of congestion and emissions. However, there can be negative externalities associated to these systems, especially in terms of misuse and degradation of public spaces. This paper explores how the presence of different shared bicycle systems and their stations affect peoplés perceptions of public spaces and neighbourhoods. For this, a stated preferences experiment was created and applied in Santiago de Chile, depicting two main scenarios (downtown and residential) with various configurations of public bicycle stations (dock-based and dockless), along other cycling facilities on a street. Survey results were used to estimate a choice model, measuring the impact of the scenario attributes on the probability of being chosen as a preferred public space. Attitudes about bikesharing, the environment and mobility in general were also measured and used to estimate latent variables and their role in public space perception. Results show bike sharing stations are overall positively perceived in terms of their capacity to improve a neighbourhood's image, safety and accessibility, although this is more likely in compact urban contexts and for users of bikesharing. Disorganized (dockless) bicycles left on sidewalks are perceived negatively, although not enough to make individuals prefer a situation without public bicycles. The previous findings indicate that bike sharing schemes could have positive effects on the image of neighbourhoods by making them look more attractive and modern. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Journal of Sport & Health Research is the property of Journal of Sport & Health Research and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

Copyright of Urbano is the property of Departamento de Planificacion y Diseno Urbano, Universidad del Bio-Bio and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)

This paper describes an in-depth study of a grid-like American city using traditional and recent space syntax analytical methods. The case study is Lubbock, located in west Texas, and is characterized by its ‘almost’ ideal grid layout ‒ one that is perhaps prototypical of American conditions west of the Mississippi River. After extensively describing the city, it is examined by using topological, angular and metric radii of space syntax analysis. From these, comments are made on factors influencing its layout and functional distribution, their relationships to syntactic understandings and some recent development trends. Through this process, the paper addresses the debate regarding the appropriateness of space syntax in investigating grid conditions, and responds to an emerging syntax theorem: local structure is metric and global structure is topo-geometric. In addition, the historical development of grid-like cities in the US is described, an implicit comparison of three syntax methods is provided, and a renewed case of syntax applicability to grid-like cities is made. [ABSTRACT FROM AUTHOR]

Copyright of Revista de Estudios Sociales is the property of Universidad de los Andes and its content may not be copied or emailed to multiple sites or posted to a listserv without the copyright holder's express written permission. However, users may print, download, or email articles for individual use. This abstract may be abridged. No warranty is given about the accuracy of the copy. Users should refer to the original published version of the material for the full abstract. (Copyright applies to all Abstracts.)