IÖR-Forum

Equitable access to Public Green Spaces (PGS) is a matter of social justice, essential for realizing the "right to the city." This talk presents research on socio-spatial segregation in the use of PGS across major Chilean cities. Leveraging large-scale mobile phone data (XDR), a Socio-Material Territorial Index (ISMT), and Entropy (H), we analyze park visitation patterns to quantify social mixing. Findings reveal persistent inequities. In Santiago, greener parks (higher NDVI) are concentrated in affluent areas and, paradoxically, show lower segregation (more diverse use). Conversely, parks in lower-income areas often exhibit higher segregation. Park diversity is driven by two key factors: multimodal attractiveness and a variety of facilities. Central parks with high multimodal access function as key socio-spatial integration nodes. Our results demonstrate that simply improving park quality in vulnerable areas is insufficient. Equitable urban planning must also address structural barriers to access and connectivity to foster truly integrated public spaces. 

Our Speaker: 
Assoc. Prof. Dr. Horacio Samaniego