CITY-WIDE PUBLIC SPACE ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT - A guide to community-led digital inventory and assessment of public spaces

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Aladdin

A comprehensive toolkit that guides cities in conducting city-wide public space assessments through community-led, digital inventory and evaluation. It explains the purpose, target users, and step-by-step workflow grouped into pre-field work, data collection and quality checks, reporting, and post-assessment activities. The guide helps cities understand public space network, distribution, accessibility, quantity, and quality, and provides “hooks” for evidence-based public space strategy or policy development.

LanguageEnglish

CategoryPresentations

FormatPDF

Pages96

Reading Time34 min

AccessFree to download

WHAT IS IT FOR?

WHO IS IT FOR?

HOW DO I USE IT?

HOW DO I NAVIGATE THROUGH THIS GUIDE?

CITY-WIDE PUBLIC SPACE ASSESSMENT

ACROYNMS

GLOSSARY

CITY-WIDE PUBLIC SPACE ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT A guide to community-led digital inventory and assessment of public spaces. Copyright © United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) 2020 All rights reserved United Nations Human Settlements Programme (UN-Habitat) P. O. Box 30030 00100 Nairobi GPO KENYA Tel: 254-020-7623120 (Central Office) [www.unhabitat.org](www.unhabitat.org) DISCLAIMER The designations employed and the presentation of the material in this report do not imply the expression of any opinion whatsoever on the part of the Secretariat of the United Nations concerning the legal status of any country, territory, city or area or of its authorities, or concerning the delimitation of its frontiers or boundaries, or regarding its economic system or degree of development. The analysis, conclusions and recommendations of this publication do not necessarily reflect the views of the United Nations Human Settlements Programme or its Governing Council. Reference in this publication of any specific commercial products, brand names, processes, or services, or the use of any trade, firm, or corporation name does not constitute endorsement, recommendation, or favouring by UN-Habitat or its officers, nor does such reference constitute an endorsement of UN-Habitat. ACKNOWLEDGMENTS This guide is a revised version of the initial guide developed in early 2020. UN-Habitat is grateful to all partners within the public space network for their contribution to this guide. Special thanks goes to our partners at General Assembly of Partners Persons with Disabilities Partner Constituent Group, General Assembly of Partners Older Persons Partner Constituent Group, City Space Architecture, City University of New York, Consortium for Sustainable Urbanization, Perkins Eastman for their continuous support and input to this guide. Programme Manager: Cecilia Andersson Principal Author: Joy Mutai Contributors Mitiku Woldesenbet, Sohel Rana, Christelle Lahoud, Chiara Martinuzzi, Mario Tevara, Mateus Lira, Jose Chong, Hannes Juhlin Lagrelius, Benjamin Dard, Shivani Gupta, Katherine Kline, Luisa Bravo, Setha Low, Lance Jay Brown, Theodore Liebman Design and Layout: Joy Mutai CITY-WIDE PUBLIC SPACE ASSESSMENT TOOLKIT A guide to community-led digital inventory and assessment of public spaces. WHAT IS IT FOR? The purpose of this document is to guide cities when conducting a city-wide public space assessment. It illustrates the steps that should be followed within the process to ensure that the public space assessment meets the objectives of the city. By applying this tool, cities are able to understand the state of their public spaces, specifically the network1, distribution2, accessibility3, quantity4 and quality5 of their public spaces. This guide sets out the “hooks” that will support the development of a comprehensive evidence-based public space strategy or policy building on the results of the assessment. Once a city has commissioned an assessment of public spaces, the following steps, which are grouped into four parts, can be followed: (i) Pre-field work,(ii) Data collection and quality check (iii) Reporting and (iv) Post city-wide assessment. WHO IS IT FOR? This guide is designed primarily for local governments including field staff and partners with responsibility for planning, establishing and implementing the programmatic, managerial and organizational aspects of public spaces. It will also be useful for policy makers and supervisors in understanding and promoting public spaces. HOW DO I USE IT? This guide is a living document that draws from learning and experiences. It builds on UN-Habitat’s recent experience in several cities and contexts. It is intended to be regularly updated with feedback from its applications in a variety of urban contexts. Local governments and partners are therefore encouraged to apply this guide fully or in part. 1.A system of public spaces 2. Spatial balance of pub

FAQs

What is the purpose of the City-wide Public Space Assessment Toolkit?

It guides cities in conducting a city-wide public space assessment by outlining steps to meet the assessment objectives. It also supports development of an evidence-based public space strategy or policy using the assessment results.

Who is the toolkit designed for?

Primarily local governments, including field staff and partners responsible for planning and implementing public space programmes. It also supports policy makers and supervisors in promoting public spaces.

How is the assessment process organized in the toolkit?

The process is grouped into four parts: pre-field work, data collection and quality check, reporting, and post city-wide assessment. The guide further includes steps such as data analysis, public space assessment reports, and validation workshops.

Sep 17, 2026

Uploaded by Aladdin