Document Type
Honors Thesis
Abstract
Historically targeted racialized policies and the continuation of socioeconomic inequality in Dallas have ushered in disparities in the quality of public spaces and amenities. Public spaces are significant because they provide cultural representation, economic opportunities, and social integration. The study analyzed five public spaces for six weeks across the city of Dallas to determine the success or challenges they provided to the community. The current demographics determined the location of the space of the research to show representation in each category of upper, middle, and lower-income communities. The visit to each park took place once a week for one hour at noon. The observation included accessibility, security, experience, sustainability, and comfort. In addition, the experiment analyzed the demographics and interaction of the space. The results showed how public spaces in predominantly Hispanic and Black communities lacked amenities compared to White neighborhoods. Hence, a public place's success derives from engaging activities and cultural representation. However, because of current and historical socioeconomic inequality, lower-income communities face negligence in the design of public spaces. Instead of reinforcing inequality systems from the past, designers can empower these communities by promoting equity and addressing inclusion when designing public spaces in Dallas and globally.
Publication Date
5-1-2023
Language
English
License
This work is licensed under a Creative Commons Attribution-NonCommercial-Share Alike 4.0 International License.
Recommended Citation
Hernandez, Jacqueline Lizbeth, "Social Equity Through Design" (2023). 2023 Spring Honors Capstone Projects. 33.
https://mavmatrix.uta.edu/honors_spring2023/33