In a new study, researchers found that some community parks are square, a reflection of the city block where they’re located, but irregularly shaped parks reduce the mortality risk of residents who live near them.
The research was conducted by a team at Texas A&M University.
Nearly all studies about the effects of natural environments on human health are focused on the amount of a community’s green space.
In the study, the team performed statistical analyses of Philadelphia land cover data to assess links between landscape spatial metrics and health outcomes.
They found that residents in census tracts with more connected, aggregated, and complex-shaped greenspaces had a lower mortality risk.
They showed that the complexity of the park shape was positively associated with a lower risk of mortality.
This association might be attributable to the increased number of access points provided by complex-shaped green spaces.
The results suggest that linking existing parks with greenways or adding new, connected parks might be fiscally accessible strategies for promoting health.
According to the team, irregularly shaped parks are either designed that way or shaped by the parcel they’re established in.
Lower mortality risk wasn’t linked to any particular form, but the data supports the idea that the more complex the park shape, the better.
The relationship between park shape and mortality is important to city designers and planners who seek to create healthier living environments.
One author of the study is Lou Tassinary, a professor of visualization.
The study is published in The Lancet Planetary Health.
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