Placemaking for wellness: promoting healthy lifestyle via participatory park design - a case study of a residential park, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia

This study demonstrates the effectiveness of participatory placemaking in promoting healthy lifestyles via park design, using Al-Qadisiyah Park in Riyadh as a case study. The placemaking strategy, developed and implemented via a community-involved park design process, sought to customize park attributes to align with residents’ preferred activities and usage trends. This study highlights that community engagement can create parks that effectively encourage physical activity, social interaction, and mental well-being, while accommodating cultural and societal norms and preferences. The study examines the placemaking process addressing park design components that encompass accessibility, amenities, green spaces, and provisions for physical activity. It examines the impact of community engagement on the park’s identity and its potential influence on the community’s overall quality of life and well-being. The study provides insights into the effective execution of placemaking for developing healthy public spaces in urban settings, while acknowledging limitations, including the lack of statistical validation.