Development of Micro-District Landscaping in Ukraine: Challenges and Prospects

The article examines the theory and implementation of the formation of micro-district gardens as the main recreational element of the micro-district within walking distance. The study has identified discrepancies in the Ukrainian norms for their planning, which may cause further development of these areas. The analysis of the current state of micro-district gardens in Kharkiv revealed two stages of their development: 1) before the 2000s – development for garage cooperatives and small public service facilities; 2) after the 2000s – development for 9–24 floors residential multi-apartment buildings and big open parking lots. The study also determined the reasons for the low implementation of micro-district gardens, such as: low attention to the design of gardens at the stage of micro-district construction; poor level of supply of planting material; gradual abandonment of micro-district gardens in favour of inter-neighbourhood parks with the same level of pedestrian accessibility in several countries; change in the functional purpose and location of large sports cores on the territory of gardens; unclear boundaries, status of these territories and management, low support and provision from district councils and residents; the planning aspect – the lack of clear plans for developing these areas, which led to their degradation and further development. A quantitative analysis of the 521st and 355th micro-districts of Kharkiv demonstrated a decrease in their landscaping compared to the building period. The amount of greenery still meets the standards, but a full-fledged recreational facility is difficult or impossible to create. It has led to many consequences for recreationists: social inequality and reduced accessibility to recreational services, decreased quality, expressiveness, and level of recreational space equipment, elimination of communication space at the micro-district level, and reduction of aeration properties of greenery and environmental indicators. Consequences for the urban green space system include the degradation of public parks due to increasing visitors, the impossibility of forming sustainable greenery in the micro-district, the destruction of internal habitats of animal species, and the displacement of nature outside the neighbourhood. The article has established that using the following methods can improve the status of micro-district gardens: 1) granting a park status to the green space; 2) formulating a strategy for its development; 3) involving citizens in discussions, design, and co-financing; 4) establishing control over the preservation of the park after its reconstruction; 5) promoting the formation of neighbourhood-level public organisations for the further development of this area. Keywords: micro-district landscaping, micro-district garden, micro-district, urban green space system.