Open AccessSpatial Equity in River Access. Measuring the Public Space Potential of Urban Riverbanks in Valdivia, Chile
Author(s) -
Karen Andersen Cirera
Publication year - 2022
Publication title -
international journal of sustainable development and planning
Language(s) - English
Resource type - Journals
SCImago Journal Rank - 0.29
H-Index - 15
eISSN - 1743-761X
pISSN - 1743-7601
DOI - 10.18280/ijsdp.170101
Subject(s) - socioeconomic status , geography , transect , social equality , equity (law) , environmental planning , land use , shore , public space , environmental resource management , urban planning , regional science , business , environmental science , political science , sociology , ecology , population , architectural engineering , engineering , law , oceanography , demography , geology , biology
This paper seeks to evaluate the public space potential of riverbanks in the case of the city of Valdivia. The main goal of this research is to understand the relationships that promote or hinder the equitable enjoyment of watercourses and riverbanks. In the case of river access, spatial equity will be considered as the possibility for all inhabitants to access the benefits and resources of the river in their daily lives. Different analytical techniques and quantitative data were used to explore the relationships between socioeconomic characteristics, like socioeconomic groups and land value in the riverbank urban area. This evaluation will be applied by river edge transects. This article is a contribution to the theoretical discussion of social equity in urban riverfronts as an application in the case study since there are few studies on river banks from this perspective. Lack of a comprehensive shore planning in waterfront neighborhoods and of diverse public spaces impedes due public riverside and water use, as well as neglects ecological deterioration processes and social vulnerability.