Analysis of modes of access and use patterns of the population as a basis for planning urban green spaces

In cities, public green spaces are one of the main articulators of social life since they serve as places for people to meet and integrate. The World Health Organization states that the optimal minimum area devoted to green space per inhabitant should be 10 to 15 m2. However, this indicator does not guarantee equal access to all residents. Therefore, the available area and location of such spaces are fundamental to ensuring this equality, and consequently, the quality of urban life. This research focuses on the analysis of the different modes of access and use patterns of green spaces in the Mendoza Metropolitan Area, Argentina, in order to develop a plan for the inclusion of new green spaces that address the key concepts of quantity of and equality of access for pedestrians. To this end, surveys were conducted of users, which demonstrated that: most access these sites on foot; there is a relationship between means of transport and frequency of use of green spaces; and the working radii of said sites vary between 300 and 400 m depending on their surface area