Assessment of the open public spaces in the city of Riobamba

Abstract

Open public spaces are the key to achieve sustainable urban development of cities. They are considered the root of urbanism since, besides their physical functions, they incorporate economic, social, and environmental attributes. This research determines the quantity, quality, and use of open public spaces in Riobamba, to know their current situation. Each open space was analyzed, identified, and defined based on the city's conceptualization and classification. Through the on-site application of a digital survey consisting of interviews, observation, audio recording, photographs, and the use of the KoBoToolbox platform, 143 open public spaces were evaluated in the following categories: spatial location, typology, accessibility, use, comfort, physical character, green area, security, and frequency of users. The diagnosis obtained gives as a general result a regular average in relation to its quality; the most advantageous categories in the evaluation are accessibility and security, while the category that obtained the least value is physical character. The current state synthesis is evidenced in situational, evaluative, and conclusive mappings, becoming tools for improving these spaces' management and planning.