URBAN PARKS AND PLAYGROUNDS BETWEEN QUALITY OF LIFE, PARTICIPATORY DESIGN, AND OUTDOOR EDUCATION

Abstract

The progressive increase in population in cities over the past 15-20 years has highlighted the critical issues typical of urban human settlements, such as environmental pollution, sedentariness, lack of urban green spaces, and the difficulty of managing increasingly frequent emergencies. The study of the relationships between the quality of the man-made environment and psychophysical well-being, both individual and collective, represents an increasingly decisive challenge, not only in the fields of architecture and urban planning, but also for the human and social sciences, including the sciences of education and pedagogy. In terms of design, research shows that the involvement of end-users in the process of creating an environment can respond more adequately to the needs of the users themselves, ensuring greater democratic and less resistance to change in the living and working environments that are to be created. Moving within the paradigms of participatory design, quality of life and outdoor education, and through the analysis of implemented projects, the paper aims to provide insights into the importance of urban parks, especially for the younger generation, as essential resources for maintaining a healthy lifestyle, making proper use of leisure time, and keeping alive the network of relationships and opportunities for socialization in the complex society.