A Methodology of Spatial Planning for Waterside Area

Abstract

As exemplified by the trend that more attention has been paid to the improvement of watersides for recreational purposes, there arises an increasing need for new creative ideas in waterside planning. This paper is an attempt to outline a circular creative systems analysis considering importance of the alternate use of two approaches such as meta-level and acta-level approaches. After some examples of recent acta-level waterside projects are shown, results of survey questionnaire are considered. The results tell us what residents think about the river, who come to the waterside of river, and where they come from. Watersides shall be the place where we can recover our humanity, which should not be denied to anyone, through the various activities we do there. Moreover, from the analysis and synthesis of visual information from pictures of watersides the desired elements of watersides are obtained. Consequently, we reach the conclusion; “The philosophy governing the spatial design of waterside recreational areas is to direct a space for minimizing the distance between human five senses and the water in the waterside environment with hard and soft technology, which is composed of geo-, eco- and socio-environments, where people will be able to understand by themselves consciously or unconsciously the cycle of destruction-creation-sustenance, the transmigration and metempsychosis of life including those of humans, and individuals and others through play activities.” Finally, a case study based on this concept is shown. © 1995, JAPAN SECTION OF THE REGIONAL SCIENCE ASSOCIATION INTERNATIONAL. All rights reserved.