The Value of Pocket Parks in the 21st Century

Cities are densifying their urban fabrics to conserve the natural and rural surroundings, but this poses risks to human health and well-being. Open space between buildings is scarce and often reserved for multiple uses. Pocket parks are a popular solution for addressing these space constraints So far, little research has been done on the interaction between pocket park characteristics, the built environment, and people’s experiences. Pocket parks are flexible in layout, and can even be constructed above ground level between towers, but do these green spaces capture enough restorative value to counter the negative experiences associated with crowded urban developments? This chapter addresses this question by researching the potential of pocket parks to mitigate the negative impact of densification through the use of emerging biometric tools such as eye-tracking and 3M Visual Attention Software (VAS). The results of this study reveal that green spaces between high-rise buildings offer a unique refuge for apartment dwellers, and the degree of that benefit can be empirically and objectively measured using these promising biometric tools.