How Can User-Oriented Evaluation Enhance Public Space Design? Insights from the Üsküdar Waterfront

Seher Başaran; Melody Safarkhani

doi:10.38027/jsalutogenic_vol4no1_16

Authors

Seher Başaran Department of Architecture, Graduate School, Istanbul Okan University, Turkey Author https://orcid.org/0009-0003-4500-2798
Melody Safarkhani Department of Architecture, Faculty of Art, Design and Architecture, Istanbul Okan University, Turkey Author https://orcid.org/0000-0001-6363-9328

DOI:

https://doi.org/10.38027/jsalutogenic_vol4no1_16

Keywords:

Public Space Design, Post-occupancy evaluation, Sustainable Development, User- Oriented approach, Üsküdar Waterfront

Abstract

User-oriented public spaces are central to urban livability, as they address diverse needs, preferences, and everyday experiences while fostering inclusivity, accessibility, functionality, and comfort. These qualities enhance well-being and support sustainable urban development. Aligned with this perspective, the present study conducts a user-oriented post-occupancy evaluation of the regenerated Üsküdar waterfront in Istanbul, a historically layered district undergoing significant transformation. While urban waterfront regeneration is typically assessed through ecological, design, or economic lenses, socially grounded and user-oriented evaluations remain limited. This study addresses that gap by examining user perceptions across four key dimensions: demographic diversity, accessibility, spatial functionality, and environmental quality, using a structured questionnaire. Based on survey data from 100 users and supported by statistical analysis, the findings reveal strengths in aesthetic quality and multimodal accessibility, particularly through effective landscape design and integration with public transport. However, notable deficiencies persist in disability inclusion, sanitary infrastructure, safety, and comfort. These results underscore the importance of aligning physical interventions with users’ lived experiences. By placing user experience at the center of evaluation, the study offers actionable insights to guide more inclusive, responsive, and sustainable waterfront development in Istanbul and other similarly evolving urban contexts.

Downloads

Download data is not yet available.

References

Alidoust, S. (2023). Sustained liveable cities: the interface of liveability and resiliency. Cities & Health, 8(6), 1108–1119. https://doi.org/10.1080/23748834.2023.2260132

Alsallomy, S., & Polat, S. (2021). The Evaluation of Public Open Space Quality from the Perspective of Syrian Refugees Living in Bursa, Turkey. Journal of Environmental and Natural Studies, 3(1), 56–71.

Al-Saud, L. E., & Goussous, J. S. (2023). Waterfront Urban Regeneration and Its Impact on Socio-cultural Activities (The Case of Jeddah Waterfront). In S. Kostopoulou, G. Herrera-Franco, J. Wood, & K. Al-Kodmany (Eds.), Cities’ Vocabularies and the Sustainable Development of the Silkroads (pp. 21–32). Springer Nature Switzerland. https://doi.org/10.1007/978-3-031-31027-0_3

Bodnar, J. (2015). Reclaiming public space. Urban Studies, 52(12), 2090–2104. https://doi.org/10.1177/0042098015583626

Carmona, M. (2010). Contemporary Public Space: Critique and Classification, Part One: Critique. Journal of Urban Design, 15(1), 123–148. https://doi.org/10.1080/13574800903435651

Carmona, M., Magalhães, C. de, & Hammond, L. (2008). Public Space: The Management Dimension. Routledge.

