Use pattern and activities: The evaluation of Malaysian green open space design

Abstract

Numerous studies acknowledged green open space (GOS) as part of the sustainable component which promotes livability and active community. GOS offers the opportunity for people to socialise through appropriate outdoor setting. Acknowledging countless GOS benefits, hence it appears relevant to plan for a good quality of GOS (QGOS). A QGOS ensures park users enjoy maximum utilisation and benefit of outdoor spaces. Having a good QGOS is one of the government strategies included in the 11th Malaysian Plan 2016-2020, to improve people quality of life. Numerous urban related studies had shown that proximity, use pattern, sociability, accessibility and varieties of activities are the significant factors for successful parks design with the consideration of needs and preferences of park users. Hence, this paper will focus on park use pattern to access the quality of the neighbourhood park (QNP) in Malaysia. The objectives are; i) to identify park use pattern among Malaysian, ii) to determine influential factors of Malaysian park use pattern. A quantitative method of questionnaire survey was conducted to obtain the data. Factor analysis results generated from the 1,500 respondents surveyed at 15 Malaysian neighbourhood parks indicated that nature appreciation loads the highest (Eigenvalue = 2.067, Variance Explained = 29.534%), social and active activities (Eigenvalue = 1.270, Variance Explained = 18.137%), followed by passive activities (Eigenvalue = 0.825, Variance Explained = 11.785%). Together, this finding provides essential guidance for park planners to plan for future QGOS and as part of the support to the 11th Malaysian Plan (2016-2020).