A GIS-based approach for evaluating public open spaces in Dammam city, Saudi Arabia

The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia has experienced rapid urbanization and population growth in recent decades. As a result, Saudi people have sought more public open spaces (POS) for social and physical activities. Moreover, each POS provides valuable services and opportunities for urban population. The Saudi government aims to provide the minimum standard value of per capita POS (9 m²/person) suggested by the World Health Organization (WHO). Therefore, valuating POS spatial characteristics is essential for local planners and decision-makers to prepare future urban and landscape development plans. This study aimed to quantitatively and spatially evaluate the POS in Dammam City. Five types of POS were considered: parks, walkways, plazas, waterfronts, and proposed parks. These types were organized into three assumptions, each targeting the development of certain types of POS. The per capita and service areas for POS were measured for each assumption. The POS per capita was compared with the number of international standards. Finally, the service area was used as an indicator to evaluate POS accessibility. Geographic information system (GIS) functionalities were used to model Dammam City and estimate the indicators required for evaluation. The service area was studied using both buffer and network analysis methods. The findings revealed that Dammam’s per capita POS of less than 7 m²/person is less than any international standard, and that a significant proportion of the city’s inhabitants do not have convenient access to POS.