TY - JOUR

T1 - Assessing urban social sustainability with the Place Standard Tool

T2 - Measurement, findings, and guidance

AU - Mouratidis, Kostas

AU - Hofstad, Hege

AU - Zeiner, Hilde Hatleskog

AU - Sagen, Stine Busborg

AU - Dahl, Christel

AU - Følling, Kjersti Eline

AU - Olsen, Bent Olav

N1 - Publisher Copyright: © 2024 The Authors

PY - 2024

Y1 - 2024

N2 - This study introduces the Place Standard Tool as an instrument for assessing urban social sustainability. The Place Standard Tool was developed in Scotland as a simple framework to evaluate physical (e.g., buildings, public spaces, transport system), social (e.g., social interaction, identity and belonging, safety), and procedural (e.g., public participation, sense of control) aspects concerning places, neighborhoods, and districts. The tool was tested in three cities in Norway – Kristiansand, Stavanger, and Fredrikstad – through a transdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, municipalities, and local stakeholders. We first present the methodology we applied for testing the tool and then report some indicative findings. Next, municipal advisors present their qualitative assessment of the tool discussing its usefulness for urban planning and local governance. Finally, researchers offer theoretical and methodological guidance: they theoretically discuss the relevance of the tool for urban social sustainability, present its strengths and weaknesses, and provide methodological recommendations for future applications.

AB - This study introduces the Place Standard Tool as an instrument for assessing urban social sustainability. The Place Standard Tool was developed in Scotland as a simple framework to evaluate physical (e.g., buildings, public spaces, transport system), social (e.g., social interaction, identity and belonging, safety), and procedural (e.g., public participation, sense of control) aspects concerning places, neighborhoods, and districts. The tool was tested in three cities in Norway – Kristiansand, Stavanger, and Fredrikstad – through a transdisciplinary collaboration between researchers, municipalities, and local stakeholders. We first present the methodology we applied for testing the tool and then report some indicative findings. Next, municipal advisors present their qualitative assessment of the tool discussing its usefulness for urban planning and local governance. Finally, researchers offer theoretical and methodological guidance: they theoretically discuss the relevance of the tool for urban social sustainability, present its strengths and weaknesses, and provide methodological recommendations for future applications.

KW - Built environment

KW - Health and well-being

KW - Place Standard Tool

KW - Social equity

KW - Urban quality of life

KW - Urban social sustainability

U2 - 10.1016/j.cities.2024.104902

DO - 10.1016/j.cities.2024.104902

M3 - Journal article

AN - SCOPUS:85186751021

VL - 148

JO - Cities

JF - Cities

SN - 0264-2751

M1 - 104902

ER -