Open Spaces as an Urban System

According to a 2018 United Nations report, by 2050, more than 7.7 billion people will be living in urban areas. One can predict that this rapid rate of urbanization, if uncontrolled, will reduce the quality of open spaces in cities. In response to the dilemmas posed by these forces, this chapter explores the urban design concepts which will comprise the foundation of a resilient open space system for urban landscapes. The chapter outlines four types of open spaces: the green belt arrangement, separate patches, and hierarchy configuration; the chapter illustrates how open spaces must be connected to form a coherent and resilient urban landscape.