Linking park utilization and place attachment. Towards liveable neighbourhoods

Abstract

This study investigates the impact of place attachment on park utilisation through residents’ interaction. The correlation between place attachment attributes (functional, emotional and social attachments) and social interaction (engagement patterns and levels of interaction) is tested within Malaysian neighbourhood parks. The findings are based on systematic field observation and a questionnaire survey conducted with 387 residents in three Malaysian neighbourhoods. The results demonstrate a strong correlation between place attachment attributes and resident engagement with parks, thereby increasing the potential for social interactions. The level of functional attachment is strongly linked to both passive and active interactions. Hence, environmental planning and design researchers should further focus on the psychological attachment process of park users to provide more responsive and inclusive parks. Since functional attachment was found to be the key issue for promoting park use and social interaction, this study argues that giving further attention to residents’ functional needs regarding their parks will help mitigate the issue of underutilised parks and enhance neighbourhoods liveability. As the relationships between park utilisation and the influences of place attachment characteristics remain poorly understood, providing insight on how to include place attachment attributes in the design process of parks will enhance parks’ responsiveness.