Chen, L., Leng, H., Dai, J., Liu, Y., & Yuan, Z. (2024). Urban Waterfront Regeneration on Ecological and Historical Dimensions: Insight from a Unique Case in Beijing, China. Land, 13(5), 5. https://doi.org/10.3390/land13050674

Ciampa, F., De Medici, S., Viola, S., & Pinto, M. R. (2021). Regeneration Criteria for Adaptive Reuse of the Waterfront Ecosystem: Learning from the US Case Study to Improve European Approach. Sustainability, 13(8), 8. https://doi.org/10.3390/su13084156

Dane, G., Evers, S., van den Berg, P., Klippel, A., Verduijn, T., Wallgrün, J. O., & Arentze, T. (2024). Experiencing the future: Evaluating a new framework for the participatory co-design of healthy public spaces using immersive virtual reality. Computers, Environment and Urban Systems, 114, 102194. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.compenvurbsys.2024.102194

Deakin, M. (2009). A Community-Based Approach to Sustainable Urban Regeneration. Journal of Urban Technology, 16(1), 91–112. https://doi.org/10.1080/10630730903090354

Eltarabily, S. (2022). Toward a conceptual framework for evaluating the quality of urban open spaces. Journal of Sustainable Architecture and Civil Engineering, 31(2), 58–84. https://doi.org/10.5755/j01.sace.31.2.31311

Evers, S., Dane, G. Z., van den Berg, P. E. W., Klippel, A. K. A. J., Verduijn, T., & Arentze, T. A. (2023). Designing healthy public spaces: A participatory approach through immersive virtual reality. AGILE: GIScience Series, 4, 24. https://doi.org/10.5194/agile-giss-4-24-2023

Fageir, M., Porter, N., & Borsi, K. (2021). Contested grounds; the regeneration of Liverpool waterfront. Planning Perspectives, 36(3), 535–557. https://doi.org/10.1080/02665433.2020.1804989

Falanga, R., & Nunes, M. C. (2021). Tackling urban disparities through participatory culture-led urban regeneration. Insights from Lisbon. Land Use Policy, 108, 105478. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.landusepol.2021.105478

Ferwati, M. S., Keyvanfar, A., Shafaghat, A., & Ferwati, O. (2021). A Quality Assessment Directory for Evaluating Multi-functional Public Spaces. Architecture and Urban Planning, 17(1), 136–151. https://doi.org/10.2478/aup-2021-0013

Friman, M., Lättman, K., & Olsson, L. E. (2020). Public transport quality, safety, and perceived accessibility. Sustainability, 12(9), 3563. https://doi.org/10.3390/su12093563

Gospodini, A. (2001). Urban Design, Urban Space Morphology, Urban Tourism: An Emerging New Paradigm Concerning Their Relationship. European Planning Studies, 9(7), 925–934. https://doi.org/10.1080/09654310120079841

Gupta, A., Yadav, M., & Nayak, B. K. (2025). A Systematic Literature Review on Inclusive Public Open Spaces: Accessibility standards and universal design Principles. Urban Science, 9(6), 181. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9060181

Jones, A. L. (2017). Regenerating Urban Waterfronts—Creating Better Futures—From Commercial and Leisure Market Places to Cultural Quarters and Innovation Districts. Planning Practice & Research, 32(3), 333–344. https://doi.org/10.1080/02697459.2016.1222146

Kapsalis, E., Jaeger, N., & Hale, J. (2022). Disabled-by-design: effects of inaccessible urban public spaces on users of mobility assistive devices – a systematic review. Disability and Rehabilitation: Assistive Technology, 19(3), 604–622. https://doi.org/10.1080/17483107.2022.2111723

Li, J., Dang, A., & Song, Y. (2022). Defining the ideal public space: A perspective from the publicness. Journal of Urban Management, 11(4), 479–487. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jum.2022.08.005

Low, S., & Smith, N. (2006). The Politics of Public Space. Routledge. https://www.routledge.com/The-Politics-of-Public-Space/Low-Smith/p/book/9780415951395

Low, S., Taplin, D., & Scheld, S. (2005). Rethinking Urban Parks: Public Space and Cultural Diversity. University of Texas Press.

Marshall, R. (2004). Waterfronts in Post-Industrial Cities. Taylor & Francis.

