Landscape Design of the Neighborhood Parks in Erbil City

Abstract

The study was conducted in nine residential neighborhoods parks within the city of Erbil (Qwtabian, shanader 3, Mnara, Peshmerga, Yadi Namran, Kanyaw, Federal,Shiraz and Halwist Park). During the period from; 10th , March 2020 to September 10th, 2020. To study the parks style, designs, spaces(areas), recreational activities, natural and physical(artificial) components, and to identify their problems in terms of blueprints and design. In order to achieve the objectives of this research, it was necessary to include three theoretical chapters represented by the concept of parks and open spaces in neighborhoods and the benefit of neighborhood parks, and the components of neighborhood parks and their recreation facilities , and in the fourth chapter the research was based on a method of case study to analyze the reality of the parks situation in residential neighborhoods through observations, personal interviews and a questionnaire, and analyzing the blueprints. The research obtained several conclusions, the most important are: The area of the parks and gardens under study did not comply with the standards. Most of these parks provide places for sitting, rest and walking, in addition to their lack of most recreational facilities and sports and children's games. Through the results of the questionnaire, it was concluded that there is a strong need and interest by residents in the parks of residential neighborhoods in the city of Erbil to participate in expressing their views on the subject and in both genders and at different ages and cultural levels. The majority of visitors to these parks and gardens are residents of the neighborhood, at a rate of 78%, and the best time for their visits is in the afternoon, at a rate of 89%. Also, only 8% of the respondents see that places for children to play and exercise equipment (fitness) in these parks meet their desires. There is also a strong desire among visitors to add new recreation activities to these parks, such as adding a place dedicated to sitting, family picnics, a place for the elderly to gather, places for children to play, a place for reading for school students, in addition to corridors for walking, jogging and others. The research also included designing or developing alternative designs for some places designated for parks in some residential neighborhoods within the city of Erbil, such as the neighborhoods of Zhyan, Waziran, Rezkari(koran) and Naznaz, based on the study of the reality of the situation and the results of the questionnaire and the study of environmental factors in the city. Through the results and conclusions of the study, we reach the following recommendations to several parties (Recommendations to the planning authorities, Recommendations to the executive parties, Recommendations to the Ministry of Municipalities and the Department of Parks, and to the parks managements). That can be invested in future designs of gardens and neighborhoods parks in the city of Erbil and the cities of the Kurdistan region.