Advanced digital methods for analysing and optimising accessibility and visibility of water for designing sustainable healthy urban environments

Water, a vital element of human existence, shapes cities and benefits human health through daily exposure. This study delves into advanced digital methods to describe blue space exposure effectively, aiming to optimise spatial accessibility and visibility of water for designing sustainable healthy urban environments. Rotterdam is utilised as a test case, demonstrating the role of these methods in evaluating the performance of blue space exposure in urban environments, specifically in terms of spatial morphology and physical characteristics. Eight distinct methods are discussed, addressing exposure type, scale levels, and design interactions, subsequently offering a novel flowchart for their integration into cross-scale spatial design and policymaking. The findings underscore the need to select appropriate methods to analyse and optimise blue exposure in spatial planning or design assignments. The selection should be based on design intentions and data availability. The biggest potential is found in combining these methods to handle the complexity of urban issues. The research reveals the importance of blue space accessibility and visibility in promoting sustainable healthy urban environments while also emphasising the need to go beyond them, factoring in the quality, function, and usage of blue spaces.