Mehta, V. (2014). Evaluating Public Space. Journal of Urban Design, 19(1), 53–88. https://doi.org/10.1080/13574809.2013.854698

Paksoy, P., & Colakoglu, N. (2014). Beach management & analysis of visitors’ remarks. International Journal of Research in Business and Social Science, 3(3), 63–76. https://doi.org/10.20525/ijrbs.v3i3.110

Peng, Y., Qiu, H., & Wang, X. (2023). The influence of spatial functions on the public space system of traditional settlements. Sustainability, 15(11), 8632. https://doi.org/10.3390/su15118632

Pérez-Tejera, F., Anguera, M. T., Guàrdia-Olmos, J., Dalmau-Bueno, A., & Valera, S. (2022). Examining perceived safety and park use in public open spaces: The case of Barcelona. Journal of Environmental Psychology, 81, 101823. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.jenvp.2022.101823

Qi, J., Mazumdar, S., & Vasconcelos, A. C. (2024). Understanding the Relationship between Urban Public Space and Social Cohesion: A Systematic Review. International Journal of Community Well-Being, 7(2), 155–212. https://doi.org/10.1007/s42413-024-00204-5

Ramírez-Saiz, A., Larriva, M. T. B., Martín, D. J., & Alonso, A. (2025). Enhancing Urban Mobility for All: The Role of Universal Design in Supporting Social Inclusion for Older Adults and People with Disabilities. Urban Science, 9(2), 46. https://doi.org/10.3390/urbansci9020046

Ridings, J., & Chitrakar, R. M. (2021). Urban design frameworks, user activities and public tendencies in Brisbane’s urban squares. Urban Design International, 26(3), 272–288. https://doi.org/10.1057/s41289-020-00113-x

Ríos-Rodríguez, M. L., Rosales, C., Lorenzo, M., Muinos, G., & Hernández, B. (2021). Influence of Perceived Environmental Quality on the Perceived Restorativeness of Public Spaces. Frontiers in Psychology, 12. https://doi.org/10.3389/fpsyg.2021.644763

Sahtout, I., Zorgati, I. B. Y., & Lafhaj, Z. (2024). Integrating dynamic culture and participatory design in urban spaces for sustainable futures. Journal of Contemporary Urban Affairs, 8(1), 212–231. https://doi.org/10.25034/ijcua.2024.v8n1-12

Sanoff, H. (2000). Community Participation Methods in Design and Planning. Wiley.

Seçmen, S., & Türkoğlu, H. (2021). Spatial characteristics of urban waterfronts. Ekistics and the New Habitat, 80(1), 68–81. https://doi.org/10.53910/26531313-e2020801484

Shi, J., Dai, X., Sun, Z., Liu, M., & Tang, D. (2023). Exploring the Determinants and Consequences of Public Satisfaction with Urban Waterfronts: A Case Study of the Xuhui Waterfront in Shanghai, China. Journal of Urban Planning and Development, 149(2), 04023005. https://doi.org/10.1061/JUPDDM.UPENG-4139

Soja, E. W. (2010). Seeking Spatial Justice. University of Minnesota Press.

Tommarchi, E. (2025). Waterfront Redevelopment Five Decades Later: An Updated Typology and Research Agenda. Ocean and Society, 2, 9265. https://doi.org/10.17645/oas.9265

Üzümcüoğlu, D. & Polay, M. (2024). Unveiling contemporary and thrilling waterfront design principles through theoretical and case-based investigations. Journal of Architectural Sciences and Applications, 9 (1), 44- 68. https://doi.org/10.30785/mbud.1366291

Whyte, W. H. (1980). The Social Life of Small Urban Spaces. Project for Public Spaces.

Xie, Q., & Lu, M. (2020). Measures of Spatial and Demographic Disparities in Access to Urban Green Space in Harbin, China. Complexity, 2020(1), 8832343. https://doi.org/10.1155/2020/8832343

Zhu, Y., Zhang, Y., & Biljecki, F. (2025). Understanding the user perspective on urban public spaces: A systematic review and opportunities for machine learning. Cities, 156, 105535. https://doi.org/10.1016/j.cities.2024.105535