Urban Public Open Space Design Based On Social Sustainability Concept

Sustainable development means a balanced and harmonious development of society,economy and ecology. There has been a consensus on sustainable urban development in theurban planning and construction area, and eco-city has become a basic strategy in urbanconstruction. However, the present eco-city planning and construction focus on environmentaland technique aspects while the social dimension in the sustainable development is lessinvolved, and the application of social sustainable development theory into planning andconstruction is also relatively weak. The “Twelfth Five-Year Plan” puts forward socialinclusive development, with particular emphasis on the development of the city for allresidents. Therefore, to study how to transfer the social sustainability concepts into planningand construction, so that different classes and different groups will share equal opportunitiesand have equal access to public services and public space, is closely related to social equalityand social integration, and will constitute great significance in the achievement of the goal ofsustainable urban development.In such a background, this paper had a study of public open space design based on socialsustainability concept. The research reviewed national and international social sustainabilitytheory in urban planning, analyzed related practices in China and abroad, elaborated on theissue of social sustainability in the design of urban public open space, and suggested thenecessity and key elements of social sustainable design in the urban public open space. On thisbasis, the research explored how to realize in the design the three elements of accessibility,continuity and security during the process of using urban public open space among differentclasses and groups. Thereafter, the study related the application of an updated design project inRudong Central Market, in order to further explain that the urban public open space designinvolving the concept of social sustainability is beneficial for social integration, reflects socialjustice, and helps to realize the social sustainable development.