ESTONIAN UNIVERSITY OF LIFE SCIENCES Institute of Agricultural and Environmental Sciences Katariina Lepiku CO-MANAGEMENT AND SPACE APPROPRIATION OF INFORMAL PUBLIC AREAS AS A MODEL OF URBAN GREEN INFRASTRUCTURE DEVELOPMENT TÜHERMAASTIKE KASUTAMINE JA TÄHENDUSLIKKUS LINNA ROHEVÕRGUSTIKU ARENDAMISE SUUNISENA Master thesis Curriculum of Landscape Architecture Supervisors: Anna Wilczyńska, MSc Jekaterina Balicka, MSc Tartu 2020 Estonian University of Life Sciences Abstract of Master´s Thesis Kreutzwaldi 1, Tartu 51014 Author: Katariina Lepiku Specialty: Landscape Architecture Title: Co-management and space appropriation of informal public areas as a model of urban green infrastructure development Pages: 67 Figures: 66 Tables: 0 Appendixes: 1 Department: Chair of Landscape Architecture Field of research: Landscape design (T250) Supervisors: Anna Wilczyńska, Jekaterina Balicka Place and date: Tartu 2020 Urbanization has placed a lot of pressure on formal greenspaces to fulfill all the needs of the residents. In recent years, researchers have started to look towards informal greenspaces for potential solutions. In Estonia, there is not much research done about informal greenspaces and there is also a lack of design ideas for these spaces. This thesis aimed to find out what is distinctive for informal greenspaces in Northern Tallinn, what type of informal greenspaces can be found in Northern Tallinn, and what kind of evidence of use and co-management by users can be found from informal greenspaces in Northern Tallinn. To find the answers to these questions, twenty-eight case study sites in Northern Tallinn were analyzed through map analysis and field study. This provided sufficient information to answer all the research questions. The results of this thesis might provide beneficial information for the municipality of Northern Tallinn and landscape architects and planners to come up with solutions and strategies for these spaces that would meet the needs of the residents. Keywords: informal greenspace, informal use, urban green infrastructure, Northern Tallinn 2 Eesti Maaülikool Magistritöö / Bakalaureusetöö Kreutzwaldi 1, Tartu 51014 lühikokkuvõte Autor: Katariina Lepiku Õppekava: Maastikuarhitektuur Pealkiri: Tühermaastike kasutamine ja tähenduslikkus linna rohevõrgustiku arendamise suunisena Lehekülgi: 67 Jooniseid: 66 Tabeleid: 0 Lisasid: 1 Osakond: Maastikuarhitektuuri õppetool Uurimisvaldkond: Maastikukujundus (T250) Juhendaja(d): Anna Wilczyńska, Jekaterina Balicka Kaitsmiskoht ja aasta: Tartu 2020 Linnastumine on avaldanud ametlikele rohealadele suure surve rahuldada kõigi elanike vajadusi. Seetõttu on viimastel aastatel hakanud teadlased uurima tühermaastikke, et mõista nende võimalikku potentsiaali ja seda optimaalselt ära kasutada. Antud teemat ei ole Eestis palju uuritud ning puudu on ka headest lahendusest. Antud töö eesmärgiks oli välja selgitada Põhja-Tallinna tühermaastikele iseloomulikud jooned, võimalikud leida olevad tüübid ning leida jälgi nende kasutusest ja kaashaldusest. Leidmaks vastuseid nendele küsimustele, uuriti kaardianalüüsi ja väliuuringu käigus kahtekümmend kaheksat tühermaastiku Põhja-Tallinnas. Selle käigus saadi piisavalt informatsiooni, et vastata kõigile töös püstitatud uurimusküsimustele. Saadud tulemused võivad olla kasuks Põhja- Tallinna linnaosa valitsusele kui ka maastikuarhitektidele ning planeerijatele, et mõista nende alade potentsiaali ning sellest lähtudes luua lahendusi, mis parandaksid inimeste elukvaliteeti. Märksõnad: tühermaastik, mitteametlik kasutus, linna rohevõrgustik, Põhja-Tallinn 3 TABLE OF CONTENTS INTRODUCTION ................................................................................................................ 6 1. LITERATURE REVIEW ................................................................................................. 8 1.1. The concept of public space ....................................................................................... 8 1.1.1. What is a public space? ....................................................................................... 8 1.1.2. The value of public space .................................................................................... 8 1.2. Public space appropriation.......................................................................................... 9 1.2.1. Space appropriation – what and why? ................................................................. 9 1.2.2. Space appropriation as public participation ...................................................... 10 1.3. Informal greenspaces ................................................................................................ 11 1.3.1. What kind of greenspace is informal? ............................................................... 11 1.3.2. The perception of informal greenspaces ........................................................... 11 1.3.3. New approach for informal greenspaces ........................................................... 12 1.4. Spatial development of Northern Tallinn ................................................................. 13 1.4.1. The history of land use in Northern Tallinn ...................................................... 14 1.4.2. The new general plan of Northern Tallinn ........................................................ 15 3. METHODOLOGY .......................................................................................................... 19 4. RESULTS ....................................................................................................................... 22 4.1. Overview of the characteristics ................................................................................ 22 4.1.1. General .............................................................................................................. 22 4.1.2. Land cover ......................................................................................................... 26 4.1.3. Water ................................................................................................................. 26 4.1.4. Safety ................................................................................................................. 26 4.1.5. Management ...................................................................................................... 27 4.1.6. Use ..................................................................................................................... 29 4.2. Urban vacant land typology based on the case study sites ....................................... 41 4.2.1. Transportation-related sites ............................................................................... 42 4.2.2. Natural sites ....................................................................................................... 43 4.2.3. Unattended with vegetation sites ....................................................................... 44 4.2.4. Post-industrial sites............................................................................................ 45 4.2.5. Derelict sites ...................................................................................................... 46 4.3. Relations of different characteristics ........................................................................ 47 4.3.1. Relation of plot size and concentration of signs of use ..................................... 47 4 4.3.2. Relation of land ownership and concentration of signs of use .......................... 47 4.3.3. Relation of visibility and concentration of signs of use .................................... 48 4.3.4. Relation of land cover and concentration of signs of use.................................. 48 4.3.5. Relation of safety and concentration of signs of use ......................................... 49 4.3.6. Relation of management and concentration of signs of use .............................. 49 4.3.7. Relation of access to water and concentration of signs of use .......................... 50 4.3.8. Relation of typology and concentration of signs of use .................................... 50 5. DISCUSSION ................................................................................................................. 52 CONCLUSION ................................................................................................................... 56 REFERENCES .................................................................................................................... 58 APPENDIXIES ................................................................................................................... 61 5 INTRODUCTION Urbanization has placed a lot of pressure on formal greenspaces to fulfill all the recreational and wellbeing needs of the residents. As many researchers suggest, formal greenspaces like parks may not be enough to meet all those needs, especially in more densely populated urban areas. In recent years, researchers have started to look towards informal greenspaces for potential solutions (Farahani, Maller 2019; Rupprecht et al. 2015). Informal greenspaces are the result of urban development and industrial and economic processes. Previously used urban areas are abandoned and demolished, leaving behind spaces that are taken over by the nature. With time these areas turn into informal greenspaces. As these spaces are not recognized as formal greenspaces, they are often left aside or developed by private stakeholders (Gawryszewska et al. 2018). However, as these spaces are rarely vacant, these