A New Definition of a Smart and Healthy City Through a Literature Review on Accessible Urban Green Space

Urban green spaces (UGS) are part of green infrastructure, public open spaces, and city amenities that may promote health for all urban residents, according to the World Health Organisation (WHO). Therefore, creating urban green areas that are accessible, inclusive, and fairly distributed across the city is vital to designing and building smarter and healthier urban environments. Numerous scientific studies have reinforced the growing awareness of their benefits to residents and their well-being in recent decades. Research has defined green spaces (from urban forests to inner-city green spaces) and highlighted social aspects, including environmental justice and accessibility, by analysing different methodologies and techniques. However, cutting-edge framework for the accessibility and inclusivity of the urban green spaces has not been developed. This work contributes to ongoing research and critically reviewing the literature to solve this gap. Specifically, this research examines the potential of urban green spaces and their accessibility, proposing operative process that establish a scientific definition and facilitate critical reflection on the planned and design solutions needed to transform and enhance urban landscapes in smarter, healthier and more inclusive cities.