Indicators of Health Quality in Public Spaces during the COVID-19 Pandemic and Their Application in Field Design

Abstract

The COVID-19 pandemic took a serious toll on the lives of individuals worldwide. Governments around the world implemented various public health measures to prevent the spread of COVID-19, such as social distancing, restrictions on public space usage, and stay-at-home orders. Prolonged isolation and social restrictions significantly affected the lives of individuals, negatively affecting their psychological and physical health. These effects underscore the importance of considering public health and environmental quality when designing and placing urban landscapes such as buildings, streets, parks, and infrastructure. Therefore, the design of public spaces must consider how to minimize disease transmission while maintaining essential health qualities. The COVID-19 pandemic highlighted the crucial role of public space design in supporting health and well-being. This study presents a framework for evaluating the health quality of public spaces using expert-informed indicators relevant to pandemic conditions. Employing the Fuzzy Delphi method (FDM) and the analytic network process (ANP), we identified and prioritized key criteria, such as spatial capacity and circulation design. The methodology was applied to Da’an Forest Park in Taipei, yielding practical recommendations for pandemic-resilient design. The findings underscore the need for adaptable, health-focused public spaces and contribute a replicable approach for future urban planning under health crisis conditions. Additionally, current norms and conventions in public space design were evaluated regarding their ability to adequately respond to future epidemics and their resilience and adaptability as spaces where people gather.