Co-Creating Urban Public Space: Innovations in Public Space Planning Through Sustainable Ecological Planning

The aim of this Special Issue is to explore how public space planning can optimize the well-being of urban dwellers in synergy with ecosystems. By applying the concepts of green infrastructure, urban blue-green spaces, and ecosystem services to urban planning, this Special Issue highlights the importance of innovative and sustainable approaches to improving urban residents' quality of life and ecological resilience. Covering a wide range of topics from dynamic public space design to community participatory planning, it aims to uncover public space planning strategies that promote ecosystem sustainability as well as the well-being of residents. It invites the submission of empirical research, theoretical explorations, and innovative case studies on achieving a win–win situation for the well-being of urban residents and the health of ecosystems through planning and designing public spaces.

Featured keywords include eco-urban planning, urban ecosystems, public spaces, urban dwellers, well-being, green infrastructure, blue-green space, ecological space, participatory planning, sustainability, and urban biodiversity. 

Dear Colleagues,

In an era of global urbanization and environmental change, the planning and design of public space is critical to promoting the sustainable development of urban ecosystems and enhancing the well-being of urban residents. ‘Public Space Planning and Ecosystem Synergy: New Pathways to Optimize the Well-being of Urban Residents’ aims to bring together multidisciplinary and diverse perspectives to explore cutting-edge research and innovative practices in urban public space planning and the design and spatial management of ecosystems for environmental sustainability, ecological balance, and the physical and mental well-being of urban residents.

As cities grow and evolve, there is an urgent need for urban ecosystems that meet diverse urban needs while promoting environmental sustainability. The importance of integrating ecological sciences into urban planning has long been emphasized by international bodies such as the United Nations and the Intergovernmental Panel on Climate Change when discussing the close relationship between ecosystems and human society. This Special Issue aims to highlight research that bridges the gap between urban planning, urban ecology, the spatial management of ecosystems, and the well-being of city dwellers through assessment, planning, construction, practice, and management, and to combine multidisciplinary and multi-perspectival perspectives to present new concepts and approaches to urban public space planning. This Special Issue focuses on key issues such as green infrastructure, urban blue-green spatial planning, ecological planning principles, the sustainable supply and demand of ecosystem services, ecological security pattern construction, ecosystem health, and participatory urban communities, providing valuable insights into the creation of more livable, resilient, and inclusive urban environments. 

In this Special Issue, original research articles and reviews are welcome. Research areas may include (but are not limited to) the following:

• Innovative strategies for urban public realm planning.
• Relationships between public space planning and the health and sustainability of urban ecosystems.
• The role of ecosystem services in enhancing urban ecosystem services and human well-being.
• Innovative use of technology to monitor, plan, and improve ecosystem services and the well-being of urban residents.
• New approaches to public space planning through the study of urban ecosystems.
• Maintaining the stability of urban ecosystems through the construction and optimization of ecological security patterns.
• Constructing inner-city ecological networks through public space planning.
• Blue-green urban planning as a means to improve the health of urban ecosystems and the well-being of urban residents.
• Innovative application of green infrastructure.
• Planning and management of blue-green space and ecological space.
• Policy frameworks and governance models for sustainable urban development and public space optimization.
• Community participation and participatory approaches in public space design and planning.
• Creating ecological and socio-economic benefits through participatory planning for residents.
• Assessment of urban ecosystem services and their impacts on the well-being of urban residents.
• Strategies for balancing the supply and demand of urban ecosystem services.
• Interactions between land use planning and urban biodiversity conservation. 

We look forward to receiving your contributions.

Dr. Min Wang
Dr. Yuanyuan Shi
Dr. Lingyun Liu
Guest Editors

Manuscript Submission Information

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Submitted manuscripts should not have been published previously, nor be under consideration for publication elsewhere (except conference proceedings papers). All manuscripts are thoroughly refereed through a single-blind peer-review process. A guide for authors and other relevant information for submission of manuscripts is available on the Instructions for Authors page. Sustainability is an international peer-reviewed open access semimonthly journal published by MDPI.

Please visit the Instructions for Authors page before submitting a manuscript. The Article Processing Charge (APC) for publication in this open access journal is 2400 CHF (Swiss Francs). Submitted papers should be well formatted and use good English. Authors may use MDPI's English editing service prior to publication or during author revisions.

• eco-urban planning
• sustainable urban planning
• public space planning
• urban ecology
• urban dwellers
• well-being
• green infrastructure
• urban blue-green space
• eco-safety patterns
• ecologically integrated networks
• blue-green spatial planning
• ecosystem service
• planning management
• participatory planning
• supply and demand of ecosystem services
• eco-efficiency
• urban ecosystem health
• sustainability
• urban biodiversity